Masking the Costs of Democracy
In a social media thread, someone commented, “‘Democracy’ is being held together with masking tape.” The implication was that “Democracy” is broken and at risk of destruction, and if that is correct, then the writer would have us to believe that “Democracy” must be “saved.” But, is that true? Is “Democracy” to be saved at any cost? Or, might it be said, “Democracy is Overrated”?
In similar contexts, we often hear the promise or command to “Save ‘OUR’ Democracy.” Does “our” democracy benefit all equally? Or, is “our” in reference only to those, who are fortunate enough to find themselves among an electoral majority—in reference to favored classes and special interests groups? Is an unrestrained Democracy inherently more moral, just, equitable, and fair than any other form of government (without even giving consideration to efficacy and efficiency)?
What of reluctant minorities and disfavored individuals? Must they comply and conform — even if the commanded actions are adverse to their personal interests — or risk being punished with excommunication, banishment, or worse?
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Founding Fathers addressed this immutable truth by limiting the power of the State and by simultaneously advancing individual liberties and personal freedoms. Rather than establishing an omnipotent sovereign state and installing a government operating with industrial efficiency, the Constitutional framework intentionally provides “adversarial” tripartite branches, and it deliberately vests in the federal government only limited and specifically enumerated powers.
The Legacy Parties have conspired over decades to expand illegitimately the powers of the federal government in derogation of the Constitution — the instrument which each such politician takes an oath to “support and defend.” Despite their oaths, innumerable members of BOTH legacy parties and successive Presidents, since at least the dawn of the 20th Century, have consciously and deliberately worked in concert to expand the powers of the state well beyond the confines of the Constitution. Rather than truly competing factions, the conspiring political parties are best analogized as opposite sides of the same coin. No matter which party comes out on top in a given election, it is America and her people, who are the certain losers.
As the powers of the state are expanded unabated, individual liberties necessarily are infringed and personal freedoms inevitably are sacrificed. There is no way to have an unfettered sovereign state, which is not corrupt, abusive, oppressive, and ultimately tyrannical. Those who hold the reins of power know this truth. Rather than limit their own powers, however, the political classes battle each other incessantly to assure that the fruits of corruption and the spoils of war favor themselves (and their respective constituents and preferred special interest groups) as opposed to disfavored “others.” In the course of such battles, the pendulum of power swings back and forth with increasing violence and ferocity until the mechanism of government breaks — until the socio-political system comes crashing down.
“Democracy” was never the answer. A self-serving electoral majority is no more moral or noble than a single deranged despot. Without restriction and restraint, Democracy is tantamount to Mob Rule. The failure is not in having the wrong person or party in power. The failure is in commanding of government tasks, for which the institution is ill-suited, and imposing upon the state roles, which are entirely incompatible with the inherent nature of the beast. The mistake is in believing that an omnipotent state will be benevolent always and forever benign.
When one unleashes the Leviathan from its fetters believing mistakenly that it can be tamed and that its great powers can be harnessed for the self-serving aims of its handlers and minders, one cannot blame the beast for acting entirely consistent with its nature as it wreaks havoc, chaos, and destruction across the land.
Regardless of the form or organization, government is a necessary evil: Entirely NECESSARY but inherently and unavoidably EVIL. The only way to limit the resulting destruction and carnage is to LIMIT THE POWER OF THE STATE.
Trump is a cad, charlatan, huckster, and carnival barker. However, I am confident that the nation — by and through the Constitution, as originally written and implemented — is capable of surviving the misdeeds and even the malfeasance of a single morally-fluid narcissistic egomaniac. I am exceedingly less confident that the venerable instrument (and this nation) can survive a full-frontal assault and relentless onslaught by hordes of self-serving statists and/or neo-Socialists.
In the name of “Democracy,” in pursuit of a misguided sense of “Equality,” and with the fervor of religious zealots, adherents of Collectivism — and its denominational offshoots of Marxism, Socialism, and Communism — are intent upon not only dispensing with the inconvenient restrictions, which are contained within the Constitution, but they would thereafter expand the Nanny State unabated until government eventually collapses under the incessant stress and the nation crashes under the relentless strain.
So, again I ask, “If ‘Democracy’ is to be saved, then at what cost?” What price must we be willing to pay, and what sacrifices must we be willing to make? Must we sacrifice individual liberties and personal freedoms? Must America itself also be sacrificed to the collective?
We hear calls for “revolution,” but revolution requires the destruction of all that is and was on the promise of a better future. In fits of hubris and in demonstrations of arrogance, would-be revolutionaries promise to “Build Back Better.” However, there will be no Utopia rising like a phoenix from the ashes. Almost without exception, “(ig)noble” revolutionaries become enamored with their newfound power. They are quickly corrupted by it. In short order, they come to resemble, if not exceed in villainy, the petty tyrants, whom they are so eager to replace.
In the absence of liberty and freedom, there is no hope whatsoever that anything, which might be built upon the carnage of the past, would be “better.” Instead, the crumbling rubble would serve as a monument and memorial to all that was destroyed in the name of “Revolution” — and the smoldering ashes would provide lasting testament to all that was lost in the name of “Democracy.”
Note: Originally written 08/14/2020.
