The Politics of Self -By The Reluctant Republican
Shortly after the 2000 presidential election, an email started making the rounds containing a very specific quote. Since that time, the origins of the quote have become less clear, but I think the sentiment rings true nonetheless.
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."
As I’ve engaged different people in conversation, both liberals and conservatives, and watched the candidates speak about such things as taxes and "healthcare", it has struck me the level to which this has become true. So many people have reached the tipping point on these items and are now voting primarily on the basis of which candidate promises to deliver the most generous gifts. It doesn’t matter what the hot button is; healthcare, taxes, the price of gas, the economy as a whole, it all boils down to a simple question for many people. "What will you give me if I vote for you?"
I read another great quote over the weekend, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul always sounds pretty good to Paul." The Reluctant Republicans have to ask the question, who will stand in defense of Peter? and what happens when he has nothing left to take?
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Mike Harmon
Conservatism Lives!
