The Fascism Myth "Far right Wing Political Structure" - Yah, right, if you're Brain Washed

Atlantic City is about to experience the biggest economic decline in it's history.  Three of it's 11 casinos will close within the month with a lose of 6000 jobs.

It is no surprise, in fact the surprise was when the Christie administration supported the now bankrupted (for the second time in two years) Revel casino promising a quarter billion in tax offsets which led to the States pension system investing $220 million into the obviously doomed project. The failure of crony capitalism is Christie's legacy.

Free market capitalism would have avoided the entire problem by having not created it in the first place.   The Revel investment was a very bad idea and driven by arrogance on Christie's part,  he deserves to be held accountable. His form of back room politics is just as bad as when the left wing does it. New Jersey needs Free Market reforms and prison cells for the cronies capitalists that are stealing the life blood of hard working Americans.

The governments involvement in business selection and the markets is the core of what is wrong in the economy from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  In fact the entire world has gone done the road of a fascist society where government executes control over the market instead of managing the rules of the market. Now I am not saying NJ and Christie are Fascists, I am saying they have threads of fascism in their actions.

And it is evil, just as evil as when the Romans, a fascist government in it's time, in fact the name sake of Fascism is the Roman symbol of Collectivism and Power; the Fasces.




http://youtu.be/4GZ7i49xge0?list=UUUihPYrAlEK6XFAaw4X8BYw

That's right, religion aside, Fascist of Roman times killed Jesus Christ.   Don't believe me?  Then watch this short video, it covers it in less then two minutes.

The assertion by many dictionaries and most of our education system that Fascism is far right wing politics is hogwash and a blinding example of how easily the ignorant masses can be duped by the lies of the intelligencia.

God blessed America indeed, but he left it up to us to use our brains to keep it free, we as a nation are letting him down.  Rise up and get in the face of the liars on the left. The video above gives you clear and indisputable ammunition to shut them up in their tracks.  

The issues demand truth, there is no reason to be polite about it, the liars are stealing your children's future, leftist are evil, let them know it.

Impeachment: Political Theater or Moral Imperative

Impeachment: Political Theater or Moral Imperative

 

Constitutional crises are extremely rare. When one arises the entire nation becomes embroiled in the substance of the problem as it moves through its various machinations. Two contentious issues have come to the forefront challenging the very foundations of our society. President Obama has used his pen to circumvent Congress to bring his personal agenda into fruition. With the stroke of his writing instrument Obamacare has been remodeled into a format not reflective of the law passed in March of 2010. Dramatically more perverse the President has altered immigration laws which have caused a flood of illegals to inundate our southern borders. Ramifications of both actions are slowly filtering throughout the very structure of this nation. For the former access to health care is diminished, for the latter a humanitarian crisis of proportions so great it challenges the sensibilities of a rational mind. Each of the three branches of government has their assigned roles empowered by a document that is keen on bringing balance and order to the nation. Unfortunately the present occupant of the Oval Office uses the Constitution as a doormat instead of a roadmap. President Obama has thrown down the gauntlet challenging those in the legislative halls of Washington D.C. to restrict his anti-constitutional behavior through impeachment proceedings. He may be granted his wish.

 

Conservatives have taken a beating over the last six years as progressives sought to undermine every institution, industry and tradition that made this nation strong. The scandal plagued White House has now moved into political territory so devastating it cries out to be checked immediately.  Rumors of a pending Executive Order that may provide amnesty to 5 million illegals has percolated throughout the dark corridors of Congress and beyond. Obama may be playing with political dynamite if he goes forward with this scheme. Discussion of impeachment has moved from a whisper to a hum as Republicans continue to deny the inevitable. On July 30^th the House of Representatives voted to sue the President for his unlawful use of Executive Orders. The vote was along party lines suggesting the Democrats continue to deny the President is overstepping his authority. A lawsuit, as proposed by the House, could take an extended time period to resolve, potentially ending up on the doorstep of the Supreme Court. Is this merely a delaying tactic in preparation for the trial of President Obama?

 

Impeachment of the President and other select officials is allowed under Article II Section 4 of the Constitution. During the period this section was written the Founders wanted a means to remove those who exceeded their authority, as established in this great document. In the alternative in the event a high official was falsely accused this section also provided a means for vindication. President Obama has willfully chosen to circumvent Congress by utilizing the privilege of Executive Order. The manner in which he has used this power is in question.

Nullification of laws and or treading on others has brought this presidency to a crossroad in history requiring hard choices Congress has avoided so far. Democrats believe Articles of Impeachment would be political theater to enhance the strengths of a party they distrust. Perspectives of many in the opposing party see impeachment as a moral imperative, nothing less. At this juncture Congress has not displayed its willingness to go down a path only two prior presidents have traveled. Looking forward the outcome of November’s election may determine the fate of a presidency which started with hope and change but may end in disenchantment and despair.

 

Mark Davis, MD: Media consultant, author and journalist. President of Davis Writing Services. www.daviswritingservices.com  platomd@gmail.com  Author of Demons of Democracy and Obamacare: Dead on Arrival, A Prescription for Disaster.

Oregon's Governor Violates the Oregon Constitution. Should he be removed from office?

"On November 15, Oregon's Governor John Kitzhaber, through his Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali, announced that Oregon health insurance companies would be allowed to extend current policies through 2014,   In doing so, the Governor and Insurance Commissioner violated Oregon law and the Oregon Constitution.  Even if his intentions are good, as chief executive the Governor only has the authority to execute the laws passed by the Legislature, not to supersede them." This I received in a newsletter from the State Representative Dennis Richardson.  

The Governor has in effect assumed the power of decree, a power that is generally associated with Monarchs and Dictators.  This cannot be tolerated, John Kitzhaber and the insurance commissioner must be held to account, they should be removed from office through impeachment. To allow such precedence is a dangerous and illegal act, any politician that continues to support the governor is culpable should too be held to account at the election polls - we are a nation of laws and no one is exempt.  

The same applies to the President on this very same issue. We are a nation of laws. No one is above the law.  Looking back on American history many of our forefathers fought and sacrificed their lives to escape the tyranny of monarchs. 

Preambles link 

http://youtu.be/IRT85wYYf0Y  


Our history is clearest when you understand the Preambles to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.


There are no Mulligans in the State or the Federal Constitution.    

The fact that Obama Care (ACA) and the Oregon effort to implement it are miserable and embarrassing failures is irrelevant. Our elected officials at any and all levels must be expected to follow the law, period. 

Call to Action: Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, 15-19 Feb

Bill Ayers

"Guilty as hell, free as a bird—it’s a great country." --Bill Ayers in "Fugitive Days"

This is a call to action for freedom-loving Americans to protest Bill Ayers (bio at Conservapedia), a domestic terrorist who escaped punishment, Marxist, and enemy of the Constitution, speaking at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Georgia, 15-19 February at the annual meeting for the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE).

First, protest the ATE's inclusion of Bill Ayers' at their annual meeting:
(1) Write the hotel and/or ATE
(2) Fax the hotel and/or ATE
(3) Call the hotel, speak with the manager
(4) Call the hotel national headquarters
(5) Protest in front of the hotel during the ATE's annual meeting
(6) Notify the press (especially if you are going to protest in front of the hotel)
(7) You could also voice your protest to the ATE, but I suspect it will fall on deaf ears, since if they are inviting someone like Bill Ayers, they probably already have Marxist leanings (cannot confirm, however).

