"In a democracy (‘rule by mob’), those who refuse to learn from history will be the majority and will dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance."
From Jerry Pournelle:
“Anarchy ain’t pretty; degenerate democracy is even less so.”
In case you missed it, third world county’s Corollary to Santayana’s Axom is simply this:
“In a democracy (‘rule by mob’), those who refuse to learn from history are in the majority and dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance.”
–NOT the Beltway self-annointed elites–are the nation.
[OK, fair warning: a rather disjointed, rambling disquisition that suffers from early morning disorganization and too little coffee in my system. I trust that you, kind reader, will extract the pith and draw those connections that are missing. I want to find the time later to develop this, but may not. So it goes… ]
Principled actions, guided less by pragmatic “foresight” than by a rational application of hindsight combined with the collected wisdom of those whose principles have worked to produce good in the past, prognosticates future outcomes better than raw pragmatism or starry-eyed idealism or both combined.
Idealistic actions (or more properly, actions based on ideals some profess–honestly or not–to hold) that stand only on the thin air of unproven, untested dreams and reject or blithely ignore the lessons of history lead almost inexorably to bad results. Who can doubt that at least one or two of the proponents of the “Great Society” policies that we are still plagued by from the 1960s did indeed have “good intentions”? (Well, frankly, I do doubt it, because anyone who took thought to lessons from history could likely have foreseen the outcomes we face today, and thoughtlessness equals bad intentions in my book, because if the instigators of such as the “Great Society” policies didn’t care enough to be genuinely thoughtful, then their intentions were at best adulterated by that thoughtlessness and so were less than “good”–indeed they turned out to be downright pernicious.)
Santayana stated the lesson clearly enough: Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its failures. (Close enough, IIRC :-))
And as the header on this blog asserts:
“In a democracy (‘rule by mob’), those who refuse to learn from history are in the majority and dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance.”-third world county’s corollary to Santayana’s Axiom
I know that last sounds like a clarion call to despair in a representative republic that has become both increasingly democratic and increasingly illiterate12, but we need not give up all hope. At least the post-literate age in which we seem to be living has alternative mass media outlets to disseminate facts to counter the propaganda from Academia Nut Fruitcakes, politicians *spit* and the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind, and as woefully illiterate of Western Civilization’s history and culture as a majority of our American electorate may be (OK, the evidence is in: “is”), as ignorant of current events as it is (even, or especially, those who watch/listen to lots of “news”), at least–finally–We the People now almost universally have a sort of “press” within our power. Witness this modest lil blog.
We have that “press”. For now. We are not yet in the state of the presbyterians and puritans (uncial “p” in both cases for a reason) of Elizabethan England, where an organ of the State had asserted ALL control over the dissemination of information, and this week’s SCOTUS turnaround gives some small hope that that dire eventuality is receeding from us just a tad, but we must keep on spreading the good news: We the People are the nation, NOT Washington D.C. and the Beltway elites.
Past time to start acting that way.
I think readers here will be unsurprised by the fact that I am disquieted (rather, “pissed off”) by the “feddle gummint’s” ever more intrusive (and indeed, iniquitous) meddling in local and even personal, private affairs. As some recent readers may also be aware, I’ve discovered the Martin Marprelate Letters and begun repairing that woeful lack in my education by reading them. So, it will surprise no one, I trust, that I here combine, in one brief snippet from , the two:
“This is a pretty matter that standers by must be so busy in other men’s games. Why, sauceboxes, must you be prattling?”
If that doesn’t sum up the gaggle of congresscritters, feddle gummint bureaucraps and black-robed statists as succinctly as possible, then I’d like to see a more succinct and telling comment.
Bring ’em on!
Not apropos of anything in particular. Just a comment on the passing scene.
C.S.Lewis, commenting on the Martin Marprelate Tracts, enunciates my own view toward those who would stifle legitimate debate in the public forum today:
“Those who refuse to let their opponents dispute have no right to complain if they hear instead lewd catcalls in the streets; in a sense, it is what they have chosen.”*
And so, if I sometimes resort to “lewd catcalls” and mockery of those who would stifle debate–or even worse, corrupt discourse with deception and outright lies–I have the eminent company of such personages as “Martin Marprelate”.
“How to Handle the Terrorists” (someone needs to write new lyrics to “How to Handle a Woman”… or maybe not. Perhaps under The 0!’s White Cafe-au-lait House rules a simple word change from “woman” to “terrorist” will do.)
Go ahead. Watch the speech by TOTUS linked above (as “glibly” er “ummed” through by The 0!). Read between the lines and translate from Dhimmicrappic Newspeak. I submit that my analysis is an accurate summation of the “steps” The 0! announces to “deal with” the problem of “man-caused disaster” (to use HIS DHS appointee’s terminology)–all on the heads of a “small band of violent extremists” not, of course having anything to do with a broadly-based worldwide jihad. Of course, TOTUS’s speech would have been much more convincing (though still as stupid) had TOTUS gotten someone who’s a competent public reader to deliver it.
