Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about the Bill of Rights most of the time. James Bovard More Quotes by James Bovard More Quotes From James Bovard The more government dependents, the more likely that democracy will become a conspiracy against self-reliance. James Bovard democracy government self Politicians as a class are dangerous, that people who are seeking power over us are not, by definition, our friends. James Bovard definitions class people Foreign aid breeds kleptocracies, or governments of thieves. James Bovard aids thieves government Freedom to vote is valuable primarily as a means to safeguard other freedoms. James Bovard valuable vote mean Not only has the number of government employees multiplied in recent decades, but the rise of government unions further stacks the political odds against private citizens. James Bovard government odds numbers Once a person becomes a government dependent, his moral standing to resist the expansion of government power is fatally compromised. James Bovard expansion moral government The sheer number of government employees and welfare recipients effectively transforms the purpose of government from maintaining order to confiscating as much as possible from vulnerable taxpayers. James Bovard government numbers order The key question for many voters is: How much is the candidate offering for my vote? James Bovard voters keys offering Government aid programs have been endlessly expanded, and the government has sought to maximize the number of people willing to accept handouts..... Roughly half of all Americans are dependent on the government, either for handouts, pensions, or paychecks. James Bovard government numbers people American democracy is capsizing as a result of the vast increase in the number of government dependents and government employees. James Bovard democracy government numbers Throughout history, politicians have used other people's property to buy themselves power. That is the primary achievement of the welfare state. James Bovard welfare achievement people The government's appearing to be a necessary evil does not oblige people to trust it. We face a choice of trusting government or trusting freedom-trusting overlords who have lied and abused their power or trusting individuals to make the most of their own lives. James Bovard government evil people Governments and citizens blend together only in the imaginations of political theorists. Government is, and always will be, an alien power over private citizens. There is no magic in a ballot box that makes government any less coercive. James Bovard political government imagination Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote. Those rights are spelled out in the Bill of Rights and in our California Constitution. Voters and politicians alike would do well to take a look at the rights we each hold, which must never be chipped away by the whim of the majority. James Bovard lunch taken two It is absurd to expect governments to descend gradually, step-by-step into barbarism - as if there was a train schedule to political hell and people could get off at any stop along the way. James Bovard political government people The more expansive government is, the more perils people face in daily lives, be it from IRS agents or from child support services, or from other agencies that often have little or no legal restraints on their power. James Bovard agency government children Once freedom is equated with a certain material standard of living, confiscation becomes the path to liberation. James Bovard standards certain path If so many Americans are looking for the government to save them, then it is hard to have a dignified search for a shepherd in chief. James Bovard chiefs shepherds government For the average person walking down a dark street late at night, a promise from a politician is worth far less than a .38 Special. James Bovard dark average night If an election is simply a one-day snapshot of transient mass delusions, then this is not a very noble form of government. James Bovard noble one-day government
