Government Extortion: Officials who threaten are bullies and deceivers
By J. Dyer
A few weeks ago, our president was complaining about pending budget cuts set in motion by a previous deal he made with other politicians. It’s called sequestration.
Sequestration was an idea that came from Obama’s team, and Obama embraced the idea. Because Obama has no budget, again, sequestration is about to happen. Obama now threatens to punish us with cuts in emergency and essential services if he is prevented from having things go his way. Threatening the general public with punitive actions is a regular strategy of corrupt politicians and the bureaucrats who support them. When overspending government bureaucrats want more of our money, and when we hesitate in giving it to them, they threaten us.
This played out locally just a few months ago with the school bond and school proposition discussions. If we didn’t pass these measures, we were threatened with substandard education. We were told our property values would decline. Opponents of these measures were accused of being uncaring toward “the children.”
Government bureaucrats attempt to cover their wastefulness with finger-pointing, scare tactics, and by turning voters against one another.
So now our overspending government officials in Washington tell us that if we try to make them reduce the debt, they will cut the only services they are actually authorized to engage in—safety, protection, and the administration of justice.
Our leaders don’t talk about cutting the Department of Education so more tax dollars can remain under local control. They don’t talk about eliminating funding for the National Endowment for the Arts so we don’t have to endure any more crucifixes in urine, bullwhips in places no bullwhip should ever go, or feminists contemplating their private parts (these are actual “art” projects supported by an agency receiving your tax money). Instead, we are threatened with loss of safety if we dare require them to stop their reckless spending.
We have allowed our government to get too big. Our government is supposed to be our servant, but it is becoming our master.
Government officials and bureaucrats who threaten us when we ask them to stop their irresponsible spending of our money should be removed from their positions. They are bullies and deceivers, and they are a disgrace to the offices they hold. They don’t unify us with reasoned arguments; they intentionally divide us to gain power. If we continue to tolerate the extortion of these corrupt government officials, they will get stronger and we will get weaker. There will come a time when we will not be able to peacefully rid ourselves of them at the ballot box. There will come a time when they will use the power of government — our government — to threaten us into silence. Don’t think it can’t happen here. It is already happening here.
J.Dyer is a Ramona resident.