1. You spoke of obeying “...validly passed laws....” and of the importance of “the process.” OK, I’ll bite.
Laws in Germany in the 1933-45 period were, presumably, passed in a valid way under the system of government existing there at the time. The Nazis were very careful (most of the time) to be “legal” - so was it somehow wrong to obey their laws because they were “legal?”
Process? When a 2,300 (or is it 2,800) page law is passed that NO ONE understands or knows the contents thereof, in the middle of the night after having been made public only a day or so before, which law will affect at least 1/6 of the economy - is that the kind of process that we’re supposed to respect?
My point is that when the political class has decided to use the Constitution as a fig leaf for their actions when it is convenient for them, and as toilet paper when it is not, why should we obey? Who is it that is making this country one involving the rule of men instead of the rule of law? When there is not only no consent, but overwhelming and active opposition from the public, and the public treasury is robbed to the tune of $700 billion, what is the point of playing by their rules - rules perverted and twisted to the advantage of the rich and powerful, rules that we cannot affect?
I’ll give you a concrete example of what started me down the road of being very pro-liberty and anti-government: the national 55 MPH limit imposed right after the ‘73 Arab Oil Embargo. When passed, we were told that it was a fuel-saving measure. OK, fine. Then the embargo got lifted, and fuel flowed freely - and we still had the limit...with the excuse then becoming “its for your safety” - as if highways constructed so that cars with 1950’s technology could cruise across the country at 70 MPH or more were suddenly dangerous to the better-handling, more safely-constructed cars of the 1970s. Then a bit of an oil squeeze (though no embargo) in the late ‘70s - and the excuse of an emergency came back (ironic how EVERYTHING is a “crisis” or an “emergency” that only liberty-stealing laws can fix, isn’t it?). Then oil started flowing very, very freely, and even went down to $8/bbl. in 1986...and the stupid law STILL held sway, even in the face of many state governments outright going around it with “energy usage fees” of $5 if you were caught going over 55 but under 70. Non-compliance rates were over 80% in many states...yet the law wasn’t repealed in full until 1995.
Prohibition was another such law - passed quite legally, and over the opposition of most people, and then widely ignored. Such stupid laws do NOTHING but increase contempt for the law, and also for the law-makers. Such is clearly the case with me, and I am far from alone.
In Soviet Russia there was a famous saying: “They pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work.” Here that can be modified: “They pretend to obey our Constitution, and we pretend to abide by their laws.”
What would you have said to the Founding generation - that they should abide by the laws and regulations imposed on them by the King and his minions?
2. I’m also in Bexar County, so we’re actually not getting any more rain than you. The lawn looks like a wasteland, and despite watering I’ve lost a few bushes. I hate to say this, but I hope that hurricane season comes to the Gulf and gives us some moisture soon, because it looks like La Nina isn’t going to be very forthcoming.
“so was it somehow wrong to obey their laws because they were “legal?” “
Uh, should be “...DISobey....”
I’m watering by hand (well, mostly) except for my “designated day” (the entire concept of which pisses me off).
I wish I could tell you that people do the right thing all the time. I wish I could say that elected officials take seriously their oaths of office. I would dearly love to be able to argue that the representative republic will stand on its own - but I’ll have to side with Ben Franklin (”a republic - if you can keep it!). All I can say is that I’ve taken 4 oaths to protect and defend the Constitution, and I take those oaths seriously. If pushed, I will push back with law and process until it becomes apparent that the law has been subverted (or perverted) outside its original purpose. I know that the Constitution of the US is the best set of rules for living in a free and responsible society ever set down by men. I wish that men were dependably responsible.
Colonel, USAFR