THE STRINGS THAT BIND US
We are living in a new America these days, an America that has been fundamentally changed from the exceptional republic entrusted to us down through the generations. This gift was paid for again and again, with our people's sacrifice in suffering, deprivation, expensive treasure, and dearest blood.
As much as the current administration might take credit for this change, it has been going on for some time - since the 1800s in fact. The redefinition of state sovereignty through the naked power of the federal government was clearly shown as possible during the civil war. Teddy Roosevelt then took these reins and steered the state further toward centralized power. Woodrow Wilson later took charge of the coach and cracked the whip to get us going even faster away from individual freedoms.
Soon FDR took command, and what with World War II on, the federalization of our lives became a patriotic duty. We quickly lost sight of this radical change, as an unprecedented standard of living was gained through the operation of free market capitalism in our postwar period, giving us time to be introspective and enjoy the freedoms we had left. Since then, regulation has been insidiously encroaching on the tatters of our states' sovereignty and individual freedoms. We may not yet have a totalitarian state, but we can sure see it from here.
Many have awoken from an enjoyable slumber - painted with creature comforts, family pastimes, and personal pursuits to view a powerful government colossus that has broken its Constitutional tethers and lumbers threateningly toward our very liberty. We are at the same time bound fast to the ground, like Gulliver, as the Lilliputians of progressivism, socialism, political correctness, elitism, globalism, thuggery, ignorance, avarice - and all of their cousins, tie us down.
The story goes that if we promise good behavior, and follow the schemes of the “powers that be,” we will be released to enjoy "social justice" and "equality" while we feast on the fruits of the general labor. Never fear, we will be granted scraps to sustain us, from the table of the new American aristocracy, as long as we reaffirm their rulership as we taste each morsel, binding ourselves willingly to their edicts at last. The powdered wigs in Washington chuckle decadently at our weakness and dependence, saying "Let them eat pork!," as their new Versailles shambles on rottenly.
The very idea of federal funding is a carefully crafted con game. The money is put in one pocket by the people, and drawn out of the other as if it came from the government. This money came from, and still belongs to the people of the United States, which they have entrusted to the agency of the federal government, specifically congress, to spend wisely for the general good and common defense. Our situation is much like the executor of a will concocting stipulations on how the family will dispose of their own inheritance.
"How have we allowed this to happen?” we ask ourselves groggily, not a little ashamed - as we wake up to find that we have been sleeping with fascists and parasites under our Constitutional sheets. Dim memories of an American Protective League, a new deal, wagging the dog, the "Patriot" Act, redistributive change, Halliburton and Abu Ghraib swim around in our head, a head about to explode with pain and regret for what we have allowed to happen, along with the nausea that comes with the realization that we have to face our transgressions with courage.
In the words of Frederick Douglass, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue till they have resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they suppress." Across this great country, millions of Americans of all political persuasions and cultural backgrounds are likewise waking up remorsefully, but knowing deep inside they are honorable and capable of helping restore our Republic to the shining example of freedom and liberty that the founders intended it to be. Knowing this, what to do? I’m sure there are many ideas out there, but here are a few ideas to throw into the soup pot....
1) Make a personal commitment to restoring our Constitutional Republic.
-Contribute time, effort, and resources where you can
-Do not tolerate opponents of the Constitution
--Educate where you can.
--Never forfeit your right to participate.
--Resist unconstitutional dogma and emotion with logic,
clear thought, and persuasive effort. Be assertive, not aggressive.
--Don't spend too much time on those that won't listen.
2) Learn as much as you can about our Republic and its care and feeding...
-Read and understand the Declaration of Independence
-Read and understand the Constitution of the United States
-Read the writings of our founders (The Federalist Papers, Common Sense, and others)
-Read important works underpinning Constitutionalist thought (The Bible, Anglo-Saxon
common law, Adam Smith, Solon the Greek, Cicero and natural law, among others.)
-Read post Constitutional works relevant to understanding our current state (some,
though anti-Constitutional, shed light on approaches used by Constitutional opponents.)
