It is a vain hope to make people happy by politics. -- Thomas CarlyleOur 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?Dems and Repubs stand equally flat-footed…
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)
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 CarlyleFor 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...
16 comments:
Big Government solved some big problems common to us all in the 20th Century; but now it produces only failure
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Am I reading that correctly? You're a reformer? Welcome to the club, brother.
Have you actually come to accept the need for the state?
Speaking of reform, I saw a pretty good documentary the other day, "Paul Goodman Changed My Life".
About the author of "Growing Up Absurd". Regrettably out of print. I gave a spare copy to the Occupy Boston library and now who knows where it is. Maybe the BPD is passing it around but that's a utopian vision.
Film dealt with Goodman's promiscuity to the detriment of explaining his social theories but it was clear that something almost happened back in the day. Almost but as Goodman said, "then things got stupid".
Myself, I think it was the drugs but everyone has a theory.
It's sad that we have the likes of Thomas Sowell supplanting real thinkers these days. Doesn't bode well.
This lying president just keeps getting us deeper and deeper in dept every day. What in the world are our elected reps in DC doing, besides nothing? Can this entire government really be so blind as to not see and understand what this maniac is doing to this country? We, as citizens can scream and holler till the cows come home but it won't mean a thing until congress wakes up. And until these moron on the left wake up and get rid of this thorn in our backsides nothing will change. As for congress, all they think about is re-election. My biggest area of disappointment is from our republican leaders. Are they so scared about their next re-election that they have all swallowed their pride and guts?
It seems to me that both parties are bringing down the country. We are in a spiritual war for the survival of this nation. May be we do have one more chance to save this country, but it won't be from a new administration. I just don’t recognize this country anymore.
For those of you who still adore and defend this president, and "Ducky's here" is a prime example, I can only wonder what he has to do to change your closed minds and blind eyes? I guess that as long as he is in office and people refuse to do their own thinking, things will get worse and worse. I'd just like to hear some of the radical liberals defend what he did with cutting our military, and now our national debt has gone over 15 trillion,
where will this all end?
The Congress knows exactly who it is working for and what it is doing. Hint: It ain't working for you cowboy.
"And it's not going to change,
It's not going to change,
Till you wise up."
I don't need it to "work for me" I can work and support myself very well with any of their handouts.
Thank you.
I do not hang out in the Barber Shop and play the lottery, I work and work hard for what I have.
Tank you but I have "Wised Up" long ago, and I know someone who manipulates the system when I see them.. Ducky!
@Ducky: Have you actually come to accept the need for the state?
Ducky: I've been polite to you, please don't insult me. I have clearly stated on several occasions that I am not an anarcho-capitalist.
Kurt,
You wisely said:
"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 federal 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."
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Amen, brother. Your ability to write solid-gold soundbites amazes me. Someone should do an online book of quotes from you. Unfortunately, no one cares about such wisdom, since it doesn't reflect The Big Sale, meaning it isn't mainstream enough to get anyone elected.
No worries. I would still vote for you. :)
I enjoy your blog, Kurt. Thanks for writing it. In this online nightmare of political blogs full of morons and knee-jerking punditry, you are a definite welcomed relief.
Passionate: Thank you, but the ideas are not originally mine. That one was inspired by Friedrich Hayek.
That is the essence of founding fathers-type libertarianism. Charge the government with foreign policy, infrastructure, policing, and leave the rest to the people.
If it were true that laizzez faire government was today's answer, then why haven't we seen any improvement in our lots for the past 33 years? We have become more laizzez faire, and the middle class has shrunk, the economy has bounced on turbulent seas, and wages purchasing power for most of us have been stagnant or shrinking.
At what point do you ever see your own failure?
JMJ
We have become more laizzez faire,
Wrong.
SF "I have clearly stated on several occasions that I am not an anarcho-capitalist."
I'd say the percentage of capitalists who believe in absolutely no government is minus 1%, yet Conservatives are accused of wanting NO GOV'T.
Did you see Charlie Rose jump on Sowell in your video, when sowell talked about personal responsibility, "Do you therefore believe....that the gov't has NO responsibility for those less fortunate than ourselves...?"
It's ALL GOV'T or NO GOV'T for many on the left, apparently, which is stunningly suspect and downright silly, of course.
Long live Thomas Sowell; a man who understands race because he's lived it and is as bright as they get.
Less government means more power to the people.
We need a government that will adhere to the Constitution, period.
The progressives have ignored it, stomped on it and have spit on it.
They refuse to understand it's great value the people and to the future of our nation.
Silver, are you saying that we have more taxation and regulation than we had 34 years ago? Ten years ago? Since Obama was elected? If you are, you are screwball wrong.
You can invent today's or yesterday's realities if you like, but the fact that we are more laizzez faire than we were TWO FRIGGIN' generations ago, and most of us are no better off for it is undeniable.
Do you care about that at all?
At least concede something. Heck, I'm the infamous liberal who's against corporate taxation!
JMJ
We have way more laws and regulation and more regulators and more bureaucrats than 30 years ago. OUr government consumes an unprecedented percentage of GDP. Government hands money to wall street bankers, corporations, manufacturers...
We are nowhere near laizzez faire my liberal friend.
If it were true that laizzez faire government was today's answer, then why haven't we seen any improvement in our lots for the past 33 years? We have become more laizzez faire, and the middle class has shrunk, the economy has bounced on turbulent seas, and wages purchasing power for most of us have been stagnant or shrinking.
At what point do you ever see your own failure?
JMJ
jmj - we haven't been laizzez faire for many years. Government regulations have increased across the board and have been doing so for a long time. With faint little relief. And it is going to get worse.
Poor Charlie Rose! Sowell's last send ended with "You see?"
Charlie doesn't see anything except the inside of his own rectum. HE, Charlie Rose is one of "The Self-Anointed" of which Sowell speaks, of course.
They're all so stuck in themselves -- so sure they -- and only they -- know what's best for all mankind.
Charlie Rose is always so revoltingly affable to every leftist creep who appears on his oh-so low-key, late night talk show it's enough to set your teeth on edge.
But who -- but a fellow leftist creep -- could possibly miss the condescension and thinly-veiled hostility in every sentence that came out of Charlie's mouth in this interview with Dr. Sowell?
Leftists are not -- and never have been -- champions of Colored People. Instead they eagerly took over the role of "Master" after Abraham Lincoln's war of aggression against the Confederate States of America murdered, maimed and greatly impoverished those who'd played that role before.
The patronizing, paternalistic attitude of liberals towards Negroes -- and the manifest liberal hatred of colored folk who made it on their own -- is positive proof of that.
There is nothing that is not broken that a liberal is not panting and foaming at the mouth with eagerness to fix.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
Yes, and the other half of hat sentence -- the one no one ever says aloud -- is "and never fail to do tremendous harm."
BUSYBODIES! MARTINETS! WRIST-SLAPPERS! WOULD-BE MICRO-MANAGERS! Every last one of them.
~ FreeThinke
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