Infinite Monkeys

People screwing up America, Part One: The Broad Brush (UPDATED)

Well, I've been hearing a lot about how certain people are "screwing up America", and of course the lists are full of Democrats, because apparently John McCain is the only Republican capable of doing wrong. I, of course, was not invited to offer my opinion, but through the miracle of MonkeyPower, I will share it anyway. In no particular order, a sampling of groups who are screwing up America:

1. The two major parties. To quote an article in the most recent issue of The Atlantic, "the Democrats can't win, and the Republicans can't govern." There has not been a year in my lifetime that the Republicans have shown themselves to be the party of smaller government by their actions. And for the last 6 years, they've been consistently trying to "out-Socialist" the Democrats, which has succeeded in driving the Dems into irrelevance, but not in re-establishing Constitutional government. (Okay, the quote was a non sequitur. But I'm leaving it in because I like it, and because the article is great.)

2. The minor parties. Hey, I love a good spoiler as much as the next guy, but unless and until one of the majors actually self-destructs, the minor parties only make themselves look like fringe wackos. Take a cue from Ron Paul, and combine principled candidacy with actually winning elections.

3. Americans. We've all figured out how to "vote ourselves largesse from the public treasury." And we do it exceptionally well. I've quoted P. J. O'Rourke here before, "Every government is a parliament of whores. The only trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us." So we keep electing people who promise to make us "safe" and "secure" but who in fact just take away more and more of our rights, along with our money.

4. Public schools. Government does not and cannot produce a well-informed, reasonable, and dynamic electorate. They produce minions. Whatever else you do in life, if you have children, DO NOT LET THE GOVERNMENT HAVE THEIR MINDS! Take them out of the government schools, and make whatever sacrifice you have to make to keep them out.

5. Wolves in sheep's clothing. Whether it's celebrities like Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, "religious leaders" like James Dobson and Pat Robertson, or race-baiters like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, political wolves manipulate the public and the government by using their high profiles to give themselves artificial authority. As a Christian, I'm particularly incensed by the way many popular evangelicals beg their congregations/listeners/etc. for money that could be spent on missions, church-building, or mercy ministries, and instead use it to work the political machines.

Part Two, which given my track record I may never actually write, will contain some individuals I'd like to single out for abuse.

UPDATE: I added a bunch of links this morning. Couldn't get those on the plane. I also corrected the P. J. O'Rourke quote.