-The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World by W. Cleon Skousen
-Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
-American Progressivism by Ronald J. Pestritto
-The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
-Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky
-Fidel Castro Reader (v. 1) by Fidel Castro and David Deutschmann
-Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Change by Jonah Goldberg
-Weimar Germany: The Republic of the Reasonable (New Frontiers in History) by Paul Bookbinder
-The Real George Washington (American Classic Series) by Jay A. Parry
-The Real Thomas Jefferson (American Classic Series) by Andrew M. Allison
-Watch the DVD John Adams (HBO Miniseries) ~ Paul Giamatti, et al.
-I know everyone's busy, but as Thomas Paine said - "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it" Even so, if you can only read one book, read the 5000 Year Leap. I expect it will motivate you to read on, as it did me.
3) Know yourself
-Set your principles and values
-Know your talents and weaknesses
-Find the one thing you will fight for
4) Act on that knowledge (at this point you will realize what needs to be done.)
-Know local and federal issues and peacefully resist or support them as best you can.
-Know local and federal politicians and peacefully resist or support them as best you can.
-Bring all of your talents, values, and motivation to this fight. You will need them.
In closing, consider this: "Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession." - George Washington
As much as the current administration might take credit for this change, it has been going on for some time - since the 1800s in fact. The redefinition of state sovereignty through the naked power of the federal government was clearly shown as possible during the civil war. Teddy Roosevelt then took these reins and steered the state further toward centralized power. Woodrow Wilson later took charge of the coach and cracked the whip to get us going even faster away from individual freedoms.
Soon FDR took command, and what with World War II on, the federalization of our lives became a patriotic duty. We quickly lost sight of this radical change, as an unprecedented standard of living was gained through the operation of free market capitalism in our postwar period, giving us time to be introspective and enjoy the freedoms we had left. Since then, regulation has been insidiously encroaching on the tatters of our states' sovereignty and individual freedoms. We may not yet have a totalitarian state, but we can sure see it from here.
Many have awoken from an enjoyable slumber - painted with creature comforts, family pastimes, and personal pursuits to view a powerful government colossus that has broken its Constitutional tethers and lumbers threateningly toward our very liberty. We are at the same time bound fast to the ground, like Gulliver, as the Lilliputians of progressivism, socialism, political correctness, elitism, globalism, thuggery, ignorance, avarice - and all of their cousins, tie us down.
The story goes that if we promise good behavior, and follow the schemes of the “powers that be,” we will be released to enjoy "social justice" and "equality" while we feast on the fruits of the general labor. Never fear, we will be granted scraps to sustain us, from the table of the new American aristocracy, as long as we reaffirm their rulership as we taste each morsel, binding ourselves willingly to their edicts at last. The powdered wigs in Washington chuckle decadently at our weakness and dependence, saying "Let them eat pork!," as their new Versailles shambles on rottenly.
The very idea of federal funding is a carefully crafted con game. The money is put in one pocket by the people, and drawn out of the other as if it came from the government. This money came from, and still belongs to the people of the United States, which they have entrusted to the agency of the federal government, specifically congress, to spend wisely for the general good and common defense. Our situation is much like the executor of a will concocting stipulations on how the family will dispose of their own inheritance.
"How have we allowed this to happen?” we ask ourselves groggily, not a little ashamed - as we wake up to find that we have been sleeping with fascists and parasites under our Constitutional sheets. Dim memories of an American Protective League, a new deal, wagging the dog, the "Patriot" Act, redistributive change, Halliburton and Abu Ghraib swim around in our head, a head about to explode with pain and regret for what we have allowed to happen, along with the nausea that comes with the realization that we have to face our transgressions with courage.
In the words of Frederick Douglass, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue till they have resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they suppress." Across this great country, millions of Americans of all political persuasions and cultural backgrounds are likewise waking up remorsefully, but knowing deep inside they are honorable and capable of helping restore our Republic to the shining example of freedom and liberty that the founders intended it to be. Knowing this, what to do? I’m sure there are many ideas out there, but here are a few ideas to throw into the soup pot....
1) Make a personal commitment to restoring our Constitutional Republic.
-Contribute time, effort, and resources where you can
-Do not tolerate opponents of the Constitution
--Educate where you can.
--Never forfeit your right to participate.
--Resist unconstitutional dogma and emotion with logic,
clear thought, and persuasive effort. Be assertive, not aggressive.
--Don't spend too much time on those that won't listen.
2) Learn as much as you can about our Republic and its care and feeding...
