To paraphrase Churchill’s famous statement about Munich, in which he is purported to have said that “the government had to choose between war and shame. They chose shame. They will get war, too.”
Our government has had to choose between liberty and social justice. They chose social justice. They will get neither.
As she notes, too many Americans have lost the concept of the value of liberty, or have never had it.
Post title got left off.
The impression I get of some of those who support big government is that they see the private sector as the bigger threat to their liberty, and so heavy government is needed to keep the rich and powerful in line. Which is backwards, as the government can do a lot of things for which any private party, no matter how rich and powerful, can’t do without getting struck down. Also, many examples of ‘private interests’ abusing others are in fact enabled by government.
So they value liberty, but have little understanding of what the real threats are.
Then there are those who see government as a way of getting ahead, socialist parasites.
PeterH, your point is valid but perhaps you take it a bit too far.
Although the nation is imperiled by the metastasis of government, government remains a necessary function. A cancerous vital organ remains vital.
I’m sure that many in the military and civil services do the conscientious best they can even when they feel like chumps careerwise for their efforts.
A New Year’s thank-you to them.
Along the lines of Peter’s comment:
They don’t recognize that moving from Big Business in an industry (any industry) to government control, that you’re fundamentally moving to “Bigger Business.”
Minus a layer of oversight, with not just ‘true monopoly’ levels of influence, but the power of both law and the sword.
I don’t see where PeterH takes it too far at all. He didn’t say we should do away with government. He’s simply suggesting a smaller government. That’s not too far, it’s a reasonable statement. Hell, it doesn’t even call for action; it’s just an observation.
Certainly, there are a good people, who make a government work for the people. I work with many of them, and I assure you, many of them can point out the excesses of our government. They can even point out the threat to civil liberties from the excesses.