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May 23, 2009
Everything. Consumed.
When political opposites like Barack Obama and Eric S. Raymond agree on something, that gets my attention. Here's Barack Obama in a CSPAN interview reported by Drudge today: ...we are out of money now. We are operating in deep deficits, not caused by any decisions we've made on health care so far. This is a consequence of the crisis that we've seen and in fact our failure to make some good decisions on health care over the last several decades.(Emphasis added.) And here's what Eric S. Raymond (no supporter of Obama, BTW) said in September: The fundamental problem is that income-transfer programs (and the interest service on the debt purchased to keep them running) are spending wealth in higher volumes than the economy can actually generate, and demand for that spending is rising faster than the economy is growing. Thus, raising tax rates is no longer a way out, if it ever was.And here was my reaction: I think the country might be approaching a turning point of sorts. We've gone about as far as it's possible to go with the socialist-flirtation, welfare-state mode without plunging over the abyss into the irreversible, tyrannical, full-blown variety.That was six weeks before the election of Barack Obama. And now that I see that he basically agrees with Eric S. Raymond on the entitlement problem, it's hard to chalk any of this up to paranoia. Anyway, much as I don't like to repeat myself, I thought that what I worried about in September was worth repeating. FWIW, I tried to vote against socialism, of course. And "entitlements." We are still allowed to vote against these things, aren't we? BTW, Eric S. Raymond's recent observation on the nature of the problem is well worth contemplating: The underlying problem is that in any democratic system, the political demand for redistribution of wealth rises faster that the economy's ability to generate wealth to be redistributed.It's an ancient* problem. As to the future, Raymond allows room for optimism: Soon - very soon, in historical time - it will become clear that democratic redistributionism cannot deliver on its promises. All such systems, not just California's and the U.S's, are running headlong towards a terminal state of moral, political, demographic, and financial bankruptcy.I agree, but will we get that choice? * John Adams (echoing Plato) said "There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." Aren't we too big to commit suicide? posted by Eric on 05.23.09 at 11:39 AM
Comments
Since everyone, including Glen Reynolds, has been quoting Ayn Rand lately, her opinion on the future of American democracy is perhaps now relevant. She believed that we would end up choosing the fascist variety. She even wrote a political essay called "The Fascist New Frontier" critiquing Kennedy's plans. She also thought that the last of America's core principles were embodied in our military schools like Annapolis. One of her best speeches was given to the graduating class at West Point in which she very cleverly brought all the fashionable philosophical schools of thought down to reality by ascribing each of them to various Presidents. So, Eric, my guess would be we end up with the Peronist variety. And from what's out there & being hinted at throughout the right wing internet, a military coup d'etat is not out of the question -- IF the conditions deteriorate as Eric S. Raymond thinks they will. It's not something a despised minority would welcome, especially one being demonized daily by fascist pigs on the right like Michael Savage. Or is this just paranoia? Frank · May 23, 2009 04:10 PM >I am not in doubt which of those I will choose. If I am given any choice... Also, as an European, I can tell you to forget about any kind of European revolution. Except for very concrete places, people is sleepwalking so hard it's hard to believe. Sir Sefirot · May 24, 2009 08:29 AM |
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I still think the revolution comes first in Europe. No way they continue to sit still for the Islamic invasion. Another National Socialist leader is already alive somewhere.