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Incivility in Campaigns Reflects Lack of Respect for Law

By Theresa Fritz Camoriano

I have no problem with “attack” ads in political campaigns.  Criticizing an opponent’s record or views often clarifies the differences between the candidates, which can be very helpful to voters.  However, when candidates distort their opponents’ records or views, and when the campaigns become venomous, then voters get the uncomfortable sense that there is something wrong with the whole system.  Unfortunately, they are right.

Just as physical symptoms often reflect a medical problem that needs to be treated, our uneasiness and discomfort about the current state of our political campaigns reflects a political problem that needs to be treated.  The problem is not that too much money is being spent in the campaigns; it is that most of our elected officials have lost respect for private property rights and Constitutional limits and now are simply in a contest to amass raw power. 

Most political contests today are simply about who gets to control all the loot and all the guns -- similar to a turf war between Mafia Dons.  In most cases, no matter which candidate wins, the people lose.  No wonder the campaigns have become so dishonest and nasty! 

If government lived within its Constitutional bounds, generally leaving us free to conduct our lives and use our resources as we think best, then political campaigns would be much more civilized.  But these days, the government takes half of our income and intrudes into nearly every facet of our lives.  Government has become a giant monster, giving us false promises of security as it takes away our property and our freedom.  How could we possibly be so naïve as to believe that we are better off giving someone else all the power over our lives and property? Surely, when we stop and think about it, we know better.

What can the average citizen do to help return this country to its roots, in which the government treats the citizens with respect? 

First, we need to stop feeding the monster.  We need to recognize that, every time we ask for more government, we are feeding the monster.    

When we demand that government increase the minimum wage, as if we think we can repeal the laws of economics, we are feeding the monster. 

When we demand that government prevent farmers from developing their land because we think we have a right to beautiful scenery without having to pay for it, we are feeding the monster.

When we demand that government provide “free” education, or “free” medical care, or “free” housing at the expense of our neighbors, we are feeding the monster.

It might seem pleasant to live in a fairy tale world, in which we don’t have to worry about anything and the government takes care of everything for us, but even fairy tales have their monsters and ogres.  People who continue living in a fairy tale world, believing that increasing the size and power of government will solve all our problems, are creating an enormous, monstrous ogre that threatens to eat us all.

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