Representative Goverment
Posted on | May 21, 2009 | Comments Off
How is that for a broad, pompous title?
I was talking with someone last night who is fighting the building of new highways because additional taxes would be needed to finance them. Fair enough. The reason given for building the highways was to relieve congestion. Not fair. Building highways does not relieve congestion, it adds places where new congestion can take place. At least that is my experience in the Bay Area. But I digress.
My friend went further and said that taxes were extortionate theft from unwilling citizens. Wow. That’s it. That is the dregs of the argument.
As I understand, our theory of government rests on the idea that power derives from the consent of the governed. And by definition implies consent to government’s decisions. Contemporary Republicanism denies that consent.
Consent by large groups has been withheld before. The peace movement during the Vietnam War comes to mind. But these Republicans wear suits. Go to work. Own homes. The recent tea parties were ideal metaphors for their thoughts. Uninformed, base, and crass as they were. These are sincere people. The fellow I was talking with is intelligent, experienced, and informed. Their argument deserves attention, if not acceptance.
Further, yesterday’s vote to reject proposed budget solutions in California shows a fundamental loss of confidence in state government. There is informed opinion suggesting changes to the state constitution.
One more rambling thought. We have a consensus president at a time when major players are not willing to compromise.
Oh, and since this seems to be “take out the political trash day”, one more thing. In an ad in The Atlantic, Allstate Insurance Company says:
Let’s draft strong, clear federal regulation to protect our country from [financial disaster] ever happening again. [The quote was bold in the original.]
It’s time to do some weeding.
Walk well. God is love.
