The Constitution and an old piece of paper

I had a conversation with a friend about the importance of our Constitution the other day. It didn't take long for him to begin to criticize our founding fathers for their character flaws and moral shortcomings. It wasn't that he thought the Constitution wasn't important, he simply reasoned that we shouldn't be so grounded in something so out of date and potentially incapable of solving today's problems. We should be willing to progress beyond the Constitution, he said. He then used his criticism of our founding fathers to scoff at the notion that we should revere the Constitution as something sacred.

Somewhere, a progressive liberal smiled.

Is the Constitution really just an old piece of paper, drafted for a different people in a different time? For those of us who do revere it, are we really being held back from some better future, one that has evolved past our founding father's vision? Should we view the Constitution as a timeless anchor, rooted in unchangeable principles or a breathable document, open to free interpretation? These are important questions. It is abundantly clear that our country's education system believes it has an answer to those questions. For a long time now our schools have worked very hard to destroy the reputation of our founding fathers. You see, the educators understand that if you can discredit the messenger, you can discredit the message. And if you can discredit the message, you can replace it with whatever one you want.

(But it's a one way street. Don't believe me? Just try to discredit Martin Luther King Jr's accomplishments by pointing out his moral shortcomings. See how far that gets you.)

The larger picture here, the one that extends beyond our schools, is progressivism. It is a plague that has destroyed more than one society over the course of human history, and it has been actively working towards our destruction for some time. Progressives understand that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of them achieving their radical transformation of this country is our Constitution. So, they have devised a very strategic plan. It involves a subtle attack, a slow whittling away of the reputation of everyone involved in its conception. It involves asking questions that attempt to out date the Constitution, seeking to prove its irrelevancy and inability to hold timeless value.

Here is a classic argument: The Constitution was drafted in a time where the problems of today's society would have been impossible to foresee, and therefore impossible to solve. We have to understand that the Constitution serves a purpose but we can't expect it to always be relevant. And here is another, very common one: The Constitution was designed to evolve and change over the years. A process for amendments was specifically included, and this proves that it should be seen as a breathable document, open for interpretation.

The problem is that both of these arguments (and others like them) fail to recognize that you can hold to a constant set of principles and yet apply them in very different ways depending on the situation. But progressives aren't interested in the core principles that create the foundation for the Constitution (you know, like personal liberty and limited government). That is why you will never see them try to amend the Constitution. Adding amendments could never serve their purposes because it would be admitting that the constitution is relevant and it would reaffirm the principles upon which the Constitution rests.

In the end, the Constitution isn't about dealing with events, it is about dealing with human nature. It isn't a handbook for solving problems, it is a guide that lays forth a specific set of principles. The scary thing is, we used to be fairly united as a country around those principles and disagreements would come only with their application, but now we are now fighting against an enemy that wants nothing to do with anything the Constitution stands for.

So returning to my friend, I say that the very fact that so many imperfect men with differing opinions were able to come together and draft a document that has withstood the test of time, become a standard by which all other countries' constitutions are compared to, and allowed thirteen poor colonies to become the greatest and most prosperous country in the planet means something. I think the fact that it has survived civil war, world war, the threat of nuclear destruction and the ongoing threat of terrorism means something. I think the fact that it has survived the industrial revolution, the high tech revolution, and multiple civil movements that have redefined our society means something. I think the fact that is has survived all of this and still stands strong is a pretty good indicator that founding fathers had a little outside help and perhaps a wider vision than we realize. To presume that we somehow know better is naive and arrogant. The Constitution is not just an old piece of paper, it is the very secret to our success. To revere it as anything less than sacred, and the principles for which it stands as anything less than constant and immovable, would be to simply pave the path to our own destruction.

Founding Father quote of the day

I join cordially in admiring and revering the Constitution of the United States, the result of the collected wisdom of our country. That wisdom has committed to us the important task of proving by example that a government, if organized in all its parts on the Representative principle unadulterated by the infusion of spurious elements, if founded, not in the fears & follies of man, but on his reason, on his sense of right, on the predominance of the social over his dissocial passions, may be so free as to restrain him in no moral right, and so firm as to protect him from every moral wrong.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to Amos Marsh, November 20, 1801

Liberty and Sacrifice

Why is personal freedom such a big deal? Those of us born in this country have grown up with it our entire lives and sometimes I believe we take it for granted more than almost anything else. It doesn't mean as much to us as it should because we don't understand life without it. I am taking a world history class this semester and my eyes have been open to the incredibly rare treasure that is individual liberty.

The fraction of human beings that have ever enjoyed the liberties that we enjoy in this country is incomprehensibly small. Why is this? Why were so many governments incapable of realizing the prosperity that comes with this freedom? Why?? I think because of one, corrupt and selfish men, and two, that it was literally considered absolutely crazy. History teaches us that governments never trusted their own people. They never believed they were capable of self motivated productivity. Because they are inherently lazy, stupid, and selfish they could never be left to their own devices.

There is a reason why history books sometimes call our country a great experiment. The freedoms we fought for were never before granted in such abundance to any other people to ever have lived. How could such a society possibly survive? Well, as we know, it didn't just survive, it thrived. It became the largest super power the world has ever known. A beacon for hope to all other nations. The promised land. And all of this because of one simple principle- individual liberty.

