JANUARY
29, 2006 --
Ray
Ginger (d. 1975) wrote a book "Age of Excess" to
describe the period in "the United States from 1877 to
1914.
With reference to no more than wages received by corporate
leaders, the current period seems to qualify as "America's Second
Age of Excess."
LPR is not suggesting a program of redistribution of wealth. Wealth redistribution
programs tend, LPR believes, to fall short of aims, not to mention interfering
with individual liberty.
Brit Hume, on Fox News, a couple of weeks ago, noted that lobbyists are protected
in their work by the First Amendment's protection of "the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances."
LPR would not support restrictions on lobbyists that would diminish their First
Amendment rights. LPR does wonder, however, if lobbyists tend to seek special
treatment from legislators, rather than redress of grievances.
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LPR
would appreciate a State of the Union address that reminded the
nation of the fundamental principles on which it was established
-- liberty, equality, justice --public service for the common good.
LPR has a hunch the country would respond favorably if President Bush noted the
implied criticism, in Federalist 57, of those seeking the "ambitious sacrifice
of the many to the aggrandizement of the
few," and stated that the cause of political reform in Washington could
find no better advice than the counsel in No. 57 that leaders work for the "common
good of the society" and stay close to the people.
LPR would also point to credit card interest rates reaching 29.99% as indicative
of our new "Age of Excess" -- and urges LPR clicksters and other bloggers
to challenge our officials to take notice of this present-day example of "the
ambitious sacrifice of the many to the aggrandizement of the few.
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