An Impossible
Dream
“That’s it, Curmudge.
That’s what Curmudgeonocracy is—it’s an impossible dream. You seem to have been on a quest, like
Don Quixote in ‘Man of La Mancha.’ “
“Impossible in the near term Julie, but hopefully not in the
future. However, it will be this
way as long as those who believe in American exceptionalism are outnumbered by
those who want America to become as morally and fiscally bankrupt as much of
Europe. Wouldn’t it be great to
have a federal government that is smaller, effective, and respected?”
“C’mon, Old Guy, you are seeking Camelot.”
“You may be right, Julie. I try to reach the unreachable star, but it may prove to be
as elusive as Camelot. Those
writers of a couple hundred years ago who took a dim view of human nature were
basically right. There will always
be some selfish blokes—in and out of government—who try to rip off their
neighbor.”
“ ‘Camelot’ and ‘Man of La Mancha’ may have played on
Broadway, but they are unlikely to ever exist in Washington. Old Man, you and I just spent the past
several months chasing an apparition.”
“We shouldn’t allow our desire for perfection to deter us
from advocating continuous improvement, chère
collègue. Let’s list some do’s
and don’ts for people in government.
Adoption of even a few of our suggestions might make Washington ‘a more
congenial spot,’ but regrettably it’ll never be Camelot.
Curmudgeonocracy
for Those in the Administration
Take the oath of office seriously, especially the part about
‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’
Do not lie to Americans. If necessary, lie to our enemies.
Be a friend to our friends and a threat to our enemies. Do not get the preceding sentence
reversed.
Seek advice from the best minds in the nation regarding the
issues of the day.
Study and understand the significance of world history.
Demonstrate leadership that is commensurate with your
elected or appointed position.
(Doc Mack says, ‘Be able to pass Army ROTC Advanced Camp.’)
Understand and appreciate ‘American exceptionalism.’
Do not blindly follow diktats of ‘base’ or major supporters.
Don’t make empty threats.
Possess the judgment to discern between real, imminent
threats (Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, Syria, North Korea) and unproven,
long-term threats (global warming); and possess the resolve to reverse
America’s current image of no longer being trusted by our friends and feared by
our enemies. (1)
Curmudgeonocracy
for Members of Congress
Those listed above for Administration.
Do not blindly follow diktats of party leadership. Think for yourself.
Read proposed legislation before voting on it. If it’s too long to be read, vote
against it.
Establish term limits for members of Congress.
Put a ‘sunset clause’ in every regulation.
Change Senate rules to require the Majority Leader to allow
a vote on legislation that has bipartisan support.
Revisit and revise laws that have been found to depress the
economy and that require the
federal government to be omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent; examples: Dodd-Frank and the Affordable
Care Act.
Provide a safety net for those who are unable to work. Include relocation assistance to aid
citizens to move to where jobs are available.
Enact policies that aim for 4% growth: lower, flatter and
simpler taxes; sensible regulations based on cost/benefit analysis; stable
currency; entitlement reform; and a true health care revolution based on
technical progress, entrepreneurial energy, and market pricing. (2)
Curmudgeonocracy
for Voters
Do not be a single-issue voter.
Do not vote for or against a candidate on the basis of
his/her race or gender.
Study candidates and issues and vote on the basis of your
own political philosophy.”
“Your lists could go on forever, Quixote, and we’ve been
doing Curmudgeonocracy postings since June. Is there one main lesson that all of
this has taught you?”
“There is, my dear Rocinante. The early progressives had a noble plan; intelligent people
in the federal government would help the citizens of the nation have a better
life. However, history has shown
(and our postings have documented) that their efforts did not succeed because
it is not possible to micromanage a complex system like a large, diverse
country. Nevertheless, once a
zealot has lost sight of his goal, he plows ahead with increased
enthusiasm. That has happened with
the progressives. The result is
our present intrusive, overreaching, ineffective, and unaffordable
administrative state.”
“Get with it, Sir Don; I’m Dulcinea (or maybe Sancho
Panza). Rocinante was your
horse. I too have perceived
something that may simply suggest that I’m the opposite kind of zealot. The
population of today’s progressives seems to follow a bimodal (dumbbell-shaped)
economic distribution. At the low
end are those who outsource their thinking. At the high end are those whose only goal is accumulation of
power and whose only thoughts are impractical delusions. The ends of the dumbbell would probably
never connect socially with one another.”
“Julie, if we were an organization, the feds might put us on
a list. Let’s call a halt—at least
temporarily—to our efforts to define Curmudgeonocracy. This may not be Camelot, but Appleton
is a pretty congenial spot for ‘happily-ever-aftering.’ “
Kaizen Curmudgeon
(1) Barrasso,
John Six Threats Bigger Than Climate Change The Wall Street Journal, 8/29/14, p. A11.
(2) Karlgaard,
Rich Growth is not an option. Forbes p. 32, June 10, 2013.
Link to posting from blog archives: Way to go! 2—The end is near—2/24/11
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