Rambling thoughts
I’ve spent the last 1.5 years watching and reading about politics and economics. I’ve written very little. Instead of sharing what I think (and what I think I know) I decided to spend some time learning. It’s difficult to examine what you believe in the cold, harsh light of facts and logic. Undoubtedly, I remain influenced by culture, subculture and experience. That said, here are some observations that I think are factually sound.
- Liberty is a precious commodity, in constant danger wherever it exists. It is threatened by those who would take it from us and by those of us who value it too cheaply.
- Apathy of the electorate is a bigger threat to liberty than the most evil intentions of any politician.
- Every time someone is unjustly deprived of his or her freedom, we are all in greater danger of losing our own.
- Believing you know what is best for everyone else is a hallmark of tyrants, regardless of the nobility of your intentions.
- “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” is a fine sounding idea. Unfortunately, the 2 systems based on it, socialism and communism, both suffer from degrees of the same weakness. Someone has to determine what is needed and how much. That someone is not the individual, but others. The result is a disincentive to produce according to ability.
- Capitalism isn’t perfect. It is far too easily corrupted into something else. That said, capitalism at least allows the individual to determine his own needs and put forth as much effort as he desires to meet them.
- Many people, perhaps even most, will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid being free.
- No individual, no group and no government can be as interested in my future as I am.
RM
retiredmustang 
When I started my BLOG I made a commitment to myself that I would not mention politics. I feel strongly about it (the constitutional version not the current process) but decided long ago most are set in their political views and no amount of reason will sway them one way or another. Some fight to correct it, others are content to drink the cool-aid. If I were a true political Junkie I would, rather than focus on your message, find a grammatical error and fixate on that; question your ability to write on such a subject rather than debate the message. Your words speak truth and at some point the fans of cool-aid will wake up, but I fear it will be too late.
PS: I found no grammatical errors… Although i must admit I wouldn’t know one of I saw it.
I tend to agree with your approach to politics. Certainly, my views on politics and economics are largely not germane to my travel blog. Thus, 2 blogs. I’m not really a political junkie as much as I am a history geek (hazard of a military career, perhaps?). I also share your fear that when people awaken to the threats to our liberty, it will be too late. Some years ago, I apologized to my eldest son, that my generation, the Baby Boomers to whom “the greatest generation” had entrusted our liberty, had taken our responsibility far too lightly.