Hardly timely but since I (strive to) blog about all things relating to personal autonomy…I want to cite the following article from the mid-April edition of the Economist. The context is political pandering, which all too often has the effect of replacing the concept of rational human beings with the concept of ‘the masses’, or-to borrow a term from ancient Rome-plebeians.
Yes, not the most inspiring view of the human condition, and not the view that most Americans accept. Myself included.
But this pandering to “ordinary Americans” is annoying in all sorts of ways. Isn’t America supposed to be a meritocracy? Two-thirds of Americans reject the idea that people’s chances in life are determined by circumstances that are beyond their control, a far higher proportion than in Europe. Almost 90% say that they admire people who have got rich through hard work. Yet whenever elections come around politicians treat the people at the bottom of the heap as the embodiment of American values. And aren’t Americans supposed to believe in self-reliance? America’s farms are some of the country’s biggest subsidy hogs. Many small towns-Congressman Jack Murtha’s Johnstown in central Pennsylvania is an egregious example-are kept alive only by federal pork. [emphasis mine]
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we are more than mere automatons. Own it!
First thing I like to do when visiting my folks in the ‘burbs is pick up the local paper, the Northwest Herald, and see what’s going on around the old stomping grounds.
Ah yes, McHenry County. It’s a swell place. Easy going. Often cited as the last bastion of conservatism in Chicagoland. Don’t interpret that as fiscal conservatism though.
Monday’s headline of the Northwest Herald proudly celebrates: ‘More than a grand slam’: federal budget includes $1.71 million for county projects.
That’s right. Pork. A big fat 2008 federal earmark for McHenry County. To fund something absolutely necessary I’m sure…like…um, gizmos and gadgets for the sheriff’s office! And a groundwater protection plan (more bureaucracy!) and, uh, other vital stuff!
A Christmas miracle!!
Or, as Jacob Sullum states in his article Entitlement Mentality, “the habit of staying popular by pretending your constituents can get something for nothing.”
Congressmen Manzullo and Bean — along with Senators Obama and Durbin — helped secure the funding. But, as the paper reminds us, the real props go to the county and its new lobbying firm, the Ferguson Group LLC. Yes, that’s right. Taxpayer-funded lobbying. Institutionalized. Get on the bandwagon man. Apparently, it’s the road to prosperity.
Fortunately, as the article’s comments reveal, some constituents aren’t so short-sighted:
What is most disturbing about this article is the self congratulatory tone of our neophyte politicians…[County Board Chairman] Koehler and [Finance and Audit Committee Chairman] Munaretto…mixed with the irony that we (McHenry County Taxpayers) have OUR money recycled through some lobby firm so that we (McHenry County Taxpayers) can get OUR money back from the federal government. And what does this convoluted and inefficient (money draining) process yield??? New gadgets for the sheriff, more money for the already stifling public education system and money to “study” groundwater protection…
Nicely put.
The article closes by saying that the county will start working on its wish-list for 2009 federal funds next month. I don’t care that its my old stomping grounds. I’m hoping all they get is a sack of coal.
