“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.”
Alexis De Tocqueville, 1835
I think in CA we have reached a tipping point. I believe that the majority of californians whether directly (employed by the state or family employed by the state) or indirectly (goods or services paid for by people on the public dole weather) out numbers those with no ties to public money. So there is no hope for us. Those who do not receive benefits will leave while those who do will stay, increasing their majority.
Maybe this is too doom and gloom, but I am thinking it is true…certainly some cities, SF comes to mind, fit into this category.[/quote]
Name one entity with no ties to public money. Whether they are personally employed by the govt, of if they are employed by “private” govt contractors, of if they are employed by a private company that sells to any govt entity or govt employee, or if they use the public infrastructure (roadways, energy, sea lanes guarded by the military, legal infrastructure, social infrastructure, etc.), I’ve never met a single person who didn’t rely in some way on the government.
I’ve heard that Idaho has a rather large contingent of libertarians who believe they are living without benefit of govt money. They don’t account for the fact that they are safe from invading nations and gangs of thieves, and they apparently don’t count the roads to get into their communities, etc., but they are “independent”. They also don’t account for all the innovative products and medicines that were developed either in part or whole because of government funding. See, they’re living “off the sweat of their own brow,” according to them.
Why not move there and leave the rest of us alone? You don’t like our “socialist” system, and we don’t want any part of the libertarian “Utopia.” Nevermind the fact that this libertarian paradise has never existed in reality, and that there has never been a country with our demographics that has ever succeeded without a strong government…leave those of us who want to live in a civilized society, and go form your own Darwinian-libertarian society. Why aren’t all the libertarians forming their own state/country?[/quote]
I am confused? are you agreeing with me CAR? Have we reached that tipping point? I love your “take your ball and go home arguments!” They are my absolute favorite type. Maybe you should move to greece if you want to realize your socialist utopia.
jp, I agree with you. It is all about moderation, and it really is that simple. I think we are out of the moderate bounds in this state.
have we reached this tipping point when a majority of the voting populace decides it is more profitable to legislate their pay rather than go out and make it themselves.
