I hate elections

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for democracy. I have no desire to live in an oligarchy or monarchy and definitely not a country run by a tyrant.

But......I get so tired and depressed when I hear all the differing points of view which in my opinion are illiterate, thoughtless and narrow minded.
They so often reflect prejudices - although it's not politically correct to say so.

People will vote against their self interest. Those receiving
Social Security regard it as a right and not a privilege accorded them by the rest of society. They talk about individual rights, and government interference but all the while, they are using their Social Security and any other benefit like Medicare that they can.

People talk about Big Government as though that isn't "them". Yet we owe big government roads, electric power, dams, water, freeways, health care,
food and drug controls, access to international distribution of food and
heaven knows what else.

Don't these people realize that the government we support, vote for and turn to for assistance is a reflection of societies willingness to band together and help everyone in that society. We are not agrarian farmers living off the land self sufficiently. We never were.

At a time when most people lived on farms, they still depended on "government" to provide military defense, schools for their kids and
infrastructure to bring them power, water, access to material goods they couldn't produce themselves and assistance in their old age with health care and maintenance.

Those things are still true. But the loudest voices against Big Government are those that use those benefits.

Yes, it takes taxes - yes, I hate to pay taxes - but I want schools, libraries, universities, and all the benefits of a dynamic and vigorous society ie. jobs
that provide a good living, housing that is affordable and attractive and neighborhoods that have parks, gardens, and are safe.

And don't forget the museums, art galleries, sports venues and gardens.
We ALL benefit from the taxes we pay and we all have a higher standard of living by pooling part of our resources in the form of taxes.

It's like - what I often see - people who go to church and enjoy the community, but balk at paying into the church funds to maintain the roof!

Yes, there are abuses - but there are bureaus, committees and government organizations that keep them in check and we have a free press (or did have) which kept everyone fairly honest. The very many good, hard working politicians are abused for the few who aren't.

But we cut off our noses to spite our faces - disregarding the damage we do to our own welfare by insisting on "small" government and limited
social investment. If we don't invest in our society - others will. The Chinese are already a challenge - we will fall into a second class country
or even a third class one if the Tea Party people have their way.

The 17th century has come and gone and we need a 21st century mentality to survive as a nation and as a people. And we need to make compromises so that we can work together for the benefit of all. It's not every man for himself! Never was.