Or, as Small Dead Animals put it:
The War On Man-Caused Disaster
Bringing a monthly status report to a Semtex fight.
Continue reading “The 0! Establishes The Newspeak Method of Dealing With Terrorisim”
I found this in my email inbox. It has some holes and gaps and faces an even steeper uphill battle than The FairTax bill, but it has a certain rough appeal, doesn’t it?
We need THIS Change
*It will never be accomplished unless we do something about it now, not later! The only way that congress would ever vote for such a bill is for Americans to demand it to the point that our elected officials feel they have no choice. That means many Americans, which includes you, must push to get a bill written and persuade a majority to vote for it. Therefore, this must be distributed to every American who has a PC, every American! Will you help or are you just blowing smoke when you get upset with congress when they play partisan politics? Lets help bring about a Change in Washington that is more than just spoken words, a Change that Americans will be proud of, a Change that will benefit future generations. If something is not done our Children and grandchildren may not have a country like we had to grow up in. Can Americans depend on you to to distribute this and support it or will you make excuses as to why it will not work? I’m in; what about you?
*This is the best thing I have ever read pertaining to Government. It doesn’t matter what political party you like.. This is what’s best for EVERY AMERICAN!*
*Congressional Reform Act of 2010**
*1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.*
*A. Two Six year Senate terms*
*B. Six Two year House terms*
*C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year
House terms**Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*2. No Tenure / No Pension: **
* A congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.**Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:**
* All funds in the Congressional retirement fund
moves to the Social Security system immediately.
All future funds flow into the Social Security
system, Congress participates with the American
people.**Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans*.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.*
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*6. Congress looses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.**
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.*
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
*8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/11. *
* The American people did not make this contract
with congressmen, congressmen made all these
contracts for themselves.**Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators; serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.
N.B. While I deleted some multiple “???” and “!!!” and redacted a few comma splices, the above is essentially as I received it in my email inbox.
Just a passing thought, demonstrating that even on this Fourth Day of Christmas, I cannot entirely abandon cogitations on the passing scene…
I believe I have discovered (with apologies to Mary Brown for the redactions) THE motto that could have been the inspiration for the political careers of most of our “belovéd” *spit* congresscritters:
“Better a champion turd-tosser than a forty-second-rate turnip-carver.”
Yep, I do believe the realization of that truth may have inspired more congressional careers than any other revelation, for our “belovéd” *spit* congresscritters are all striving to become champion turd-tossers and shit-shovelers and have almost all achieved amazing heights in their pursuits of this goal, lading prodigious amounts of fecal matter on citizens’ heads…
Which of the following definitions of “voluntary” applies to Harry Reid’s use of the term in the video below?
[audio:http://www.thirdworldcounty.us/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/thatword-f.mp3]voluntary
3 entries found.
1voluntary (adjective)
2voluntary (noun)
voluntary muscle (noun)Main Entry: 1vol·un·tary
Pronunciation: \?vä-l?n-?ter-?\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French voluntarie, from Latin voluntarius, from voluntas will, from velle to will, wish — more at will
Date: 14th century1 : proceeding from the will or from one’s own choice or consent
2 : unconstrained by interference : self-determining
3 : done by design or intention : intentional [voluntary manslaughter]
4 : of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will [voluntary; voluntary behavior]
5 : having power of free choice
6 : provided or supported by voluntary action [a voluntary organization]
7 : acting or done of one’s own free will without valuable consideration or legal obligation— vol·un·tar·i·ly adverb
— vol·un·tar·i·ness noun
synonyms voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one’s own will. voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion . intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved
. deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one’s act and its consequences . willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another .1
Exactly. None of those definitions in any way, shape, fashion or form reflects the system of income taxation that Harry Reid describes as “voluntary”. The system of income taxation that Harry Reid, Bag of Pus, NV, describes as “voluntary” has exactly NO correspondence to any meaning of the word. None. Zip. Zilch. A big zero with the rim kicked off.
I wonder if he’d testify that paying income tax is voluntary if he were subpoenaed to do so in a tax court. *heh* (For all the good it’d do. Past IRS commissioners have also called our system of income taxation voluntary, but that hasn’t stopped the IRS from forcibly seizing property and placing citizens in durance vile for opting out. Fumduck liars. )
Also found at Big Government:
Signs of stagflation: sooner or later a cuppa coffee…
Well, that is what The 0! and his minions, cheerleaders and fellow travelers in the nomenklaturasee here as well are after, isn’t it: The complete devaluation of the currency and the destruction of the economy on the road to enslaving the populace?
[N.B. This should be the last of this kind of post between now and the 25th.]