Which "golden rule" do you follow?
The one from the Bible? "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets," – Matthew 7: 12-14.
Or the one attributed to the King of Id? "Whoever has the gold makes the rules!" –Wizard of Id cartoon published May 3, 1965, by creators Brant Parker and Johnny Hart.
If you remember the cartoon, you should remember the dwarfish tyrant known as “the King” who proclaimed this gold version of the golden rule. He also would refer to his subjects as “idiots," and when told "the peasants are revolting," replied, "you can say that again."
Hmmm. Anything sound familiar here?
Ironically, a forerunner of the King of Id saying came from a Swiss-French philosopher named Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In 1764 he wrote, "The rich holds the law in his purse."
What’s ironic is that Rousseau, an on-again off-again Calvinist, actually aligned concepts of the emerging democratic form of government with the biblical golden rule. His writings would greatly influence Thomas Jefferson’s thoughts on democracy and self-governance.
As explained at Study.com, "Jean-Jacques Rousseau's theory of the social contract was a direct influence upon Thomas Jefferson's writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Rousseau's social contract posits that the government must have consent of those that it governs. Meaning, the people must willingly choose to accept the laws that govern them. They must have an active participation in creating the very government that they agree to be governed by."
Rousseau’s notion was that there must be a general will of the people committed to the good of all in order for civil society to thrive and avoid oppression from selfish interests.
Hmmm. Committed to the good of all...not party, not ideology, not special interests.
How far have we drifted from that Jefferson-Rousseau golden rule notion? Politics today seems committed to the good of some, but seldom all.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell makes no bones about being committed only to what is good for Republicans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems equally committed to Democrats. On the broad national front, it's popular for conservatives to hate liberal Democrats and for liberals to hate right-wing Republicans. And, of course, we have our own modern day king of id in the White House.
Such behavior, naturally, has trickled down to our state politics. For example, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves notoriously operated as the little king of the Senate, favoring some and neglecting others. And he and House Speaker Philip Gunn have wielded Republican super-majorities that paid little heed to concerns of non-Republican citizens (not that their Democratic counterparts would have behaved differently if in power).
This is not to say that there are no people attuned to the golden rule in politics today. I am fortunate to have a local supervisor who truly seeks to do what is best for all. Indeed, far more local politicians seem to be golden rule adherents than state and national politicians.
On the whole, the gold rule clearly dominates the golden rule in our culture today, regrettably proving the King of Id right. By kowtowing to this, we subjects are idiots.
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Meridian
Kingfish note: The King is a Fink.
21 comments:
That is why the "Will" of the people must be based on a written set of hard and fast principles of fairness and equality which cannot be changed by some simple majority or a dictator. Even with a strong constitution men will still push for their own petty and selfish interests, so consider yourself lucky if you live where the rule of law not man's "will" is paramount.
Most people are idiots. They are just waiting to be told how to throw away their lives for the good of the man with the gold. Hell, the Confederacy almost established a country right here on this soil so some rich slaver could keep his money. And people wanted to die for it. They'll do it again if given the chance.
Vote for Hood. Otherwise Emporer Reeves will keep MS dead last in everything good for another four years. And I'm a Republican of the Ronald Reagan set of principles.
Evidently Bill has gone back to his 1980's days when he was a strong supporter of Ray Mabus over Jack Reed, resigning as a member of the MS Republican Party. His enthusiasm for Hood (or his hatred of Reeves) has to come out in each and every word he has to say today. Even in this column where he was focused on national politics he had to throw in his barbs toward Reeves - just because, I guess - and he had already written everything he could over the past several weeks that he could blame on Tate.
But of course we all know how that came out - his chosen one, Ray Mabus - carried our state into financial ruin, as well as Bill's political career. (Of course he has survived well since, living off the public tit in the non-governmental sector.)
Thanks, Bill - appreciate seeing this week's diatribe against Republicans.
If y'all believe that @12:14 PM is a Ronald Reagan supporter, I have an MDOT bridge for sale.
Or Lizzy Warren is an Indian princess, take your pick.
"That is why the "Will" of the people must be based on a written set of hard and fast principles of fairness and equality..."
Actually you have that Bass-Ackwards! Our rules should be based on the will of the people, not vice versa. Society sets its rules accordingly. We don't, or should not, mold our conduct and principles to fit rules set by charletons. Excuse me, Liberals.
The biggest mistake of the past 100 years would be putting Hood in the Governor's Mansion. And those who say "I just don't like Tate and can't vote for him", are dolts who deserve to be whipped.
4:30, I'll bet Bill Waller Jr. and a lot of other "Reaganites" are Hood supporters. Many mindless sycophants of today's Republicans are for nothing but party affiliation. Why is it so hard for you to grasp that we are for God, Family, and Country ahead of a political party.
