Monday, September 07, 2009

Some Town Hall Meetings

It seems increasingly that those who were chosen to represent us have forgotten how that relationship works. They work for us, not the other way around. We are a government of the people and it is the consent of the governed which is what gives them any authority or legitimacy at all. At least that is the way Hobbes and Locke and Jefferson told the story.



They seem to have forgotten that they don't have any money of their own. The only money which a government can spend is that which it takes from its citizens. If the citizens as a whole do not benefit, but some are pilfered to distribute to a chosen subset, then there is something wrong as this young lady has noted:



And some have been in office so long that they no longer can speak civily to those who put them in office, but from their pompous pedestal they insult, demean and simultaneously disregard the concerns of the electorate:



Some have to raise their voices to attempt to be heard, but the non-representatives blissfully are unaware of the principles of free market competition and capitalism. Yet, the people are making sense:



There were two movies last year that impressed me. Both were great and both have titles which seem increasingly to apply to the current political climate:

"No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood"

So be it.

3 comments:

LauraB said...

Your two movie selections? Quite right.

I have to think that these days are given to us as a kind of gift - a reawakening of long-lost considerations. Lessons are being learned. I hope they came in time...

Anonymous said...

One possibility is for County Sheriffs to arrest the politicians--maybe for disturbing the peace at a meeting. Call it aggravated something or other--the politician knowingly attempted to provoke people to riot.... Let the politician sit in the can a few hours, then let him or her go. If the politician gets uppity, press charges and send it to the Grand Jury--a group of angry voters, who can give the politician more of a ride. If the politician doesn't negotiate a plea, it will go to trial, where he or she will have to face more angry voters in the jury. If the politician sues the Sheriff or the prosecutor, it will again have to go to a jury, and once again it will be a jury of angry voters, and the politicians will get more of a ride....

They used to call it running 'em out of town on a rail. Let's call this "jury taxi" or " going for a ride with the jury."

Somebody call Barney Frank a cab....

(anyway, it would make a good story for The New Yorker....)

Ed Rasimus said...

I like the idea!