1984 IS HERE

GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984 IS HERE

by

COLONEL DONALD J. MYERS USMC (Ret)

 

It is obvious that Big Brother really is alive. I don't know if our school system still requires the reading of this book, but it should. We are living many of the aspects of that novel. Remember that Big Brother was the face of the all powerful and knowing big government. Nothing was private. The vocabulary was reduced so that rational thinking also was reduced. We have not gone that far, but we have changed the meanings of words. Tax is now contribution, government spending is now investment, civilian casualties are now collateral damage, and the list goes on.

Big Brother was the epitome of concern and caring for the population as was constantly broadcast by the media. Gee, that does sound familiar today when one reads the papers or watches TV.

It seems that a new scandal is exposed on a routine basis involving different parts of the government routinely. Now, we hear of the Internal Revenue Service seizing millions of medical records in California. Remember that currently, the IRS will be responsible for collecting fines and checking if individuals are purchasing the proper medical insurance when ObamaCare is implemented this October. They will hire additional thousands of agents to do that. I really get a warm feeling knowing that the IRS is involved.

It seems that there is little reason to bring leaders of the various organizations that have been charged with overstepping their authority since they either lie, mislead, or take the Fifth. Nothing seems to happen in each case.

It is obvious that the federal government has become much too large and has assumed powers that the founding fathers warned us about. The founding fathers wrote the Bill of Rights as the first ten amendments to the constitution specifically to limit the power of government. Those amendments are very specific about what the government cannot do. Unfortunately, the government continues to eat away at key elements of these amendments.

Most of my adult life was spent serving this country in the Marines. Since leaving the service, I have worked diligently staying abreast of current events throughout the country and the world. I recall what the country and especially the military was like in the 70's. It was ugly, but positive leadership at the Commandant level in the Marines in the late 70's and in the White House in the 80's made all the difference in the world. It is amazing what leadership can accomplish in any organization.

The same thing can happen in the future, but it will take much longer since some of our national fundamental strengths have been eroded by dependence on government rather than personal drive. We remain the most powerful and most free country in the world, but far too many of our citizens are not contributing to that effect.