Don’t Hate the Player … Change the Game

It has been said that our modern society is far too intricate for self rule and we need a ruling elite to control us in this complex world. As we have found out recently, these elite rulers don’t even read the bills they vote to pass. As Angelo M. Codevilla said in his great essay in The American Spectator, there is a ruling class in this country.

In the years following the establishment of our republic, who were the Congressmen? By and large they were farmers and businessmen who were well respected in their communities. They went to Washington and served a couple terms and returned to their farms and businesses. But now, we have people that are raised to be politicians. They don’t work in business; serve as interns to established politicians. They attend Ivy League schools where they are trained in proper speech and thought.

The elite uses phrases like, “The rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes.” Meanwhile, John Kerry (flush with Heinz ketchup money) berths his yacht in Rhode Island rather than Massachusetts, where he resides, to avoid paying some $ 500,000 in taxes on it. But you see taxes aren’t for the elite only for us serfs.

The elite whine that Americans spend too much and need to curb their lifestyle. Meanwhile, the Clintons spent some $3 million on daughter Chelsea’s wedding. Instead of bemoaning the cost (and how many hungry children we could feed with the money), the media praise it as “the social event of the year.” Not to be outdone, President Obama needs a separate plane to fly the family dog on vacation. But you see, curbing your lifestyle is not for the ruling class, only for us serfs.

The elite also do not believe that there is any limit on their power. “Pete” Stark (D-CA) in response to a question regarding Obamacare and the limits on the Federal government said, “The Federal government, yes, can do most anything in this country.” Limits are for us serfs; the elite can do what they want.

The elite are not an exclusive club for only Democrats. Former Republican Senator and now lobbyist, Trent Lott, said of Tea Party candidates that may be elected to Congress, “We don’t need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples. As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them.” They may have to accept some of these Tea Party Congress people but they will teach them the ways of the elite.

Career politicians lust for money, but they lust for power even more. They use the money to acquire power, because with money you can buy the loyalty of others. So career politicians will follow wherever there is power to be had. Right now that place is Washington. But that is not what the Founders intended. They intended that the majority of what governmental power there was to be would be held in the various states’ governments. Therefore, career politicians would seek their power in their state’s government.

The wisdom of that idea must not be dismissed. If Charlie Rangel were only writing tax law for the State of New York, while I feel for the citizens of New York, at least he is contained there. If Nancy Pelosi were only spreading her particular brand of stupidity across California at least it does not extend beyond the boarders thereof.

The solution to our “elite” problem is not going to be found in Washington but in our states, our communities and ourselves. Encourage your state government to not cooperate with the Federal government. We see hopeful signs in the number of states that have passed Tenth Amendment Resolutions and several states have the enforcement of Obamacare on the ballots.

By the way, hat tip to the citizens of Missouri for putting the first shot across the bow of Obamacare by rejecting the federal mandate to purchase health insurance 71 to 29 percent in their August 3^rd elections.

More and more people are doing what they can to keep their private transactions out of sight of the prying eyes of the Federal government. They are engaging in more cash only transactions or even bartering for good and services. They are putting more money into hard assets such as gold and silver. Americans are still the most resourceful people on the face of the earth.

Ronald Reagan’s question from 1964 is still the question we must answer today, “Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.” It matters not whether that “little intellectual elite” has a “D” or an “R” beside their names. It is not enough to change the players, we must change the game.