73% of Americans believe there is widespread corruption in government

According to a Gallup poll released yesterday, seventy three percent of Americans now believe there is widespread corruption throughout our government. That number has jumped twenty points since 2006! Not surprisingly, the poll also revealed a steep drop in confidence in government with more Americans now seeing government itself as an obstacle in their lives. Correspondingly, Americans are less satisfied with the freedom to choose what they want to do with their lives.

These are ominous developments. The problem has been correctly identified.

Independence Day is approaching. As we set off our fireworks and eat our hot dogs we should also be planning for the future. What are we going to do to turn this around?

Columnist Michael Barone is recommending a dramatic overhaul of the procedural state. In his July 1 opinion piece, Barone draws from a recent book by Phillip Howard, The Rule of Nobody: Saving America from Dead Laws and Broken Government. Howard believes government is not working in large part because it is being run by "clerks and jerks" who make up the bureaucratic apparatus. How do we get less clerks and jerks running things?

Former Congressman and Presidential candidate Ron Paul has some bolder ideas. Paul wants Americans to remember the spirit of rebellion and recapture the spirit of independence that made us who we are.

I believe both Howard and Paul are correct.

We need a housecleaning of the ruling class in Washington and an overhaul of the national media that has become the chief corruption enabler. We need a dramatic deconstruction of programs and practices originating in Washington that infringe on our liberties. Corrupt officials need to be removed from office. Power needs to be decentralized and localized. We need a non-violent revolution to rid ourselves of the corrupt oligarchy that now controls our lives.

Happy Independence Day.