Founding Fathers Of Our New Country - Part2
Politics / US Politics Sep 28, 2009 - 03:26 PM GMTBy: James_Quinn
Civil Liberties
George Washington warned against the usurpation of civil liberties by those seeking power in his Farewell Address:
“However combinations or associations 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; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
It is important, likewise, 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, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositories, and constituting each the Guardian of the Public Weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them.”
The Constitution addressed the civil liberties of citizens in the Bill of Rights:
First Amendment - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment - A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Fourth Amendment - The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Tenth Amendment - 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.
Americans have chosen to trade their civil liberties for the safety and security of a military welfare state. We have allowed the Federal government to overtake a vast slice of our lives. Between financial bailouts and the economic stimulus program, Federal government spending accounts for 26% of the nation’s economy. The government is financing 9 out of 10 new mortgages in the United States. If you buy a car from General Motors, you are buying from a company that is 60% owned by the government. Politicians are now trying to swell their power over all citizens by taking over the healthcare system after seizing control of the banking system in the last year. The liberal media ridicules and scorns the Americans who have been exercising their First Amendment right to peaceably assemble and protest this overreach of government. Liberal biased commentators condemn the citizens speaking out at town hall meetings. Left wing politicians spew lies about potential violence and racism against Obama coming from these angry American citizens. Right wing neo-con commentators like Sean Hannity try to latch onto the protests, even though most of the protestors would spit in his face if they could. The agendas of the extreme left and extreme right both infringe upon the civil liberties of American citizens. If our freedom of speech and freedom of expression in print and on the internet are taken away, a totalitarian state is not far behind.
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” – George Washington
“All initiation of force is a violation of someone else's rights, whether initiated by an individual or the state, for the benefit of an individual or group of individuals, even if it's supposed to be for the benefit of another individual or group of individuals.” – Ron Paul
Those who control the reins of power do not trust the citizens. They want to easily manipulate the sedated masses with their message using their controlled corporate mass media. Having taken over the public school system decades ago, government has worked its magic and graduates millions of functionally illiterate drones into society every year. More than 50% of these morons don’t know that George Washington was the 1st President of the United States and is the guy on the quarters jingling in their pocket. The ignorance of a huge portion of the American population has resulted in a decline of freedom and liberty over time.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." – Thomas Jefferson
When the government starts to infringe upon the citizen’s Second Amendment rights, the time will be nearing for a Second American Revolution. There are now shortages of guns and ammunition in the U.S. Two thirds of the public believe that Obama will restrict gun ownership. He has stated that intention. The Second Amendment is very clear, but Obama will interpret it any way he chooses because he is in power. The Nazis imposed strict gun control measures shortly after Hitler came to power. The lambs complied. We all know what happened next. In the first chapter of his book, Freedom Under Siege, Ron Paul argued that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to place a check on government tyranny, not to merely grant hunting rights or allow self defense. When forced to choose between the wisdom of George Washington and Barack Hussein Obama, I think it is an easy choice. Who uses the weasel words?
“Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth.” – George Washington
“As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t constrain the exercise of that right, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.” – Barack Obama
The neo-cons who dominated the administration of George W. Bush seized the 9/11 terrorist attack as a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the world. In doing so, they have used fear, visions of mushroom clouds, and promises of protection and safety to convince the American people to give up their few remaining civil liberties. The Patriot Act was rammed down our throats in the months following 9/11. Anyone who would vote against such a bill was branded un-patriotic. It passed the Senate by a vote of 98 to 1. It passed the House by 357 to 66. Only 3 Republicans voted against The Patriot Act. Three Republicans had the courage to stand up for the Constitution. Ron Paul, from Texas, was one of them. His belief cannot be any clearer:
"Everything we have done in response to the 9-11 attacks, from the Patriot Act to the war in Iraq, has reduced freedom in America."
The role of government is to protect American citizens’ privacy, not violate it. Since 9/11 all American citizens are considered suspect until proven otherwise by some bureaucratic thug in the Department of Homeland Security. The Eye (think Mordor) of the U.S. government is focused inwards towards its own citizens under the guise of protecting us from unknown bogeymen terrorists. We are no safer, with less freedom, and buried under more debt. Mr. Paul’s reasoning and adherence to the Constitution of the United States is so sane that it seems insane to the criminals running our asylum (aka government) today. We live in a bizzaro world where doing the opposite of what we should be doing is considered the right thing to do. Liberty is not some antiquated concept in the ether of history. Liberty is freedom from arbitrary or despotic control, allowing for the enjoyment of social, economic, and political rights and privileges. President Washington and Representative Paul seem to be reading from the same Constitution.
