Did our elected representatives just wake up one day and say, "Let us make laws so byzantine, that the people will weep and wail and rend their hair in frustration!"
Well maybe, but I think it's really the lobbyists using carrots (money) and sticks (fear o' God) on the government that got us into this boat.
From the government. What's wrong with government (including your carrots and sticks), it what's inherently wrong with democracy. There will always be benefits available to lawmakers who panders to those with money, and there will always be interest groups (religious, unions etc.) to punish those who don't pander to them.
Yes, I'm a small government conservative, and I can almost infer that you're not, so let's just end the discussion here.
Did our elected representatives just wake up one day and say, "Let us make laws so byzantine, that the people will weep and wail and rend their hair in frustration!"
Well maybe, but I think it's really the lobbyists using carrots (money) and sticks (fear o' God) on the government that got us into this boat.