Sometimes we need to think about what we are not hearing as well as about what we are hearing. Right now we are hearing from the ideologues on the right side of the aisle that the IRS “targeted certain conservative groups” that applied for tax exempt status as a non-profit organization. If that is true, and no other groups were similarly scrutinized, the IRS has abused its authority and heads should roll. If, on the other hand, other groups were also scrutinized to find out if their intended activities were consistent with the non-profit rules for tax exempt status, maybe the use of the word “targeted” is just inflammatory vitriol.
The principle characters continue to seek out the microphone to proclaim their goal of a “by-partisan” fact finding effort and let the chips fall where they may, but the flames from their vitriol are so hot that nobody wants to get close enough to work together. In most cases the one who proclaims the goal of by-partisanship is the one who least wants it. After all, flame throwers are fun!
As I researched my book, A Broken Sausage Grinder: Is Our Government Fundamentally Flawed?, I became convinced that our founding fathers knew about the destructive potential of factions. They were well aware of the distraction and damage that political parties and special interest groups could cause and yet the freedoms of speech and assembly were too important to the republic they were creating. They also expected the elected representatives to set aside their ideologies and engage in a constructive debate on the matters before their respective legislative body.
Earlier this week, a radio talk show host, Dori Monson, in Seattle, was talking about some comments made by Representative Jim McDermott during the hearings into the IRS activities. He described Rep. McDermott’s comments as the “sound of fascism” and the “sound of tyranny” during his rants on the subject. I was reminded of the quote from Federalist No. 9 where Alexander Hamilton writes, “It is impossible to read the history of the petty republics of Greece and Italy without feeling sensations of horror and disgust at the distractions with which they were continually agitated, and at the rapid succession of revolutions by which they were kept in a state of perpetual vibration between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy.” Apparently, Mr. Monson recognizes the “sound of tyranny”, but is unable to pick up on the sound of his own anarchy.
The Sausage Grinder is Broken – will you help to fix it?
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Howdy! This article couldn’t be written much better! Going through this
post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept preaching about this.
I most certainly will send this information to him.
Pretty sure he’s going to have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!
I appreciate your comments. Sometimes we get stuck in the reporting offered by the media outlets and forget to use our own powers of thought when we are trying to figure out a particular story in the news. The media all arrives with some bias so we have to read several articles before the real truth can start to be gleaned. If you haven’t yet read my book, A Broken Sausage Grinder; Is Our Government Fundamentally Flawed?, I think you will also find it thought provoking.
Have a great day,
Hank