Second, make sure to expose this event to the general public and record each of the speaker's lectures, if possible.  Post to YouTube the ones that may be controversial, especially Bill Ayers'.

Third, organize your fellow patriots and ensure you have adequate talking points that address:
(1) The Weather Underground (which Bill Ayers was the leader) and its plan to kill 25,000,000 unrepentant capitalists in America.  This should strike a chord with those who run businesses, especially Marriott.
(2) That Bill Ayers is a domestic terrorist.
(3) How his espousing of Marxism is a threat to our Constitution and our way of life.
(4) How his ideology will subsequently poison the minds of our children.

Bill Ayers trampling on the US flag

Hyatt Regency Atlanta
265 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Phone: (404) 577-1234
Fax: (404) 588-4137
http://www.hyattregencyatlanta.com


ASSOCIATION OF TEACHER EDUCATORS
David A. Ritchey, Ph.D., CAE, Executive Director
Mail: P.O. Box 793
Manassas, VA 20113
Office: 11350 Random Hills Rd.., Suite 800
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 659-1708
Fax: (703) 595-4792
http://www.ate1.org/pubs/Contact_Us.cfm


Georgia ATE
Website: http://www.gaate.org
President: Gwendolyn Middlebrooks
ghmiddlebrooks@bellsouth.net
Executive Secretary: Barbara Benson
bbenson@piedmont.edu

As those who believe the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and honor the founding of our nation, we have been backed into a corner and cannot give another inch.  We must resist every person and organization that wishes to enslave the people of this nation with ideologies such as Marxism.


We therefore have a duty to voice our disapproval of Bill Ayers' version of Marxism.  And he should have no influence over those who teach our children.

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Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.

Hate Speech

Most crimes are objective in nature, as they can be observed or measured.  For instance, murder means someone is dead.  Theft means something was taken (can be electronic as well as physical, but there is a record).  Speeding means that there is a limit to the maximum speed and it can be accurately measured.  Assault means someone was physically attacked, or verbally threatened with physical attack.  When it comes to objective crimes, their definitions remain consistent over time.

However, the introduction of "hate speech" into the legal system is purely subjective and can be manipulated to serve the causes and ideology of the State.  Once hate speech laws are enacted, it gives the government the ability to classify almost anything as "hate speech," up to and including opposition to the State.  The criminalization of hate speech directly contradicts freedom of speech rights granted by the First Amendment, and will ultimately result in State-sponsored censorship.

Here are two examples of how "hate speech" thinking is applied.  Through them it will be clear how the government decides what is hate speech and what is not based on their own ideology and political goals, and not on any higher standard of moral conduct.

Islam by it's very nature and conduct is replete with hate speech, and is in fact genocidal against those who do not accept Islam.  However, our government gives them a pass and labels them the "religion of peace."  In fact, the government goes so far as to label jihadic violence in the name of Islam "workplace violence."  Our Administration is even voicing their support for international law (Human Rights Council Resolution 1618) that prohibits that speech which incites religious violence in order to protect the Islamic faith (see David Horowitz's speech on the matter).

Christianity, on the other hand, is not given such a pass.  The assault on the Word of God and Christians is just beginning, as preachers are starting to come under scrutiny for preaching against homosexual behavior.  This teaching of the Word will eventually be categorized as "hate speech" and criminalized.  Then Christians will be forced to either edit any such "hate speech" out of their Bibles, or get rid of them altogether.  Leaders and pundits may even compare the Bible to "Mein Kampf" in its "intolerance."

Why does the government find this necessary?  Because the government wants to be god on earth, dictating what is right and wrong.  Just look at some of our government's actions that contradict the will of God:

• open support for, and encouragement of, homosexual behavior  
• encouragement of sexual promiscuity through education, birth control, and murder (abortion)
• discouragement of personal responsibility through bailouts, grants, "free stuff," etc.
• idol worship through the explicit legitimization of other religions and rejection of the God of the Bible
• destruction of the family unit through social programs and propaganda; employment of the educational system to perpetuate lies (such as the specious theories of evolution and man-made climate change) and encourage immoral behavior that undermine parents' teachings of morality, truth and religion; and ultimately replacing the authority of parents with the authority of the State
• encouraging taking from some to give to others, and that the government can provide everything that you need (coveting and theft)

All of these actions are designed to appeal to the carnal nature of man so that Americans will want to seek the baser, lower road that is encouraged by the government rather than seek the higher road as laid out by God.  The American government is making America safe for sinners, and pushing the Word of God aside to do so.  They may eventually make the Word of God illegal because it is "hateful" against those who follow the depraved guidance of the government.  Once the people worship the false idol of the humanist government, they will submit as slaves and liberty will have died in America.

"Your God is hateful and won't let you do what you want!  We, as your government, are much more benevolent...worship us!"

(And a final note: the criminalization of "hate speech" is a means to controlling the content of the Internet and suppress dissent amongst the population.)

--Against All Enemies

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Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.

Where are the Men of Moral Courage?

Courage comes in two basic forms--physical and moral.  Physical courage is putting your life on the line to achieve some perceived good, such as running in front of a car to save a child, or charging a machine gun nest to prevent it from killing your fellow soldiers.  Moral courage, on the other hand, is standing up for what is right in the face of adversity as well as when no one is looking.

I ask my fellow Americans--where are the men of moral courage?

Where are the men who honor their oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign or domestic?

Where are the men who understand there is an essential word between "Duty" and "Country?"

Where are the men who honor the vows to their wives?

Where are the men who stand against the heresies in our Churches?

Where are the men who teach their children Truth instead of leaving them to the ravenous lies spread by the public education system?  Where are the men who stand up and oppose these very same lies in public?

Where are the men who understand that this life is not about them and their own personal glory?

Where are the men who reject earthly treasures for eternal ones?

Where are the men who reject the philosophy of "do as I say, not as I do?"

Where are the men who will choose the harder right over the easier wrong?

Where are the men who will speak the truth in every situation?

America...where are these men?  Have we been cursed with a paucity of them?
At this late hour we need men of moral courage, or all we have been blessed with will be lost.

(I have chosen to use the term 'men' in this discussion to help highlight the recent moral failings in America, which are mostly committed by men.  However, I cannot state strongly enough how America needs every last man and woman of moral courage to stand for what is right and get us back on track with our founding.)

--Against All Enemies

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Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.

The Case Against Secession

According to the WhiteHouse.gov petition website, there is a petition from almost every state requesting that it have the right to peacefully secede from the Union (Texas example). These are not official petitions from state governments, but from individuals within the states.  In effect, these petitions are circumventing the authority of the states.

In response to this multitude of secessionist desires, I contend that this is not the time for secession.

Over the past four years, a prominent Community Organizer has done his job agitating the people of this nation...and done it quite well.  According to Saul Alinsky, that is exactly what a community organizer is supposed to do--agitate:

“Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and chance the future.”
“A revolutionary organizer must shake up the prevailing patterns of their lives; agitate, create disenchantment and discontent with the current values....”  (Rules for Radicals)

And this is exactly what has been done to us, leading some after the President's re-election to petition for the secession of their state.

