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Wednesday
September 21, 2005

Machan's Musings - The Fraud of "Taking Responsibility" by Tibor R. Machan

Now and then someone in government will be demoted or transferred to some other position, but is anyone who supposedly admits responsibility for bad things that happened going to get his or her comeuppance? No. So then, what’s the point of making these announcements? (Read more...)
Discuss this Article (6 messages)

Post 0

Wednesday, September 21 - 5:50am

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The really responsible thing to do is to acknowledge and reverse the consequences of government interference with and displacement of private initiatives for dealing with emergencies. The previous flooding of New Orleans, in 1927, was dealt with by the Red Cross and other private philanthropic organizations, and funded with charitable contributions from private business and individuals. In spite of far slower and more primitive technology, mainly railways and Morse telegraphy, private organizations did the job faster, more effectively, and at far lower cost in 1927 than did the mess of hypertrophied governments armed with helicopters and computers and digital communication networks in 2005. The 1927 relief effort was coordinated by a private volunteer, Herbert Hoover. Compare and contrast with the incompetent blunderers "taking responsibility" today.

Post 1

Wednesday, September 21 - 8:17am

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Normally, I like Tibor's work an awful lot, but I loved this piece. I'm sorry, but I can't help but to revel in a couple quotes from it:

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Later, once you have stopped blaming God, the Devil, or your DNA -- or, perhaps, your economic conditions or institutional racism ...
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I suppose Bush and other politicians simply wish to keep their jobs, so they have to pretend that their 'job' includes being everyone’s savior ...
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They could only have been a big help if, for the past few decades, they would have refrained from acclimating Americans to the phony idea that government can bail them out of all their problems.
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More important words (than this) have not ever been written.

Ed

Post 2

Wednesday, September 21 - 10:46am

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Responsibility taking of this type is a relatively new political tactic. For the longest time, this was considered an unnecessary step. Now, it is an important tool, and one that can really deliver some traction. It fast, effective, requires virtually no outlay, and produces little if any collateral damage.

That's the sad part- how well it works.

Post 3

Wednesday, September 21 - 3:16pm

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Normally, I like Tibor's work an awful lot, but I loved this piece.

My sentiments exactly. Wonderful article, Tibor.

Post 4

Wednesday, September 21 - 10:36pm

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Let me add my voice to the chorus. I loved this article also. And to add to Ed's quotes:

And that pretty much puts these politicians on record as completely disingenuous, as deceitful people, as officials who have no intention of actually coming to terms with their malpractice...

Makes me wonder if I really left Brazil. I must have because these guys speak English, not Portuguese...

Michael

Post 5

Wednesday, September 21 - 11:14pm

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Collective responsibility = no responsibility.

The Prez is accepting the blame on behalf of the Presidency, the Cabinet, whatever.

It's a typical bureauRATic cop-out. Blame is absorbed into a flaccid, amorphous blob, wobbles momentarily & then vanishes like a fart in the wind.

Ross
(Edited by Ross Elliot
on 9/21, 11:15pm)