Lesser of the evils

Dear Editor:There is a poignant quote from the past attributed to Alexander Tytler/Tyler from about 1770 - six years before the birth of our nation that… "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse (bounty, gifts, donations, generous giving, etc.) from the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by dictatorship." As we approach the polls to vote next month, we all need to be aware of these sage observations and be sure to either (a) not vote for more largesse, or (b) be prepared for the collapse and the inevitable dictator. Because of the vast media support and financial resources required to mount a successful campaign for public office, the best person for any position is generally not even running, so the best that we can do for ourselves and our neighbors is to be informed and cast an intelligent vote for the "lesser of the evils" appearing on the ballot. -- Hugh T. Hoskins, Downey

********** Published: October 28, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 28