At his farewell address in 1796, George Washington said “"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."
It seems as if the Republicans and Democrats have played his nightmare out to a T. All I see are squabbles based on political ideals and morals, without consideration of the people at large. This tit for tat legislation passing has slowly and steadily eroded the rights of the American People. Very few are even asking if this should even be regulated, and instead exploit the chance to tax and control the people. When given the opportunity, the federal government is more than happy cage you for any reason. Let us not forget FDR’s internment of Americans of Japanese descent or their indefinite detention of foreign citizens on a third foreign soil. All of this done in the name of freedom and safety.
This now brings a convenient simplicity to purchasing political power. Lobbyist shower lawmakers with gifts, vacations, luxury accommodations but only need to do this to one group. Those people will now vote into laws things that make the providers happy. Why would anyone bite the hand that feeds? But what about those who can’t afford the extravagant steak dinner to please the lawmaker’s appetite? Disingenuous promises and wide mouthed grins, can’t let the tax payer know you just want their money! The effects of the laws on the people’s freedom are rarely considered. The politicians seem to rather focus on how much freedom, money, or both they can attempt to take in one sitting. They spend lavishly on themselves, ensuring fine travel accommodations amongst the elite at our expense. Spending ferociously on military at an absolutely unsustainable way seems to be their favorite way to spend our money. Which will probably come back to the community in the form of some futuristic instrument of death used to spread fear in the “High Crime Neighborhoods”.
(Photo Source- http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-obama-police-tanks-taken-florida-20151015-story.html)
The fear is going to be needed. Officials making deals to fully stock prisons by creating more criminals. The General of Attorneys trying to stop out every freedom to maximize his investments. What I find most unsettling is that the system that removes freedoms entirely is a moneymaking opportunity. The minute profit came into the “corrections” is the minute things escalated. Those friendly lobbyist, who know who the investors are, come pimping down the aisle of congress for their support.
Because the consolidation of power in a central form, they have continued to get rich and keep their friends rich. The Federal Government does need to be severely limited to become secondary to state and local laws. I become internally enraged at the thought of my tax dollars being used to raid a peaceful cannabis establishment in another state. I grow concerned at the massive waste being used to collect all of the citizen’s information for their safety. I begin to fear the massive military budget being used to create bigger and more deadly weapons only to be sold to the police departments. The top will always attempt to collect more for themselves and less for others. What we need, to return to a more free and perfect union, is to start decentralizing government. The only way to do this in the spirit of American Freedom is to start voting for a different party.