Think about it--the dissolution of our Republic is exactly what our enemies want, and if it can be accomplished through internal agitation, all the better.  Secession will not happen peacefully.  There are already comparisons being made between the current President and Lincoln (and a timely release of a film about Lincoln).  And what did Lincoln do?  Lincoln used the power of coercion possessed by the State to forcefully hold the Union together.  The current President would most likely act in the same manner.

In his farewell speech, George Washington admonished us that the most important thing for us to do is hold the Union together:

"The Unity of Government which constitutes you one people...is a main Pillar in the Edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home; your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very Liberty which you so highly prize.  But...much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth..."  He advised us to "indignantly [frown] upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our Country from the rest..."  He also warns that "To the efficacy and permanency of your Union, a Government for the whole is indispensable.  No alliances however strict between the parts can be an adequate substitute."  He states that "your Union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty, and that the love of the one ought to endear to you the preservation of the other...the continuance of the Union as a primary object of Patriotic desire." (from George Washington's Farewell Speech)

To break apart our Union would leave us vulnerable to being ravaged by foreign powers.  And that is what will happen this time should our Union be dissolved.

Should secession occur, and if the military (which is largely located in self-described "red" states) not act on behalf of the federal government to hold the Union together, the President may request assistance from outside powers..."peacekeepers."  These "peacekeepers" will come from every nation that ever hoped to see the United States carved up and sold at auction--Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, to name a few.  Carved up and occupied we will become, magnificently achieving the collectivist and globalist goal of destroying America and our freedoms, for there is no place for our freedoms in a collectivist world.

There is opportunity amidst this national crisis.  As our countrymen experience the tyranny and oppression of a pseudo-socialist system, they will look for the light...for hope.  Point them to our nation's founding, and point them to God.  This battle isn't over, and we still have a chance to win.  There are still Patriots left amidst our ranks, and more will flock to the cause.

We must stand firm in the Constitutional foundation of our nation and never compromise.  The tyrannical opposition never compromises...they keep getting everything they want in incremental steps.  And every one of those steps is a step away from our founding.  We must reverse course.  We must redirect this rising desire to secede into an unrelenting resolve to stop the excesses, perversion and tyranny of our government in its current form.  It is time to get it back on track with our founding.

Should an all-out attempt to get our nation back on track fail and it falls into tyranny, then it would be worth considering secession.  For now, we Patriots have only just begun to fight.  And as a patient whose body rejects an organ transplant, the American body needs to reject this insidious organ of socialism that has somehow slipped into our borders.

Once we turn our back on the Union that we have, we will never, ever be able to gain it back.

If you would permit me a final comment, the very existence of the WhiteHouse.gov petition site undermines our republic.  It smacks of serfs petitioning an all-powerful king.  We are not serfs, and the President is most certainly not a king.  If you want something to happen, fix it at your local or state level, and only bring it up through your representatives if it has to be dealt with on the federal level.  The Executive Branch of the United States Government was not created to solve every problem under the sun...and we most certainly do not want it to.

--Against All Enemies

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Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.

Ron Paul's Farewell Address

"Too many people have for too long placed too much confidence and trust in government and not enough in themselves." --Ron Paul

Ron Paul is leaving Congress after 23 years of service as a representative from the State of Texas.  When I first heard him speak, I found him to be a bit eccentric.  However, after looking into the problems we are facing as a nation, I believe that Ron Paul is correct in his description of the problem and his recommended solution.  That solution is to return to our Constitutional form of government as originally founded.

We must therefore strengthen those individuals, groups, and political parties that support such a return.  The Tea Party is a solid beginning, and it must grow.  It could potentially become a completely separate party, as the governing corruption of both the Republican and Democratic (Socialist) Parties do not offer us true solutions to get us out of the mess we're in and prevent it from occurring again in the future.

The name of "Tea Party" could become the "Constitutional Party" to make its platform inherent in its name, clearly setting it apart from the Republican and Democratic (Socialist) parties that have worked together over the years to circumvent our Constitution.  We must also prevent its corruption by those who seek to hijack and pervert its platform.  Another option would be for the Constitutional Party to completely transform the Republican Party from within.

What follows is Representative Ron Paul's farewell address.  Listen to his words and contemplate what he is saying.  Then be resolved to do your part to get America back on track before it is too late.

--Against All Enemies

Farewell to Congress

This may well be the last time I speak on the House Floor.  At the end of the year I’ll leave Congress after 23 years in office over a 36 year period.  My goals in 1976 were the same as they are today:  promote peace and prosperity by a strict adherence to the principles of individual liberty.

It was my opinion, that the course the U.S. embarked on in the latter part of the 20th Century would bring us a major financial crisis and engulf us in a foreign policy that would overextend us and undermine our national security.

To achieve the goals I sought, government would have had to shrink in size and scope, reduce spending, change the monetary system, and reject the unsustainable costs of policing the world and expanding the American Empire.

The problems seemed to be overwhelming and impossible to solve, yet from my view point, just following the constraints placed on the federal government by the Constitution would have been a good place to start.


How Much Did I Accomplish?

In many ways, according to conventional wisdom, my off-and-on career in Congress, from 1976 to 2012, accomplished very little.  No named legislation, no named federal buildings or highways—thank goodness.  In spite of my efforts, the government has grown exponentially, taxes remain excessive, and the prolific increase of incomprehensible regulations continues.  Wars are constant and pursued without Congressional declaration, deficits rise to the sky, poverty is rampant and dependency on the federal government is now worse than any time in our history.

All this with minimal concerns for the deficits and unfunded liabilities that common sense tells us cannot go on much longer.  A grand, but never mentioned, bipartisan agreement allows for the well-kept secret that keeps the spending going.  One side doesn’t give up one penny on military spending, the other side doesn’t give up one penny on welfare spending, while both sides support the bailouts and subsidies for the banking and  corporate elite.  And the spending continues as the economy weakens and the downward spiral continues.   As the government continues fiddling around, our liberties and our wealth burn in the flames of a foreign policy that makes us less safe.

The major stumbling block to real change in Washington is the total resistance to admitting that the country is broke. This has made compromising, just to agree to increase spending, inevitable since neither side has any intention of cutting spending.

The country and the Congress will remain divisive since there’s no “loot left to divvy up.”

Without this recognition the spenders in Washington will continue the march toward a fiscal cliff much bigger than the one anticipated this coming January.

I have thought a lot about why those of us who believe in liberty, as a solution, have done so poorly in convincing others of its benefits.  If liberty is what we claim it is- the principle that protects all personal, social and economic decisions necessary for maximum prosperity and the best chance for peace- it should be an easy sell.  Yet, history has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled.


Authoritarianism vs. Liberty

If authoritarianism leads to poverty and war and less freedom for all individuals and is controlled by rich special interests, the people should be begging for liberty.  There certainly was a strong enough sentiment for more freedom at the time of our founding that motivated those who were willing to fight in the revolution against the powerful British government.

During my time in Congress the appetite for liberty has been quite weak; the understanding of its significance negligible.  Yet the good news is that compared to 1976 when I first came to Congress, the desire for more freedom and less government in 2012 is much greater and growing, especially in grassroots America. Tens of thousands of teenagers and college age students are, with great enthusiasm, welcoming the message of liberty.

I have a few thoughts as to why the people of a country like ours, once the freest and most prosperous, allowed the conditions to deteriorate to the degree that they have.

