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The Life Of A Democracy

fullauto223cal

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Joined
Dec 29, 2007
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118
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, Tennessee, USA
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class="text"[align=center] The Life Of A Democracy[/align] [align=center] By Jason Wang[/align] [align=center] Tuesday, July 3, 2001 5:53 p.m. EST[/align] A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: "From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.
- Alexander Fraser Tytler (later Lord Alexander Fraser Woodhouslee), in "The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic," published 1776.
A powerful quote that stirs and frightens me. Yet every day I observe at least half the nation succumb to apathy and dependence.
For most of the last 50 years, liberalism has entrenched itself in our society. Democrats, mainstream newspapers, network news, and even much of our entertainment, have promoted liberal ideals.
In that time, our tax burden has become the largest it’s ever been in peacetime, millions are now dependant on welfare, social security, Medicare and Medicaid, and much of today’s society is shredded by teen moms, single-parent households, and an overall lack of morality.
Criminals, the homeless, drug addicts – all victims. In fact, we’re a society of victims. A woman murders her five children because she’s a victim of post pardum depression. A man rapes numerous women because he was a victim of child abuse. Another person shoplifts repeatedly because she’s a victim of an addiction to stealing.
So where does all this leave us? Well, certainly there is no individual responsibility anymore. So who will protect us? Take care of us? According to liberals, the federal government.
With every new law, and every new bill created to protect us from ourselves, we sacrifice more freedom. Is it really worth it?
Liberals that I talk to, or the ones who read this, undoubtedly will shake their heads at such a leap. They know that “things are not what they were 200 years ago, the environment needs to be protected from evil corporations, minorities can’t make it without government help, patients need a bill of rights, etc., etc.”
In fact, now I’d say, it’s hip to be liberal – at least if you live on either coast, or in a large city. This frightens me.
But, it’s the root of these beliefs that frightens me more than anything else - a simple ignorance of basic history.
The most obvious lesson of history is, “those who do not learn from it are doomed to repeat it.” Yet, for all of recorded civilization, we’ve done just that. And it seems our nation may be no different.
Whether it’s a simple law restricting the use of a cell phone in a car, or exorbitant levels of taxation, we are selling off our God-given freedoms protected by the Constitution, to left-wing politicians and those who refuse to fight them.
And this is not simply a Democrat/liberal problem. There are too many Republicans willing to bend on too many issues. I do not vote for a particular person so he/she can compromise and be bipartisan. I vote for that individual to represent my beliefs and values at every level of government. And if that means being partisan, so be it!
This society is not a marriage; it is the living, breathing fabric that makes our nation. We teeter closer to the brink of socialism than most would dare say. But, a conservative politician, somewhere, must have the courage to call a duck-a-duck.
Awaken the sleeping masses to the future they are electing for themselves and their kids. A failed political system where the government will provide healthcare, education, housing, income, jobs…
Think about it, we’re closer than you think.
Giving money and power to Government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke
 

vmathis12019

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May 7, 2007
Messages
544
Location
Troy, Alabama, USA
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This is discussed in the political classic, Plato's The Republic. The natural evolution of a democracy is to eventually a system of despotism. From a power management point of view, liberty and freedom are dangerous to the state, and the government cannot hope to survive if it pacifies all the public's desires for freedom. Eventually, a despot will have to take control to salvage the state.

These are, of course, Plato's arguments and not my own personal opinions necessarily. Just a pertinent addition to the conversation.
 
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