How fear and group hatred is hurting us.

A guest blog by Allen Manzano, a writer and former editor living in Carlsbad, CA

I think we may be headed to the gradual collapse of government. We have already almost achieved it in California. Beginning with Prop 13 with its 2/3rds requirements for passage of a budget, term limits, and the rough justice of Three Strikes, California's citizens have voted in, along with fiscally unsound measures, a system of government easily leveraged by special interests with no real concern for the general welfare. It was done with tactics of fear and simplification that ignored the deliberative and collaborative processes that had brought California to the forefront. This is not something new in government but it is a fallacy to assume that complex and interconnected issues can be resolved by unstudied emotionalism and direct legislation.

It is what we may now have happening in the nation. The use of fear and group hatred is being combined with irresponsible fiscal proposals that will not solve our problems but lead us to disassembling what I consider a decent and progressive society. It is particularly threatening in the way our judiciary is also become politicized as a way to impose majority control in areas such as religion and private behavior. It is already facilitating distortions in our political system heavily weighted towards preferences for those with power and wealth.

The judicial system is crucial to the protection of the weak and few. But there are many on the current Supreme Court who do not accept this as fundamental.

Many will rejoice. Will ignorance and prejudice dominate over learning and tolerance. After 200 years of democracy are we are on the verge of self destruction? America will not lead the world forever. It will happen sooner rather than later.