Historically, many Republicans and indeed many conservative Republicans have strongly supported the idea of Homeowners Associations. They falsely believe that the smaller a governmental entity gets the closer it is to the people. Many conservatives AND liberals have discovered over the past few years this is an empty-headed belief.
An old-time outdoorsman’s axiom is that if three people get into trouble in the wilderness two will always turn against the one. You can’t get any closer to true democracy than three people. And as John Adams and Toqueville warned us eons ago, we all need to beware of the “tyranny of the majority.”
Democracy is an ugly word unless it’s accompanied by guaranteed restraints like a Bill of Rights, due process, and an orderly court system. Always remember that a mob running down the street breaking windows and burning buildings is a true democracy.
If there is no set of checks and balances, it’s basic human instinct to try to dominate all those around you. And right there is the fulcrum around which the national Homeowners Association scandal spins. Without checks and balances there are no human rights. Believe it!
The article linked below is a couple of years old, but it’s fantastic when a columnist for the conservative Townhall.com begins to understand that the Homeowners Association Movement has the potential of being downright dangerous to the finances and freedom of individual homeowners. The real tragedy is that we don’t hear a constant drumbeat from both the Townhall crowd and the ACLU crowd. Anger at this national scandal is not conservative or liberal. Every political faction should be screaming at the outrages going on in every state in the union.
All that being said, the attached column is worth reading again.
(click here for Townhall column)
