David McElroy

I had something I wanted to write about tonight, but as I tried to write it, I realized this is something I need to talk about instead. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s too personal. It’s hard to say. I decided about 90 minutes ago to record video instead of writing it, but I am finding every excuse in the world to put it off. I don’t look good enough to do video tonight. I’m tired. I need sleep. I ought to shave first. Maybe I should wait until next week. Or next month. Whatever. I’m good at delaying what I ought to do. I’ve been needing to do more video — and this is something I want to talk about with you directly — so I need to force myself to follow through. So if I haven’t posted a video in the next 24 hours or so, how about asking me where it is? Light a fire under me. I need somebody to hold me accountable. (Well, about a lot of things.) Call or email me, but don’t let me off the hook. Please?

My company has been working on an office renovation for months and we’re close to actual construction. I have been shocked at how much time and wasted effort is involved in the compliance process to get permits from various government agencies just to make upgrades on our own building. You would think the politicians own the building, because they’re the ones driving many of the decisions. Our building owner keeps having to write checks to government bureaucrats for permission to work on the building which he allegedly owns. If you can’t do as you please with your own property, can you really say you own it?

I don’t watch televised political entertainment. I worked in politics far too long to have a stomach for that anymore. But I see photos of the Democrats’ recent debates and can’t help thinking they look like desperate contestants on a TV game show. Instead of being there to win money, though, they’re competing to see who can promise to steal the most money from you — to give to someone else. Such people who preach about the virtues of government giving money to all sorts of people who they claim they want to help never seem to understand that governments have no money of their own. The only way to hand money to one person is to steal it from someone else who has earned it. Taking money from a person without his consent is theft, whether it’s done by a common mugger or by a politician. Something which is immoral when done by one person doesn’t become virtuous when done by politicians calling themselves a government. Theft is still theft. It’s immoral. Modern Democrats and Republicans are united in their willingness to endorse this theft. Republicans just don’t want quite as much of it. Both positions are evil.