Freedom, private property, and enforceable voluntary contracts, generate wealth.  In our early history we were very much aware of this.  But in the early part of the 20th century our politicians promoted the notion that the tax and monetary systems had to change if we were to involve ourselves in excessive domestic and military spending. That is why Congress gave us the Federal Reserve and the income tax.  The majority of Americans and many government officials agreed that sacrificing some liberty was necessary to carry out what some claimed to be “progressive” ideas. Pure democracy became acceptable.

They failed to recognized that what they were doing was exactly opposite of what the colonists were seeking when they broke away from the British.

Some complain that my arguments makes no sense, since great wealth and the standard of living improved  for many Americans over the last 100 years, even with these new policies.

But the damage to the market economy, and the currency, has been insidious and steady.  It took a long time to consume our wealth, destroy the currency and undermine productivity and get our financial obligations to a point of no return. Confidence sometimes lasts longer than deserved. Most of our wealth today depends on debt.

The wealth that we enjoyed and seemed to be endless, allowed concern for the principle of a free society to be neglected.  As long as most people believed the material abundance would last forever, worrying about protecting a competitive productive economy and individual liberty seemed unnecessary.


The Age of Redistribution

This neglect ushered in an age of redistribution of wealth by government kowtowing to any and all special interests, except for those who just wanted to left alone.  That is why today money in politics far surpasses money currently going into research and development and productive entrepreneurial efforts.

The material benefits became more important than the understanding and promoting the principles of liberty and a free market.  It is good that material abundance is a result of liberty but if materialism is all that we care about, problems are guaranteed.

The crisis arrived because the illusion that wealth and prosperity would last forever has ended. Since it was based on debt and a pretense that debt can be papered over by an out-of-control fiat monetary system, it was doomed to fail.  We have ended up with a system that doesn’t produce enough even to finance the debt and no fundamental understanding of why a free society is crucial to reversing these trends.

If this is not recognized, the recovery will linger for a long time.  Bigger government, more spending, more debt, more poverty for the middle class, and a more intense scramble by the elite special interests will continue.


We Need an Intellectual Awakening

Without an intellectual awakening, the turning point will be driven by economic law.  A dollar crisis will bring the current out-of-control system to its knees.

If it’s not accepted that big government, fiat money, ignoring liberty, central economic planning, welfarism, and warfarism caused our crisis we can expect a continuous and dangerous march toward corporatism and even fascism with even more loss of our liberties.  Prosperity for a large middle class though will become an abstract dream.

This continuous move is no different than what we have seen in how our financial crisis of 2008 was handled.  Congress first directed, with bipartisan support, bailouts for the wealthy.  Then it was the Federal Reserve with its endless quantitative easing. If at first it doesn’t succeed try again; QE1, QE2, and QE3 and with no results we try QE indefinitely—that is until it too fails.  There’s a cost to all of this and let me assure you delaying the payment is no longer an option.  The rules of the market will extract its pound of flesh and it won’t be pretty.

The current crisis elicits a lot of pessimism.  And the pessimism adds to less confidence in the future.  The two feed on themselves, making our situation worse.

If the underlying cause of the crisis is not understood we cannot solve our problems. The issues of warfare, welfare, deficits, inflationism, corporatism, bailouts and authoritarianism cannot be ignored.  By only expanding these policies we cannot expect good results.

Everyone claims support for freedom.  But too often it’s for one’s own freedom and not for others.  Too many believe that there must be limits on freedom. They argue that freedom must be directed and managed to achieve fairness and equality thus making it acceptable to curtail, through force, certain liberties.

Some decide what and whose freedoms are to be limited.  These are the politicians whose goal in life is power. Their success depends on gaining support from special interests.


No More ‘isms’

The great news is the answer is not to be found in more “isms.”  The answers are to be found in more liberty which cost so much less.  Under these circumstances spending goes down, wealth production goes up, and the quality of life improves.

Just this recognition—especially if we move in this direction—increases optimism which in itself is beneficial.  The follow through with sound policies are required which must be understood and supported by the people.

But there is good evidence that the generation coming of age at the present time is supportive of moving in the direction of more liberty and self-reliance. The more this change in direction and the solutions become known, the quicker will be the return of optimism.

Our job, for those of us who believe that a different system than the  one that we have  had for the  last 100 years, has driven us to this unsustainable crisis, is to be more convincing that there is a wonderful, uncomplicated, and moral system that provides the answers.  We had a taste of it in our early history. We need not give up on the notion of advancing this cause.

It worked, but we allowed our leaders to concentrate on the material abundance that freedom generates, while ignoring freedom itself.  Now we have neither, but the door is open, out of necessity, for an answer.  The answer available is based on the Constitution, individual liberty and prohibiting the use of government force to provide privileges and benefits to all special interests.

After over 100 years we face a society quite different from the one that was intended by the Founders.  In many ways their efforts to protect future generations with the Constitution from this danger has failed.  Skeptics, at the time the Constitution was written in 1787, warned us of today’s possible outcome.  The insidious nature of the erosion of our liberties and the reassurance our great abundance gave us, allowed the process to evolve into the dangerous period in which we now live.


Dependency on Government Largesse

Today we face a dependency on government largesse for almost every need.  Our liberties are restricted and government operates outside the rule of law, protecting and rewarding those who buy or coerce government into satisfying their demands. Here are a few examples:

Undeclared wars are commonplace.
Welfare for the rich and poor is considered an entitlement.
The economy is overregulated, overtaxed and grossly distorted by a deeply flawed monetary system.
Debt is growing exponentially.
The Patriot Act and FISA legislation passed without much debate have resulted in a steady erosion of our 4th Amendment rights.
Tragically our government engages in preemptive war, otherwise known as aggression, with no complaints from the American people.
The drone warfare we are pursuing worldwide is destined to end badly for us as the hatred builds for innocent lives lost and the international laws flaunted. Once we are financially weakened and militarily challenged, there will be a lot resentment thrown our way.
It’s now the law of the land that the military can arrest American citizens, hold them indefinitely, without charges or a trial.
Rampant hostility toward free trade is supported by a large number in Washington.
Supporters of sanctions, currency manipulation and WTO trade retaliation, call the true free traders “isolationists.”
Sanctions are used to punish countries that don’t follow our orders.
Bailouts and guarantees for all kinds of misbehavior are routine.
Central economic planning through monetary policy, regulations and legislative mandates has been an acceptable policy.


Questions

Excessive government has created such a mess it prompts many questions:

