On governing a free people

Sometimes commenters have a lot of insight.  This one's from Belmont Club:

Governing a free people--under the strictures imposed by our Constitution--is hard.  It requires not just intelligence and real world skills but also competence...and a sense of humility--a willingness to admit that just because you thought of a solution doesn't mean it will work, let alone that it's anywhere near the best one. 

To a leader who lacks these traits--and thus is not competent to lead a free nation--it seems far easier to dispense with all that messy freedom stuff and just make everyone do as you say.  To an incompetent and narcissistic leader this is a very logical conclusion--indeed, it's the most logical one he can imagine.

But forcing a free people to do something--using the power of government to fine or imprison those who don't do as you demand--almost never has the desired effect.  Even in a poorly-uneducated, dependent populace some percentage will resist.  Reality intrudes every time you try to force people, no matter how much you scream and yell.

Conversely, some in our midst are physically able but lack the intelligence, real skills, drive, self reliance, pride, and honor to support themselves.  These people will vote for a candidate who will relieve them of the burden of fending for themselves.  To such people, submission to a tyrannical government is not a problem.  They are incompetent to be citizens, and are totally unconcerned about growing government power.

Our political class, regardless of nominal party, is also incompetent. Reality never intrudes on their luxurious lives.  The absolute worst penalty any of them ever pays is being voted out of office.  And the more they separate themselves from the realities of the lesser beings they rule, the more their so-called solutions--laws and new government programs--become unreal and counterproductive.

But reality can't be avoided forever--entropy never rests. 

Wow.