Power to the People--2011 version

“Those who govern least govern best.”  --attributed to Aristotle and Plato

It has been over forty years since members of my generation rebelled against what we called The Establishment.  Since then, the Establishment has become even more monolithic and powerful than it was in the 1960’s.   Nearly every institution today from professional organizations (AMA, ABA, ACLU) to identity groups (NAACP, NOW, League of Women Voters) to private and public sector unions to mainline Christian churches and mainstream media to virtually every institution of higher learning have the same view of  power and politics:  ordinary  people are ignorant and incapable of running their own lives,  and government is the solution to all our problems.  Power has dramatically aggregated to Washington D.C., and institutions that used to be independent have become D.C. power brokers.    President Obama’s top ten contributors to his 2008 campaign demonstrate how the proponents of government contol  over ordinary Americans have become The Establishment: 

University of California	$1,591,395
Goldman Sachs	$994,795
Harvard University	$854,747
Microsoft Corp	$833,617
Google Inc	$803,436
Citigroup Inc.	$701,290
JP Morgan Chase & Co.	$695,132
Time Warner	$590,084
Sidley Austin LLP	$588,598
Stanford University	$586,557
National Amusements Inc	$551,683
UBS AG	$543,219
Wilmerhale Llp	$542,618
Skadden, Arps	$530,839
IBM Corp	$528,822
Columbia University	$528,302
Morgan Stanley	$514,881
General Electric	$499,130
US Government	$494,820
Latham & Watkins	$493,835

* Hat tip:  Opensecrets.org

Ordinary people are the best judge of what is best for themselves and their families.  In my law practice,  I have met hundreds of  people who are in legal trouble, many through no fault of  their own.  Some have terrible dilemmas they face; others are facing terrible tragedy.  I have also met many people working hard to operate their businesses or plan for their families' futures.   The vast majority of my clients deal with their problems and challenges with grace, fortitude and wisdom,  even if they have few resources.   They are not victims, they are grownups dealing with tough issues on their own or with the help of their families.  They are the "ordinary" people whose judgment about what is best for themselves and their families is far superior to what the Establishment understands or believes. 

The Establishment does not believe in ordinary people.  They believe that they know what is best for all of us—and they are out to prove it.  Each year they want to take over more power to determine what is best for us and our families.  In Vermont we are going to be protected by a Health Care Reform Panel and an Accountable Care Organization.  In Washington Bernie Sanders has proposed Early Care and Educations Systems administered by the government for children aged 6 weeks to five years.  These are two of the latest examples of the Establishment's power grabs.

 We 1960's geezers should lead a new rebellion against the Establishment, and demand that Washington D.C. and Montpelier stop snatching power and money from the people.