OP/ED Conclusion: A Deadly Mix

With all the corruption in government in recent times, all the business affiliation with government, with all the money from taxes being lost in governmental programs, one thing has become evidently clear. Government and Money is simply a deadly and vicious mixture. How so?

From 1776 until now, we have had an ever changing government, so it seems. Those initial 10 amendments have grown much larger in time. Government power and programs have also grown in time considerably. What is also evident is with that growth a continued growth of corruption and scandal has followed.

Where do we start? How about the trillions in tax dollars simply lost in the craziness?

"According to some estimates we cannot track $2.3 trillion in transactions," Rumsfeld admitted.

www.cbsnews.com...

So, they simply cannot account for 2.3 trillion dollars in government military spending? That’s 8,000 dollars for every American in the country. I just bought a used truck last week in excellent condition for just over 8,000 dollars. So that’s like saying "Sorry we just lost your truck." If some one took my truck then just lost it, I'd be pretty pissed off, let me tell you.

Now, how could this have happened? Did we just "lose it in the mix"? Is that even acceptable? If so, why? If not, what is going to be done about it?

These are all questions we need to keep in mind when we read the news from day to day. The fact is they lost all that money, and nothing became of it. Why?

Lets, for a moment, switch topics to government corruption. All the tax dollars lost to corporate interests being put first before tax payers interests. It went from what will cost the tax payers the least, to how much can I make for my CEO buddy at Boeing. All this corruption is caused by financial gain to be made. You get a position like this and your treated like a king to make sure these peoples corporate interests are put first.

Why is there so much money in government in the first place? Why would you rather give to government and lose 2.3 trillion in military spending, then take the responsibility to put it where you think it should be put? Is the responsibility of handling your own money so demanding and so pressuring that you must waver this responsibility to government to do it for you?

More importantly is why is government getting away with all of this unanswered? Its bad enough you don't feel you have the ability to handle the money you worked for, but when the people you trust with that responsibility screw up, you leave it unchecked. How could this be happening, and how could they be getting away with this?

The most important question though is this: What happened to us? It is after all our faults we are in this position. I don't need to tell you that the more money we put into government, the more corruption there will be. I don't need to tell you that you are Americans, and freedom comes at a price, which is responsibility. So what happened to us? I don't need to tell you any of this because you already know all of it. You already know about all of the corruption, all of the missing taxes, and all of the corporate influence.

The only thing that has REALLY changed since 1776 and now, is the people who live in this country. The drive for corruption is the same. The greed is still there. The people who want the money, and only the money, are still trying to influence government. The only difference is the people who live under it.

So what are we to do? What can we change in the system so that it works as we want it to? Well, I figure you will be searching an awfully long time if you are trying to find an answer to that question. Why, because the answer doesn’t exist. You can’t change the system, when it isn’t the system at fault. People are at fault. The only way to solve the corruption of the system, is having a system of minimal function.

How can you solve the problem of money corrupting government? By taking the money out of government. It worked for the founders of this nation, why can’t it work for us?

A couple quotes before I end this OP/ED:

“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.”-Henry David Thoreau

To those who say Man is not capable of governing himself, and that is why we need government to govern him:

"Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801.

And finally this is to those who would rather ignore the fact our government is becoming more corrupt and more forceful upon us. To those who would rather let the government have the control and power. To those who think we should allow government to control our lives and take our property (money and otherwise) illegally, then let this be to you:

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” -Samuel Adams


[edit on 20/1/2007 by Mirthful Me]

[edit on 20-1-2007 by grimreaper797]

Great op/ed, again. Everything you said is true, for the US, and for the entire western world. More in the US, because there's more money, corruption is legal and it's ``THE`` superpower. Move the money, corruption will move.

For example, in China, if someone is corrupt in the government, he is sentenced to death. But we all know it's a smoke screen, even if it's real, how much time will it last?

A lot of people in the western world try to change the things peacefully and by democracy. Well, it's not working fast enough, or at all. For example, the Iraq war, it was fast, too fast, so now your stuck there. Another example, the North American Union. It's underway since the late 90s, people are working against it, but, will it be enough in so little time to defeat it by a ``peaceful`` way? I doubt it.

The bigger the state is, the longer it takes to counter something ``evil`` that the elected decided, sometimes, it's too late, and that leads to big problems for the people.

With the path the western world have taken, will it be undoable in the time we have left before they start again? If you keep the system like it is now, and get elected, and you ``peacefully`` rearrange things, how much time will it takes before the greed come back even stronger than before? Life is an eternal struggle between the good and the greedy. But with the technology, the greedies could take-over and plug people into a world of propaganda, with Big Brother everywhere.

I think our generation is the most important in human history, because if we fails to our work, defeat big brother, humanity will be brainwashed for thousands of years before people escape from the matrix, if it's possible. I think our generation is the one that is portrayed as the last one before Big Brother take over in 1984.

We must not fail in our duty or humanity will be enslaved for millions of years. KEEP FAITH.

[edit on 20-1-2007 by Vitchilo]

Thanks for the response. I honestly thought Id get a bit more of a response either agreeing or disagreeing to what I put here. People are usually pretty divided about the place of government.

I must say Im rather surprised at the complete lack of response. Maybe people just don't think its worth the time to read it? More important things to do?

Sorry, I was pre-occupied with some other issues that have arisen, both in RL and behind the curtain on ATS, so to speak, and I didn't see this until just now.

It was an excellent OP/ED, I think, and deserves applause.

I really believe that this country will change when the people change. If the people cease with the greed and selfishness and nearsightedness, the government will follow closely behind as a matter of consequence.

The government can only be as meritous as its people...

America has never risen to the level of its foundation, as strange as that may sound. We had beautiful ideas, but have yet to muster the steadfastness, wisdom and collective will to realize them fully. Wonderful ideas are all we have; wonderful ideas are all we have ever had.

There is hope; there has always been hope. We just so happen to be teetering on the edge of a precipice that is very steep indeed, but we have one foot behind us, and we've always had the power to change.

This country can be great, her people can be strong and compassionate and responsible and determined. The question is, will we make the hard choices, or continue to suffer, and cause others to suffer, as a result of our weakness?

You can't cheat an honest man, or so the saying goes. If the American public ever truly deserve a nation of the sort the founding fathers envisioned, they shall have it (practically overnight).

If we find ourselves in a Hell of our own creation, of the sort we suffer through now, the product of our own choices and our own weakness, we have nobody to blame but ourselves. If it gets worse, that means we are getting worse. I hate to say it, but it's getting worse. What does that say about the citizenry?



I love the idea of America, it fills me with such wonder and excitement and love - the depth of my feeling defies description. Freedom, equality, justice - these words are like thunderbolts if you actually stop and think about them. They're epic and awe inspiring. But when I look at what we are, what we've allowed ourselves to become, what we wish for and lust after and fight for, I feel sick and ashamed.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
I must say Im rather surprised at the complete lack of response. Maybe people just don't think its worth the time to read it? More important things to do?

Methinks that you have staked out a strong position for the ATS 2007 campaign and the other candidates with exploratory committees were caught off guard. I'm sure they are honing their response as we speak.
.

Well is there any other oppinions as to my ranting? I thank the few who did bother to respond to me as I spent some time and emotion into writting this piece.