#698

A friend's Facebook entry* led me to this story, which I submit as Exhibit #698 in my ongoing Never Underestimate the Ignorance of the American People traveling exhibition. To wit: the Rasmussen poll cited in this article says 78 percent of Americans say the government does not have the consent of the governed. What? We had a national election as I recall in 2008 at which time we elected a president and Congress. That was an exercise in national consent to the government. And last time I looked there's been no revolution. Are we confused here?

Of course we are: what this 78 percent undoubtedly mean is they don't agree with something the government is doing, therefore following the impeccable logic train, this government doesn't have my consent to govern, therefore it doesn't have the consent of the people to govern. See how that works?

Some more:

Seventy-one percent (71%) of all voters now view the federal government as a special interest group, and 70% believe that the government and big business typically work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors.

The Fed is a special interest group? Oh, come on. What does that make Wall Street? Defense contractors? Agribusiness? What these people mean is they are mad at the government, so they apply the worst label media has taught them: special interest group. Actually, since the federal government is a toady for Wall Street and the defense lobby and any other interest with enough money to wet the beaks of Congress, it is a friend to special interests. That cannot be denied. So in their typically inchoate way, the people are circling around something that might be arguably true.

By the way, I'm really anxious to see the way government is working with big business to hurt investors. Show me.

I can't leave without observing that the learned writer of this piece says that the Declaration of Independence is the "founding document of the United States." Er, that document would be the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence, worthy of reverence as it is, is an inspired piece of propaganda.

*Sadly, I must confess that I still check Facebook, and every time I wonder why in hell I so waste my time. It's like chocolate-covered raisins. An evil addiction.