by Stanley W. Shura

Created on: January 25, 2009   Last Updated: October 01, 2011

Right off the top, I must point out, as the heliumite who conceived this question doubtless understood already, the wording is rather loaded and presents a bit of a logical fallacy.  I'm not sure if bemoaning "the big bully that is Washington" that is full of "federal bureaucratic regulators" who all, every single one of them wants to "do nothing but tell you how to run your life" is more straw man, implied generalization, slippery slope, or just a plain vanilla appeal to an assumed stupidity of the common man! Or maybe it's just whining.

From the looks of things here at the beginning of 2009 and, more importantly, the beginning of a new political administration - a new political era - here in the United States, certain folks among us just may need to consider exchanging their Lexus for some Luvs! These are the privileged and prejudiced who refer to big government as evil and big guns as essential. When the prez (of yore, anyway) waxes on about a "strong national defense", they wave their flags and talk about the need for the individual to sacrifice for the "greater good". But, if he should dare to raise taxes or (as in the case of our current prez) warn of the likelihood of such a move, these gung-ho "real Americans" who on the other side of their mouths would preach the "decency" or "patriotic duty"' or "noble" nature of sacrificing the self for the community (of which a country can surely be aptly described), whine about "big government" when an altruism is suggested or some welfare or community preserving policy enacted.

If you're for mandating military service or raising taxes to pay for a war, then you are "pro-country", but if you're for mandating or even encouraging some idea of compulsory COMMUNITY service, or raising taxes to lower the homeless or jobless populatioin, then you're "pro-commie".

What utter nonsense. This is the same type of fork-tongued and mindless ideology that births such phrases as "federal bureaucrat regulators" and "kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out", while the actions of those from whose mouths these empty phrases are spewed would speak of anything but the example of "Godly" living or a "sweat of your brow" work or public service ethic.

I'll tell you that I trust a top-down consistency over the "back of the bus" mischief of the "every man for himself" mentality under which the bullies and "popular people" thrive. When the classroom has no rules (or authority figure enforcing them), the quiet or weak or meek are the ones who suffer. I believe in the fairness of mandating that the same set of rules apply to everybody. I believe in ONE class of citizenry - and a government that ensures that all have access to the resources and opportunities of society, civility, and humanity.

A doctrine of the rule of law, and a policy and practice that mandates and guarantees that ALL of us are playing by the same rules is not at all about "Washington telling you how to live your life". It's about at least having a fair CHANCE of a life to LIVE.

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