Pork Stuffed Bills And The Cycle of Democracy
In his book “Democracy in America”, Alexis DeTocqeville (circa 1848) had this to say: ” A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse (a liberal gift) out of public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a Dictatorship.”
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to selfishness;
From selfishness to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependency;
From dependency back again to bondage.
The bill started out two pages long.
It went to around 15 pages and failed.
It is now a pork-stuff 400+ page bill to “save us from ourselves.” And it just passed the last hurdle - the House of Representatives.
Stuffed so full of pork (including monies to study wooden arrows for god’s sake!), it’s entirely possible we are watching the end of the cycle.
On average, the cycle of democracy lasts approximately 200 years. And we have blindly walked right along the path that historically has been proven.
This coming election may (or may not) give us the chance to stave off collapse.
We need leadership that puts the PEOPLE before themselves! Those willing to come to office - at EVERY LEVEL - as the PUBLIC SERVANTS they are meant to be.
This past 8 frigging years have been the longest in my life, most likely yours.
THINK before you vote!
Tags: abundance, alexis, apathy, arrow, benefit, collapse, complacency, courage, democracy in america, dictatorship, followers, form of government, god, house of representatives, largesse, last hurdle, life, loose fiscal policy, monies, pages, people, possibilities, promises, public servants, public treasury, sake, selfishness, spiritual faith, vote, walks, wooden arrows
| 3.5 |
October 4th, 2008 at 11:21 am
WhooooooooooooooooHoooooooooooooooooo!
Diane, are you coming out? I thought you were an advocate of the government redistributing the wealth for us.
Is that not what makes us dependent upon the government teat?
Would it not be better to get INdependent of the government’s meddling and thereby “stave off” collapse and the end of the cycle, bondage?
Although, we obviously have fun with our back and forth here, I am serious in my questions and not at all trying to be obnoxious. Just trying to understand your position, so please take this in the spirit of friendly dialogue.
Certainly, there have been mistakes made during the past eight years, but I believe there’ve been honest attempts at getting LESS government intervention in our lives.
Should the pro-tax folks get into power for the next four, will we not see additional government-run social programs designed to further encroach upon personal liberties?
October 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Hi Brad! Oh good I was hoping you’d take these posts in the spirit in which they are intended - so everyone has the right to voice their opinions. My stance is based on what I truly believe is necessary in the country. Solid change. I’m afraid the Republican party, while sometimes knowing how to talk the talk, never really walks the walk to make any bit of different for the common man (or woman).
Also, frankly I am shocked at Palin, as dearly as I’d love to see a woman in the White House. Also to be called “Joe Six Pack” offends me. She might make a good Mayor, but next in line for the Presidency should a 75 year old guy kick the bucket, omg Brad! Now that’s scary!
Eight years of not just sliding downhill but crashing has me definitely looking for younger leadership with the hearts and minds of the middle class clearly in their sights.
Can you in all honesty say life has improved in the last 8 years… I think not and that scares the crap out of me. Even my father, a staunch republican ALL his life, did not vote for Bush the last time around, nor will he be voting that ticket this time around either. That clearly sends a message. People want change!
Thanks for coming by! I trust our friendship is so strong that even political differences are tolerable - both sides of the issue -
October 4th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Our time to vote is quickly approaching. Can we really justify voting for incumbents at this point?
October 4th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Hey Diane!
First of all, we are friends. Period.
Second, you know that I’m all about opinions. In Boardman Country, everyone’s entitled to MINE,
but certainly they’re free to give theirs as well.
When I’m out roaming the web, I try to tread fairly softly because the rancor out there is, to me, a big part of the problem we have in OUR country. Hopefully, folks can agree along the way, but we all know that’s simply not going to be the case all the time.
Rather, let’s make our best logical cases in an amicable way for the stances we take and thereby work toward actually reasoning with each other.
Certainly, when we feel passionate about something we’ll state our rationale in passionate ways, but we can still be civil to each other - not just you and me, but everyone.
I can, of course, go on and on here, but I’m sure this is comment enough for now. Please know that you have my respect and we’ll continue to have fun here in WHB territory stating and attempting to defend our various positions!
You go, girl!
Blessings,
Brad
October 4th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
BTW, I hated the bail out too and I let the legislators from my state know it.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Oh heart be still! I think I just read that Brad was against the bailout like the rest of us!
I knew it! He has a little bit of Liberal in him !!!
October 4th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
@Brad - always friends! I actually hesitated for the longest time going anywhere near politics since this is NOT a political blog, but… time is nearing and hey if we don’t have the guts to speak up - no matter which side of the fence - then where’s the “democracy” in that?!
@Linda - you crack me up!
@Carol - I’m with you - out with the old, in with the new. Did you know that of our I believe 8 city board members (elected officials here in Vegas) seven of them are now in prison?! The only guy that kept his nose clean cannot read again. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line (and it started a long time ago, I know), greed took over. The saying power corrupts… let’s hope for the next generation that things DO change for the better!
October 5th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Well, well, well. What I a nice early Sunday morning treat! Stopping by to dialogue with some of my favorite liberals!
Linda, you crack me up too! I think the bailout issue is really beyond liberal or conservative thought though. It was just plain WRONG. I think we just needed to let the chips fall.
And I’m on record within my family as saying that with congressional approval ratings being what they are, I’d like to take the back of my arm and wipe the whole ding-dang board clean - Republican and Democrat. Let’s just toss every last one of them and start from scratch! Having totally new blood back there would probably do more good than we can imagine.
Ladies, I must now go teach my Sunday School class! The lesson for today is Sharing the Gospel (Good News)!
I hope you all have a spectacular day!
October 5th, 2008 at 8:26 am
@Brad - this is a great Sunday surprise
We (my family) are in total agreement with you! Kick ‘em all out and try again! After all, the one thing no one appears to remember is, just like the movie, “Dave,” being in a government position is a temp job! Not a life-long feed off the public and never do anything worthwhile. Granted that’s a broad statement, somewhere in Washington someone must have done something worthwhile, but… Anyway, out with the tired and old and in with the new!!
October 5th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Yeah! We ALL agree on two subjects…. WE are making progress together! Is that not cool?
October 5th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Well, hope there is room for me on this topic!
I’m in agreement on the kick everybody out idea.
However, we will get four years of somebody…I just hope whoever it is, has their head screwed on right. Enough with the partisanship and the parties. Let’s hope for real people that put their parties aside, and get down to the business of the real issues everyday people are dealing with!
October 5th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
@Linda - agreement and coming together, that’s what will pull this country though, we sure need it!
@Barbara - you bet, always room for one more! And it turns out my reply to Linda also works for you. Yes, four years of whoever coming in will be spent starting to clean up the mess of that last eight, but maybe, just maybe, they can get down to real business before the term is up!