“Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.”

H. L. Mencken

Over the last few months, I have been reading Notes on Democracy by H.L. Mencken. I find it difficult to absorb in large doses and have consigned myself to reading one chapter through, then throwing the book down for an indeterminate length of time, eventually picking it up again for another go-round. In any case, virtually every case, there is some sort of “insight” which pops off the page and smacks me between the eyes, as does the following gem.

“In boom times, indeed, democracy is always very impatient of what used to be called natural rights. The typical democrat is quite willing to exchange any of the theoretical boons of freedom for something that he can use. In most cases, perhaps, he is averse to selling his vote for cash in hand, but that is mainly because the price offered is usually too low. He will sell it very willingly for a good job or for some advantage in his business. Offering him such bribes, in fact, is the chief occupation of all political parties under democracy, and of all professional politicians.”

Note that Mencken refers to the typical democrat (believer in democracy) as opposed to Democrat (member of a certain particular political party). This includes every person of every political stripe who believes that his opinion is the only one which counts for anything and who votes in every election because it is his “duty” to do so. The plain and simple truth is that those who vote do so with the expectation of receiving something back which they think will benefit them personally and which is always gained at the expense of someone else whom they do not even know nor will probably ever meet. Those people, sensing that our intrepid voter is attempting to take something, anything, from them, are adamant about “defending” themselves and they attempt to do this by also voting, thereby hoping that they, too, will receive their own personal piece of the pie, always ladled out and served to them by “leaders” who do not hesitate to scoop out “benefits” from other sections of the pie, thus guaranteeing that another’s piece is commensurately smaller. In response to this, he will ramp up his efforts, voice, and action to get what he deserves, his “rightful share”.

(When I was growing up and we were divvying up a pie at the dinner table, each of us watched diligently to make sure that none of this occurred. We called it excavating and it was strictly outlawed. A sharp eye was needed especially when the pie filling had not set up firmly and would ooze from its proper place.)

In this sense, voting is not a great amount different than the mindset shown in the phrase, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, which can easily be paraphrased into modern language as, “Vote myself rich and let others pay for it”. Everyone understands it and most people voluntarily participate in it. Of course, the proper answer for this is that soon the entire world will be blind and toothless and any democracy which enables its citizens to steal legally from each other will not long survive and prosper.

In today’s world, taking what belongs to someone else through the filter of democracy does not even register as a blip on the screen of moral conscience. The attitude of “getting what one deserves” clearly has a considerable amount of influence, even if no conscious thought is put into it and one might recoil at the suggestion that he deserves anything at all. Which he does not, unless he has earned it, and filling out a ballot to determine how much his neighbor will be robbed for his own comfort does not constitute an “earning” worthy of reward. Yet, on and on we go, year after year, election after election, until the entire treasury has been milked and stripped so that it is unsustainable and the whole system collapses. At that point, another is voted in to take its place, beginning the whole process over. After all, it is our duty.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Get on your knees and pray…