It is often difficult to figure out whether or not the government is really “we the people”. Based on the constant abuses by government perpetrated against the people, it isn’t really all that reasonable to suggest that government is “we the people”.
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Points of Interest
Discussions about politics often bring up interesting points. One party made the following comments
- “The government” is not some branch of Al Qaeda, or something that Iran has imposed upon us against our will.
- “The government” is “we the people”, and when there’s a need to defend ourselves, “we the people” must form an army to defend ourselves. That, in a nutshell, is what a government draft is.
Past Actions Performed by The Government
The internment of Japanese American citizens through executive order 9066 signed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Who would have thought that the American government would imprison an entire section of its citizens simply because of their nation of origin? Well it happened.
This is actually an example of how the push for safety over freedom can lead to some horrible results. We now have the Patriot Act and the TSA that are also taking away our freedoms, though not in so obvious a way.
Modern War on Terror
In more modern times we have the endless war on terror which is simply causing more hatred for America to build around the world; Bush started a war in Afghanistan and Iraq and Obama tried to continue the war in Iraq but failed, but managed to wage war in at least three other nations: Pakistan, Libya, and Somalia. Of course the White House fails to consider these actions acts of war, but they are; it doesn’t matter if troops are on the ground, if the military is killing people then you’re at war.
Big government is also responsible for massive abuses against small businesses which are the job producers and innovators, while also support of big business. This includes the prohibition, support of the mega-farm industry, selecting winners and losers in the banking industry, and legislation which benefits big tobacco.
Is government ever we the people?
A pure libertarian ideology would say no. I’m torn between that idea and saying that on the local level government can be we the people; at that level elected officials are still part of the community which they serve and it seems like they do a pretty good job of listening to the will of the people. However even in that case, we are still giving up part of our own freedom to a much smaller group of people, and that concerns me. I would much rather look for alternative approaches, and really free market capitalism may be one of them.