Why are sick people who use medical marijuana put in prison?
Why does the federal government restrict the drinking of raw milk?
Why can’t Americans manufacturer rope and other products from hemp?
Why are Americans not allowed to use gold and silver as legal tender as mandated by the Constitution?
Why is Germany concerned enough to consider repatriating their gold held by the FED for her in New York?  Is it that the trust in the U.S. and dollar supremacy beginning to wane?
Why do our political leaders believe it’s unnecessary to thoroughly audit our own gold?
Why can’t Americans decide which type of light bulbs they can buy?
Why is the TSA permitted to abuse the rights of any American traveling by air?
Why should there be mandatory sentences—even up to life for crimes without victims—as our drug laws require?
Why have we allowed the federal government to regulate commodes in our homes?
Why is it political suicide for anyone to criticize AIPAC ?
Why haven’t we given up on the drug war since it’s an obvious failure and violates the people’s rights? Has nobody noticed that the authorities can’t even keep drugs out of the prisons? How can making our entire society a prison solve the problem?
Why do we sacrifice so much getting needlessly involved in border disputes and civil strife around the world and ignore the root cause of the most deadly border in the world-the one between Mexico and the US?
Why does Congress willingly give up its prerogatives to the Executive Branch?
Why does changing the party in power never change policy? Could it be that the views of both parties are essentially the same?
Why did the big banks, the large corporations, and foreign banks and foreign central banks get bailed out in 2008 and the middle class lost their jobs and their homes?
Why do so many in the government and the federal officials believe that creating money out of thin air creates wealth?
Why do so many accept the deeply flawed principle that government bureaucrats and politicians can protect us from ourselves without totally destroying the principle of liberty?
Why can’t people understand that war always destroys wealth and liberty?
Why is there so little concern for the Executive Order that gives the President authority to establish a “kill list,” including American citizens, of those targeted for assassination?
Why is patriotism thought to be blind loyalty to the government and the politicians who run it, rather than loyalty to the principles of liberty and support for the people? Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it’s wrong.
Why is it is claimed that if people won’t  or can’t take care of their own needs, that people in government can do it for them?
Why did we ever give the government a safe haven for initiating violence against the people?
Why do some members defend free markets, but not civil liberties?
Why do some members defend civil liberties but not free markets? Aren’t they the same?
Why don’t more defend both economic liberty and personal liberty?
Why are there not more individuals who seek to intellectually influence others to bring about positive changes than those who seek power to force others to obey their commands?
Why does the use of religion to support a social gospel and preemptive wars, both of which requires authoritarians to use violence, or the threat of violence, go unchallenged? Aggression and forced redistribution of wealth has nothing to do with the teachings of the world great religions.
Why do we allow the government and the Federal Reserve to disseminate false information dealing with both economic and  foreign policy?
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority?
Why should anyone be surprised that Congress has no credibility, since there’s such a disconnect between what politicians say and what they do?
Is there any explanation for all the deception, the unhappiness, the fear of the future, the loss of confidence in our leaders, the distrust, the anger and frustration?   Yes there is, and there’s a way to reverse these attitudes.  The negative perceptions are logical and a consequence of bad policies bringing about our problems.  Identification of the problems and recognizing the cause allow the proper changes to come easy.


Trust Yourself, Not the Government

Too many people have for too long placed too much confidence and trust in government and not enough in themselves.  Fortunately, many are now becoming aware of the seriousness of the gross mistakes of the past several decades.  The blame is shared by both political parties.  Many Americans now are demanding to hear the plain truth of things and want the demagoguing to stop.  Without this first step, solutions are impossible.

Seeking the truth and finding the answers in liberty and self-reliance promotes the optimism necessary for restoring prosperity.  The task is not that difficult if politics doesn’t get in the way.

We have allowed ourselves to get into such a mess for various reasons.

Politicians deceive themselves as to how wealth is produced.  Excessive confidence is placed in the judgment of politicians and bureaucrats.  This replaces the confidence in a free society.  Too many in high places of authority became convinced that only they,   armed with arbitrary government power, can bring about fairness, while facilitating wealth production.  This always proves to be a utopian dream and destroys wealth and liberty.  It impoverishes the people and rewards the special interests who end up controlling both political parties.

It’s no surprise then that much of what goes on in Washington is driven by aggressive partisanship and power seeking, with philosophic differences being minor.


Economic Ignorance

Economic ignorance is commonplace.  Keynesianism continues to thrive, although today it is facing healthy and enthusiastic rebuttals.  Believers in military Keynesianism and domestic Keynesianism continue to desperately promote their failed policies, as the economy languishes in a deep slumber.

Supporters of all government edicts use humanitarian arguments to justify them.

Humanitarian arguments are always used to justify government mandates related to the economy, monetary policy, foreign policy, and personal liberty.  This is on purpose to make it more difficult to challenge.  But, initiating violence for humanitarian reasons is still violence.  Good intentions are no excuse and are just as harmful as when people use force with bad intentions.  The results are always negative.

The immoral use of force is the source of man’s political problems.  Sadly, many religious groups, secular organizations, and psychopathic authoritarians endorse government initiated force to change the world.  Even when the desired goals are well-intentioned—or especially when well-intentioned—the results are dismal.  The good results sought never materialize.  The new problems created require even more government force as a solution.  The net result is institutionalizing government initiated violence and morally justifying it on humanitarian grounds.

This is the same fundamental reason our government  uses force  for invading other countries at will, central economic planning at home, and the regulation of personal liberty and habits of our citizens.

It is rather strange, that unless one has a criminal mind and no respect for other people and their property, no one claims it’s permissible to go into one’s neighbor’s house and tell them how to behave, what they can eat, smoke and drink or how to spend their money.

Yet, rarely is it asked why it is morally acceptable that a stranger with a badge and a gun can do the same thing in the name of law and order.  Any resistance is met with brute force, fines, taxes, arrests, and even imprisonment. This is done more frequently every day without a proper search warrant.


No Government Monopoly over Initiating Violence

Restraining aggressive behavior is one thing, but legalizing a government monopoly for initiating aggression can only lead to exhausting liberty associated with chaos, anger and the breakdown of civil society.  Permitting such authority and expecting saintly behavior from the bureaucrats and the politicians is a pipe dream.  We now have a standing army of armed bureaucrats in the TSA, CIA, FBI, Fish and Wildlife, FEMA, IRS, Corp of Engineers, etc. numbering over 100,000.  Citizens are guilty until proven innocent in the unconstitutional administrative courts.

Government in a free society should have no authority to meddle in social activities or the economic transactions of individuals. Nor should government meddle in the affairs of other nations. All things peaceful, even when controversial, should be permitted.

We must reject the notion of prior restraint in economic activity just we do in the area of free speech and religious liberty. But even in these areas government is starting to use a backdoor approach of political correctness to regulate speech-a dangerous trend. Since 9/11 monitoring speech on the internet is now a problem since warrants are no longer required.


The Proliferation of Federal Crimes

The Constitution established four federal crimes.  Today the experts can’t even agree on how many federal crimes are now on the books—they number into the thousands.  No one person can comprehend the enormity of the legal system—especially the tax code.  Due to the ill-advised drug war and the endless federal expansion of the criminal code we have over 6 million people under correctional suspension, more than the Soviets ever had, and more than any other nation today, including China.  I don’t understand the complacency of the Congress and the willingness to continue their obsession with passing more Federal laws.  Mandatory sentencing laws associated with drug laws have compounded our prison problems.

The federal register is now 75,000 pages long and the tax code has 72,000 pages, and expands every year.  When will the people start shouting, “enough is enough,” and demand Congress cease and desist.


Achieving Liberty

Liberty can only be achieved when government is denied the aggressive use of force.  If one seeks liberty, a precise type of government is needed.  To achieve it, more than lip service is required.

Two choices are available.

A government designed to protect liberty—a natural right—as its sole objective.  The people are expected to care for themselves and reject the use of any force for interfering with another person’s liberty.  Government is given a strictly limited authority to enforce contracts, property ownership, settle disputes, and defend against foreign aggression.
A government that pretends to protect liberty but is granted power to arbitrarily use force over the people and foreign nations.  Though the grant of power many times is meant to be small and limited, it inevitably metastasizes into an omnipotent political cancer.  This is the problem for which the world has suffered throughout the ages.  Though meant to be limited it nevertheless is a 100% sacrifice of a principle that would-be-tyrants find irresistible.  It is used vigorously—though incrementally and insidiously.  Granting power to government officials always proves the adage that:  “power corrupts.”
Once government gets a limited concession for the use of force to mold people habits and plan the economy, it causes a steady move toward tyrannical government.  Only a revolutionary spirit can reverse the process and deny to the government this arbitrary use of aggression.  There’s no in-between.  Sacrificing a little liberty for imaginary safety always ends badly.

