Your Government and You.

"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear."

Thomas Jefferson


Fear. That tightening of the belly, the ragged breath catching in your throat. The way your heart races while you look for escape routes. That's the fear we think of when someone mentions it. You've just been told you have cancer kind of fear. The sight of your child lying on a sidewalk, very still. The fear of a stranger walking down your street at night. The fear that makes a man go against his conscience and his judgement in order to keep his job. The fear that you may not have enough at the first of the month to cover your rent and feed your child more than a meal a day. The fear that the money that the government has withheld from your paycheck over the course of your 10, 20, 30 years of hard, mind numbing labor (the money that was supposed to be your safety net) will not be there when you need it. That's the fear that makes you angry. The kind of anger that wants to strike out, lash out, at what's causing the fear. Or to run. Hide from the thing that causes you to feel that way. And if someone's willing to show you how you can escape that fear? Maybe you should just follow their advice. After all, they're someone you can trust. They've been educated at the best schools, but they don't act like they've grown up with a silver spoon in their mouth. Just plain folks. They had the leisure time to think these matters through, though. They've talked to all those smart people in those think tanks and academia. They've talked to the best minds in business. They're just trying to make things better. After all, wouldn't you rather control your own money rather than have the government dip into it everytime they're a little short of money for the budget? Of course, you'd have to give it over to someone who actually knows all about that kind of thing. How to make investments and where to make them. You know, some middle of the road account manager in an investment firm. And she might even talk to you once a year at a shareholder's meeting. Or you can make an appointment to see him in person sometime. When you have time off of work. Or can afford to go to New York to see them. Well, maybe a phone call would be better. You know, like calling in to the cable company to talk to the person that can help you with a problem with your bill? But you can be sure that if they make the wrong decision that they'll be held accountable for it. You know, a little Martha Stewart time. You wouldn't want folks like that to go to a real prison. They could come into contact with real criminals. You know, that stranger who hurt somebody.
I think all I'm really trying to say is this. On Thursday George W. Bush will be sworn in for a second term as president. As he gives his inaugural address, listen to your fear. It's the right thing to do.