Libertas

“… Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses” ~Juvenal

Juvanal, Roman Poet and Satirist (Late First and Early Second Century A.D.)

Bread and Circuses; Panem et Circenses; Pan y Toros

Has it ever occurred to anyone that that is the what this government does through welfare and now health care? And if we trust Caesar to provide for our medical care, how will that protect us from more tyranny? Will we not be further enslaved?

And how is that paid for?  - Through confiscation of property with the threat of force (taxes), debt, and inflating the dollar. The latter is the worse form of tax on the poor. The government and other elite use the new dollars before the prices have gone up, but by the time the middle class and poor use the new currency, prices have increased. They have, in effect, stolen from the poor and middle class.

Thomas Sowell

“One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.” ~Thomas Sowell

No one thinks about the means or the real ends. They just hear health care, education, and welfare and condemn anyone who’s against it as being selfish. It’s wonderful for politicians and government agents. They get the distinction for being humanitarian, while using other peoples money, or borrowed money, or counterfeited money, to increase their power. Anyone who questions this is conveniently condemned for their greed and inhumanity.

The Welfare Warfare State

Furthermore, this monetary policy of taxation, debt and fiat currency, that allows for the welfare state, also allows for the warfare state, the other means to increase government power. Both Democrats and Republicans work together to increase government power. When you see bipartisanship, you see the power of the government increase. Always!

“In America we have a two party system. One party is the stupid party, and the other party is the evil party. Sometimes they get together and do something stupid and evil. This is called bipartisanship.” ~Unknown.

When the Democrats are in control, they have the reputation of increasing the welfare state, by increasing taxes and using fiat currency (money out of thin air). When the Republicans are in charge, they have the reputation of increasing the warfare state, by using debt and fiat currency.

The reality is that both the Democrats and the Republicans support the welfare/warfare State. Just look at Obama’s increase of military actions and domestic spying or Bush’s increase of government size and spending through his health care programs.

Insisting on the protection of individual rights, the protection of inalienable rights of life, liberty, and property (that is, Human Rights!) as well as insisting on the rule of law, would lead to far greater justice in society than what we have now.

The increase of government programs, besides increasing its power, also leads to the destruction of communities where neighbors help and serve their fellow neighbors. Why help my neighbor when the government is supposed to? Are we loving our neighbor, being our brother’s keeper or letting the Government take the responsibility?

What has happened to the charity hospitals and church hospitals since Johnson’s war on poverty? What has happened to health care costs since government began meddling? It’s a vicious cycle, and government wins through it’s perceived failure, because always people call for it to do more, and the politicians are happy to comply. Only in government is failure rewarded with more power and money. Just think of the Katrina or public education or the wars the government is fighting.

Recommended:

Healing Our World In An Age Of Aggression by Mary Ruwart

The Road To Serfdom by F.A. Hayek