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Title: Jefferson, Government and The People
Source:
Monty Pelerin's World
URL Source: http://www.economicnoise.com/2013/0 ... son-government-and-the-people/
Published: Feb 18, 2013
Author: Monty Pelerin
Post Date: 2013-02-19 19:19:54 by Southern Style
Keywords: None
Views: 91
Comments: 4
Jefferson, Government and The People The Socialist strategy and those who condone it was anticipated from the beginnings of this country. Thomas Jefferson knew what to watch for: The true theory of our Constitution is surely the wisest and best . . . (for) when all government . . . shall be drawn to Washington as the centre of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as . . . oppressive as the government from which we separated. He knew the means that would be used: Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition. Here is more: I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence. Obviously a great consolidation of power has occurred since Jefferson’s time and with it corruption beyond his capacity to imagine, I suspect. Jefferson knew the right way to govern and helped communicate it with his role in developing The Constitution. He knew that: A wise and frugal government … shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government. He also knew: When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. This last quote provides a rather striking marker for where we are today. Does anyone believe that government fears the people? Does anyone believe that people don’t fear their own government? There are innumerable issues of corruption in Washington. None provide a better indication of what has happened to integrity than a couple of incidents on Mr. Obama’s watch. Compare Watergate (a cover-up by President Nixon of actions he did not authorize) to Fast and Furious (a cover-up in which hundreds of people died and likely was authorized by the President) or Benghazi (another cover-up where a US Ambassador died along with three other Embassy personnel, likely as a result of the incompetence of the President). These two examples are indications of the corruption and cowardice in Washington. Watergate was inconsequential in comparison. Yet it was considered so important then that the President was forced to resign. Four decades have passed since Watergate. Today’s ho-hum reaction to much more serious events is an indicator of the change in integrity and ethics of the political class, the media and much of society. Politics now trumps morality. It has become a higher virtue. Republicans were the ones who went to Nixon and told him he had to leave. Republicans today have no conscience nor any courage. Democrats, well let’s not talk about their integrity. The proper approach would be to impeach Obama. Then impeach every Congressman who violated the sacred oath he/she took upon assuming office. That oath and the document behind it is the only thing standing between us and the tyranny and atrocities of the old Soviet Union or Nazi Germany. Proper action is not going to happen, obviously. Nor is there any way that people can force Congress to do the right thing or behave ethically. That point long ago passed. The corruption has metastasized and the country has deteriorated. Congress will never willingly return to the integrity that a representative governing body must have. Nor will they recognize their transgressions. To think otherwise is to think that Stalin or Hitler would relinguish power willingly. Do not misinterpret. No one is being accused of being Stalin or Hitler. Nor have we reached such a depraved state. But we are on the road to such an ending, and there is nothing whatsoever to prevent the slide. The public is powerless and the political class relentless. We will get there at some point. How does it end? Not well I am afraid. Mr. Jefferson knew his contributions to The Constitution were not enough. He understood that a piece of paper would not suffice to beat back the power lust of government: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. He also knew the importance of people being able to defend themselves: The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Do you suppose his last statement has anything to do with the State’s rush to take away guns? I do, and I am not a gun guy. For those of you that are, don’t give them up. You are the only thing that stands between us and an eventual Hitler.
Every elected official in Washington takes an oath to defend the Constitution. That oath says nothing about ignoring it or repealing it. The oath demands they enforce it. All have committed impeachable offenses by not doing so. All deserve to be removed from office!
There was a reason Mr. Jefferson was thought to be a remarkably intelligent man. Even during his lifetime he knew the destruction that was taking place:
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#1. To: Southern Style (#0)
SS - with all that you know and are aware of, I've no idea why you (of all people) are not armed. It just does not compute on any level.
What would lead you to believe that I am unarmed? I'm fairly certain that "shall restrain men from injuring one another" refers to property rights, including ones self. That, to me, seems to be one of the few legitimate duties of government and individuals, as well.
#3. To: Southern Style (#2)
That's all I have to go by. Maybe you're armed with nukes - if so great, sell me some. RPGs are also welcome here.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestA wise and frugal government … shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.
#2. To: Lod (#1)
SS - with all that you know and are aware of, I've no idea why you (of all people) are not armed.
Replies to Comment # 2. ...I am not a gun guy. For those of you that are, don’t give them up. You are the only thing that stands between us and an eventual Hitler.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 2.