In my opinion, this is where democracy tends to fail. The idea we have to have a secretive government in order to function in the world. Yet such a small percentage of the voting population has any clue what is going on. How can an average voter make an informed decision on candidates or the issues when they don’t know how China and Russia operate behind the scenes?
There is also the fact that democracy is simply mob-rule. There is nothing to prevent 51% of the population from trampling the rights of the other 49%. Which is why there are certain protections in the constitution (ie: super-majorities needed to change the document). Our founding fathers were very concerned over this if you read their writings and speeches. We did not want to trade one tyrant 5,000 miles away for 500 tyrants 5 miles away. How can we prevent the American government from turning into tyranny unless there is transparency? Unless we are able to watch what they are doing?
Im not saying the Pentagon should release it’s war plans. Im not saying the CIA needs to tell everybody everything. But why not tell the truth about China and their human rights abuses in Tibet, and their suppression of democracy and free speech? Why not tell the people that Russia truly is a mafia state? Why are we forced to accept trade agreements with China? Why are we told we have to “reset” relations with Russia? Why do we have to make secret deals with the Saudis? Why are we still fighting wars that should have been over with years ago? Why can’t we audit the Fed and find out who our own government is handing out OUR MONEY to?
Politicians and elitists think they know what’s best for us. They think they know how to spend our money better than we do. They think they know what’s in the world’s best interests. I beg to differ. Their opinion carries no more weight than the average voter.
Feel free to disagree. But that’s my opinion on it. As George Orwell said, “In a time of universal deciet, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.”
I understand what you are saying. I think Dalrymple has a point, that one should be able to speak ones mind privately and comfortably. That not everything is for public consumption.
"Ochlocracy" is really what we're talking about...
"The Menace of the Herd, or Procrustes at Large" -Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn