Government not designed to help

How can anyone watch every form of government fail, over 5,000-plus years of history, and still have faith it can work if done right; if the right constitution is enacted; if the right people are given power?

Not only do they keep the faith as it fails, but some want to give government even more power over our lives.

Enough is enough.

Government is powerless to help, but is specially suited to harm.

People act surprised when the true nature of politician after politician is revealed, but what kind of person do they imagine seeks to have power over the lives of others?

Those who make up government crave power. It’s why they sought the job. For their victims to clamor to give them more power — before such power is taken by force — makes no sense.

Even if you imagine the true purpose of government is to protect your life, liberty, and property from others, so as to free you to pursue happiness, you’re trusting your protection to those most likely to be the ones you need protection from.

No government has ever protected life, liberty, or property when it meant scaling back its own power.

Expecting government to do so is like hopping in your family SUV expecting to drive it to Alpha Centauri. That’s not what it was designed to do, and not in the realm of possibility, no matter how much you wish it were.

As has been pointed out, without government some people might choose to rob and kill; with government it’s guaranteed. Since the robbing and killing is then done “legally,” it must be OK in most people’s eyes. Not in mine, however.

It’s not right to take property from others. Calling it taxation, property codes, or eminent domain doesn’t change wrong into right.

It’s not right to pretend you have the right to tell people what they can ingest, whether they are allowed to run a business, drive a car, carry a gun, or any of the other things people calling themselves government regulate, nor is it right to require licenses or permits to do those things.

It’s wrong to use violence against anyone who ignores such rules. It’s also wrong to support those rules from the sidelines.

I don’t know what the future holds. Perhaps we stand on the verge of a new Dark Age, where government “helps” people into a benevolent slavery “for their own good.” In such case, I may be on the losing side, but not the wrong one.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at: [email protected]