2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #187 “ONE OF THE BURDENS OF LIBERTY”

     Winston Churchill once was quoted as saying that the most damning part of a democracy was spending five minutes with the average voter.  That may be true, but in that regard we also should keep in mind that he went on to say that Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all of the others.  So how do we preserve and protect our Democracy?  By each one of us voters educating ourselves both about the candidates and the issues.  Accordingly, in that regard, a large turnout at the polls is not necessarily a victory.  It is only a victory if those voters are actually aware of what they are voting about.  As such, that is one of the big burdens of Liberty.

      In becoming educated, it is critically important that we understand who and what organizations are paying for the political advertisements we are seeing.  Why?  Because virtually every body has an agenda they are advocating.  So look for that agenda in the ads you see, and be aware of why they are seeking your vote.  Another truly huge problem with democracy is that most elected officials do not care about the future: they only care about the next election.  So they continue to engage in things like irresponsible spending, and sitting back and letting future officials deal with the problems they created.  As a practical matter, this is called “kicking the can down the road,” and it is virtually universal.  Why should we care?  Because with this spending we are truly mortgaging our children’s futures.  So as the upcoming election draws near, take the time to educate yourself about the candidates and the issues, and encourage everyone else to do the same.  Vote for who and what you will, but at least be able rationally to explain why.

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Quotation for the Week: “Behind every successful man is a surprised mother-in-law.

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