Monday, March 15, 2010

Totalitarian Quote of the Day

“The American people want to know if it’s still possible for Washington to look out for their interests. For their future. So what they’re looking for is some courage. They’re waiting for us to act. They’re waiting for us to lead.

They don’t want us putting our finger out to the wind. They don’t want us reading polls. They want us to look and see what is the best thing for America and then, do what’s right.” Barack Obama, at a rally for 'health care reform' in Ohio.
Utterly, utterly devoid of the least impulse to recognize individual freedom.

If anything short of massive civil disobedience - almost guaranteed not to materialize - will stop all this, I sincerely want to know.


[Hat tip Philip Klein, American Spectator.]

7 comments:

jim Hlavac said...

Sir,

While it does seem hopeless at this moment, I would say this: the socialists among us have presented two ideals, at conflict with each other. I'll use their words for the moment: they want everyone to be exploring their own navel, they celebrate the diversity and all the trappings of individualism, expressed as the members of this group or that, yet in language of self.

At the same time they scream that we are all in this together, therefore we must all think alike.

The two are mutually exclusive over the long term.

So it is just a matter of time before those herded through the socialist cattle shute bring up all that talk about diversity, and wipe away the socialism.

Yes, it is a generational process, but history has shown that people riled up for "self" do not readily submit to the collective.

Hard to see at the moment, true.

But the great awakening has begun.

But keep up the good work and we'll get somewhere.

Jeffrey Perren said...

Thanks for your comment Mr. Hlavac, and welcome to Shaving Leviathan.

VH said...

House Democrats are planning to “deem” the health care bill into law without calling for a vote. If you’re not sure how that process works Read this. This is a travesty.

Ken said...

The quote in the original post reminds me an awful lot of, "If you work hard and play by the rules, you can live a good life." Dipped from the same poisoned well, anyway.

Jeffrey Perren said...

Ken,

Your comment mystifies me. I think I detect sarcasm at Obama's hypocrisy, which is fine. (Although I always maintain that hypocrisy is the least of a Progressive's sins; they're the most dangerous when they're the most sincere.)

But I really can't see much similarity between a bromide borrowed from the American tradition (your quote) and one that explicitly appeals to lovers of the Nanny State (mine).

Seems like night and day to me.

Granted, it's fine to doubt Obama's sincerity in either case, but unfortunately - like the Christian's Satan - he doesn't lie with every breath, but cleverly mixes lies with revealing his actual views. That he does it so skillfully is just one of the reasons he got elected, after all.

Jeffrey Perren said...

VH,

Thanks for the link. I've added that to the Madison tribute post.

Best regards,
Jeff

Ken said...

Jeff, my main experience with that line has been hearing it from one or another Clinton, where it takes on an entirely different cast. Consider that left undefined in particular are "rules" and "good life."

Interesting things happen to the meaning of words when they come out of the mouth of an Alinskyite. Whose rules? Who decides the parameters of the good life?

I prefer relatively more incontrovertible things like "life, liberty, and several property."