Law and Government

At the prompting of a friend I have read Frederic Bastiat’s book titled “The Law”. This book was originally published in 1848 during the revolutions and upheavals that followed the fall of Napoleon, Louis XVIII and Louis Napoleon. At this time the only democratic models were ancient Greece, England, and the United States, which are referenced in passing but are generally ignored. The focus of this book is on socialism and communism and how these defeat the very intent of law and justice.

In general this book should be viewed as the very foundation of the Libertarian Movement. The basic premise is that the law exists solely to prevent injustice and to protect the life and property from others – especially the government in the form of legislators, a group of people whom he holds accountable for the perversion of government into a group of legal plunderers. However, the unspoken assumption throughout is that these legislators act in their own interest and not in the interest of those who elected them. In fact the idea that legislators are elected and that the government is not a democracy but a republic is largely ignored, although there are some off handed references to England and the United States, there is no recognition of the fact that the infringing laws he so abhors were the result of elected officials who can be turned out of office. There seems to be an assumption that the legislators are a separate class who act independently, which appears to be a residual recognition of the class-ism that continues to afflict Europe today. Nevertheless, this is a good book that makes some very compelling points regarding Socialism and Communism.

The primary focus of the book is on the individual and the right of the individual to enjoy the fruits of his labor unimpeded by the government or legislators who wish to redistribute his earnings to those who have less. Clearly this whole idea of wealth redistribution is wrong and just as clearly this is what the concept of proportional taxation is all about as well as the manifold social programs governments – including our own – seems bent on implementing. But the arguments against this plundering of the wealth of a few for the benefit of special interests fall short because they ignore some of the basic facts of human nature.

The underlying assumption in Bastiat’s position is that if people are left alone they will pursue productive employment, be prudent with their earnings, and live happily with their neighbors. However, this is the same underlying assumption that was made by Karl Marx. He assumed that people would pursue work for the sake of society as a whole. The difference between these two extremes is that the first retains private ownership and individual rights while the second rejects both of these. While it seems that these are diametrically opposed philosophies they both rely on unrealistic expectations regarding human nature. The fact is that some people are lazy, some are incapable of work, some have limited abilities, some are jealous or envious, and in general people are competitive and will act in what they think is their best interest, not the best interest of society as a whole. This was demonstrated by the total failure of Marxism in the communist countries and described in vivid detail in George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm.”

However, in spite of these flaws Bastiat makes a compelling case for individualism and limited government. The role of government should not be intrusive or intended to increase the power of the governors over the governed. Unfortunately the American society has tended since its inception to become more and more intrusive. In some cases this can be explained or at least justified as in the example of conscription during the Civil War. The same is true of the introduction of the (temporary) income tax to pay for WW I. But the reality is that the Federal Government has continued to increase its power over the governed to the point where the people are being taxed at a very high rate to pay for things desired by the government but not desired by the people. For example if a referendum were held today it is very unlikely the American people would vote to send money to the UN, or the PLO, or virtually every tin pot dictator around the world. But this is only the beginning of how the Federal Government has intruded on our lives. We are treated almost daily to examples of the government curtailing our free speech by establishing “hate crimes”, which are demonstrated by using words that are deemed politically incorrect and examples of “hate.” We are told that our children can celebrate Kwanzaa and Hanukah at school but not Christmas. We see the government curtailing property rights in order to protect some obscure bug. The government has created a Gestapo type organization—complete with police powers – in the form of the Environmental Protection Agency, which acts to protect things other than the citizens who support it. It is very unlikely that put to the vote that the American People would support or retain the EPA.

Bastiat calls all of these governmental ills – socialism – which to me is a misnomer but his point is valid. Government should be limited and without restraint the government becomes oppressive. It is probably time that the Constitution returns to our class rooms.

