Value-based Government

Somewhere along the way, many people got the idea in their head that democracy was about a values popularity contest (organized religion is the prime suspect for this misguided concept). The “winning” value system could then be subjected upon the entire populace, including upon those who disagree. Let me first admit that such a form of democracy is possible, if a democracy chooses to function that way. But that certainly isn’t the spirit in which American democracy was founded, by a people fleeing oppression and seeking individual liberty.

That said, here is why value-based government is a very bad idea… ready…? VALUES ARE NOT UNIVERSAL. Morality (another word for values) is subjective. What is an immoral activity to some, is not immoral to others. With that being the case, and since the US Constitution guarantees equal protection to all, we cannot adopt a subjective moral code which favors one citizen’s values over another.

This is where many people get lost, thinking that I am advocating a lawless anarchy. That is not the case. Borrowing from Libertarian principles, a well-structured, stable, and lawful society can be constructed around the “non-aggression principle”. The basic concept is that the purpose of government (and its laws) are to protect individuals from the aggressive harmful acts of others. I will refrain from an in-depth explanation at this point, but basically, you are entitled to any action which does threaten to cause unwanted direct harm on anyone else. Example: Drink alcohol or smoke marijuana – OK. Drink alcohol or smoke marijuana, and then drive a car under the influence – not OK. Example: Bob has consensual sex with Steve – OK. Bob rapes Steve – not OK. Pretty straight forward, right?

Granted there are more complex shades of gray to address, but again, I am not going to give a Libertarian dissertation here (research for yourself). I simply want to open minds to dispelling the misconception that we need values/morality to serve as a backbone for a lawful and constructive society. We do not. We simply need protection from the harmful aggression of others. Meanwhile, is their still a place for morality? Absolutely, but not in the form of government. Morality should be in the domain of community groups, churches, charities, etc. Such organizations can promote their moral beliefs without trying to have them dictated through government, which again, IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.