Politics as Euvoluntary Exchange

Paul Collins Broun, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 10th congressional district, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." - H. L. Mencken

Contrast these comments with Adam G's Umlaut piece today. The honorable gentleman from Georgia is pretty clearly uninterested in preserving a liberal order underpinned by a dedication to the public virtues of tolerance and pluralism. And his constituents like him enough to keep re-electing him, perhaps because the age of the earth is relevant to public policy somehow.

Politics as exchange. When one party to an exchange is non compos mentis, can the exchange be euvoluntary? What about when both parties are non compos mentis?

Georgia politics aren't any of my business until they start interfering with national-level policies. It might be time to review the strengths and weaknesses of adhering more closely to a federalist system. Popular democracy has done much to erode the constitutional constraints on the power of the central legislature. It's not too late to rebuild the ramparts. Even if you agree with Rep. Broun on the specifics of his claims, I'm sure you can name a politician or two in DC whose worldview you find odious. Take back your republic.

h/t Ceph