Response to the Denizens of California

I thought that with the election over, the liberal contingent of the Democratic Party would stop their bashing of the President and come to grips with the reality that they are in the minority. That their negativism did not resonate with the majority of Americans but apparently I was wrong because this is a missive I received in my mail responding to comments that I made regarding the lies spread by Soros, Moore, Kerry, and the Hollywood crowd.

you are just like the boat people they lie and then get mad when somebody
proves them wrong and wrong with their own words. You slam California but
at least they don't let people like Robertson and Bob Jones tell them what to
do. They elected Arnold and now they are finding out he is just like the
rest they lie and take your money and pass the bills off to the next generation
just like Bush. I don't have a problem with being a Christian nation I
probably go to church more than you do, but think for yourself and do not let
other people lead you, and Bush is leading us down a path I think this country
doesn't need to go down. The religious right is trying to force their religion
on everybody especially abortion when the majority of the people in this country
is for the women’s right to choose ( I personally don't like abortion but do
support the right to choose) Pat Robertson and Falwell and Jones and the like
are pushing Bush to appoint judges that will repeal roe v wade, and I’m sorry I
don't think that is right, you are right I think this country is going overboard
with religion out of government but the gang of religious leaders want
everything over turned and I don't support that either.

Please note that nothing has changed since the election, the rhetoric continues to be based on things unsaid, unsupported, but stated as facts. The fact is that Dan Rather, George Soros, Michael Moore, and the rest of the extreme left lied, they made up things and attributed them to the President or the Republican Party. The fact that these were later demonstrated to be lies is totally ignored – just as it is in this response. The fact is that President Bush made all of his military records available – Kerry did not. The President stated that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction but was accused of lying about this. The 911 Report (which I have read) makes it very clear that the previous administration plus virtually everyone else in the world believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. But President Bush is accused of lying, not making a mistake, not in repeating poor information, but flat lying meaning that he knew the truth but elected to state something different. Since that has been demonstrated to not be case, he didn’t lie but then his accusers are lying since they too know the truth but elect to ignore it in favor of a more convenient belief.

Also notice in the above response, that it is filled with beliefs, assumptions, and suppositions stated as revealed truths. Bush is being manipulated by Robertson, Falwell, and Jones – and how does anyone know this? The fact that Bush is a real Christian instead of a “convenient Christian” like many of his predecessors makes him a pawn of the religious right? I don’t think so. The fact is that the liberals are totally out of touch with the rest of the country. They are so smug in their belief that they are the intellectual superiors of the yahoos inhabiting the flyover country that they can’t let go but continue their whinny strident unfounded accusations. They continue to see President Bush as some dumb ignoramus from Texas. They really should look in the mirror and realize that dumb ignoramus from Texas made fools out of them so perhaps he is actually smarter than they are.

Answers Answers

Here are my answers to the 30 questions. I thought these were good questions to use as a conversation starter. But as I read answers they don't seem to be very provocative or even unusal, but here they are -- the real me.


Thirty Questions
1. Do you have a personal hero? If so, who is it?

I don't really have a personal hero, but the people I admire the most are George Washington (set aside absolute power), Winston Churchill - a true leader

2. What is your favorite book of all time?

I love books but the ones I have reread many times are the various books by Issac Asimov and Shakespeare, but I read extensively – mostly non-fiction.

3. What does "diversity" mean to you?

A left wing political slogan used to justify the destruction of the American melting pot and blatant discrimination against English Speaking Caucasians

4. What is the wildest thing you've ever done?

Getting drunk on Rum and Coke (I hate it to this day), falling into a river, losing all of my clothes, including a new pair of custom made boots, getting toasted over a fire by my roommate and the two of us waking up the following day without any clothes and no knowledge as to where they were or how we got home. I was hung over for a week and I no longer drink alcohol in any form.

5. Do you regret doing it?

No, it makes for some great stories when we get together now.

6. Can you drive a stick shift?

Yes

7. What’s the highest speed you've ever traveled in a car?

A bit over 130mph in my corvette.

8. Were you driving, or riding at the time?

Driving and I got a ticket too

9. How do you define success?

Difficult thing to define but I think if people respect you, seek your opinion and look up to you then you are successful. It has nothing to do with wealth. If your children grow up to be productive citizens that too is the mark of a successful person.

