Re:  DallasArena.com 11/11/02 commentary 

        Veterans' Day is a great day to get "Back to Basics")

You wrote:  "Regionalism is a bad idea and favored by those who fear Democracy!"

I must disagree strongly.  Yes, regionalism is a bad idea (a VERY bad idea), but it is favored by those who EMBRACE Democracy!

Democracy is just a fancy word for "rule by men." It may sound nice, but Democracy is the ultimate tyranny because, in reality, it is nothing more than "mob" rule.

The city of Dallas (as well as the state of Texas and the United States) is not a democracy. It is a republic. (I haven't figured out what to call the North Central Texas Council of Governments -- one of the driving forces behind regionalism -- but I think its "leaders" are a bunch of wannabe little Hitlers.)

A republic means "rule by law." The "law" is a constitution or a charter.  This is a legal document that describes the powers (and only those powers) that the people have granted each governing entity.

Special-interest groups (and there are many Democracy-lovers and regionalism-worshippers among their ranks) hate the rule of law, because it thwarts their efforts to turn their private agendas into public policy (i.e. be rewarded at someone else's expense). This is why they are always spouting off about how "equal" and "fair" Democracy is, and how it "levels" the "playing field," and how the "peoples'" voices are heard, and how "everyone" wins.

Today, just a slim "democratic" majority on the city council can "declare" that someone's pet project is now the "peoples'" responsibility. These council misfits and city mismanagers then earmark the project's expenses to the taxpayer, while some special-interest group reaps the rewards. This scenario happens routinely, although there is no legal authority (the charter's "rule of law") for even the mere consideration of such a proposal by the city's servants (whether they are elected, appointed or employed).

No, Democracy doesn't level the playing field, it tilts it in favor of those in power -- who, by the way, also control the rules of the game.  Yes, the "peoples' voices" are heard (and heard and heard and ...). 

Therein lies Democracy's fatal flaw: With so many competing views from so many competing voices, it is impossible to determine which one really "speaks" for the "people." Besides, it is not possible for everyone to win. Some must lose.  (In fact, the productive among us are the ones who are losing, but that's a commentary for another time.)

Democracy's quest for its so-called majority is the reason it ignores -- and increasingly destroys -- the foundation upon which our individual liberties and property rights are anchored -- the "rule of law." Unlike Democracy, which is a free for all of special interests competing for approval, the rule of law safeguards ALL of us as it simultaneously protects each ONE of us.

Now that I have condemned Democracy, I turn my attention to those in love with "regionalism," and simply ask you to choose your poison from one of its definitions:

1. Feudalism masquerading as humanitarianism.

2. Fascism with a friendly face.

Nuff said.

Ppoliticklish