IN 63 BC THE ROMAN STATESMAN MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO WAS ELECTED FIRST CONSUL OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY HE WAS CONFRONTED WITH A SCEME HATCHED BY GAIUS JULIUS CAESAR TO TAKE PUBLIC LANDS AND GIVE THEM TO THE PLEBES IN ORDER TO WIN VOTES FOR A LONGTERM POLITICAL MAJORITY. IT IS AN EARLY BUT VIVID EXAMPLE OF REDISTRIBUTION OF THE PUBLIC WEALTH FOR POLITICAL GAIN AND POWER. CICERO WAS ABLE IN THE SHORT TERM TO STOP THESE AND OTHER PLOTS TO UNDERMIND THE ROMAN REPUBLIC BUT FAILED IN THE LONG RUN TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN CONSTITUTION. THE 630 YEAR OLD REPUBLIC OF CINCINNATUS, SCIPIO AFRICANUS AND CATO THE ELDER ENDED NOT TOO MANY YEARS LATER IN AN ORGY OF ASSASSINATION, DICTATORSHIP AND CIVIL WAR. IT WAS REPLACED BY A EMPIRE WHERE POWER FLOWED FROM THE EMPEROR AND THE SENATE WAS REDUCED TO BEING A SYMBOL OF A LOST REPUBLIC.
THIS IS A CAUTIONARY TALE FROM HISTORY FOR PRESENT DAY AMERICA WHERE JUST LAST WEEK A PRESIDENT TRIED AT LEAST MORE THAN A FEW TIMES TO SEND THE NATION OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE POWER VIA THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS OPPONENTS. HE THEN INTENDED TO USE THE CALAMITY, THAT HE FOR THE MOST PART CREATED,TO FURTHER UNDERMINE THE CONSTITUTION AND IN SO DOING STILL FURTHER INCREASE HIS POWER BY DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DISASTER AND OFFERING UP ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE FROM THE VERY DESTRUCTION HE HAD WROUGHT UPON THEM.
WHILE HE WAS NOT COMPLETELY SUCESSFUL IN HIS PLANS, HE HAS SEVERELY WEAKENED HIS OPPOSITION AND MADE IT CLEAR TO ALL BUT THE MOST PARTISAN THAT HE HAS NO INTENTION OR APPETITE TO CUT ANY SPENDING WHATSOEVER. HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATION IS TO BE THE DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT ALL MEN ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL UNTIL EVERYONE HAS EQUAL INCOME AND IS DEPENDENT UPON THE STATE ( HIM) FOR ALL MATERIAL THINGS AS WELL AS THEIR RIGHTS, WHICH HERETOFORE CAME FROM GOD.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND ARROGANT MAN AND HE HAS BEEN REELECTED BY THOSE WHO ARE SCARED, THOSE WHO ARE STUPID AND THOSE WHO WANT WHAT THEY WON’T OR CAN’T AQUIRE HONESTLY. HE IS DELUSIONAL IN HIS VISION OF HIMSELF AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL, HEROIC, HISTORICAL FIGURE AND WE THE PEOPLE WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE FOR HIS DYSFUNCTIONALITY. HE SHOULD REMEMBER, IF HE HAS THE EMOTIONAL CAPACITY TO DO SO, THAT HISTORY HAS A NASTY WAY OF GETTING EVEN WHEN DESPOTS ATTEMPT TO SUBJUGATE FREE INDIVIDUALS. CAESAR HAS HIS “IDES OF MARCH”…OBAMA WILL HAVE HIS WATERLOO.
ERLANDSSON
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