“Did you really think we want those laws observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them to be broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against… We’re after power and we mean it… There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Reardon, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.” (Ayn Rand, ‘Atlas Shrugged’ 1957)
The current American election is not going to be a success for the cause of liberty. Indeed, in a country that claims to be a champion of “Freedom,” we are not free to alter our physiology through certain substances. We are not free to augment our self-defense capabilities. We are not free to pay only for services we use.
Both McCain and Obama are compared and contrasted endlessly. Their policies and statements analyzed and interpreted and misconstrued.
In the end, neither stands on any principles. They are professionals. They are in the business. The two party system creates a perfect circle – black versus white, endlessly spewing talking points and sound bytes, creating a fictional world in which the two sides are engaged in an endless struggle, with a media engine that encourages people to take one side or the other.
How can the prospective leader of an alleged free nation consider continuing an illegal war halfway around the world, or tout redistribution of wealth as a positive change? Whats worse is that people buy it. And they sell it.
Democracy is NOT freedom. Democracy is a rule by majority. Democracy invites socialism. Politicians buy votes by promising tax credits and rebates. They play on fears – doppelgangers like terrorism and the economy. We do not need democracy. We need liberty. We do not need bailouts. We need free markets. We do not need tax rebates. We need a government that obeys the constitution, and delegates power first to individuals, then to states. It is states and the federal governments that should respect the individual. Our checks and balances system should protect this. The two party system shatters this model by allowing branches to collude with each other.
The Real ID act, the PATRIOT act, restrictions on personal firearms, and taxes on income are pieces of legislation that should never have made it into the capital. When government begins to invade the lives of citizens, some welcome it. The bars of the cage become familiar and comforting. The tyranny of the majority outstrips the sanctity of the individual and his or her liberties. Democracy allows the government, through the majority, to select which minorities are acceptable, and which need to be restricted. It is a hegemony that incinerates the vision of a Jeffersonian Democracy, and erects a worldview of structure without foundation and belief without principle. The majority has been programmed to be incapable of rational and principled introspection. They gaze into the screen and vote for the candidate that looks more like a president. It has become a circus. It is entertainment. It even has commercial breaks.
On November 4th, I implore you to reject the System. Write in a principle rather than a person. Write in yourself. Write in Ron Paul. Or do not vote.
On November 4th, we have the opportunities to participate in the great charade – going into a booth to cast a vote – a sign of approval for means of governance that has eroded the liberties of the individual and refuse to give up power. We should have a “None of the above” ticket – a vote of no-confidence in democracy.
Any vote for John McCain or Barack Obama is a wasted vote. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. Tonight, watch 5 minutes of a news channel with the sound turned off.
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