A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose both, and deserve neither - Thomas Jefferson

It seems as if Thomas Jefferson were speaking to us across the ages and warning us of the dangers of our government devolving into unbridled power.

"Experience hath shown, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operation, perverted it into tyranny."

"If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and assemblies, judges and governors shall become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions."

The Elites Drive the Little People Like Cattle - We Must Not Let Them

These words were written by Ayn Rand about socialism decades ago. Has anything changed? Still there are men who would tell us how to live our lives. We the "little people" must be driven like cattle to live according to the "elite" classes. And so it has been ever since the history of man has been written. It is only the men of princple who understand what freedom is and how the government can corrupt this idea who can defend us. One of these few people is Ayn Rand. Here's a sampling of what she has written.

Socialism is the doctrine that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that his life and his work do not belong to him, but belong to society, that the only justification of his existence is his service to society, and that society may dispose of him in any way it pleases for the sake of whatever it deems to be its own tribal, collective good. (For the New Intellectual by Ayn Rand).

The essential characteristic of socialism is the denial of individual property rights; under socialism, the right to property (which is the right of use and disposal) is vested in "society as a whole," i.e., in the collective, with production and distribution controlled by the state, i.e., by the government.

The degree of socialization may be total, as in Russia-or partial, as in England. Theoretically, the differences are superficial; practically, they are only a matter of time. The basic principle, in all cases is the same.

The alleged goals of socialism were: the abolition of poverty, the achievement of general prosperity, progress, peace and human brotherhood. The results have been a terrifying failure-terrifying, that is, if one's motive is men's welfare.

Instead of prosperity, socialism has brought economic paralysis and/or collapse to every country that tried it. The degree of socialization has been the degree of disaster. The consequences have varied accordingly. ("The Monument Builders" in The Virtue of selfishness by Ayn Rand).