Consequences and Material Costs
Elected officials and other members of the Deep State need to feel the pain of their bad actions in the same way as everybody else.
Government is the only institution where the people in it, especially those at the top, never experience the consequences of their actions.
We need to change that.
If we did these crazy things, we would get a more responsive, realistic government. Beginning in 2024 and for the next 20 years after, anyone meeting any of these criteria will be ineligible:
Your income is currently two times the current salary of the office.
If you are the beneficiary of a trust fund.
You have never had a job outside academia, politics or government.
You are a lawyer.
You are a graduate of the JFK School of Government at Harvard or don't know what Article II of the Constitution is.
You hold a degree in any social science or a degree with the word "studies" in the title.
You are a member of the NEA, AFT or any medical organization like the AMA.
You have ever (or continue to) wear a mask in a car when alone.
You were ever invited to Davos or think Klaus Schwab is a sharp dressed man.
If you have more piercings or brands than a farm animal.
You ever participated in or attended a BLM, Pussy Hat, or ANTIFA march/riot/loot fest or read any book by Ibram X. Kendi or Robin Di Angelo.
Ever thought Kyle Rittenhouse or Nicholas Sandman were guilty.
If you can't affirmatively state what a woman is or can't decide which biological sex you are.
Have an IQ in double digits.
Ever thought Biden wasn't non compos mentis.
I'm only half kidding.
That would take a constitutional amendment to formalize those rules, but nothing stops us from campaigning AGAINST people meeting those criteria.
That's something we need to do more of - campaigning AGAINST people. It's not enough to campaign FOR your candidate.
I was reading more about the people Biden is putting in charge of the food pyramid (they did such a good job with it before) and noticed something about the likely outcome of that effort, like every other policy and action of our government - whether GOP or Democrat controlled - policies are NOT produced for the benefit or protection of the citizens, rather for the growth of power for the government.
Thomas Sowell famously (at least famous to those of us who know who Sowell is) said:
"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
Sowell is not alone.
Bastiat, Hayek, Von Mises, Rothbard, Friedman and many other Austrian School economists and philosophers have said the same.
But it is just common sense. If I never pay a price for what I do, I will keep doing it.
The greatest current example of making people feel material consequences of their actions is how the mayors of the "sanctuary cities" are whining now that illegal aliens are being sent to their doorsteps. They were sending strong virtue signals about "no human is illegal" until they were shown what that really meant.
I have every expectation that instead of stopping the flow of illegals, more money to these cities will be seen as the answer - because that's what happens now - the bad ideas get and stay funded, the good ideas don't (because the good ideas are not good for politicians).
We the people need to find a way to make it hurt when our elected government makes bad decisions.
Isn't it sad, that many of us would have few complaints about your"requirements?"
Thomas Sowell is a treasure of intelligent, common sense. Shame that he was born way too early. He would have made a wonderful POTUS.