Save us from the Anointed

It is a vain hope to make people happy by politics. -- Thomas Carlyle

Our problems stem from the fact that we are waiting for salvation from our politicians, in both senses of the phrase. DC apparatchiks will not save us, and nothing will save us from them.  We must deliver ourselves.  We should resolve this new year to begin wrenching our lives from the cold, bony clutches of the state.

The problem is […] that our economy and our society have outrun our political ideas. (WRM – Another One Bites the Dust)

Indeed they have. Our politicians are fighting yesterday’s battles, with century-old armaments.

How much of the progressive state must, can or should we carry into the future? What if anything do we put in its place? How do we deal with an entitlement crisis that will burst upon us sooner than we had hoped? How do we rethink our educational, health and legal/governmental systems so that we can get more done with less friction and less economic cost?

The Great Recession has exposed the strains in many of our systems — including the systems that regulate and organize the financial markets — and we are having to address complicated and difficult issues on an accelerated timetable at a time of economic hardship and straitened budgets. (WRM – Another One Bites the Dust)

Dems and Repubs stand equally flat-footed…

The Democrats stand mostly for defense of an order that is passing away. They seem to have no idea how to do anything other than try to slow the decline of the blue social model; this is a party that has been out of ideas since the 1970s.

Republicans seem mostly divided between those who hearken back to the pre-progressive 19th century past and others who know change is needed but are less sure about what to do. (WRM – Another One Bites the Dust)

Big Government solved some big problems common to us all in the 20th Century; but now it produces only failure

The Great Government Crusade needs to pack it up and go home.  It has won the victory, but each year of occupation sees the conquering army trample and besmirch all it has gained.  Public education hit the arc of its trajectory over 45 years ago and is now inflicting friendly fire.

The new frontiers of well-being and happiness are hundreds of millions of little ones that exist in each of our lives.  Government cannot make you happy because government doesn't know what makes you happy, and thank God for that, because it would be pretty creepy if it did.

To reform a world, to reform a nation, no wise man will undertake; and all but foolish men know, that the only solid, though a far slower reformation, is what each begins and perfects on himself. --Thomas Carlyle

For further exploration, I recommend two essays on Thomas Sowell's "Vision of the Anointed:"

Independent Institute - Vision of the Anointed Book Review
Drafty Manor - Vision of the Anointed Essay

Or watch this short video of Dr Sowell discussing one of the ideas in his book...