Subscribe by RSS 
Came across this excellent commentary this morning and since it’s so pertinent to all current discussions, I felt compelled to share. It is written by Walter Williams, a syndicated columnist and professor of economics at George Mason University in Virginia.
Philosopher Bertrand Russell suggested that “Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.” And, it was Albert Einstein who explained, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So which is it — stupidity, ignorance or insanity — that explains the behavior of my fellow Americans who call for greater government involvement in our lives?
According to latest Rasmussen Reports, 30 percent of Americans believe congressmen are corrupt. Last year, Congress’ approval rating fell to 9 percent, its lowest in history. If the average American were asked his opinion of congressmen, among the more polite terms you’ll hear are thieves and crooks, liars and manipulators, hustlers and quacks. But what do the same people say when our nation faces a major problem? “Government ought to do something!” When people call for government to do something, it is as if they’ve been befallen by amnesia and forgotten just who is running government. It’s the very people whom they have labeled as thieves and crooks, liars and manipulators, hustlers and quacks.
Aside from the general level of disgust that Americans have for congressmen, there’s the question of whether there is anything that Congress does well. What about Social Security and Medicare? Congress has allowed Social Security and Medicare to accumulate an unfunded liability of $101 trillion. That means in order to pay promised elderly entitlement benefits, Congress would have to put trillions in the bank today earning interest. Congressional efforts to create “affordable housing” have created today’s financial calamity. Congress props up failed enterprises such as Amtrak and the U.S. Postal Service with huge cash subsidies, and subsidies in the forms of special tax treatment and monopoly rights. I can’t think of anything that Congress does well yet we Americans call for them to take greater control over important areas of our lives.
I don’t think that stupidity, ignorance or insanity explains the love that many Americans hold for government; it’s far more sinister and perhaps hopeless. I’ll give a few examples to make my case. Many Americans want money they don’t personally own to be used for what they see as good causes such as handouts to farmers, poor people, college students, senior citizens and businesses. If they privately took someone’s earnings to give to a farmer, college student or senior citizen, they would be hunted down as thieves and carted off to jail. However, they get Congress to do the identical thing, through its taxing power, and they are seen as compassionate and caring. In other words, people love government because government, while having neither moral nor constitutional authority, has the legal and physical might to take the property of one American and give it to another.
The unanticipated problem with this agenda is that as Congress uses its might to take what belongs to one American to give to another, what President Obama calls “spreading the wealth around,” more and more Americans will want to participate in the looting. It will ultimately produce something none of us wants: absolute control over our lives.
The path we’re embarked upon, in the name of good, is a familiar one. The unspeakable horrors of Nazism, Stalinism and Maoism did not begin in the ’30s and ’40s with the men usually associated with those names. Those horrors were simply the end result of a long evolution of ideas leading to consolidation of power in central government in the name of “social justice.” In Germany, it led to the Enabling Act of 1933: Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the Nation and, after all, who could be against a remedy to relieve distress? Decent but misguided Germans, who would have cringed at the thought of what Nazi Germany would become, succumbed to Hitler’s charisma.
Today’s Americans, enticed, perhaps enchanted, by charismatic speeches, are ceding so much power to Washington, and like yesteryear’s Germans are building the Trojan Horse for a future tyrant.
I can’t find much fault in Williams’ line of thinking as he is referencing this with a historical background in mind. That is really the bottom line on these government programs, that liberals enjoy watching the government confiscate wealth and redistribute it in the form of services and tax refunds to people who don’t even pay taxes.
If I go to my neighbor’s house and steal money out of his wallet to pay for my doctor’s visit, it’s called breaking and entering along with theft of personal property. However, if the government does the exact same thing through taxation, it is called “social” or “economic justice.” There is little difference between the two in my eyes, only that government is able to get away with it but I’m not.
Liberals may well be too stupid or ignorant to be aware of what it means when they call for greater government involvement in more aspects of life. Congress has failed for decades and will continue to fail until the people demand accountability. It is insanity to give more control to the government and expect that this time, they’ll do it “right,” if that is even possible with the confiscatory programs.
With history as a guide on the failures of government social programs, this really isn’t even a debatable argument in terms of whether the government will inevitably fail, since it already has. When the government starts deciding who wins and who loses, we have all already lost.
Leave a comment »Visit the You Decide Politics Store »
I totally agree with you assessment and enjoyed reading this article. Like my quoting economic professor that said lowering taxes and government spending will bring in more money to government, little or no comments will materialize.
