Rick Lowe

Every time I read headlines like "PLP Hits Out at Minister's 'Irresponsible' Trip To China", I tend to think Bahamian politics are insoluble.

Obviously this is a cheap attempt to give the impression that the PLP are more responsible. It seems just yesterday the PLP were equally "irresponsible" though.

But, just because both political parties do the same thing it does not justify waste of taxpayer funds by the political class. Ever. Yet, there's a sordid history of it over the decades.

Now there's talk of a new political party and this begs the question of whether it will be more of the same mixed bag of promises of largesse or will there finally be some serious suggestions on how to get the behemoth that the Bahamas Government has become off the back of the people?

When these things happen I pull out my copy of Henry Hazlitt's book, Is Politics Insoluble? and read two quote for inspiration.

The first is on page 118. Hazlitt says:

"So while we may doubt that a truly "ideal" government will ever be designed, or "scientific" political institutions ever developed, we need not abandon the effort to improve them. But we must be prepared for setbacks and discouragements for as far as we can see."

And the second quote is this from Ludwig von Mises book Socialism and closes the book on page 134:

"Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping toward destruction. Therefore everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigourously into the intellectual battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interests of everyone hang on the result. Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive battle into which our epoch has plunged us."

Okay. Now that I've gotten that off my chest I feel a whole lot better, and ready to dive back into the debate of ideas.