“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness. It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it.” – George Washington
“Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.” – Ron Paul
Economics
Amazingly, after reading George Washington’s (home schooled and suffering from really bad teeth) advice regarding the use of public debt, I think he would have made a better Federal Reserve Chairman than Helicopter Ben Bernanke, with his BA from Harvard and PhD from MIT, and perfect teeth. This military man, in his Farwell Address to the American people, advised the country to cultivate peace with all countries, therefore not incurring debt to fight wars. Surpluses should be built up in times of peace in order to pay the costs of unavoidable wars (not pre-emptive wars of aggression). Our representatives are responsible for the proper fiscal management of the country, but the public must be vigilant in policing the representatives. Washington saw taxes as an unpleasant but necessary evil. The way to keep taxes low was to keep spending under control. With our $11.9 TRILLION National Debt and 67,000 page IRS tax code, I think we have gone slightly off track.
“As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it 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 burthen, which we ourselves ought to bear. The execution of these maxims belongs to your representatives, but it is necessary that public opinion should cooperate.
To facilitate to them the performance of their duty, it is essential that you should practically bear in mind, that towards the payment of debts there must be Revenue; that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant; that the intrinsic embarrassment, inseparable from the selection of the proper objects (which is always a choice of difficulties), ought to be a decisive motive for a candid construction of the conduct of the government in making it, and for a spirit of acquiescence in the measures for obtaining revenue, which the public exigencies may at any time dictate.”
- The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
- To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
- To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
Congress has done a phenomenal job in taxing, spending and borrowing. Nobody does it better. They should get a Congressional gold medal for taxing, spending and borrowing. Up until 1913, the government was limited in their ability to spend because there was no personal income tax and the currency of the United States was backed by hard assets. Woodrow Wilson and Congressmen, under the control of the banking cartel, created the Federal Reserve and the personal income tax in 1913. The unleashing of politicians from any constraints on their spending has led to a predictable result. The US dollar has lost 97% of its value versus gold since 1913. The U.S. National Debt was $2.9 billion in 1913. Today, it is $11.9 TRILLION, a mere 400,000% increase in 96 years. That is the good news. President Obama plans to add at least another $9 TRILLION to our debt in the next 10 years. That is the actual plan. Can you picture George Washington spinning in his grave?
“When the federal government spends more each year than it collects in tax revenues, it has three choices: It can raise taxes, print money, or borrow money. While these actions may benefit politicians, all three options are bad for average Americans.” – Ron Paul
“Deficits mean future tax increases, pure and simple. Deficit spending should be viewed as a tax on future generations, and politicians who create deficits should be exposed as tax hikers.” – Ron Paul
There goes that crazy Ron Paul again stirring up trouble. Doesn’t this guy realize that if we adhered to sound money policies, had a hard asset backed currency, and spent only as much as we brought in, the existing political structure and its corporate, banker, and military backers would collapse? This would cause turmoil and heartache for the ruling power elite. They might have to sell one of their 6 estates. Ron Paul would abolish the Federal Reserve and the IRS. The Federal Reserve is a secret organization controlled by bankers to enrich bankers and allow politicians to get re-elected by bribing their constituents with goodies. Our system is no more capitalist than that of the Soviet Union.
“A system of capitalism presumes sound money, not fiat money manipulated by a central bank. Capitalism cherishes voluntary contracts and interest rates that are determined by savings, not credit creation by a central bank.” – Ron Paul
True capitalism is the antithesis of what the power elite want. This kind of talk puts bankers and politicians into convulsions as their levers of power would be stripped away. Paul has stated: "I agree on getting rid of the IRS, but I want to replace it with nothing, not another tax.” The financially retarded pundits who question Paul’s stance can’t comprehend dismantling of the vast all encompassing Federal Government bureaucracy. They argue that the country would be plunged into Depression. What do they call what we are in today? Rather than conclude that the gig is up and that running up huge deficits in order to police the world and provide welfare benefits to the 50% of the population that does not pay income taxes, Obama and Bernanke have decided to double down. Their solution is to double the National Debt, greatly expand the welfare state, and continue to police the world. Does anyone really think it is going to work? Bankruptcy is a certainty.
“My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty... it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein.” – George Washington
That George Washington was quite a card. He truly understood how efficient our government would become in the next two centuries. When he occupied the position of President, the entire government consisted of a couple thousand workers. Today, the Federal government spends in excess of $3 TRILLION per year and employs in excess of 4 million drones. There are 140 million Americans employed today and 22 million of them work in government jobs. Nearly one in six working Americans is on the government payroll. Millions more are dependent upon the government to provide them welfare benefits, food stamps, insurance benefits, and pension benefits. Over 50% of Americans don’t pay income taxes. What is the likelihood that these leeches will be voting for candidates that propose sound money, low taxes, dramatically reduced domestic spending, and termination of our global empire?