Thank you for this article.
If I could make government disappear today I would, even if only to see what would happen.
Are there countries out there who have no government and function well? Perhaps if they are a nation of farmers or live in jungles or something.
Is this a commentary article??? lol. I guess Commentaries are spun as news on here.
I love your line of thought, Nate… The reason why it is called social justice is because the point of Law is justice.
The problem with this article is that Americans may not like the direction our government is taking at a particular time but we all agree that it is a great government and nation that is founded on the idea of by the people, for the people, and of the people.
Our government reflects the will of the people. I love this notion that if you disagree with something that it is BAD.
Bailing out the Banks for example. Normally, Bailing out failing companies is disagreeable, however, when the top 3-4 banks crash overnight than it is time to step in. Inaction is not always the best action. I may not agree with punching someone in the face but if I am backed in a corner than I may have to.
Also, there is such a thing as social justice even though Nate doesn’t want to believe it exists.
Again, Is our government perfect?? No, but we have a great government and nation that allows we people to vote, take action, get involved, and be apart. This is why although you may not agree with everything about our government…you are not going anywhere else to live.
Gotta love Commentary pieces.
Great article! Isn’t it funny how Obama can scare up a few “rent a economists” to spew his economic policies as success. Then you listen to the rest of the economist across the country/world and they have a totally different view. Just like this Gentlemen, many economist are speaking out on Obamas horrific economic policies and the reality that they will fail, however, these economist do not have the public recognition.
To read the simple words of Walter Williams above, it is my hope that students who sit in his classroom, and those who read his column will open there minds and see that socialism has never worked, and will never work. It flies in the face of what the United States economy was founded on, capitalist principals.
Why is it that liberals hate capitalism? I believe it is because they simply do not understand it, nor do they want to. Ignorance is bliss. In socialism’s long history it has not once succeeded. But again the question is asked ” So which is it — stupidity, ignorance or insanity — that explains the behavior of my fellow Americans who call for greater government involvement in our lives?”-Williams
As Americans we should not rely on government to govern our lives, personal responsibility is key. Americans lack the confidence to succeed.
“Also, there is such a thing as social justice even though Nate doesn’t want to believe it exists.”
JD I hope your right, if thing called social justice really does exist, I hope Obama is convicted for every constitutional amendment he breaks. For insistence, just to name one, 5th amendment breach of contract concerning Chrysler. How about appointing czars that answer to him and him alone, that’s a breach of executive power, no check and balance.
“Again, Is our government perfect?? No, but we have a great government and nation that allows we people to vote, take action, get involved, and be apart. This is why although you may not agree with everything about our government…you are not going anywhere else to live.”
You are the kind of person that Williams is referring to. By opening your mouth with that statement you have proved his point. HELLO
Your an Obama minion, he regulates(organizes) your life and you love it, before him your life must have been chaos.
JD,
Notice how the story began:
So again, please read before you immediately begin to complain.
“Also, there is such a thing as social justice even though Nate doesn’t want to believe it exists.”
Before we go further, you need to give me your definition of social justice since the term will mean different things to different people.
“Our government reflects the will of the people.”
That’s not always the case. For example, a majority of Americans disagree with closing Gitmo. There are other examples, similar examples under Bush as well. Politicians often do what they think is right or what they think the best politically-motivated course of action is. That is not always in line with the will of the people.
“I love this notion that if you disagree with something that it is BAD.”
Not everything I disagree with is bad. The things which are “bad” are simply the things which history has proven to be failures, like socialist governments and unfettered liberalism. That’s not me talking, that’s just history proving it.
“This is why although you may not agree with everything about our government…you are not going anywhere else to live.”
That is correct, because I do believe that the American values of liberty, capitalism and limited government will prevail in due time. Polls show more and more Americans disagree with Obama’s socialist policies though they may approve of him personally, like he’s a “cool guy.” I am not the type who would threaten to abandon the country like all the whiner liberals after Bush was re-elected. Obama is a passing fad but capitalism and liberty will live well-beyond his failures, this I know.
Luckily I don’t depend on the government for my existence like liberals do so people in power come and go and it doesn’t affect the welfare benefits I don’t live on.
Unfortunately, we now have a man in power who believes he has the right and duty to interfere in my health care decisions, among other things. I’m not telling him how to run his life, I’d prefer it if liberals stopped telling me how to live mine and just let liberty and limited government prevail.
