GUEST POST by Grandma Kate (Boise, Idaho) —
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, in Boise, a few major decisions will be made by the voters. Well, we would like to think that we are making the decisions. Folks who have been around the block a few times, however, and I am one of them, watch voters being hoodwinked, persuaded, sweet-talked, teased, cajoled, bribed and by whatever other means that can be thought of, to reach a decision that actually goes against common sense, patriotism, historical wisdom, consequences, and just plain eye-opening study.
For example, group laws. America's laws have always been for the individual. Groups are not suitable for special laws because for one thing the groups change. They are many times unseen, artificial and voluntary. But the main reason is so simple: if laws protect the individual what other laws could be needed?
The first group law in our country was the civil rights legislation in the 1960s. Until then the individual found protection within the necessary risks of human failure. I like picture language, so let's pretend that a special group has had a boundary set around it. Is it not immediately set apart? Has it not lost the possibility of merger and common goals with the others outside the boundary? I'm sure each of us falls into many groups, but the idea of fences, boundaries, and other barriers would play havoc with the American process. There are four nationalities mixed up in my genes and they get along together just fine in my American-ness.
All of these musings are to make us think about the land that is encompassed in Boise's city limits. Our city government wants to buy ten million dollars' worth of outlying property. They want to buy it so strongly that we voters are being pushed into debt. If they succeed, the land will no longer be available for private purchase and perhaps not even for development and use for the folks who live in Boise and pay the bills. Oh, and the land will not bring in taxes as long as the city owns it.
I like open societies, freedoms, history and the future. I like living in America (I've tried other places), and I don't like debt. So I must oppose the bonds issue, and I hope you'll join me in all those happinesses.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, in Boise, a few major decisions will be made by the voters. Well, we would like to think that we are making the decisions. Folks who have been around the block a few times, however, and I am one of them, watch voters being hoodwinked, persuaded, sweet-talked, teased, cajoled, bribed and by whatever other means that can be thought of, to reach a decision that actually goes against common sense, patriotism, historical wisdom, consequences, and just plain eye-opening study.
For example, group laws. America's laws have always been for the individual. Groups are not suitable for special laws because for one thing the groups change. They are many times unseen, artificial and voluntary. But the main reason is so simple: if laws protect the individual what other laws could be needed?
The first group law in our country was the civil rights legislation in the 1960s. Until then the individual found protection within the necessary risks of human failure. I like picture language, so let's pretend that a special group has had a boundary set around it. Is it not immediately set apart? Has it not lost the possibility of merger and common goals with the others outside the boundary? I'm sure each of us falls into many groups, but the idea of fences, boundaries, and other barriers would play havoc with the American process. There are four nationalities mixed up in my genes and they get along together just fine in my American-ness.
All of these musings are to make us think about the land that is encompassed in Boise's city limits. Our city government wants to buy ten million dollars' worth of outlying property. They want to buy it so strongly that we voters are being pushed into debt. If they succeed, the land will no longer be available for private purchase and perhaps not even for development and use for the folks who live in Boise and pay the bills. Oh, and the land will not bring in taxes as long as the city owns it.
I like open societies, freedoms, history and the future. I like living in America (I've tried other places), and I don't like debt. So I must oppose the bonds issue, and I hope you'll join me in all those happinesses.
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