Disrespecting the People

For John, BLUF:  What could possibly go wrong.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Over at Philly Dot Com is an article about Government meeting the Letter of the Law, but not the Spirit.  It seems that the Schools in Philadelphia, PA, are in a form of receivership.  The Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC) held a meeting on the 6th of October to look at abrogating the contract of the School District with the Teachers Union.  The meeting lasted all of 47 minutes and there was just one speaker from the Community.

I am not carrying a brief for the Philadelphia Teachers Union here.  The idea that they are organized it good.  That said, the idea that they should split the cost of health care with the City, paying from their own salary, thus making them feel ownership for it, seems reasonable.  What is unreasonable is to hold a meeting in stealth mode.

On City Life this morning Host George Anthes asked if there is too much democracy.♠  The idea is that the People don't know what they want or don't understand the technical details.  This thinking is a form of Bonapartism.  It is a conceit of the bien-pensant that they and the political and bureaucratic leaders are congruent in their thinking and that nothing could go wrong with giving more power to the bureaucrats.  In fact, the thinking is that things would be better, because all the messy politics would be taken out of it.  They are so wrong.  The messy politics represent the citizens expressing their views, as is their right.  The Government flows from the People and not the other way around.

Hat tip to Memeorandum.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Guest, Mr Barndon Navom, suggested that we don't have pure democracy, but rather a form of government that represents consideration of the rights of the minorities.  I am with Brandon on this.