Once again, the severe separation of world views - or national views, in this case - are manifest by libertarianism vs. republicanism (small "r"), between those who view government cynically as something apart from themselves and their enemy vs. those who believe government is what we make of it and work for its full potential to serve all of society - locally, statewide and nationally. Libertarians insist that they are at war with government always, government not representative of their views, which suggest that government *has* no role - or should have no role - in our lives save to protect us from bodily harm, if that. All else must be privately owned and governed by the marketplace. Libertarian alienation from the notion of government is a curiosity given the perks of citizenship libertarians share with the rest of us - most of them provided by the government they take for granted, yet loathe.
That's why many of us say "we" are the "government" and they say, "no," they are not the government, they have nothing to do with government. This must mean they don't vote, don't run for office, refuse to pay taxes, use public streets and highways, parks, playgrounds, sewers, water systems, waste management, obey laws that keep them out of harm's way, etc. The rest of us prefer to participate in the privileges and responsibilities of democratic self-governance as defined in our various charters and constitutions, responsible to each other as well as just to oneself. The rest of us believe that a society of laws and their even application and enforcement, and the safety nets and slack taken up by those who have in a community of haves and have-nots is a the ideal of self-governance and an insurance policy for peace and prosperity for us all. That was Floyd B. Olson's philosophy, one that helped Minnesota and its communities survive and thrive. That he was a socialist did not mean that he was a communist, although both those economic systems thrive in politically democratic countries elsewhere. Public control of essential human services and resources works very well around the world and is taken for granted elsewhere as a matter of human responsibility not market-driven separatism. Floyd B. Olson, if he ever flirted with communism or the Communist Party, was hardly alone in the 1920's and 30's when every sort of economic system was discussed as the operating principles underpinning democracy and the republic. To discuss socialism and communism as subversive to democracy is to mix apples and oranges. It is not traitorous to argue that capitalism as it is practiced today in this country is a far cry from the pure, competitive capitalism that spawn millions of small businesses, which, when they began to consolidate and fix prices and control entire industries with a few corporate conglomerates, has eroded into a plutocracy with no mercy for workers and consumers alike. The founders and their successors knew the damage corporate monopolies and oligopolies - the so-called market-driven climate fostered throughout this nation - would do to the culture and the way of life long envisioned by the Jeffersons, Franklins and Lincolns of yesteryear. All of them warned of corporations - as did Dwight Eisenhower. Floyd Olson was a man of his time and that time, if it has passed, is not the fault of a philosophy or the enlightenment of elitists like the Taxpayers League and their hero, Ronald Reagan. It is our fault for letting our self-governance fall into the hands of right wing zealots who would dismantle all that this state and this country should have built for our people. There will be no renaming of Olson Memorial Highway, but the very fact that this league arrogantly perceives its inspiration as passé is a sign of having been given too much money and too much influence - all of it undue - to be given the slightest publicity for such an outrageous notion. It should sicken us all. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -- on 8/29/04 11:48 PM, David A. Greene wrote: > Dennis Tester wrote: >> "The statement completely ignores the fact that Government is _us" >> >> The government is not "us." I'm not the government. The "government" >> consists of those people who either make or enforce the laws. I'm neither. >> So unless you're a bureacrat (which is likely, given this town), you're not >> the "government." > > And who elects these bureacrats or the people who appoint them? > We do. If we're not holding them accountable, that's our problem. > They work for _us_, not the other way around. Government is the > expression of the public will, for better or worse. Putting all > our problems on "the government" is a cop-out, a convenient excuse > to do nothing. > >> "Of course, the goal of the Taxpayers League and Republicans in general is >> to eliminate taxes -- not to line the pockets of the rich (studies show they >> don't spend it)" > >> It must be news to John Kerry and Johh Edwards, the richest ticket ever to >> run for president, that they don't eat. Or maybe Kerry's seven homes were a >> gift? Yeah, that's it. > > Tax cuts to the rich do not go into public circulation. Ask almost > any economist. That's why "trickle-down" is a complete myth. Of > course the rich spend money. They just don't need the tax cuts to > do it. > > -Dave > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
