I don’t know what makes a politician get to Washington and immediately assume that every problem in the world can be fixed by more rules, another federal agency, and a few tax dollars, but a majority of them get that way. And the rest, who don’t, get into the “my esteemed colleague” mode, addressing people like Barney Frank as if her were of sterling character and his ideas of no more import than a difference in the color of the carpet.
I’m tired of the silence that signifies assent.
The post at Mostly Cajun also mentions Claire Wolfe, who wrote "101 Things To Do 'Til The Revolution", namely that America is in the 'awkward' stage - " It’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.”
Kevin also commented on Cajun's post, and displayed a curious attitude, and I'll try to explain.
Now, the attitude isn't repugnant to me, but rather it reminds me of Mike Vanderboegh's thinking at Sipsey St, and that's the curious part. Most of the gun bloggers I read are pretty antagonistic towards Mike, thinking that his view of things amounts to 'kill 'em all, let God sort 'em'. Which couldn't be further from what he's actually saying, generally. Yes, he does envision the shooting war, but only as a response, not to start the war.
Like Kevin, I believe that we've passed the point of shooting the bastards, because if we'd have done that 50 or 60 years ago, we probably wouldn't be in the societal mess we're in now. And if we'd have run several people out of town on a rail (tarred and feathered for good measure!), we could have avoided shooting anyone.
You see, we've stopped holding politicians accountable for their actions, and not just at the ballot box. George Washington made very prescient statements about who fears whom, government vs the people. Our government no longer fears us, because we haven't reminded them that they need to.
Thomas Jefferson wrote "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." [emphasis mine]. The Whiskey Rebellion is a good example, and that happened almost immediately after we ratified the Constitution (because the government started reaching into the pockets of Americans). Jefferson also wrote (during the rebellion) that he hoped that the instigators wouldn't be punished harshly, but only slapped on the wrists a bit ...... because he thought that the citizens should keep close tabs on the government.
But we don't do that anymore ...... we're too busy enjoying our own success, our own relative wealth.
Seems we just can't be bothered anymore.
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