Little by Little, Whittle by Whittle

Most of us have probably heard the theory (some scientists agree, some disagree, but the premise seems likely) that if you gently place a frog in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, it will float there quite placidly. As the water gradually heats up, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, not unlike what one of us might do in a hot bath, and before long, not feeling uncomfortable enough to get climb out it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death….. 

Something similar is happening in our country right now, it is called ‘incrementalism’ and can be seen as the federal government chips away, little by little, at our individual freedoms which are clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed in the Constitution.  The dictionary defines incrementalism as ‘a policy of making changes, especially social changes, by degrees; gradualism.’ Wikipedia describes it as ‘a method of working by adding to a project using many small, incremental changes instead of a few large jumps.’ So, incrementalism means achieving policy goals piece-by-piece over time rather than all-at-once, especially when BIG changes would most likely be, at least  initially, resisted. And unfortunately it appears that far too many of us, while feeling ‘a little uncomfortable’ with this ever-increasing encroachment into our private lives, are quite content to put up with it since it ‘hasn’t affected our lives yet.’

Here’s the rub….This creeping encroachment has affected our lives on a ‘macro’ scale and if unchallenged it won’t be long before we see the effects on a ‘micro’ scale, forever changing our lives as the freedoms we enjoy are diminished, little by little. And just because you ‘think’ it hasn’t reached you and your family doesn’t mean it hasn’t and won’t.

Let me illustrate how incrementalism is working now, starting with 3 ‘Big Things’ (I could list many, many more) and working our way down the ‘incremental scale’ to 5 ‘Little Things’:

• Our President, without Congress and without the consent of the governed appoints ‘Czars’ who will oversee various government functions and who, thru regulation, make some of the most important policy decisions of our day.

• Our President, without Congress and without the consent of the governed makes ‘recess appointments’ to key labor positions even though Congress was not in recess, having met as recently as the day before the appointments are made.

• Our President mandates that private citizens, private business and faith-based organizations enter into private contracts to buy/sell/provide health insurance regardless if they want it or if the provisions of same may violate their own conscience.

The above are examples of some the ‘BIG Things’ that have already happened. Below are some ‘Little Things’….The first 3 have actually already happened. The last 2 are theoretical but if the above ‘Big Things’ (and others like them) and the 3 ‘Little Things’ that have actually happened are not considered and challenged what will stop the last 2 from happening?

• Perhaps my friend wants to use old-style light bulbs in his house….No biggie, but the government says ‘No, he will use the new-style light bulb. Now, this started under President Bush so please don’t make the mistake of thinking this only an ‘Obama’ problem. (Oh well, it’s not me, I don’t care what kind of light bulbs they force me (thru regulation) to use).

• Perhaps my son while dining in New York City wants salt on his table at one of his favorite restaurants. No biggie, but for many restaurants in NYC the government has said ‘No, you will not have salt at your table.’ (Oh well, it’s not me, I don’t live in NYC and I don’t care if the government (thru regulation) limits salt intake in NYC).

• Perhaps your friend sent her 4 year-old little girl to school with a lunch Mom deemed healthy and that she knew her little girl would like. No biggie, but the government says to the little girl ‘No, you will eat the lunch we provide because we deem your lunch unhealthy.’ (Oh well, it’s not me and not my child and I don’t care if the government (thru regulation) tells that mom what feed her child).

• Perhaps I want blue bubble gum. No biggie, but the government says ‘No, you will not have blue bubble gum you will have green for we deem (thru regulation) that green is better for you.’ (Oh well, at least I still get bubble gum. I don’t care if I don’t have a choice).

• Perhaps the government begins to mandate to grocery stores ‘You must provide only soy milk, only lean meat, and only gluten-free bread to your customers, free of charge.’ (Cool, I don’t care, I like free things).

Now you may say of the last 2 examples above ‘what a crock, just hyperbole, foolishness, this will never happen in America.’ Are we so naive? Logic says that if the previous 6 can take place then there is no reason why the last 2 can’t happen.

Folks, we no longer need to ‘be on guard’ against these kind of things happening in the future…They’re here, now……

In closing, we should take heed to the wise words of C.S. Lewis who said “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”