Today’s mess is a result of Americans accepting option #2, even though the Founders attempted to give us Option #1.

The results are not good.  As our liberties have been eroded our wealth has been consumed.  The wealth we see today is based on debt and a foolish willingness on the part of foreigners to take our dollars for goods and services. They then loan them back to us to perpetuate our debt system.  It’s amazing that it has worked for this long but the impasse in Washington, in solving our problems indicate that many are starting to understand the seriousness of the world -wide debt crisis and the dangers we face. The longer this process continues the harsher the outcome will be.


The Financial Crisis Is a Moral Crisis

Many are now acknowledging that a financial crisis looms but few understand it’s, in reality, a moral crisis.  It’s the moral crisis that has allowed our liberties to be undermined and permits the exponential growth of illegal government power.  Without a clear understanding of the nature of the crisis it will be difficult to prevent a steady march toward tyranny and the poverty that will accompany it.

Ultimately, the people have to decide which form of government they want; option #1 or option #2.  There is no other choice.  Claiming there is a choice of a “little” tyranny is like describing pregnancy as a “touch of pregnancy.”  It is a myth to believe that a mixture of free markets and government central economic planning is a worthy compromise.  What we see today is a result of that type of thinking.  And the results speak for themselves.


A Culture of Violence

American now suffers from a culture of violence.  It’s easy to reject the initiation of violence against one’s neighbor but it’s ironic that the people arbitrarily and freely anoint government officials with monopoly power to initiate violence against the American people—practically at will.

Because it’s the government that initiates force, most people accept it as being legitimate.  Those who exert the force have no sense of guilt.  It is believed by too many that governments are morally justified in initiating force supposedly to “do good.”  They incorrectly believe that this authority has come from the “consent of the people.”  The minority, or victims of government violence never consented to suffer the abuse of government mandates, even when dictated by the majority.  Victims of TSA excesses never consented to this abuse.

This attitude has given us a policy of initiating war to “do good,” as well. It is claimed that war, to prevent war for noble purposes, is justified.  This is similar to what we were once told that:  “destroying a village to save a village” was justified.  It was said by a US Secretary of State that the loss of 500,000 Iraqis, mostly children, in the 1990s, as a result of American bombs and sanctions, was “worth it” to achieve the “good” we brought to the Iraqi people.  And look at the mess that Iraq is in today.

Government use of force to mold social and economic behavior at home and abroad has justified individuals using force on their own terms.  The fact that violence by government is seen as morally justified, is the reason why violence will increase when the big financial crisis hits and becomes a political crisis as well.

First, we recognize that individuals shouldn’t initiate violence, then we give the authority to government.   Eventually, the immoral use of government violence, when things goes badly, will be used to justify an individual’s “right” to do the same thing. Neither the government nor individuals have the moral right to initiate violence against another yet we are moving toward the day when both will claim this authority.  If this cycle is not reversed society will break down.

When needs are pressing, conditions deteriorate and rights become relative to the demands and the whims of the majority.  It’s then not a great leap for individuals to take it upon themselves to use violence to get what they claim is theirs.  As the economy deteriorates and the wealth discrepancies increase—as are already occurring— violence increases as those in need take it in their own hands to get what they believe is theirs.  They will not wait for a government rescue program.

When government officials wield power over others to bail out the special interests, even with disastrous results to the average citizen, they feel no guilt for the harm they do. Those who take us into undeclared wars with many casualties resulting, never lose sleep over the death and destruction their bad decisions caused. They are convinced that what they do is morally justified, and the fact that many suffer   just can’t be helped.

When the street criminals do the same thing, they too have no remorse, believing they are only taking what is rightfully theirs.  All moral standards become relative.  Whether it’s bailouts, privileges, government subsidies or benefits for some from inflating a currency, it’s all part of a process justified by a philosophy of forced redistribution of wealth.  Violence, or a threat of such, is the instrument required and unfortunately is of little concern of most members of Congress.

Some argue it’s only a matter of “fairness” that those in need are cared for. There are two problems with this. First, the principle is used to provide a greater amount of benefits to the rich than the poor. Second, no one seems to be concerned about whether or not it’s fair to those who end up paying for the benefits. The costs are usually placed on the backs of the middle class and are hidden from the public eye. Too many people believe government handouts are free, like printing money out of thin air, and there is no cost. That deception is coming to an end. The bills are coming due and that’s what the economic slowdown is all about.

Sadly, we have become accustomed to living with the illegitimate use of force by government.  It is the tool for telling the people how to live, what to eat and drink, what to read and how to spend their money.

To develop a truly free society, the issue of initiating force must be understood and rejected.  Granting to government even a small amount of force is a dangerous concession.


Limiting Government Excesses vs. a Virtuous Moral People

Our Constitution, which was intended to limit government power and abuse, has failed.  The Founders warned that a free society depends on a virtuous and moral people.  The current crisis reflects that their concerns were justified.

Most politicians and pundits are aware of the problems we face but spend all their time in trying to reform government.  The sad part is that the suggested reforms almost always lead to less freedom and the importance of a virtuous and moral people is either ignored, or not understood. The new reforms serve only to further undermine liberty.  The compounding effect has given us this steady erosion of liberty and the massive expansion of debt.  The real question is: if it is liberty we seek, should most of the emphasis be placed on government reform or trying to understand what “a virtuous and moral people” means and how to promote it. The Constitution has not prevented the people from demanding handouts for both rich and poor in their efforts to reform the government, while ignoring the principles of a free society. All branches of our government today are controlled by individuals who use their power to undermine liberty and enhance the welfare/warfare state-and frequently their own wealth and power.

If the people are unhappy with the government performance it must be recognized that government is merely a reflection of an immoral society that rejected a moral government of constitutional limitations of power and love of freedom.

If this is the problem all the tinkering with thousands of pages of new laws and regulations will do nothing to solve the problem.

It is self-evident that our freedoms have been severely limited and the apparent prosperity we still have, is nothing more than leftover wealth from a previous time.  This fictitious wealth based on debt and benefits from a false trust in our currency and credit, will play havoc with our society when the bills come due.  This means that the full consequence of our lost liberties is yet to be felt.

But that illusion is now ending.  Reversing a downward spiral depends on accepting a new approach.

Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections. We cannot expect a Federal government controlled school system to provide the intellectual ammunition to combat the dangerous growth of government that threatens our liberties.

The internet will provide the alternative to the government/media complex that controls the news and most political propaganda. This is why it’s essential that the internet remains free of government regulation.

Many of our religious institutions and secular organizations support greater dependency on the state by supporting war, welfare and corporatism and ignore the need for a virtuous people.

I never believed that the world or our country could be made more free by politicians, if the people had no desire for freedom.

Under the current circumstances the most we can hope to achieve in the political process is to use it as a podium to reach the people to alert them of the nature of the crisis and the importance of their need to assume responsibility for themselves, if it is liberty that they truly seek.  Without this, a constitutionally protected free society is impossible.