Our American tradition is based on choices. I choice my job for it’s health plan and retirement. I choice not to take expensive vacation or buy new cars, but to save my money.
I had to take early retirement because of health problems. I have a reduced retirement, disability check and income from day trading.
Today WEN took a 7% drop, well below its normal low price. Because I saved my money, I bought a lot and now $1,000′s ahead today.
I learned the America dream from my father who did not graduate from high school. I bought my first car from profits on Chas Manhattan stock trade in 1965-6 from small amount of savings in a summer job.
I frankly do not understand social justice. I understand capitalism works for those that put forth the work, saving, and ingenuity. For those who wish it be given to them, I have no pity.
I got what I have through work, thought, and savings. That is capitalism. Government job is to make sure everyone has that chance, not to give money to those who can’t but wants life pleasures given to them..
I have to laugh of our left leaning friends defending government.It’s not the idea of government the right objects to because as they said “every country has a government unless you are in a jungle….. “.It’s the extent of government taking over every function of our lives and the unconstitutional process that is prevalent by the left where if they know they can’t have a law passed they go through the courts to LEGISLATE.The current administration also favors useing unions,Presidential signings,left leaning organizations(Acorn,Move-On),twisting unconstitutional appropiations (TARP)and seizures (GM)to further their own ends.
The Constitution list very clearly what the function of government is and we covered this once before.We have no problem with that….. it’s ignoring the Constitution and the leaping to socialism we oppose.
Fox News survey puts the president’s approval rating at 62 percent, in line with how he’s been doing since taking office.
Fox News Poll conducted June 9-10 by Opinion Dynamics Corp. Error margin: 3 points.
Obama Approval/Disapproval
Overall: 63%/31%
Democrats 88%/8%
Republicans: 28%/62%
Independents: 66%/26%
Biden Approval/Disapproval
Overall: 49%/32$
Democrats: 75%/13%
Republicans: 18%/59%
Independents: 48%/27%
Economy getting better/getting worse/staying the same
Overall: 40%/42%/16%
Democrats: 50%/28%/19%
Republicans: 27%/57%/14%
Independents: 41%/41%/16%
Very good, JD, you have posted a poll about his approval rating which is specifically not what I was speaking of.
I am speaking of poll questions which ask things like, “Do you agree with socialized health care?” or “Has the stimulus plan helped or hurt the economy?”
Those questions find majorities or pluralities who do not agree with the President. Try to keep up on this, it can be tough. The President is personally liked by a lot of voters, they “approve” of him because they don’t know anything about his policies. When questioned outside of Obama, on the substance of policies, they are not as approving the policies as they are of him personally.
Many polls, including CNN, have found this:
http://politicalticker.bl.....-policies/
More on this:
http://sistertoldjah.com/.....s-are-not/
Liberals use the approval rating as a indication of policy approval and that is incorrect. It simply means people like Obama, though less people like his policies than like him personally.
I don’t think anybody here has said Obama is not liked.
I believe economy is getting better thanks to Bush. Not even 15% of stimulas money has been spent under Obama. It takes time for money to take effect. To try and give credit for economy getting better after 5 months in office to Obama is ridiculous and not supportable.
John F. Kennedy lowered taxes and increased revenues for government. That is proven way to better economy.
Nate, Don’t feel threatened by the Poll Numbers. As you and I have always said…Polls a lot of the time are not accurate.
No need to get all dodgy about mine vs. yours. They are what they are. Polls.
JD
Rationalization.
rationalization – the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason
http://www.thefreediction.....nalization
jd
“No need to get all dodgy about mine vs. yours”
dodg·y (dj)
adj. dodg·i·er, dodg·i·est Chiefly British
1. Evasive; shifty.
2. Unsound, unstable, and unreliable.
3. So risky as to require very deft handling.
The American Heritage® Dictionary
Your assessment is unproveable, inaccuate, and not true
“A letter to Mr. Obama:”
——————————————————————————–
Franklin T. Bell, CFM, RPA, FMA
7239 Swan Point Way
Columbia, MD 21045
April 9, 2009
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500
Mr. Obama:
“I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally..
You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States.”
“You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth. I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about?”
“Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century? Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?”
“Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia. You don’t show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia. How dare you, sir! How dare you!”
“You can’t find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don’t want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey. You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What’s the matter with you?”
“I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you. You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.”
“What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members — on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer.”
“You haven’t said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didn’t! Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that’s $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million — not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven’t you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now.”
“I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you. I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.”
