The feds, freedom, and Schlitz

[Ragnar]

Is America's government suffering the Schlitz beer effect? Check out the link and see if Reynolds, and your own observations, can make the case.

Glenn Harlan Reynolds: Consent of the governed - and the lack thereof | Washington Examiner

"Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." This is boilerplate American history, and something that Americans -- and, in particular, America's political class -- have long taken for granted.

But now things are looking a bit dicey. According to a recent Rasmussen Poll , only 21 percent of American voters believe that the federal government enjoys the consent of the governed. On the other hand, Rasmussen notes, a full 63 percent of the "political class" believe that the government enjoys the consent of the governed.

It's tempting to stress the disconnect here, and that disconnect is certainly huge. Unsurprisingly, the political class -- which talks mostly to itself -- thinks that it is far more popular, and legitimate, in the eyes of the country than is in fact the case. In this, as in so many things, America's political class is out of touch with reality.

But forget the views of America -- where, it seems likely, more people believe in alien abductions than in the legitimacy of our rulers -- and look just at the more cheerful view of the political class.

Even among the rulers, only 63 percent -- triple the fraction of the general populace but still less than two-thirds of the political class -- regard the federal government as legitimate by the standards of America's founding document. The remainder, presumably, are comfortable being tyrants.

Hat tip to Hot Air's Ed Morrissey who's thread title I stole, though I only just read the full article from a link at Powerline so there you go. Just floating about the enter-toobs getting my right wing nutjob fill. (hey, Rush wasn't on today to tell me what to think)

Extra hat tip thanks to a HA update...

Update: Comment of the day from Noel of Cold Fury: “The cure for both problems is Sam Adams.”