This essay is a response to something a member received in an email from a 'Progressive friend'. Several of us have debated the proper answer that is both respectful and sincere. Herein follow my thoughts. Unfortunately my answer takes longer than the questions asked but then a well known saying "Any fool can ask more questions than the wisest man can answer..." comes to mind. The name of the questioner is of course a pseudonym. As usual..:the names have been changed to protect the guilty'... and I meant well.
-The Squishy Libertarian
From the founding of our government forward politicians/government has made decisions for the people, yes they have power, that is what our founding fathers intended. Dismantling government grants power to larger international corporate cartels a result which has not worked out well for the people. I guess I have a problem understanding how removal of government will allow corporations to provide a better power over the people.
No, some people even many are completely incapable of managing their own life and issues. I am one such person and so are you. I cannot protect myself and family from polluters of the water I drink and air I breath, and you can’t either. I cannot protect myself from flying in a defectively engineered or maintained commercial aircraft, or its landing or take offs from dangerous airports, and you can’t either. I cannot protect myself from dangerous products imported from foreign countries or products mfg. here in the US, and you can’t either. I cannot protect myself from frauds who manipulate stock prices and thereby cheat the public and you can’t either. I cannot protect myself from the spread of contagious diseases, and you can’t either. We cannot protect ourselves from corporations/vendors which counterfeit goods or services. I cannot protect myself from bankers/wall street frauds who manipulate price of credit default swaps to enrich themselves at public expense and you can’t either. These are just a few of the things government is supposed to protect the public which we cannot protect ourselves. Granted that does not always happen because government is bribed by those who they regulate. And we, cannot protect ourselves from that issue either. - C. L. Morals
The Grand Illusion
Or rather should I say a grand allusion? Allusion in that Ms. C L Morals asks a series of rhetorical questions. She is alluding to her belief that only the government can do it for her. She does not give her own answer to any of these rhetorical questions though. Several presuppositions are suggested by her comments. Thus her rhetorical questions are an allusion to an answer that is obvious to her but she doesn’t provide answers to convince those of us who are skeptical that government performs these functions better than a system based on mutual cooperation.
Our founding fathers intended for government to make decisions for “the people”
News to me and the ‘founding fathers’...The Preamble of the Constitution ends with its last stated purpose... “and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,” (their capitalized words not mine). Liberty is not a collectivist concept. Liberty accrues to individuals. Much ink was written in the Federalist Papers about ‘the tyranny of the majority’ and ‘the tyranny of the minority’. The concern was Liberty for individuals. Otherwise, ‘the people’ would have more meaning to Mr. Madison. He would say, a simple majority gets to dictate to everyone else. The Constitution was crafted with considerable attention to prevent this ‘tyranny of the majority’.
...some people even many are completely incapable of managing their own life and issues.
Patronizing statement for sure. Infants, children, infirm and demented elderly, cognitively impaired can’t take care of themselves. Those of us who are capable, provide care to those who can’t. Mostly, we do it out of love for family, friends, community and even our fellow frail human. We know that we were once infants and children and will likely be infirm and demented in our old age and provide this care in appreciation for our transient independence. We look at victims of disease and birth defects and give care saying in all these cases... “there but for the grace of God go I...”
I am going to make a big assumption though and say that this presupposition is not that limited. It is a cynical statement that people don’t know what is best for them. They are like sheep and need the sheep herder and his dogs (read government) to provide for their needs. That is what goes into my head and ear by the tenor of it all and I invite Ms. Morals to tell me and give me some good expansion of her statement to counter my impression.
Besides direct quotes of her writing, I point out that this person’s answers are largely dictated at a source of evil she perceives.
