.jpg)
Governments often like to revise history to fit a specific story line, especially when it justifies the actions of those in power, or provides a selling point for a particular initiative. A couple of recent examples of this come to mind. The Foundry, over at Heritage, has an excellent article on the recent posting (and removal) of an article by a Russian Colonel about the causes of WWII. According to this article, the entire cause for WWII was Poland’s refusal to come to terms with Germany’s reasonable demands, and Britain’s unreasonable treaty pledging to come to Poland’s defense if they were attack. This is a complete revision of history, of course, in the service of supporting remaking Russia’s self-image.
In an example closer to home, Mr. Obama, in a speech on the 4th of July this year, revised history to produce a set of Founding Fathers for the US that supported his various initiatives to push the US into socialism. As reported by Townhall, Mr. Obama said, in part, “They forget that we as a people did not get here by standing pat in a time of change. We didn’t get here by doing what was easy. That’s not how a cluster of thirteen colonies became the United States of America.” Well, of course, not. But those who fought for independence did so to enjoy less government control, not more. Mr. Obama’s reading of history is a complete reversal, using the fight for one set of principles to enjoin a fight for the opposite of those principles. Mr. Obama has revised more current history, as well, as this video clip of his various statements on the so called “stimulus” illustrate.
All of this revisionism, of course, causes one major problem in a society: the death of trust. As Greg Mankiw points out in his blog, the basic question with the entire takeover of the US health care industry by the Government comes down to one question: Who do you trust with your health care? Private individuals, or the Government? Each time the Government revises history for its own purposes, it destroys trust. Of course, when Congress passes bills they don’t read, they also destroy the trust of the people they are supposed to be representing. The Government doesn’t always revise the past, of course, they sometimes prevent people from telling the truth about what it is they’re undertaking. For instance, the move by the Democrats to prevent Republicans from calling the “health care reform bill” by the term “government run health care.”
And what of the system we are supposed to be moving towards? How good is socialism, and how well does it work? Dr David Nobel has an excellent article posted over at The August Review on just this topic. A choice quote, to whet your appetite:
Socialist George Bernard Shaw added: “You would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught, and employed whether you liked it or not. If it were discovered that you had not character and industry enough to be worth all this trouble, you might possibly be executed in a kindly manner.”
Finally, a couple of “hanger on” stories about the Government that don’t really fit into the theme for this posting, but are worth looking at. There’s this story over at Pajamas Media by a conservative who worked in the Justice Department, discussing how he and his friends hid their conservative views in the name of “getting along,” and “getting promotions.” There are two stories on some of the “czars” Mr. Obama has appointed. He has essentially created an “alternate cabinet” of “czars,” who essentially run the government instead of the Cabinet or officially appointed department heads. First, the “Science Czar,” has stated, in a book he has co-authored, that we should consider forced sterilization of women. Second, his “Regulation Czar,” has called for trees to have standing to sue in court.
Finally, we should all pay attention to the unfolding issue of the intimidation of voters at a polling place in last November’s election. The Black Panthers apparently had a contingent of “poll watchers” there, bearing night sticks and other weapons, telling people who to vote for, and turning away voters who they didn’t think would vote the “right way.” The problem is Mr. Obama’s Justice Department forced the folks investigating the situation to dismiss the charges. This is plainly racists, and plainly subversion of the law in the area of elections. It’s a clear signal of what Mr. Obama’s plans are for future elections, as well. This last election may well be the last “free” election in US history, if Mr. Obama and his “friends” get their way.
Related posts:
Recent Comments