go vote
I was thinking, as I cast my vote this morning, that I would really rather vote for a party that puts the right of the individual first. We really only have one “right”, the right to be left alone or not interfered with. The rest of what people call “rights” are claims we make against the state or each other.
I know that there will always be folks who need help, and the government should be there to help them. But one problem with traditional parties is that they have ceased to treat people as individuals and instead, lump us into groups of some description or other. Even if we need grouping to make administration easier, the laws that do the grouping must be drafted with the individual in mind. And the best government level to deal with the actual helping of the individual is municipal.
Let’s look at a statute that at first glance, would appear to be the antithesis of individuality - the Income Tax Act. If ever a statute put people into groups it would be that one, organizing people according to their income. However, each individual is examined as an individual and files a return individually and that’s what I mean about drafting a statute with an individual in mind. Of course, it isn’t a statute that is designed to help people.
I’ll obviously have to think about this some more.
I know that there will always be folks who need help, and the government should be there to help them. But one problem with traditional parties is that they have ceased to treat people as individuals and instead, lump us into groups of some description or other. Even if we need grouping to make administration easier, the laws that do the grouping must be drafted with the individual in mind. And the best government level to deal with the actual helping of the individual is municipal.
Let’s look at a statute that at first glance, would appear to be the antithesis of individuality - the Income Tax Act. If ever a statute put people into groups it would be that one, organizing people according to their income. However, each individual is examined as an individual and files a return individually and that’s what I mean about drafting a statute with an individual in mind. Of course, it isn’t a statute that is designed to help people.
I’ll obviously have to think about this some more.
posted by JuliaR | 1/23/2006 01:17:00 p.m.
2 Comments:
Your post on January 23rd had me thinking about governments and lumping and pigeonholing everyone into groupings.
I would like to see communities built around a town "square"(or circle) with the community services in convenient spots relative to the use made of them. For instance, the small grocery stores and other conveniences all within walking distance.
When a community reaches a certain size, then another should be built nearby, but separate. This is what it is like in Spain and there is very little vehicular traffic. People can walk. They will have an open air market that moves around from village to village each day of the week in a different place. They take up great spaces on the main streets and people walk with their baskets which they load up with fresh produce and goods and then walk back to their homes or cars.
I don't know how they organize their government, but it all seems to work well there. It's different. People are very stratified, socially. But I liked being able to walk everywhere. The bodego, pharmacy, bookstore, etc. all small and interesting with good service and low prices.
Food was excellent, fresh and nearly always purchased at the markets. Blah, blah, blah. But I like Scotland the best!
Anon, I love the communities concept. London England is like that. I lived there for a year about 10 years ago and I started walked across the city for fun and you can really see how it used to be a series of villages that all joined together eventually. I hate how the car is king and everything is organized around having one. Even the sidewalks slope down to accommodate driveways so the pedestrians have to walk at an angle every so many yards. And why are sidewalks raised anyway?
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