“Sincerely,”
Franklin T. Bell, CFM, RPA, FMA
cc: Senator Barbara A.. Mikulski
Senator Benjamin L. Cardin
Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. (D), 1st Congressional District
C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger III (D), 2nd Congressional District
John P. Sarbanes (D), 3rd Congressional District
Donna F. Edwards (D), 4th Congressional District
Steny H. Hoyer (D), 5th Congressional District
Roscoe G. Bartlett (R), 6th Congressional District
Elijah E. Cummings (D), 7th Congressional District
Christopher Van Hollen, Jr. (D), 8th Congressional District
JD, She insults but hers make sense and well founded.
New Czar to watch CEO’s pay !
Country given $200,000,000 to take terrorist innocents. Is that per year ?
Link
http://forums.online-swee.....p?t=810194
God forbid Obama shows respect to the leader of another country, how dare he sir!? LoL
Come on, you build allies by showing respect, not by disrespect. All that ranting and raving was worthless. You do not change the mind of anyone by being insulting. And that letter shows just how “NOT” to get things done. Reword it as a request without the insults and your voice may be better taken. If another person called the US a Christian Nation I swear I am going to burst a blood vessel in my brain. I mean how can you even say Christian and then speak about allies and not showing respect to saudi arabia? Is that what Jesus taught? I don’t think so sir.
I don’t think people know what it is to be Christian. Then again Jesus did say he was not here to abolish the old testament law yet to fulfill it. That’s where being Christian gets a bit weird. Jesus didn’t say he was here to create a new religious sect. I am not a Christian but I do my best to follow in the teachings of Jesus Christ which is acknowledging and holding on to the Jewish faith.
There are many things on the plate of the president and I agree he is failing on the financial issues of this country. Every president has an agenda when they come into office and obviously changing the world view of the US is one of them. Bringing together nations is one of them. I agree he needs to work on strengthening his own country which I am sure is on his agenda as well. He is not the only person that is in government that should be working on it.
Again, I was under the assumption that there was a house and a senate, are they not government bodies that can draw up legislature? Everyone is attacking Obama as if Obama is the united states government on his own.
Again, I say rather than spending countless hours bashing Obama, start working on fixing America yourself rather than waiting on Obama to fix it for you. You act like welfare babies waiting for Obama The Messiah to change things for you. We the people of the United States are the ones who control the United States right? I mean that is what the Constitution states right? The document you rant about being violated. Well use your constitutional rights to turn America into what you expect it to be rather than complain like whining babies about the fumbling of your “ELECTED” president.
It’s sad. It’s like watching kids who see the Ice Cream Truck go by and you don’t have any money. Rather than going out and working for the money to buy ice cream, you criticize the kid who’s mom gave him some. LoL
Kendale Sturdivent
“I don’t think people know what it is to be Christian. Then again Jesus did say he was not here to abolish the old testament law yet to fulfill it. That’s where being Christian gets a bit weird. Jesus didn’t say he was here to create a new religious sect. I am not a Christian but I do my best to follow in the teachings of Jesus Christ which is acknowledging and holding on to the Jewish faith”
Your lack of knowledge on this subject is showing.
Americans Support Universal Health Coverage, But Not If It Covers Illegal Immigrants
Friday, June 12, 2009 Email to a Friend
“Eighty percent (80%) of U.S. voters oppose providing government health care coverage for illegal immigrants as part of the health care reform package that is working its way through Congress”
http://www.rasmussenrepor.....immigrants
Kendale…….Where do I begin?
First in his inauguration speech he stated we aren’t a Christian or Jewish country but a country made up of many races and religions. THEN IN HIS MID-EAST SPEECH HE SAYS WE ARE A MUSLIM COUNTRY.I’M OFFENDED BY THIS! We are more of a Christian/Judeo nation than anywhere near Muslim.( is your head busting yet?) Our laws are based on these religions MORE THAN MUSLIM.But if I remember right you once said you didn’t believe so how did you become an expert on being a Christian?
NEXT his showing respect is not by BOWING BEFORE MID-EAST MONARCHS! NOR is it by telling your ally Japan they are on their own if North Korea is firing missles over your territory and we will only respond if they start flying this way.NOR is it showing respect to try and bring down the ELECTED GOVERNMENT in Isreal by telling them to give up land and to use a proportionary response of throwing rocks back at the terrorist istead of fire power.NOR is it by saying the Hamas needs to be let in the peace process thus legitimizing terrorist.OH YEAH he’s loved over in the Mid-East but when you get walked all over sure people will love you.