-Read and understand the Declaration of Independence
-Read and understand the Constitution of the United States
-Read the writings of our founders (The Federalist Papers, Common Sense, and others)
-Read important works underpinning Constitutionalist thought (The Bible, Anglo-Saxon
common law, Adam Smith, Solon the Greek, Cicero and natural law, among others.)
-Read post Constitutional works relevant to understanding our current state (some,
though anti-Constitutional, shed light on approaches used by Constitutional opponents.)
-The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World by W. Cleon Skousen
-Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
-American Progressivism by Ronald J. Pestritto
-The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
-Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky
-Fidel Castro Reader (v. 1) by Fidel Castro and David Deutschmann
-Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Change by Jonah Goldberg
-Weimar Germany: The Republic of the Reasonable (New Frontiers in History) by Paul Bookbinder
-The Real George Washington (American Classic Series) by Jay A. Parry
-The Real Thomas Jefferson (American Classic Series) by Andrew M. Allison
-Watch the DVD John Adams (HBO Miniseries) ~ Paul Giamatti, et al.
-I know everyone's busy, but as Thomas Paine said - "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it" Even so, if you can only read one book, read the 5000 Year Leap. I expect it will motivate you to read on, as it did me.
3) Know yourself
-Set your principles and values
-Know your talents and weaknesses
-Find the one thing you will fight for
4) Act on that knowledge (at this point you will realize what needs to be done.)
-Know local and federal issues and peacefully resist or support them as best you can.
-Know local and federal politicians and peacefully resist or support them as best you can.
-Bring all of your talents, values, and motivation to this fight. You will need them.
In closing, consider this: "Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession." - George Washington
Comment
-
Comment by Jon Watts on January 20, 2010 at 7:46pm -
Angry enough to push hard enough, and not so angry we defeat our own purpose..
-
Comment by Jon Watts on January 20, 2010 at 7:45pm
-
Absolutely right George.
-
Comment by George B. McGinnis on January 20, 2010 at 7:03pm -
Czars, when did we get to the point we needed Czars. All those folks that want Czars need to move to Russia and try living with some. Even the Russian people wouldn't.
Consider this:
"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates."
- Publius Cornelius Tacitus, AD 97, Roman Senator and Consul
If we need to stay angry, well, I think I'm up to that.
Rome had cause to deal with this situation over 2000 years ago.
Hopefully we can learn from history what didn't work before and NOT do it this time.
-
Comment by Jay Thomas on January 20, 2010 at 6:32pm -
Wilson, FDR, Clinton, Bush Jr. and now Barry. Hopefully the current anger directed at the Fed STAYS this time. A republic is the most fragile of all the systems of government. We are the LAST and we have to reclaim it. If we don't, it's the world itself that's at stake. Nothing is more important right now as booting the Elites, Czars and appointees and getting back to what works, not Hope and Change. The people now have to stay angry for a long long time, until things reverse themselves.
-
Comment by Jon Watts on December 18, 2009 at 9:25am
-
Thank you George for taking the time to read this. On the main page there are free links to almost all of the reading. It is hard work, but the more I read, the more I understand how far off track our we have allowed our representatives to get. Here's a quote from one I used to have some respect for - On July 16, 1996, the Senate Committee on Governmental affairs held hearings considering a bill to require Congress to specify for each new law which section of the Constitution gives it authority to pass the law. Sen. Glenn spoke out strongly against this requirement stating, "Why, if we had to do that we could not pass most of the laws we enact around here." We need to get them back on track. Badly.
Merry Christmas, God Bless you and yours,
Jon
-
Comment by George B. McGinnis on December 17, 2009 at 3:17pm
-
Jon, Thanks so much for laying down a guide line for me to make the effort on catching up my education on political history and current matters. Having been totally involved with my vocation and family needs I've spent my life without concern for State and National Politics.
Hungarian politics, circa 1956 is an eye opener. John Adams life struggles to help build the republic was well worth the review. "Old Farmers" has a good list of attributes to consider.
Let's hope and pray we can improve this situation peacefully. Historically there have been great men that worked to establish our government. Correct information is required for the necessary maintenance! And just think, our state was made without TV or computers with spell check.
Hang tough and best wishes!
© 2012 Created by Jon Watts.
You need to be a member of FRP to add comments!
Join FRP