For some years now, it has been apparent to those paying attention that the US and the West are on a steep downward trajectory by virtually every metric. Many of us strive to understand the underlying causes - the equivalent of cosmologists’ quest for a big TOE (theory of everything), but applied to culture and governance. Every measure of government performance, too, reveals the same sickening pattern: spend vastly more money and get worse results - even while making daily life more complex annd unsatisfactory for all but the entrenched elites. Why is this so?
In this month’sThe New Criterion’s James Piereson proposes an answer worthy of Friar Occam: Too many democrats. I’m not sure if this may be behind a paywall. Though I had subscribed to this excellent publication not too long ago, it may have lapsed (I must choose among many worthy authors/publications I might support - and become broke). Since I wasn’t asked to log in on the landing page, I’m optimistic it is freely available. I believe it is worth your 8 minutes or so. It rings true and has much explanatory power.
Mr. Piereson makes some good points – and no-one can deny that the US of today is not the US of half a century ago. What’s to be done?, as Lenin was wont to say. The author suggests – Elect more Republicans. I beg to differ. The Republicrat mess of today is not the Republican Party of half a century ago.
It is a standard Far Leftie line to say that the “system” needs to be changed, but in this case that may be the truth. Our system of “representative democracy” is broken, and has been co-opted by self-seekers in both politics and the bureaucracy.
The “system” can be fixed, but only at the cost of breaking a vast number of iron rice bowls – in effect, staging a second American Revolution.
First, suffrage needs to be drastically reduced, limited to currently productive members of society.
FedGov needs to be trimmed drastically, with most functions returned to the States.
It must be made impossible for an individual to have a lifetime of “public service” in politics or the bureaucracy – and doubly impossible (with the death penalty for corruption) for them to become rich while there.
Congressional Representatives must become truly representative, chosen by lot from the voter rolls, and must be forbidden from delegating their responsibilities to bureaucrats.
Senators should again be selected by their States, and prohibited from being re-elected.
Bureaucrats should have no job security and no taxpayer pensions.
Big Law must be brought to heel, and activist judges who legislate from the bench must suffer the death penalty.
The democratic functions of raising money through tax & borrowing must be separated from the democratic function of deciding where to spend those revenues – under the restriction of a balanced budget; entirely separate groups of representatives, subject to Ancient Greek style audits by fellow citizens at the end of their terms.
Of course, none of that will happen – at least not until after the Coming Collapse.
Totes agree, @civilwestman , but….in our country, it seems like worst, most futile thing you can do is try to eradicate a….uh, persuasion, religious or ideological.
Great article, but:
HOW CAN WE GET RID of these bozos? It’s like a bedbug infestation.
We can’t get rid of them. Annoying and inadequate as they are, they are still human beings. What we can do is Disempower Them. But that requires actions which will become feasible only after things have got much worse.
I think about once wealthy Argentina, which plowed the path the US is following. The history of Argentina shows that, once things go bad, they can stay bad for more than a generation before the population finally reacts.
Speaking of too many… I think it’s too many without a lick of common sense. I am a registered Republican, have been since the first time Trump ran. Yet I get this: Demon-Rats