"Nehemiah inadvertently captures the nature and essence of the state: It lords it over the people. This is its universal characteristic. Be it the pharaoh in ancient Egypt or the caesar at Rome or a medieval king or the modern managerial bureaucracy -- they all run roughshod over the citizenry. They all extract money from the people and destroy or kill anyone who dares to oppose them. This is as true in contemporary America as it was in the days of the Roman tax-collectors. The state oppresses and plunders regardless of its geographical location or time in history. The loot is then used to enhance the well-being, prestige, and power of those who hold its reins.
Today, this dynamic is playing out before our eyes in a truly striking way. Even as the economic situation keeps deteriorating and many Americans face joblessness and hardships of various kinds, our "governor" -- the president -- and his "assistants" surely live it up."
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