4:56, you need a history check along with a mental check if you actually believe what your fingers are typing.
Ronald Reagan was elected as a Republican for President in 1980.
Bill Waller Jr ran as a Democrat for Judge in Mississippi in 1982.
Those of us that were actually Ronald Reagan supporters (and believers) in 1980 were not running as Democrats in 1982.
Waller wasn't a Reagan Republican then, nor is he a Republican today.
He ran under the banner this year (unlike in 1982, OR in 1996 when as a judge he had to run non-partisan but did so with the backing of the Democratic Party, while his opponent had the backing and support of the MS Republican Party) only because that was expedient for him ---- and more importantly, for the political hack that promoted the idea for his own personal gains -- Mr. Gregory.
6:05, Ronald Reagan was a Democrat until 1962, at which time he became a Republican. And you and others commenting are doing exactly what I am saying. Y'all are more about the party than the man/woman that is running for office. If it was up to your crowd of many of today's "Republicans", you'd all dig up John Stennis, Jim Eastland, and Sonny Montgomery to burn them at the stake because they were once an "evil" Democrat.
I know both Reeves and Hood quite well, and Hood is the only adult in this race. Reeves screwed up eight years of a Republican super majority due to his childish ways, and I am quite sure that Hosemann and Gunn will get a LOT more accomplished without having to deal with the brat.
@4:56...Why is it so hard for you to grasp the fact that most of us cleave to a party affiliation for one simple reason: The platform, bullet points, core beliefs and associated-stated values attached to and announced by that particular party.
If 'my party' believes in same-sex marriage, abortion, entitlements for those who choose to not participate and perennial higher taxes, yet it promises you insurance for all, are you going to abandon your conservative party core-beliefs and vote for me because you buy that hollow promise about insurance?
@10:10
I hope you are right. I'd like to see the state as a whole flourish as opposed to those aligned with the party of choice. Doing what is best for the entire state needs to be the goal of any state politician.
Those of you who have taken the opportunity to respond with a partisan diatribe ( most based on unsupportable claims) have missed the point of the article or else your comprehension skills are non-existent.
You are the examples of how to destroy a democratic republic.
Anonymous blather @8:48.
At 10:10 - A little rhyme for you.
Give me any day a politician who's a brat,
Over one known to be a damned democrat.
We've all had to deal with brats. We'll never get over another democrat governor.
9:39, Reeves has so planted MS in last place that we have no where to go but up. So, as Trump said to the black community can also be said to all Republicans- Vote for Hood; what have you got to lose!
This state is still mired in 'reconstruction'. With Hood in the mansion, we'll sink further into it. If you think Obama had a 'go to the back of the bus' mentality, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
That's 'what we've got to lose'.
The goober who claims no candidates who supported Reagan ran as Democrats in the 80s has no grasp of Mississippi politics whatsoever. For most of my life, you had to vote in the Democratic Primary to vote for any local candidates, and that's still the case in many places although there are a lot more independent candidates these days in rural areas.
7:59 am You seem to put those issues ahead of the larger principles found in our Constitution. And, you haven't noticed that words aren't the same as actions or problem solving.
How long have you had those issues? How long have those issues and Social Security and medical care been used to divide us rather than to be resolved in a way that would reasonably work for the most citizens?
Oh, the extreme left is just as self-focused and just as populated by those who want it " their way or the highway" without a inkling that government has to work for the entire population and the only answer either party has is either for the very rich or the very poor to disadvantage the other beyond reason.
Grow up! This Nation and this world is bigger than your province. And, this five minutes, we'd best be worrying about the fall of western civilization and the rise of autocrats! Look at what's happening in Chile...the young are easily manipulated into civil unrest and Putin, Xi and Khomenei are doing all they can to cause chaos in democracies. I'm sure you know every glorious battle of wars but haven't a clue about the conditions that lead up to war.
I will be a Republican that will vote for Hood. For all of my fellow republicans that are so terrified of Hood, why is that? Just because of his party affiliation? I mean, what do you think he will do that is so terrifying for the state when the house and senate will likely have republican super majorities and all other statewide elected officials will be republican?
The reason I am against Tate is that he is not honest. Take expansion, both his republican primary opponents and both parties' nominees for LT Gov are open to expansion. Yet, Tate demagogues the issue like there is going to be no tomorrow by telling lies and half truths. This is pretty typical of all issues. He's just not shown himself to be a representative for ALL Mississippians.
I have never voted for a Democrat for governor, but I will most certainly be voting for Jim Hood. I hate that he is the best choice, but he is the best of two sorry candidates. Fortunately, he won't be able to accomplish much with the majorities in the House and Senate. Maybe the need for compromise will actually result in some good ideas becoming reality.
Or as another French philosopher said following Rousseau, Joseph de Maistre, "Every nation gets the government it deserves." That's a spine chilling statement!
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