It's for Your Own Good

This is where Progressives would put all of us. Angelo Codevilla's seminal book The Ruling Class lays out the explanation perfectly for what we see happening today with President Obama and his Administration. Obama believes that he (as the current incumbent Ruling Class leader) knows better than we do what we need to live the good life and Obamacare and all the rest of his actions are to ensure his version of the good life for us. In so doing, the Declaration of Independence is turned on its head:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

We have the right to individually pursue happiness in life in the Founders' view and government is instituted to preserve and protect that right - its power is derivative only and we the people hold the reins. The Progressive view is that the Ruling Class knows what is best for our happiness and must make us pursue it, whether we want to or not, as it is for our own good. Witness Obamacare.

A huge majority of the American public do not want this program. So what? Since it's for our best interest the Administration moves ahead to implement it regardless of the lack of support, the huge cost overruns, and the sheer inability of the program to deliver. Further, severe penalties are necessary for disobeying because it is for our long term good even though we are too stupid to recognize it. True love in action, no? 

Of course the lie is exposed when the Ruling Class exempts itself and its supporters from all or much of the effect of the law - shades of ancient Rome - wine and orgies for the Ruling Class and the dregs for the great unwashed rabble. History shows what happened to Rome. It can happen here too. In fact the Declaration of Independence anticipated this in the completion of the sentence quoted above:

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

That is our birthright as Americans. Keep your doctor; change your government!