Power: a Weapon, Nothing More

One of my heroes, William N. Grigg, has a post up right now in which he notes the complete lack of principle found on both alleged sides of the alleged right-left American political division:

Recently in this space I described how the "progressive" and "conservative" factions in our political system are working, in dialectical symbiosis, to build a totalitarian Homeland Security State, each of them foolishly assuming that the apparatus of regimentation and coercion would be used to punish the other. There is a desperate need, I wrote, for people of all political persuasions "to decide that they love liberty more than they despise their political enemies...."

At the very least, people have to be willing to repudiate the operational principle of mass politics since Lenin, the idea that the fundamental question of politics is "Who does what to whom."

Well, as a friend of mine might put it, that's a whole lot of "Ain't-gonna-happen."

As usual, it's a great read, and I recommend it to your attention. Meanwhile, I saw this in today's news:

More and more Democrats in Congress are calling for action that Republicans warn could muzzle right-wing talk radio.

Representative Maurice Hinchey, a Democrat from New York is the latest to say he wants to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine," a federal regulation scrapped in 1987 that would require broadcasters to present opposing views on public issues.

"I think the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated," Hinchey told CNNRadio. Hinchey says he could make it part of a bill he plans to introduce later this year overhauling radio and TV ownership laws.

Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Tom Harkin of Iowa added their voices recently to those calling for a return of the regulation.

Republicans oppose the Fairness Doctrine, arguing it would be wrong for the federal government to monitor political speech on the airwaves, in order to require opposing views.

Now, there seems to be very little that your typical proggie enjoys any more than to snicker at those right-wing mouthbreathers who're forever moaning about "the lib'rul media." But the lefties seem to have a little problem with some media, at least, themselves -- and are (surprise! surprise!) ready to use government force to do something about it. Lenin seems to have been right: it's all about who gets to do what to whom, and nothing more.

Be sure to vote, now. Voting changes things. It swaps the "who" and the "whom." Very noble. Incredibly worthwhile. Oh, yes.