…among the rulers, only 63 percent — triple the fraction of the general populace but still less than two-thirds of the political class — regard the federal government as legitimate by the standards of America’s founding document. The remainder, presumably, are comfortable being tyrants.
These numbers should raise deep worries about the future of our republic. A nation whose government does not rest on the consent of the governed is a nation whose government holds sway only by inertia, or by force.
It is a nation vulnerable to political shocks, usurpation, or perhaps even political collapse or civil war. It is a body politic suffering from a serious illness. Those who care about America should be very worried.
You can find proof of the truth of this article looking no further that the debt deal.
-reductions in the rate of spending increase are called “spending cuts”
-The House of Representatives cedes its exclusive power to raise revenue to the President and a “super committee”. Given the rules the federal courts apply concerning “standing to sue” it is likely that this blatant abrogation of the Constitution will go unchallenged.
and recently:
The Congress allows the President to unilaterally and without authority to commit this Nation to war in Libya and does nothing about it.
It’s almost easier to list when the Federal Government tells the truth and follows the Constitution.
“It’s almost easier to list when the Federal Government tells the truth and follows the Constitution.”
Rarely, but occasionally when it suits its purpose.
Hmm, reminds me of a denomination I know…
A friend of mine sent me the following:
Salary of the US President ……………….$400,000
Salary of retired US Presidents ………….$180,000
Salary of House/Senate ……………….. …$174,000
Salary of Speaker of the House …………$223,500
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders …… $193,400
Avg Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN IRAQ $38,000 (and presumably also in Afghanistan)
In business, any executive or manager who made the above salaries but who performed badly by not meeting sales goals/producing innovative ideas/enhancing the business/controlling costs would be warned once, maybe twice, in an annual review. Continued failure to perform would result in termination. The problem with our elected officials is that they either have forgotten this or (because many never worked in business) never learned it. They treat their positions as entitlements.
That is why the majority of us do not trust the government, and do not think they have our best interests at heart. If they did, would Congress not have the same health care system/retirement plan as the rest of us? Wouldn’t governmental pay raises only be given if we the people voted to grant them?
Anyone who believes that the Federal government hasn’t lost political legitimacy is either blind or dishonest.
And certain things follow from the loss of political legitimacy, but Reynolds only hints at what they are.
sophy0075, that WAS true. There was a [url=http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/37901/]recent thread[/url] on this subject. Performance-related pay started to become an anacronism after the 2000-2001 economic difficulties, although some companies have begun fighting that trend. For a very quick overview, look up “executive pay” on wikipedia.
On the other hand, we pretty much get the quality of government we deserve. We, as a consuming public, learned – – – somewhere about 75-100 years ago, that we could vote ourselves largesse from the public treasury; the result has been predictable.
“We have met the enemy – – and he is us.” (Pogo)