How you can equate disent of YOUR PRESIDENTS SOCIALIST POLICIES as being a welfare baby escapes me.No the LEFT WANTS THE “MESSIAH to change things for them” not the right. A welfare baby WANTS SOMETHING FOR NOTHING AND WE ARE DOING SOMETHING TO FIX AMERICA we are yelling STOP to his socialist ideas.Just because your ideas don’t agree with ours doesn’t mean we aren’t doing something to improve America.
Bertrand Russell’s quote that opens this article is really true; the more you think yourself wise, the less you can really see what’s happening and the less you understand truth. And he was guilty of that very thing, and came to believe that the world population needed to be culled through artificially created diseases. I just don’t understand the mentality of how we’re “better off” today than in past centuries, when we’re funding others’ lazy lifestyles through socialism and losing our moral foundations.
Kendale Sturdivent
“Then again Jesus did say he was not here to abolish the old testament law yet to fulfill”
ACCUATELY HE DID.. YOU ARE WRONG..
Jews do not believe in Jesus and still live by old testiment.
Christians live by new testiment. Not old.
I have been trying to get you to stop talking religion so I would not have to destroy your wrong statements. But you are like that battery operated bunny, you just keep going.
I’ll delete this to refrain from foul language
Matthew 5:17-18
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
Obviously you don’t know what you’re talking about. That is directly from the bible. And Jesus says this more than once.
I did not say Jews believe in Jesus. I did not say Christian follow the old testament. I quoted Jesus from the bible. That was not my opinion, it is from the book itself. Open your bible.
Jesus didn’t create a new religion either. People did.
It’s that passage alone why I do not claim to be a Christian. That is also why millions of people stuck with Judaism rather than converting to man made Christianity. Your argument is not with me but with the human creators of religions.
I embrace the teachings of Jesus, I do my best to incorporate them into my everyday life, I do not call myself a Christian.
There are good things in many of the popular religions, and the ones that I choose to live by are the Abrahamic Religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. To each their own, call yourself what you want, but do not tell me I am incorrect in a statement when the statement I make is taken directly from the bible itself.
Unfortunetly for you, you did not disprove a word I wrote. I understand you are at work and cheating your employer trying to disprove me.
I try over and over to tell you my intentions yet you still think I am here to prove you wrong or right? I shall ignore you now and you can attack my future comments and if I find something you say worth commenting about I shall so, until then, play with the others
I try over and over to tell you my intentions yet you still think I am here to prove you wrong or right? I shall ignore you now and you can attack my future comments and if I find something you say worth commenting about I shall so, until then, play with the others
While not responding, go mop a floor or wash some windows…
I’m a Registered Nurse, not a Janitor. Then again you’re the all mighty one. Shall Obama bow to you too?
Get over yourself, you’re not special. lol
Doing nothing job related is beneath you. Caring for your patients is your goal in life. Anything is better than wastig it on computer talk.
Welp, it looks like you are back onto your pointless chatter. Talk to you when you’ve got something worthwhile to say.
Same thing I have been saying all night. Show your LOVE to your patients by doing something at work.
Your hardened heart is cracking, maybe you will heed the call and do something at work. Even if it is simply empty trash. That helps janitor have free time to wax more. See how you spread the help for patients !
Perhaps your mind can fathom that between laugh at you I am actually going back and forth helping patients when they ask for it. I know it’s hard for you to believe but humans can multitask, it’s possible now a days.
Yes, answer cals and empty trash. Multitask job related. But you laugh. How sad. You say you care
You are obvious well organized. Notice how you jump between so many artices when one is enough
There are no calls to answer, and if the phone rings that charge nurse can take it. I empty the trash at the beginning of the shift so that when I get free time I can work on homework. Remember when I said work efficiently. You bust you butt for the first 5 hours and it’s smooth sailing after that. And again, we have nursing assistance that work “with” us to do those small things as well. Stop pretending you know my job and my duties because you obviously haven’t a clue as to what it is like to work here and as a nurse. Go listen to the radio, watch the news, read a book. A lot more worthwhile then trying to tell me how I should do my job.
Glad you can do your homework on the job. Sounds like they need to cut staff. Part of cutting wasteful spending to save medical money for health care
Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is excellent, as well as the content!. Thanks For Your article about Walter Williams: Americans Love Government | You Decide Politics .
Gue, this was an exciting place during the 2008 presidential race. Perhaps it will be just as exciting this go around.