As a beginning to my blogging endeavor, however long that lasts, I thought it would be good to provide a baseline for my political beliefs. I will try to be succinct.
The Founding:
I believe the founding of the United States of America was accomplished by a diverse group of, in many cases, reluctant patriots. Men who would rather have continued to live out their private lives in peace were, however, compelled to action by the tyranny of the British Crown. These men, laying it all on the line, became traitors against their own country, the most powerful nation on earth, to throw off the shackles of injustice and create a new and better system of government. These were learned men who studied the classic writers of democracy and liberty. The Founding Fathers risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to the cause of Liberty.
The Constitution:
I believe the Constitution of the United States of America is THE bedrock document of our republic. This is not a “living document” in the sense that it can be interpreted differently by people of different times. It is the foundational law on which all federal law is based and must be followed as it was written and intended to maintain our freedom.
The Constitution is a timeless document that speaks to the essence of governmental power and the source of that power…We the People. If we leave it open to the whim of contemporary interpretation or allow it to become corrupted over time through judicial precedent, it loses its power to do what it was always intended to do…protect us from the power of an out-of-control central government. Just as heresies against the Christian faith begin with a corruption of the Bible, so the corruption of the Constitution is the beginning of political heresy.
The Federal Government:
The federal government is restricted by the constitution to a very narrow role in our lives. It has grown in power and influence through the design of power-hungry people and the neglect of the electorate. As centralized governments become more powerful, they have always become more corrupt. We must return to the Constitution as our base and limit the power of this juggernaut before it is too late…if it is not already too late.
State’s Rights:
I believe that the States have the right to resist the Federal Government when that body over steps its Constitutional bounds. I believe in the Tenth Amendment which says “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
During the process of ratification, three states (New York, Virginia, and Rhode Island) asserted that, being sovereign states, they had the right to secede from the union. The common understanding at the time was that the United States of America was a confederation of sovereign states and not a monolithic government. This understanding was under attack from the beginning with big government advocates always pressing for more and more centralized power. Today, the tables have completely turned and the States are to the Federal government like mere counties are to the states.
Taxes:
We, those of us who pay taxes, pay way too much. We are worse than serfs, who only owed one quarter of their production to their feudal lords.
Race and Culture:
I am not a racist! In fact, I believe that Race is an artificial construct built on the most superficial of issues…appearance. I believe there is one race, the Human Race and though we have various differences in appearance, we are all created equal.
I am however a “culturist.” I do not believe that all cultures are created equal! A culture that stones women for talking to a man or a culture that is built around gang violence are not the same and are, yes I will say it, inferior to the Judeo-Christian Western Culture. Multi-culturalism that teaches that all cultures are equal is a pox on society!
Separation of Church and State:
The Constitution spells out that the government cannot create a state church, as Britian did with the Church of England. It does not say that those of religious belief, no matter what religion that is, cannot, through constitutionally proscribed methods, participate in government.
The Constitution also guarantees the free exercise and expression of religion. It in no way empowers government to limit religious expression or the display of religious symbols such as a manger scene or menorah.
The term “separation of church and state” is not found anywhere in the Constitution.
Republicans and Democrats:
Not much difference between these parties any more. In the last election a good friend of mine said that he was voting for the Democrat, John McCain…Obama he considered the Communist candidate.
Republicans need to return to their conservative roots. Back to the party who freed the slaves, who passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (even though they had strong opposition from the Democrats) and who defeated the Soviet Union and freed Eastern Europe from decades of oppression. They need to be the party of small government, low taxes, ethics and personal responsibility. Then people may be able to see a difference again and their message will resonate amongst the majority of the voting public.
Communism/Socialism:
Communism and Socialism has failed every time it has been tried…from the time of the Mayflower Compact until today. While their tenets sound enticing, they ignore basic human motivations. People must strive to better themselves or earn their own way or they become lazy and unmotivated. If you make everyone the same, no one will strive to succeed because there is no incentive. If you offer limited incentive, you will get limited success.
Communism and Socialism never makes any inroads without a perceived crisis or enemy. To these ends, Communist/Socialist leaders seek to exploit current crisis or invent new ones in order to get the people to turn over their freedom to them. Once the crisis is over, the people always begin to turn away from communism/socialism…unless it is too late and the central power is too firmly entrenched. Eventually, though, it will collapse in the weight of its own mediocracy.
The United States of America:
The United States of America has, to this point been the greatest experiment of human governance ever attempted on earth. It has by no means been perfect, but it has done more good for more people than any other country in the world at any time. It has raised the standard of living for much of the free world, fed the starving and freed the oppressed.
I love this country, with all its warts, and believe that it can remain great if only its people turn from the current path and return to the founding principles.
Oh say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave o’er the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave?
