“No Gulag, evidently, can deter the advocates of state power from believing in their own virtue and in the morality of the power they exercise. We are all Hobbesians now. Virtue is presumed to reside in the state. Its reliance on compulsion is seen as fulfilling, not undermining, morality. Our communicators, oddly employed in the private sector, work tirelessly to ensure that state control is maintained, our taxes stay high, the official message is promoted. The people know, and can only know, a tiny fraction of what Leviathan does, and what they know is what these partisans tell them.”

Articulated the truth of the matter very well. By way of example: This blog's ever popular Waffler parrots his god's official message while financing his livelihood by tirelessly ensuring state controls, promoting grand theft (high taxes) and advocates the virtue and morality of the Gulag.

Waffler would really like LBJ and Hubert Humphrey.

I believe that the 3rd sentence of this quote should read "not undermining morality" instead of "no undermining morality" and no comma is necessary after the word "undermining."

Yes there are thoe in the private sector working to maintain State control of virtually everything. This is a result of the lobbyist / crony system that has infected the morality of our Governors in general. They are all (in this form) accomplices to an amazing ponzi scheme perpetuated by theft and extortion of the American people. MORE GOVERNMENT is NOT the answer End the Fed, Restore the Republic..

Very well said! (I think it should be 'not undermining') Indeed those pressing for more control do believe it to be a moral duty. These are the most dangerous of all because their conscience allows them to do any matter of evil for 'our own good.' Statism is indeed a religion that worships power.

Why is it that when government complains about the media, corporations, and advertisers controlling people and children no one listens. Why is it only government that does these things. US Taxes are the lowest among the industrialized world, so what country is he talking about. This high tax thing is the greatest propaganda going. US taxes are the lowest they have been since the early 1950's. It is not that the government is into mind control, the scary thing is the number of people that will believe any lie or half truth that comes down the pike, LIKE THIS ONE. Where is his proof that taxes are high etc. Don't accept this BS, oops I forget you guys alreade have! So sad it is!

Waffler, when government complains about the media, corporations, and advertisers controlling people and children, only the liberals listen because everyone else knows it is just the pot calling the kettle black. One scary thing about government is that it is in the business of mind control, along with its media, corporations, and advertisers (emasculating a once verile nation to a listless land of the borg). The standard of high taxes is compared to the original Constitutions edicts against theft and involuntary servitude mandated by a government with inherent rights. The comparison you offer, even if accurate, is a scale of theft and involuntary servitude. The multiple star comments here are a testimony against the statist theocracy infesting this land.

Waffler can not, nor does he desire to perceive of an existence outside his omnipresent, omnipotent socialist god. Waffler believes it sad that the middle class working family only has to render up a piddly 25 to 30 percent of its labors to his god while others are forced to tithe more. Waffler, proof of high taxes is Article I Section IX of the Constitution vs. the 16th Amendment. It really makes Waffler sad when anyone thinks of an existence outside his god's compelled compliance, victimless crimes, license, larceny with impunity, despotism, tyranny, or individual sovereignty with inalienable rights. The world's plight, despotism and tyranny makes Waffler happy.

Waffler seems to think that taxes are justified. he either doesn't understand or doesn't wish to acknowledge the truth about this form of taxation. Which is that it is Ponzi scheme of never ending irresponsibility and corrution. He misses the point completely.

Waffler, speaking of scary mind control, heirs to liberty are subjected to leviathan socialist seminaries (government schools) where the majority of united sovereign individuals' future generations deteriorate into a cesspool of herd mentality under a social contract (diametrically opposed to individual sovereign rights). Waffler, your gods and priesthood (Mr Obamunist Goodwrench the assassin and his henchmen - inclusive of legislature and judicial) have taxed and regulated a once free and prosperous individuals united into a scary mind controlled gulag of immoral and virtue-less patrons where near half the working force is out of work, 65% of children are on some form of government assistance and far more business fail than succeed. The 2nd plank of the communist manifesto is theft and enslavement no matter by what percentage it is applied.