If this is true, our individual goal in life ought to be for us to seek virtue and excellence and recognize that self-esteem and happiness only comes from using one’s natural ability, in the most productive manner possible, according to one’s own talents.

Productivity and creativity are the true source of personal satisfaction. Freedom, and not dependency, provides the environment needed to achieve these goals. Government cannot do this for us; it only gets in the way. When the government gets involved, the goal becomes a bailout or a subsidy and these cannot provide a sense of  personal achievement.

Achieving legislative power and political influence should not be our goal. Most of the change, if it is to come, will not come from the politicians, but rather from individuals, family, friends, intellectual leaders and our religious institutions.  The solution can only come from rejecting the use of coercion, compulsion, government commands, and aggressive force, to mold social and economic behavior.  Without accepting these restraints, inevitably the consensus will be to allow the government to mandate economic equality and obedience to the politicians who gain power and promote an environment that smothers the freedoms of everyone. It is then that the responsible individuals who seek excellence and self-esteem by being self-reliance and productive, become the true victims.


Conclusion                                                                                                                                                  

What are the greatest dangers that the American people face today and impede the goal of a free society? There are five.

1. The continuous attack on our civil liberties which threatens the rule of law and our ability to resist the onrush of tyranny.            

2. Violent anti-Americanism that has engulfed the world. Because the phenomenon of “blow-back” is not understood or denied, our foreign policy is destined to keep us involved in many wars that we have no business being in. National bankruptcy and a greater threat to our national security will result.                                                      

3. The ease in which we go to war, without a declaration by Congress, but accepting international authority from the UN or NATO even for preemptive wars, otherwise known as aggression.                                      

4. A financial political crisis as a consequence of excessive debt, unfunded liabilities, spending, bailouts, and gross discrepancy in wealth distribution going from the middle class to the rich. The danger of central economic planning, by the Federal Reserve must be understood.                                            

 5. World government taking over  local and US sovereignty by getting involved in the issues of war, welfare, trade, banking,  a world currency, taxes, property ownership, and private ownership of guns.

Happily, there is an answer for these very dangerous trends.                                                  

What a wonderful world it would be if everyone accepted the simple moral premise of rejecting all acts of aggression.  The retort to such a suggestion is always:  it’s too simplistic, too idealistic, impractical, naïve, utopian, dangerous, and unrealistic to strive for such an ideal.

The answer to that is that for thousands of years the acceptance of government force, to rule over the people, at the sacrifice of liberty, was considered moral and the only available option for achieving peace and prosperity.

What could be more utopian than that myth—considering the results especially looking at the state sponsored killing, by nearly every government during the 20th Century, estimated to be in the hundreds of millions.  It’s time to reconsider this grant of authority to the state.

No good has ever come from granting monopoly power to the state to use aggression against the people to arbitrarily mold human behavior.  Such power, when left unchecked, becomes the seed of an ugly tyranny.  This method of governance has been adequately tested, and the results are in: reality dictates we try liberty.

The idealism of non-aggression and rejecting all offensive use of force should be tried.  The idealism of government sanctioned violence has been abused throughout history and is the primary source of poverty and war.  The theory of a society being based on individual freedom has been around for a long time.  It’s time to take a bold step and actually permit it by advancing this cause, rather than taking a step backwards as some would like us to do.

Today the principle of habeas corpus, established when King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215, is under attack. There’s every reason to believe that a renewed effort with the use of the internet that we can instead advance the cause of liberty by spreading an uncensored message that will serve to rein in government authority and challenge the obsession with war and welfare.

What I’m talking about is a system of government guided by the moral principles of peace and tolerance.

The Founders were convinced that a free society could not exist without a moral people.  Just writing rules won’t work if the people choose to ignore them.  Today the rule of law written in the Constitution has little meaning for most Americans, especially those who work in Washington DC.

Benjamin Franklin claimed “only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”  John Adams concurred:  “Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

A moral people must reject all violence in an effort to mold people’s beliefs or habits.

A society that boos or ridicules the Golden Rule is not a moral society.  All great religions endorse the Golden Rule.  The same moral standards that individuals are required to follow should apply to all government officials.  They cannot be exempt.

The ultimate solution is not in the hands of the government.

The solution falls on each and every individual, with guidance from family, friends and community.

The #1 responsibility for each of us is to change ourselves with hope that others will follow.  This is of greater importance than working on changing the government; that is secondary to promoting a virtuous society.  If we can achieve this, then the government will change.

It doesn’t mean that political action or holding office has no value. At times it does nudge policy in the right direction. But what is true is that when seeking office is done for personal aggrandizement, money or power, it becomes useless if not harmful. When political action is taken for the right reasons it’s easy to understand why compromise should be avoided. It also becomes clear why progress is best achieved by working with coalitions, which bring people together, without anyone sacrificing his principles.

Political action, to be truly beneficial, must be directed toward changing the hearts and minds of the people, recognizing that it’s the virtue and morality of the people that allow liberty to flourish.

The Constitution or more laws per se, have no value if the people’s attitudes aren’t changed.

To achieve liberty and peace, two powerful human emotions have to be overcome.  Number one is “envy” which leads to hate and class warfare.  Number two is “intolerance” which leads to bigoted and judgmental policies.  These emotions must be replaced with a much better understanding of love, compassion, tolerance and free market economics. Freedom, when understood, brings people together. When tried, freedom is popular.

The problem we have faced over the years has been that economic interventionists are swayed by envy, whereas social interventionists are swayed by intolerance of habits and lifestyles. The misunderstanding that tolerance is an endorsement of certain activities, motivates many to legislate moral standards which should only be set by individuals making their own choices. Both sides use force to deal with these misplaced emotions. Both are authoritarians. Neither endorses voluntarism.  Both views ought to be rejected.

I have come to one firm conviction after these many years of trying to figure out “the plain truth of things.”  The best chance for achieving peace and prosperity, for the maximum number of people world-wide, is to pursue the cause of LIBERTY.

If you find this to be a worthwhile message, spread it throughout the land.

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Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.

George Washington's Farewell Address and Where We Are Today

"But a solicitude for your welfare...and the apprehension of danger, natural to that solicitude, urge me...to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments; which are the result of much reflection, of no inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me all important to the permanency of your felicity as a People."

--George Washington in his Farewell Address to the People of the United States (1796)

Our first President, a man who pledged his Life, his Honor, and his Fortune to secure for us a nation wherein we could safely enjoy our God-given rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, left us with a series of warnings upon his voluntarily departure from the office of the Presidency.  These warnings did not come from any normal man, but from someone who had lived under tyranny and therefore understood its seductive quality and the oppression it brings to the people.

George Washington was a man who took up arms against the most powerful empire on the planet to free his people from this tyranny.  He was a man who was the first to administer the executive branch of a brand new form of government, designed to protect the liberties of its people.  He knew it would forever face enemies who would seek to arrest the freedoms of the people and restore power to the hands of a few.  He was a man who lived his life amongst a group of national leaders who had spent long hours studying human government and designing, discussing, and debating the new republic they were to create.

George Washington is someone who should be heeded.

Looking back at his thoughts on how to preserve our hard-won liberties, where do we stand today?  Have we as Americans been successful keeping the threats at bay, or have we violated his guidance and, whether consciously or unconsciously, taken the return path to tyranny?  Let us look at his advice, point by point, and consider where we are as a nation today.

