Small Federal Government? When was that? It was at the turn of the century, that’s when, as I pointed out in the last column. Years ago, at a used book store in Phoenix, I purchased a large book titled, “Barnes Federal Code.” It is dated 1919, but even though we had been through WW I by then, and the un-Federal Reserve had been formed, but not yet attached its deadly hooks onto the economy, the number of laws in 1919, hadn’t been increased appreciably by 1919. So let’s see what size the D.C. Gang was in 1919. The book, which contains all Federal Statutes as of 1919, has 2931 pages. The first 34 pages contain the Constitution, and there are 419 pages of a general index. This leaves 2478 pages of federal laws in existence in 1919, which covers every single thing from Indians, the Congress, courts, alcohol, military, and everything Washington D.C. did in 1919. The Cabinet consisted of the State Department, Treasury Department, War Department, Attorney General, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, and that was it.
A microscopic federal government, which was wholly contained in a city 10 miles by 10 miles, and this included tens of thousands of residents who had nothing to do with the government. Today, the federal government, like a huge octopus, has its tentacles outstretched for hundreds of miles outside the original D.C. boundary, and has hundreds of thousands of employees. Small government? Not any more, and because they have unlimited funding, it can grow without limits, and is doing exactly that.
It can get us into wars, and hand out money to voters to endlessly proliferate itself. The elected Senators and Representatives long ago realized that to get re-elected, they must appeal to the masses of voters on the dole. The more handouts there were from the public treasury, the recipients would vote for the enablers of the handouts. Now, 30% of the population eats on food stamps. Tens of millions depend on Social Security, rather than living off of savings, and responsible behavior in their working days. The handouts are so numerous, that they are impossible to count. If any candidate for office, vowed to eliminate a dole, they wouldn’t win, as witness Ron Paul.
Welfare of any sort, is extremely habit forming. If one gets a handout for any length of time, one gets used to it, and is outraged if it is denied. No one who wants to run for office, if they expect to get elected, will ever campaign on economy in the government! Far too many people just love wasteful government. Schools, libraries, highway departments, public utilities, churches, state, county, and city governments, all bow to the wishes and mandates of the D.C. Gang, or lose their handouts.
No one ever realizes that TANSTAFFL, or “There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.” Every handout decreases the value of the dollars used to buy things. It is actually like a fatally wounded animal in the woods, licking its own blood. It is bleeding to death, but it thinks it is helping itself by ingesting its own life sustenance. The animal is acting on instinct, which is understandable. The human population is doing the same thing, and does so because of being brainwashed by government, its employees and elected officials. How can a habit such as this ever be broken? How can a populace which thinks that government has the power to give anyone anything, at no cost, ever be brought to the truth? It can’t. The system has populated itself with dummies, poorly educated, non-thinking, masses of humanity, which will grasp at any government handout, grant, program, or supposed gratuity, thinking it is a free thing from D.C. which can hand out goodies with no limits, and at no cost.
Today, trillions of dollars are being printed and checks written, and 99% of the citizenry thinks there is no cost. As prices go up, thanks to the inevitable hyper-inflation, they’ll probably blame the stores or manufacturers. They’ll call for price controls and free trade, which is like asking for more poison. The situation is so far gone, that even had Ron Paul gotten elected, it would still be fatal. The situation is so bad, that one can only protect ones self, since an honest candidate hasn’t a chance. The non-thinkers, underclass, welfare recipients, and trash of all races will overwhelm us, just as has always happened in history. This is just a general overview, and I’ll get into more details next week. Obviously, there will be no column on Christmas Day! Allow me to wish one and all, the merriest of Christmases, and happiest of New Years!