As soon as a liberal leaning blogger expresses his/her views, the right-stuff bloggers zero in with carefully selected — almost canned — arguments. An expression I used “citizens are entitled” was quickly answered that there are only rights in the constitution and the expression is thus relegated to the nasty term of entitlements. Many followers of the right-stuff are robotic, attuned to the Neo-cons sound bites of self-reliance, individualism, entrpreneurism, less government but for defense, class warfare — lazy, lifelong welfare constituents, health savings accounts putting an end to the uninsured, smart workers, not hard workers.
Self-reliance is not proprietary: it is philosophically a truth with qualifications. It is the acknowledgment that not all, just as a child, possess this wherewithal. There are the frail, sick, disabled and poor not of choice, and others with unfortunate genes lacking the brain power to cope with good education. It is said that those who make it, admittedly with a little luck, do so through self-reliance. These are the giants of commerce, supermodels, extraordinary athletes, great entertainers and scientists. If pressed, however, these supers would admit, aside from the natural blessing of good looks and talent, that all had mentors and role models influencing their directions.
In this era of total interdependency, there are few if any individualists who have succeeded on singular laurels. Often we mistake individualism for loudmouths like Bill O’Reilly and Chris Matthews for their mixed blessing of a gift of gab and insensitivity, ruling out O’Reilly making it as a guidance counselor and Matthews as a true apostle of Tip O’Neill. What great artist did not learn from those before him and simply modified, or rebelled against, his predecessor? Who would Socrates be, as he admitted, if not an Athenian; who would Plato be without Socrates, and Aristotle without Plato? Thomas Jefferson’s unique talent, reflected some of the writings of Thomas Paine, both of whom in turn were carried on the shoulders of Rousseau — distinction between “mine” and “thine” — and Locke who toppled the sanctity of the divine right of kings and expounded on the social contract subject to revolution. Gen. Patton’s legacy would not be the same had it not been for other infantry divisions that cleaned up what he left in the wake to victory. Would Mac Arthur have returned to the Philippines without the navel strategy of Nimitz and Halsey?
Entrepreneurs do not exist in a vacuum: they are cunning opportunists who pounce on an area already established by past and present practices in which there may or may not be a better way. Gates would be a common programmer were it not for the fruits of the early pioneers of the computer age — let alone IBM. Virtually by definition entrepreneurs steal from established practices, and blest with intelligence, cunning and gall, succeed. Would Wal-Mart exist had it not been for the demise of the unions, together with the retail pioneers of advertising sales and discounts? Where would Wall Street be without the huge retirement funds of the common people and foreign investors?
Yet advocates of individualism, entrpreneurism, and self-reliance do not want the same qualities in politicians and legislators, lest they wield power they deem detrimental to their own survival. Government exists for the status quo of the power class. Not unlike the Ten Commandments, the Constitution is rock solid and not subject to amendments that might threaten the “natural” aristocracy. Government, rather than exemplifying leadership, exists in behalf of economic determinism by the few and any changes to the contrary must be rolled back and nullified. The fate of government is to shrivel up and allow the money class to make the decisions as to how the nation is to achieve its goals.
Government should not acknowledge the sick and the poor — there are Scrooge-like charity organizations for that.
It should not engage in the regulation of commerce because — like those who learn in the field of practice, do, and those who profess to teach do not — it is not privy to the complexities of business.
Only the commander-in chief has the right to declare war — what does Congress know about threats to the nation?
Referenda are for the man with the hoe and the great unthinking unwashed and should be banned.
Recalls, on the other hand are a value when mustered by millionaires or oligarchy.
Government indeed should grant contracts in defense of the nation, but not issue contracts to build and rebuild the infrastructure — when the time is ripe an entrepreneur will announce, “There are no more casinos and stadiums to build, now I’ve decided to build a modern railway.”
Nor should Congress legislate in behalf of minorities and the downtrodden — these shiftless people must learn to take their place in the basement of society; yet for those in the basement who exhibit talent and self-reliance, they will crawl out the cellar door. After all, Branch Rickey was quick to recognize the talent the of Jackie Robinson and masterfully bred his eventual self-reliance and for others to use JR as a role model.
There is no need for big government: let the uglies in the nation get off their obese rumps and develop sacrosanct self-reliance.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: January 12, 2004.