1. The Union.  "The Unity of Government which constitutes you one people...is a main Pillar in the Edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home; your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very Liberty which you so highly prize.  But...much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth..."  He advised us to "indignantly [frown] upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our Country from the rest..."  He also warns that "To the efficacy and permanency of your Union, a Government for the whole is indispensable.  No alliances however strict between the parts can be an adequate substitute."  He states that "your Union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty, and that the love of the one ought to endear to you the preservation of the other...the continuance of the Union as a primary object of Patriotic desire."

PASS.  We have effectively preserved our Union through the years, which provides the main pillar of strength at home to preserve our liberties.  A strong Union provides a bulwark against foreign adversaries who constantly seek to pick us apart, turn the parts against each other, and destroy our nation piece by piece. However, our Union could be torn asunder by the factionalism and Spirit of Party that have infected this nation, which will be discussed in points to follow.  Should our Union be weakened in the slightest, our enemies will be sure to exploit it.

2. Overgrown Military Establishments.  Because of the greater security the unity of the nation provides against external danger, we can therefore "avoid the necessity of those overgrown Military establishments, which under any form of Government are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty..."

FAIL.  Since the conclusion of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, the United States has maintained a very large military in response to the fear of external threats.  A constant threat of attack causes the people to be more apt to give up their rights in return for supposed protection by the government (The Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act are cases in point.).  Some thinkers believe that a perpetual state of war is necessary to ensure the people's allegiance to their nation (see "The Report from Iron Mountain" study).  High levels of military spending gives the government control over a large part of the national economy, enriches and empowers the banks and military-industrial complex, and supports the continued rationale for a permanent tax on the population through both income tax and inflation.  Finally, this military force can be turned on the people should the wrong individual occupy the Oval Office.

3. The Sacred Obligation to Follow the Constitution.  "The basis of our political system is the right of the people to make and to alter their Constitutions of Government.  But the Constitution which at any time exists, 'til changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole People, is sacredly obligatory to all."

FAIL.  Our leaders do not believe they have a sacred obligation to support, follow, and defend the Constitution, even though they have sworn oaths to do so.  Presidents such as Woodrow Wilson believed the Constitution needs to evolve in its meaning to remain up-to-date in changing times.  We have Justices on the Supreme Court who believe the Constitution is no longer relevant in this age.  Every branch of our government, both past and present, actively seek and find ways to circumvent and undermine that which the Constitution dictates.  Most concerning are the powers being abrogated by the Congress and given to the Executive Branch by such laws as the War Powers Act which essentially gives the President the ability to declare war.  Congress passes a great number of laws that should be handled at the State, local, or individual levels as per the 10th Amendment of the Constitution.  All are essentially "work-arounds" to the limits purposefully imposed on our form of government by the Constitution.

4. Obstructions to the Execution of Laws.  "All obstructions to the execution of the Laws...with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the Constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle and of fatal tendency.  They serve to organize faction...to put in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party; often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the Community....  However combinations...of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the Power of the People, and to usurp for themselves the reins of Government..."

FAIL.  We have an Executive Branch that refuses to enforce the laws passed by the Legislative Branch and makes laws through Executive Directive and regulation, and a Judicial Branch that legislates.  These are done to advance the agenda of particular parties in contravention to the will of the people.

5.  The "Spirit of Innovation" Undermining the Constitution.  "Towards the preservation of your Government...it is requisite, not only that you discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles however specious the pretexts.  One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown."

FAIL.  We have presidents calling for a Second Bill of Rights, a New Deal, a Great Society, and Hope and Change, all with grand ideas for social perfection that goes against the Constitution in its current form and will eventually lead to the establishment of tyranny in this nation.

6. The Danger of Political Parties.  "Let me now...warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party....  It exists under different shapes in all Governments...but in those of popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy.  The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetuated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.  The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an Individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty....  It serves always to distract the Public Councils and enfeeble the Public administration.  It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.  It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption..."

FAIL.  In America today we are strictly limited to a two-party system with each party appearing to occupy diametrically opposed positions.  However, should those who hold great wealth and power "back both horses," they will control the agenda of both parties and wield great power over our nation no matter who is elected.  We are limited to the establishment's set of choices, where any voice outside of the established parties, no matter how right for the nation, cannot be heard.  This is even a greater threat today as the Executive Branch holds so much power that it was not originally designed to have.  But because it does, we cringe at the thought of who from the "other side"may occupy it, and anxiously await the day when "the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty."

7. The Separation of Powers.  "It is important...that the habits of thinking in a free Country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective Constitutional spheres....  If in the opinion of the People, the distribution or modification of the Constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates.  But let there be no change by usurpation..."

FAIL.  The Executive and Judicial branches have succeeded in gathering more power to themselves at the cost of the Legislative Branch and the Constitution.  The Federal Government as a whole has taken upon itself the powers relegated to the States and the People not relegated to it by the Constitution.

8. The Importance of Religion and Morality.  "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports.  ...reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

FAIL.  We have perverted "freedom of religion" to mean the "separation of church and state," which essentially means "freedom from religion."  The Christian faith is being persecuted in America, driving the religion out of the public square and underground.  Carnality is being celebrated openly in public.  We have slaughtered millions of our children so that we can have "freedom of choice."

9. National Debt.  "One method of preserving [public credit] is to use it as sparingly as possible; avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of Peace to discharge the Debts which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear."

FAIL.  Our entire monetary system depends upon the creation of debt.  The more debt sold by the Federal Government, the more money the Federal Reserve can put into circulation.  The National Debt is increasing exponentially, with absolutely no plan to slow it down, let alone reverse the trend.  Economic collapse is imminent.

10. Foreign Relations.  "Observe good faith and justice towards all Nations.  Cultivate peace and harmony with all.  ...to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a People always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence.  Who can doubt that in the course of time and things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it?  ...The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave.  ...The Nation, prompted by ill will and resentment impels to War the Government, contrary to the best calculations of policy.  ...Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest, in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and Wars of the latter, without adequate inducement or justification....  And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favorite Nation) facility to betray, or sacrifice the interests of their own country....  Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence..., the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake...  The Great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign Nations is in our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connections as possible.  ...'Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances."

FAIL.  Our President is called the "Leader of the Free World," a burden which requires that we continually look to shape the world in our image.  We meddle in the internal affairs of other nations, and even go so far as to create reasons to go to war, such as in Iraq.  Our government is infiltrated with foreign operatives, as in the case of the Muslim Brotherhood.  We have carved up the world into "Combatant Commands" so that we have the command and control in place to "solve problems" anywhere in the world.  Our nation has become an empire, and an imperial power tends to dominate other nations instead of showing them good faith and justice.

11.  Foreign Commerce.  "But even our commercial policy should hold an equal and impartial hand: neither seeking nor granting exclusive favors or preferences...'tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its Independence for whatever it may accept under that character..."

FAIL.  Two items that seem to violate this thought are free trade agreements and granting most favored nation status.

Conclusion.  With our nation failing to follow the advice of our first President in all but one category, how can that last category not fall as well with all its pillars removed?  We must immediately seek to restore our nation to its original founding and purpose, lest we risk losing it altogether and witness the return of tyranny.

--Against All Enemies

Disclaimer: These opinions are solely my own, and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of any United States Government agency, organization or department.