Where to turn?

I've come to the conclusion that our Government is innately corrupt.  I am not referring to the Democrats labeling of the GOP "Culture of Corruption" when I say this - it is patently obvious that it is the entire body politic that is corrupt, and the decay goes far deeper than political affiliation. 

Our Nation was founded on strong principles, based on a detailed Constitution, and balanced with a triumvirate of co-equal branches.  The risks inherent in a pure Democracy were foreseen, and addressed via the implementation of a government comprised of civilian representatives.  Law was intended to be supreme, being blind to social standing and enforced equally across the populace.

Over the years, there has been a constant erosion of these principles, and we are now to the point where our current government is nearly indistinguishable from that which we freed ourselves 200+ years ago.

Obviously, the notion that law would be applied equally to all is facile.  While many, many examples are available, there are two that are in the news these days.  First, I've already commented on the dangers of government not only turning a blind eye on its responsibility of enforcing immigration policy, but actually proposing to reward those that chose to enter this country illegally.  I will now be watching very closely to see if any prosecution is brought to bear on the dishonorable Mary McCarthy, the recently discovered "leaker" of vital national secrets.  Personally, based on the minuscule slap on the wrist received by the equally reprehensible Sandy Berger, I'm not optimistic.  In fact, I fearlessly predict that she will reap millions of dollars making the rounds of the talk shows and from the ubiquitous book deal.

We are quickly devolving from a nation that respects the law, acts accordingly, and punishes those that don't into an anarchy in which laws are selectively applied, or in some cases, not enforced at all.  Unelected government employees, in concert with a left-leaning and ratings-hungry press, are attempting to subvert the policies of our elected officials, and they're getting away with it.  Bitter retired generals are calling for the termination of the Secretary of Defense, foregoing centuries of Constitutional tradition that ensure civilian leadership of the military, in favor of cynically promoting their lucrative book deals.  These same government employees outed an intelligence gathering program that could mean the difference between life and death for thousands of people, and the press teamed with the minority party to applaud their "bravery." 

That latter example is a two-fer.  Not only does it demonstrate the lengths to which self-interested, cowardly career bureaucrats are willing to go to discredit an administration they don't like, it also shows how far we've gone down the path of destroying the balance of the three branches of government.  It is not at all uncommon to hear people going on and on about the illegality of the NSA intelligence gathering operation, apparently speaking from a position of near total ignorance.  Or, maybe I'm wrong.  Either way, I was taught that the Executive Branch was co-equal with the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch.  As such, the Executive Branch is imbued with its own rights and responsibilities by the Constitution, and these rights cannot be abrogated by either the Legislative or Judicial branch.  The responsibility for the defense of our country is placed with the Executive Branch, and part of that responsibility by necessity includes the right to gather intelligence on our enemies.  Hyperactive bed-wetters may scream about the erosion of Civil Liberties, but I have yet to hear any proof whatsoever that this program was used for anything but to ensure the security of our populace.

So, where does this leave us?  Well, we have another election this year.  This is our opportunity to vote for the folks we want to represent our interests in Washington.  Or is it?  Do we really have a say anymore?  I contend that we do not.  Forgetting for a moment that the typical candidates from the two major parties can only be defined as "awful" and "more awful," gerrymandering and pandering have brought us to the point where incumbents basically tell us who we can vote for, and not surprisingly, it is nearly always a choice between the incumbent and a candidate that hasn't a chance in hell of winning. 

Our government extorts confiscatory taxes from the minority of the electorate and uses the funds to buy votes from the majority of the electorate. Our Government, which was supposed to provide only for the general welfare and defense of our nation, has now grown into a insatiable leviathan that exists solely to support its own growth.  And the half of the country that directly profits from this inappropriate largesse is just fine with that, and hey, why wouldn't they be?

Well, I feel better having gotten some of the pent-up vitriol out of my system.  Can you tell it's tax season?

Comments

[TheMasterTimekeeper]

Your title just sums things the hell up. You see, I cannot take issue with any of the main points except to point out that I'm not aware of any other nation whose system works better. Every counterexample which comes to mind works either just as badly, or much worse. Canada? Nope. (If their economy and healthcare weren't enough, last year's censorship puts a final nail in that coffin.) The UK? Too socialized, fewer civil liberties. Mainland Europe? Laughable. The entire Asian continent? No, no, no.
The only folks I can think of are Ireland and, maybe, Finland. And that's because I don't know enough to be pessimistic.

It seems like the only people with a better system must be some unmolested tribe in the depths of the Amazon.

Taking another tack, I am struck by how our system has improved since its inception. No- seriously. A decent survey of American history points out that the system began as wealthy patricians doing all the voting.
Universal franchise? The very idea!

[rob]

While I agree with you also, I would point out a minor logic error to your argument... You say that the Government exists solely for it's own growth and half of the US profits from that.. Then that's a valid reason for it's existance. So it's growth is not purposeful-less... it supports half the country! ;-)

[Hogarth]

Supporting half of the country is a means to an end, not a purpose for being. In other words, it's a happpy side effect for the recipients. Not that I'm wholly against governmental social programs per se, but I think they've grown far too large, and the underlying reason for that is not some form of anthropomorphic humanitarianism on the part of the goverment itself, but a self-serving necessary evil required to feed its voracious appetite for "safe" voting blocs. As the timekeeper says above, it ain't great but it's the best thing around. It can be mighty frustrating, though.

[rob]

Shoot, half the country being taxed to death so the other half can live without having to work, having the government provide every necessity.. I think that (for that half, at least) is called "Utopia".. ;-)

[Hogarth]

You'd think there'd at least be a modicum of gratitude. But let's look at the new trillion dollar boondoggle that is Medicare Part D. Have you heard a thank-you? I haven't. All I've heard is a bunch of bitching and crying about "how complicated it is," and "how it was cheaper under my old insurance."

Alll I can say is, "cry me a river, ingrate." If you don't want it, do all of us that are footing the bill and don't use it. That, or ST*U.

[Hogarth]

do all of us that are footing the bill a favor and don't use it.

[rob]

No, tell us how you really feel...

[Steel]

Anybody heard from Obi?

[rob]

Nope. I called his cel and left a message but I've not heard back from him.