FIve Destructive Beliefs of American Politics

In theory, politics is the art of living together. In practice, politics is all too often the art of pitting group A against group B for the benefit of group C. The practical application of politics has fostered the growth of destructive beliefs in our political culture. Here are five of my candidates.

1. Believing the promise of any politician. Even if the politician is sincere, political activity, by its very nature, occurs within a social context. No idea, no plan, comes through a negotiation process unscathed. Voting for someone on the basis of their promises of delivery is asking to be disappointed. It’s also asking to put demagogues, rather than leaders, in power.

2. Believing that something has to be done. Just because something is personally or even socially harmful, doesn’t mean a law needs to be passed about it. Many laws are just bad. Take drug laws. Are many drugs dangerous? Yes. Does drug use cause family problems? Yes. Have the drug laws in the US stopped anyone from using drugs? No. Have the drug laws in the US ended family problems caused by drug use? No. Drug laws have led to the expenditure of billions of dollars, imprisoned thousands of people, increased crime rates, property damage, and mortality beyond all bounds while accomplishing absolutely nothing. No, wait. They have accomplished something. They have financed terrorists, petty dictators, and crime lords while fueling the growth of intrusive government. If a law doesn’t do more good than harm, it’s time to get rid of it.

3. Believing increasing government powers will increase our safety and security. We need a government. Very few people would dispute that. But, believe it or not (and from what I see on the news and hear in daily conversations, most people don’t), many of the forms and processes of our government were originally put in place to protect us from the government. Over the centuries many of those protections, while still present in form, have all but disappeared in practice.

4. Believing that property taxes are the best way to finance government. At one point, they may have been. They are however, a holdover from the days of feudal society, and point to the fact that the government, not you, owns the property that you call yours. If you don’t think so, stop paying your property taxes and see what happens. Look at how governments have decided to use eminent domain.

5. Believing that voting is a right, but not a responsibility. Rights and responsibilities are conjoined twins. Claim one without the other, and you have a formula for personal and social disaster.

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