Without Gov’t, who else would audit, spy on, target, fine, harass, intimidate and arrest us?

Remember this?

(Sen. Harry Reid, from the Senate Floor, April 23, 2013): “…Government is not inherently bad; government is inherently good. 

That’s why we have a Constitution and that’s what we direct the activities of this government based upon…”

When I called that the single most ridiculous statement of the year, I was probably soft-selling it. It may now be the most ridiculous statement of the decade.

Consider this newest example:

(via National Review Online) – “…After a bungled sting attracted the suspicion of the Milwaukee press earlier this year, reporters started to examine similar enterprises in the rest of the country.

What they found astonished them.

Among the tactics they discovered ATF agents employing were using mentally disabled Americans to help run unnecessary sting operations; establishing agency-run “fronts” in “safe zones” such as schools and churches; providing alcohol, drugs, and sexual invitations to minors; destroying property and then expecting the owners to pick up the tab; and hiring felons to sell guns to legal purchasers.

Worse, perhaps, in a wide range of cases, undercover agents specifically instructed individuals to behave in a certain manner — and then arrested and imprisoned them for doing so.

This is government at its worst. And it appears to be standard operating procedure…”

Hey, isn’t this the same ATF that was in charge of Fast and Furious? Why yes, …yes it is.

Reid’s statement is evidence of a Washington-based myopia which is so troubling in today’s politics. Government is NOT “inherently good”, because government is people. It’s people, mere individuals, who are suddenly granted extraordinary, intoxicating powers.

And as we all know, “…with Great Power, comes Great Responsibility…”.

Humans being human, when they get to Washington, they too often lose sight of the reasons they wanted to get there, and forget their responsibility. Instead, they begin to rationalize (one of mankind’s most prolific abilities) all sorts of actions and behaviors which would have horrified them prior to their arrival.

This obviously isn’t limited to just the Harry Reids in Congress, or to the ATF, either.

There was also this story concerning the HHS, which received little attention when it came to light just prior to Thanksgiving:

Thanks, Government!!

Just this year, we’ve seen the NSA, the IRS, the FTC, the FDA, and the EPA each embroiled in what can only be termed as reprehensible abuses of their alleged responsibilities, as these government agencies hector, spy on, target, fine, intimidate, audit, censure, harass, and now (as seen in the ATF story at the top) bait/arrest American citizens.

And when/if someone dares speak up, they are targeted anew.

Just a little something to keep in mind as the Democrat Leftists continue to try to soothe your concerns about next year’s Budget, or Immigration, or Obamacare, or any number of new benevolent offerings from Big Daddy in our Nation’s Capital.

“Inherently Good”, Harry?

Good at what?

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***UPDATE: 12-12-2013 at 4:45pm

I swear: Immediately after I posted this, I got up from my desk for about ten minutes, and came back to see THIS pop-up on my Twitter feed, from Ace Of Spades HQ:  

“Man Who Complained of Cancelled Insurance Policy Was Soon After Audited By the IRS;
Health Care Freedom Activist Helps Him Get His Policy Restored, and Now Finds Himself Being Audited, As Well”

We linked to the original story in our post (above, in the “they are targeted anew” link). And now I find out that wasn’t all there was to the story. 

I’m just including a small snippet, so be sure to go to Ace’s and read it all:

“…it wasn’t just the cancer patient who suddenly had the IRS alert and curious and on the case — it was also his advocate, an insurance salesman and Obamacare critic who was helping the man get his old policy back.

This man was also suddenly being asked questions by the IRS — mostly about his trouble-making client.

It is unavoidable; it is open and shut; it is a serious political scandal. The fact that two men who came forward to criticize Obama are both hit with a snap IRS inspection days after making their complaints public can simply not be attributed to chance.

There is a principle in law: res ipsa loquitor. “The thing speaks for itself.” In some cases, you don’t have to prove an element of a tort, if it is obvious, based on circumstances, that wrongdoing has in fact occurred.

It is deliberate. It is, in fact, conspiracy.

And it’s outrageous…”