Are Government and Abuse of Power Inseparable?

Government is power over people.  And those who represent it often relish the opportunity to exercise that authority. 

That observation is not meant to disparage, as such, those who are part of government.  But the possession of power can be intoxicating to its holder.    A mid-19^th century French philosopher, Frederic Bastiat, put the point succinctly:  “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

Some recent examples of that principle in practice –

*** The Federal Environmental Protection Agency sought to fine an Idaho couple $75,000 a day for what it claimed was a violation of the Clean Water Act.  That Act was meant to prevent pollution in “open navigable waters”.  The fact that there was no water on the property (although there was a lake nearby) did not deter the EPA from its enforcement efforts against the homeowners.  After all, even if the attempt to apply the Clean Water Act to the Idaho situation might seem unjustified to EPA critics, agency personnel no doubt reassured themselves that their motives were pure.  They were trying to protect the environment.  Thus, their actions were appropriate.

*** A Transportation Security Agency (TSA) airport screener does a full body pat down on a three year old child.  In a different setting that individual would be facing child molestation charges.  But, of course, he was “only” protecting the traveling public.  The same goes for the TSA employee who required a ninety-five year old passenger to remover her diaper prior to her pat-down.

*** And then there’s the Federal Justice Department’s prosecution of former Presidential candidate John Edwards.  I have no regard for this person’s politics or behavior, but it does seem a peculiar – and unwarranted – expansion of campaign finance law to charge him with a criminal violation because he specifically solicited funds to keep knowledge of his affair and love child out of the public domain during his campaign.  John Edwards is not an admirable person.  But that should not constitute a crime. 

A common thread to all of these examples – and as anyone knows who has worked for the government or observed it in operation, there are myriad others -- is an expansion of powers beyond that which were intended to be granted by Congress.

In almost all instances, I suspect, those expanding that power are doing so, they perceive, for the public benefit and the good of society. 

What’s wrong with that?  Plenty.  Who gave them the right to make such decisions? 

Human nature is indeed what it is.  Reflecting on that fact reminds us two hundred and twenty-five years later how very wise our Nation’s Founders were in giving us a Federal Government which was crafted to have limited powers.

The answer to the title of this piece, emphatically, is yes.