George Was Right

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection."

These are direct quotes from George Washington's farewell address on September 17, 1796. Some of you may have heard these before. I would say that Washington was prophetic. 212 years in advance, he correctly predicted the problems of today based solely upon his disdain for political parties.

Don't talk to me about the economy, health care, war in Iraq, how much Sarah Palin spent on her wardrobe or Barak Obama's celebrity status. I feel that the current political party system is the single greatest problem facing America in the 21st century. Washington D.C. is unable to solve any problems because of the constant bickering and fighting between the Dems and the GOP.

Do I think that a political leader will "turn this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty"? No, although some (crazy, bitter, angry) people would argue that George W. Bush has already done that. On the other hand, does the current system "serve always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection"? Well, let's look at that statement: yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

So the bottom line is that as a nation, we cannot be split down the middle as Red states and Blue states. How does that happen? The answer in my mind is simple: government has to be smaller and have less influence on our daily lives. Whenever you have so much power and money concentrated under the control of one entity, the political battles will ensue.

Please don't pull out that tired argument against the current political dirty word, "deregulation." If you thought the problems on Wall Street and in the mortgage industry were bad, wait till you see what happens now that the Government has stepped in with it's bailout. Hasn't really helped stabilize the market yet has it? Without the crazy mountains of regulation that we have just created (which by the way adds thousands upon thousands of new government jobs), the bad banks and mortgage companies would collapse, and the remaining companies would learn a lesson and do business better. That's called capitalism. Now, the companies have been saved and not much of a lesson has been learned. Government is bigger and nobody knows how we can afford it. This isn't capitalism anymore, it's not quite socialism, but it's closer to it. As a quick aside, who are we going to bail out next? CNN says today that the automobile makers in Detroit are in need of a bailout, and likely to get some kind of relief. Do you want the government in the business of building cars now too?

The Dems have seized upon the current "ill-founded jealousies and false alarms," based almost entirely upon the current economic fears as a means to create bigger, "better" government. I think it is a very dangerous time to try and increase the influence of government. Many people think that FDR's New Deal ended the Great Depression. That would be incorrect. WWII ended the Great Depression. Adding more to our current government will do nothing to help the economy, and go a long way toward hurting it.

So popular or unpopular, I will be voting for John McCain in 8 days. I do feel he has given his life to serve his country, with no designs upon personal power or glory. I think he offers the best chance to bring the Dems and GOP closer together, as is clearly evidence by the disdain for him by the conservative right within his own party (whom I despise). Most importantly, I think the GOP view that government needs to be smaller and more in the hands of states and communities is correct. Obama offers something for everyone if you believe everything he claims. However, it doesn't add up. I fear that an Obama victory will add layers upon layers of new roles and responsibilities to our government that doesn't work. That just leads us right back to where Goerge Washington warned us not to go.