It is because I value individual liberty so much that I revile liberalism so much. Liberalism seeks to limit our personal freedom, and does so through propaganda and taxation. Most of the time, people don't even realize it. Liberalism believes that adopting a superior moral conscience is more important than preserving individual liberty. The collective is more important than the individual. That is why you are told what you should do all the time by them. Don't turn on the A/C, don't drive SUVs, and don't even think about trying to make too much money. Oh, and of course you are "free" to do whatever you want, but if we don't like what you are doing we will just tax the heck out of it. What kind of liberty is this?

The propaganda machine put in place by our White House seeks to convince us that all of this is done under the noble principle of sacrifice. We have to sacrifice or wants, our lifestyles, and our freedom for the greater good. I reject this. It is as un-American as socialism. It is an insult to our constitution and to our founding fathers. It scares me to death to think about what possible roads this thinking can lead to. No one seems to even flinch when our President roles out the most massive spending plan ever conceived and then tells us that we will need to make sacrifices. Wake up, people!

How is this happening? Because of fear. That is why anyone ever gives up any amount of liberty. We have been successfully convinced that we are incapable of solving our own problems (remember the whole lazy, stupid, and selfish thing?). What choice are we then left with but to surrender our liberty to the The Federal Government so as to save ourselves? From bailouts to regulations to taxation, it all boils down to the principle that Obama and his liberal gang subscribe to and live by- that this country would be better if they had more power and we had less.

I don't think we fully realize the terrible, and actual, sacrifice we are making by surrendering our liberty to them. Forcing people to do what you think is correct is never worth the cost of them losing their liberty. I don't care if you want a Prius, don't drink from plastic water bottles, don't drive SUVs, refuse to participate in capitalism, and want to give all your money to the government. But as soon as you think that I should be forced to do any of those things, either by law or by taxation, then you and I have a serious problem. We are blind to what is happening because we still think of bondage in terms of chains and whips. Yet, unchecked, the type of bondage we are willingly (even gleefully) submitting ourselves to now could lead to much worse. As for me, give me liberty or give me death.

Charity and Welfare

I write today something that I am extremely passionate about, something that goes to the very core of political philosophy and fundamentally divides liberalism from conservatism. I think that it is safe to say that all Americans want those in need to be provided the necessities of life. We don't want anyone to go hungry or homeless. We are a compassionate people. I would even argue that we are the most compassionate people on the planet.

Our country was established on the principles of limited government and personal freedom. Our founding father's believed that we as a people would take care of ourselves and reach out to those in need. And so a tradition began that turned into the largest force of private charities the world has ever seen. Both domestic and abroad, no other country is home to so many non-profit organizations. I believe it is one our core values as a people and as country to be charitable.

Two nights ago, President Obama confirmed that he will be lowering the percent of charitable donations that can be deducted from taxes for the top income brackets. This decision sent a message to all America, a message that says private charities are not as important as government welfare. It comes with an assumption that liberalism holds about our very nature, that we as Americans are unable to take care of our own, that only through massive government social programs can these people be helped.

Now, of course most people will still give just as much to charity as they ever have. But not all will, because not all will be able to afford it. And more than anything it is a huge slap in the face to all our wonderful non-profit organizations. President Obama is telling them that they aren't as important anymore. President Obama is wrong. Compared to government welfare programs, charities are exponentially more efficient at allocating donations directly to the people who need them. They are much better at ensuring responsible use of the donations, so that they are not abused and wasted like so much of our government welfare is. In short, they represent everything that is great about our country and everything that conservatism stands for- the people.

Private charities exemplify the idea of personal freedom. With private charities I have the freedom to choose who I give to and how much I give. If I don't like the way they are using my hard earned money, I can simply stop giving to them and find another worthy cause. Government welfare affords no such freedom. They don't care if I don't like the way my money is spent and I don't have a choice about how much I give. That ability to choose is so important. It makes us feel like we are in control of our money and that empowers us to give even more. And American want to give, of this I am sure.

This is simply a strategic move by the Obama administration to find reason and reason again to expand government and take power which it has no right to have. By forcing charitable donations to decline through manipulation of our tax code, they are creating more need for welfare and more justification for the implementation of unnecessary programs. Why liberals think so poorly of the American people I do not understand. But they are wrong about us. We can take care of one another, if only the government would get out of our way and let us prosper.

What do you think?

Common Sense and Americans

I know I have been delinquent in my posting, which I hope to find time to change, so I bring everyone some good news. As the true socialist agendas of President Obama and Speaker Pelosi continue to emerge, it looks like Americans are beginning to wake up. Here are some statistics (from Gallup) to show a few very positive trends:

-More Americans than ever believe that the media reports of global warming is exaggerated (41%) versus those who believe it is underestimated (28%) and the rest who believe the media is accurate. In conjunction with this, a staggering 60% of Americans believe that global warming is not a threat to their lives.

-More Americans believe that the government is doing too much (47%) than too little (42%) with the rest being mixed. And more Americans think that the government has too much power (50%) than not enough (13%).

-Americans are not happy with and do not see improvements as the result of the enormous stimulus bill passed three weeks ago. The Gallup "Consumer Mood Index" has fallen 5 points this past week alone. Gallup points out that given the unprecedented effort to boost the economy, there should have been a significant boost in consumer psychology by now.

I think we are a long way from seeing Americans really start to wake up, but I believe that it starting to happen. I believe in the American people. We are smart, compassionate, and have a long history of exercising that one thing we need above anything else right now- common sense.