Trego's Mountain Ear

To some, it is enough to get elected. Others have the higher challenge of governing – which usually includes making life a bit better for their constituents. Still others are elected and decide they have a mandate to rule.

Nationally, we had the advantage of beginning with George Washington, who started our list of presidents into the governing rather than ruling. In general, libertarians agree with the concept “The government governs best that governs least.” I think the anarchists may just cut that down even further. We go from that belief in minimal government to the near total control shown by the Nazis and Soviets (I don’t see a whole lot of difference between national socialism and international socialism).

I recall the television interviews when Barack Obama was elected – and how it really grabbed my attention when a young black woman responded to the interviewer with “Now we’re gonna rule.” It’s been a long time since even a British monarch ruled – but she probably didn’t take Problems of American Democracy where and when I did. There actually was a group (at the time the Constitution was being written) that believed our government should be a monarchy – and, since Bonnie Prince Charlie wasn’t otherwise occupied the position should be offered to him. I suspect his supporters in Philadelphia, as at Culloden, were largely Jacobite Scots.

In Iran, if I follow definitions, the government should probably be described as a fascist theocracy – a combination of the two worst forms of government that I recognize. They bloody well rule. I prefer governments that govern lightly – but we’re not seeing that.

One of the greatest weaknesses of representative democracy is that the uninformed voter counts just as much as the voter who has educated himself or herself on the issues. Representative democracy depends on educated voters to select the representatives who can do the best job. All too often, ignorant voters select pleasant, likable representatives who do not understand what it is like to govern well. As I have often written, I usually vote for the least bad candidate.

So we’re looking at a government shutdown of sorts – and it is motivated by a couple of protesters in Minneapolis getting shot. Unfortunate, and I don’t like people getting killed. I kind of like police who go through a long career without ever shooting anyone. Still, we’re looking at a government shutdown because people went to stupid places, with stupid people, and behaved stupidly. The shutdown idea is because half the politicians figure they can win the next election by tough enforcement of immigration laws and the other half figure they’ll win by opposing ICE. We need voters that are better informed, voting for better candidates.