Stealing From Grandma, May 7, 2005

One of the great assets of our democratic political tradition has also become one of its chief liabilities. I refer here to the right to vote. It appears that our population has become so morally depraved that it is now considered appropriate to utilize voting as a weapon against one’s neighbor.Consider first that our form of civil government was originally essentially republican (note the small “r”). This is a fundamentally Biblical notion based on a division and decentralization of authority coupled with the idea of representation. These, coupled with a commitment to be constrained by a submission to a system of law (as opposed to mere majoritarianizm) sought to establish a system of governance where political authority and responsibility was thought to be held in an equitable balance. Representation was to be both equal (the Senate) and popular (the House). By virtue of periodic elections, these representatives were thought to be held accountable to their fellow citizens.However, we see the perversion of this balance in our times. The debased citizenry has discovered that through the ability to vote, they can procure personal benefits by utilizing the civil government to coercively redistribute their neighbors’ property and wealth. This is well demonstrated by the flourishing of a variety of taxing districts that receive their funding through property taxes. These burgeoning bureaucracies are formed (by popular vote) to fund a variety of services that the public deems necessary. This includes, among many others, things like education, street repair, libraries, and recreation. I must admit that it is difficult to believe that the vast majority of people are willing to allow the mortgaging of their property in order to increase the availability of such trivial and luxurious items like recreation. We have obviously become a people devoid of any basis of morality or sound judgment. We want what we want, and we will get what we want by using any convenient club to beat it out of our neighbor. We willingly participate in these practices of thievery, thinking we will be better off if we do. We must have what we want. Even if it means stealing from Grandma.