In the USA, government power derives from creating incentives and penalties that influence individual decisions and actions. It is much more subtle than tyrannical decrees. It usually goes unnoticed when hidden behind the deceptive cloak of "good intentions".

America is a Republic where the citizenry elects representatives to carry out their wishes instead of doing it themselves by direct vote. Elected representatives (from local school board, city council, congress, governors and on up to the President) are responsible for exercising all government power in the USA. That power is limited by the constitutions (fundamental law) of the states and federal government. As long as elected representatives act diligently within the limits of law, the system works.

But when indolent citizens elect indolent representatives, power defaults to un-elected government employees who have no duty, or incentive, to act in the best interest of the citizenry. When government power defaults to the government bureaucracy, the opportunity for corruption is unlimited.

There is no incentive to be frugal because the bureaucrat does not earn or raise the money spent. The bureaucrat has every incentive to favor friends and penalize rivals (corruption). Worst, the bureaucrat has strong incentive to elect indolent representatives who allow the bureaucracy to do whatever they want. Through bureaucratic rule, citizens are forced to finance programs they neither want nor need and certainly can't afford. That is where Americas is today.

This sad state of affairs is the result of lazy, uninformed, self-serving citizens electing lazy, uninformed, self-serving representatives at every level of government. The only peaceful solution is for diligent citizens to elect diligent representatives who will curb the power of the bureaucracy.

Previous articles on this subject: Rule of Law,  Who Is Running This Mess?, Who Benefits from Big Government? and It Is Not A Conspiracy