Call out the instigator
Because there’s something in the air
We’ve got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolutions here
And you know it’s right
And you know that its right
We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now
Something in the Air – Tom Petty
There is the smell of revolution in the air. The mainstream media doesn’t get it. The 15 term Congressmen don’t get it. The doddering old fool Robert Byrd doesn’t get it. We’ve entered a twenty year crisis period that cycles through history every 80 years or so. The short-sighted non-thinking pundits actually think we are coming out of the crisis, when it has barely begun. The crisis period is always a time of pain, suffering and usually armed conflict. The details are unknown, but the broad outline is known. Existing institutions will be torn down. Many will die. Heroes will be required. The generations are moving into new life phases and their attitudes and beliefs will heavily influence the path of this crisis. Will we experience World War III? Will civil unrest and insurrection breakout in the U.S.? Will U.S. Troops be commanded to fire on U.S. citizens? Might they turn their guns on those giving the commands? This sounds extremely far-fetched. Yes it does. It sounds as far-fetched as someone telling Abraham Lincoln on April 12, 1861, as Fort Sumpter was being shelled, that 620,000 Americans would die in the next four years of Civil War. It sounds as farfetched as telling Herbert Hoover on October 24, 1929 that the stock market would crash 89% in the next 3 years, a Depression with unemployment reaching 25% would last 12 years, and a World War would ensue causing the deaths of 73 million people and ending with the detonation of two atomic bombs.
I’ve slowly come to the conclusion that the country cannot be put back on track using the ballot box. The entrenched special interests control all the levers of power. The Republican and Democratic parties are essentially interchangeable. They are controlled by the extreme right and left wings of their parties. The neo-cons on the right have no interest in balancing budgets or restraining government. They want to use the power of our immense military to remake the world in the image of the United States. They utilize the term “strategic interest” to rationalize any foreign military venture that suits them. A bunch of flea bitten rag heads in the most godforsaken country on earth are a threat in these people’s eyes. The left wing liberal welfare statists have never come across a program to redistribute wealth from the hard working middle class to the non-working shiftless, lazy uneducated masses, that they didn’t favor. The printing of money by the Federal Reserve, massive deficit spending and higher taxes support their agendas.
Ron Paul will never get elected President of the United States. His message is not sellable to the American public. It would require sacrifice, self discipline, living within your means, exhibiting humbleness in foreign policy, and following the Constitution of the United States. He will not be elected, but he can become the intellectual founding father of the new country that comes out on the other side of this crisis. His noble stand for the principles of the U.S. Constitution will lead us through the Second American Revolution. The Ron Paul inspired Campaign for Liberty is using grassroots efforts to get like minded citizens elected to local offices. This is a worthwhile effort, but I fear we don’t have enough time to acquire enough political power before the existing debt induced, corrupt system collapses under the weight of its lies and mismanagement. It will surprise many, just as the collapse of the Soviet Union came as a complete bombshell.
When the system collapses, no one knows what will happen. Do the frightened masses turn to a strong dictator, choosing safety and slavery over liberty and freedom? It is entirely possible. This is where those who believe in the Constitution can make our stand. We already have the document and the principles of government. We just need to adhere to and reinstitute them. Now is the time to join up with groups of like minded citizens. Meet regularly and discuss the real issues. Develop relationships with these people. When the shit hits the fan, they will be there to support you. Having like minded groups communicating in person and through the internet today could set the groundwork for the new country. Ideas are what drive revolutions. The collapse of the U.S. dollar is likely to be the trigger for the systematic collapse. It makes tremendous sense to be trading your future worthless pieces of paper for real money today. As the government sees the imminent collapse, they will become more desperate. Acquiring guns legally today is a good insurance policy for what might happen in the future.
The mainstream media will continue to ridicule those who fight for the Constitution. Ron Paul is just a man. He is no savior. It’s his ideas that matter. George Washington was just a man. He was a man who gave everything for his country. Are you ready to get out of your SUV and fight for the Constitution? The time is near at hand.
The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves. – George Washington
Join me at www.TheBurningPlatform.com to discuss truth and the future of our country.
By James Quinn
James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and university in his 22-year career. Those positions included treasurer, controller, and head of strategic planning. He is married with three boys and is writing these articles because he cares about their future. He earned a BS in accounting from Drexel University and an MBA from Villanova University. He is a certified public accountant and a certified cash manager.
These articles reflect the personal views of James Quinn. They do not necessarily represent the views of his employer, and are not sponsored or endorsed by his employer.
© 2009 Copyright James Quinn - All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.
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