By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
[Editor's Note: Addressing the policies of the “State” shortly after 9-11 in 2003.]
"And yet in those dark days, our voices [Libertarians] were in the minority, especially when warning of the dangers of war. The vengeful state had been unleashed and it was looking for blood wherever it could find it. Wars commenced in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading to unconscionable levels of destruction of life and property. Both countries are now in political chaos, poised between a foreign-imposed martial law and a religious fundamental takeover. The sympathy the US had garnered from Europe, Asia, and Latin America after 9-11 quickly turned to hatred against our political elites, and it has yet to go away.
The US government didn’t stop with wars. It violated the civil liberties of Americans, and established enormous bureaucracies. It trampled on the rights of states and localities. It turned flying into a massive police operation. It began a series of protectionist campaigns.
The Bush administration busted the budget and saddled the country with the largest deficit in history. Congress and the presidency engaged in a transparent logrolling whereby the warmongers gave the welfare statists what they want, in exchange for which the welfare statists gave the warmongers what they want. The rest of us watched freedom melt. We did what we could, in our writings and public advocacy, but the government tide was too high to hold back.
Two years later, the themes in the press say nothing about the success of government. All the headlines are about failure. The American people expect more, not less terrorism. We feel less, not more, secure. Incredibly, Bin Laden, whom the Bush administration blames for 9-11, is still on the loose. The US has more enemies than ever. Let there be no illusions: the people the US “liberated” in Iraq and Afghanistan despise us and want us out.
Government was given the run of things after 9-11, and what did we get? Wars, bureaucracy, debt, death, despotism, insecurity, and lots of confusing, color-coded warnings from our DC masters that seem only designed to keep us more dependent. Yes, government has behaved exactly as libertarianism predicted it would behave. It has abused the trust of the American people. And yet, at some level, government has benefited in the end. We have lost, they have gained."
[Editor's Note: Now, in 2014 after Bush and six years into the Obama adminstration, the destruction of liberty and the economy has devolved into a socialist state with rampant government failures and MUCH less freedom.]
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There is an inherent tendency in all governmental power to recognize no restraints on its operation and to extend the sphere of its dominion as much as possible. To control everything, to leave no room for anything to happen of its own accord without the interference of the authorities--this is the goal for which every ruler secretly strives.
Ludwig von Mises, Liberalism, p.67
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I nor most citizens of the USA receive NOTHING today except for increased loss of civil liberty, loss of economic freedom, dilution of the Constitution and higher taxes.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST BE DOWNSIZED TO 1787 LEVELS ! That means Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, and Justice only! Everything else must go!
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