As a follow up to my post, A Big Problem For the Small Government is Always Better Crowd, Chris Rossini emails:
Hey Bob,
I've always been one who supported smaller government rather larger, primarily because of the possibility of escape should tyrants take over the larger government. You always want the option to escape to another county, another state, another country.
But this last year proved to me that the tyranny can emanate from the smaller. When you look at Covid, it was the governors who were the problem, rather than President Trump (putting aside his massive mistakes, of course). It was the Governors who took away liberty.
And, as you pointed out, it's the local officials in Florida who are the problem, and Governor DeSantis is the one to be praised for overruling them.
So I have changed my position from smaller being (automatically) better to analyze the position - case-by-case between the smaller and the larger. If the larger is for liberty, then may it always overrule the smaller tyrant.
Thank you!
Chris
While a lot of the actions came from state and local governments, the federal government was behind a lot of the propaganda, such as Fauci and crew regularly stating policy decisions as scientific fact.
ReplyDeleteLocal governments are comparatively better when it comes to accountability, but that doesn't do any good when the populace can be brainwashed into believing what's being done is actually good and in their best interests.
It's the same principle as to why centrally planned education is dangerous.
I agree. In my town and state the governors and municipalities are basing decisions off of federal guidance, in part to absolve them from potential blowback so they don’t have to make any decisions on their own
DeleteNot only that, but federal funds were made available to incentivize the lockdowns. Imagine telling your constituents that the Fedgov had offered to pay everyone to stay at home yet you declined the money out of principle.
DeleteI think we've all always considered the Federalists the bad guys among the founding generation and on most things they probably still are. But it is worth noting that they're theory for a stronger central government was not only "national greatness" (as Hamilton often put it), but also to protect individuals from the tyranny of the majority in the more democratically-oriented states.
ReplyDeleteIt's a whole lot easier to get away from a crazy mayor than a crazy FBI.
ReplyDelete