10. What is the most disgusting thing you ever ate?

I don't know but it was an unidentified Chinese thing – disgusting. I ate it at a business dinner and couldn’t refuse it. No wonder I hate multi-cultural diversity (LOL)

11. Have you ever wet your pants? Be HONEST!

Not recently, but once I was in such a hurry that I didn’t get it all the way out in time and managed to wet my pants pretty good. I covered by saying that I splashed water on myself (LOL) (Now that I think about it -- I guess SIZE may have been a factor in association with haste).

12. Was losing your virginity an enjoyable experience?

No

13. Should oral sex be outlawed or encouraged?

I don't think it is anyone's business one way or another

14. Name one man with a fine ass.

Believe it or not, I racked my brain and I can't think of any man whose ass I noted as either good, bad, or indifferent. I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and can’t think of one ass that I remember.

15. Do you watch golf on television? If not, will you iron my shirts?

No and No

16. Who is John Galt

Character in Atlas Shrugged (bet you thought I didn’t know)

17. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I think I'd lose some weight and about 20 years

18. Do you eat raw oysters?

No. Maybe that was what that disgusting Chinese thing was??
..
19. Are you claustrophobic?

Not especially.

20. If you rode a motorcycle, would you wear a helmet even if the law said you didn‘t have to?

I wouldn’t ride a motorcycle to begin with.

21. Name five great Presidents.

Washington, Lincoln, Truman, Reagan, and George W. Bush All conservative except for Truman who easily weighs in as number 3..

22. Name three really bad Presidents.

Clinton, Carter, and Harding but I'm revising my opinion of Clinton so maybe Grant should be substituted.

23. What was the dumbest thing you ever did?.

Aside from the rum and coke incident, I stood next to a shooting (geophysical) hole when they blew 250lbs of dynamite. The result was I was showered with mud, crud, and humiliation since I just proved a college education doesn’t make you smart. Everyone else took cover. It did mark me as human rather than the priggish college boy that people thought I was.

24. This is the 4th of July. Did you set off any fireworks?

Too hot – watched the neighbors

25. Are you successful or unsuccessful?

I have always considered myself a failure since I have never achieved my goals, but then some one calls me every day looking for insight, advice, or help. So I guess by some standards I am successful as a person even if I am not as an executive. But I guess I don’t think of myself as successful.

26 What do you consider the most boring activity?

Watching most sports on TV – in fact I am not much of a spectator so I guess watching life go by is boring. Too many people must be entertained rather than entertaining themselves. So I think passiveness is the most boring thing.

27 Do you have a “best friend”? Who is it?

Not really. I have been in a leadership position since I was 22. That has isolated me from almost all personal connections. My wife is my best friend today and at various times in my younger life I had close friends. Even today I keep in touch with my college friends and my roommate but I don’t think I have a “best male friend.”

28 Have you ever been naked outside in a public place? Where?

Apparently the Rum and Coke incident resulted in me being naked outside in a public place since my roommate and I later found our clothes by the river side several miles away. Obviously we came home naked as jay birds so I was outside in public naked as the day I was born. However, I had several opportunities to be naked outside in a public place while I was in the Army and I am not shy about being nude even though I don't parade around naked.

29 Who is the most interesting person you know? (Spouses don’t count)

I know several well known psychics and they are quite interesting. I also know a gay guy who used to work for me who is an absolute stitch and he is a great conversationalist. But I find almost everyone interesting.

30 If you could have dinner and conversation with anyone in the history of the planet, who would you choose?

That's a tough question but I think I would pick Jesus Christ, to get the real scoop, Tallyrand - for his wit and consummate political skills, Winston Churchill for his command of English and English History, Cicero for his insight into law and history, and Benjamin Franklin for his intelligence, wit, and charm.


Well there you have it -- my life in a nutshell. Sort of like everyone else's life. I discovered a long time ago that people are all pretty much alike. There are some evil people in the world but they are a small minority. Most people are good upstanding people whose lives are pretty much like mine.