We Were Warned

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul, can always count on the support of Paul. – George Bernard Shaw

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The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. - Alexis de Tocqueville

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A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. "Alexander Tytler"

So the news is out that this year 47% of households in this country pay no income tax. One (AP) story (which I won't link) states:

The bottom 40 percent, on average, make a profit from the federal income tax, meaning they get more money in tax credits than they would otherwise owe in taxes. For those people, the government sends them a payment.

In other words, the government "redistributes wealth" from the upper 60% to the bottom 40%. (And it's still not enough!)

And what is the result of this?

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 31% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11. . . Overall, 48% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance.

CNN reports that 46% approve of Obama's job performance. CBS puts his approval rating at 44%. Gallup says 48%.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've hit rock-bottom on Obama's popularity unless and until he's caught in bed with either a live boy or a dead girl, as the old saying goes.

That 44-48% is bought and payed for - with my tax money and yours.

According to the George Mason University US Elections Project, about 62% of the voting-eligible population in the US turned out for the 2008 election. More than a third of the eligible population didn't vote.

I am going to be fascinated to see the results of the 2010 election. But almost definitely not happy. Billy Beck is right - we're not voting ourselves out of this.