Monday, August 23, 2010

The Forgotten Amendment

Article IX (Amendment 9)

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

The Constitution lays out the right and responsibilities of the Federal government. It lays the boundaries of Congress, the President (and his bureaucracy) and the Courts. The ninth amendment, like the 10th, is intended to limit government, not the people.  The Founders of our nation understood first hand the abuse, the oppression, of an unchecked centralized government, and they deliberately meant to decentralize and LIMIT Federal control of power and authority.

How we have forgotten the lessens of the past, …
only to repeat them again.

BE

Friday, August 13, 2010

Government, Power and Abuse

"Government is not reason;
it is not eloquence;
it is force.
Like fire,
it is a dangerous servant
and a fearful master
."
-- George Washington (1732-1799)
Founding Father,
1st US President, 'Father of the Country'
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/George.Washington.Quote.5786

Alan Keyes is the first from whom I heard this quote. If it was quoted to me in Civics or US Government, I don't recall. Yet it should be taught in every classroom and home, and hung in front of every polling place.

George Washington was not the most learned or intelligent man of his day (not that he was lacking in these attributes). Yet he not only stood above most of his peers, he seemed more self-controlled. His motives were seldom/questioned. He did not seek the Presidency. And he refused to serve more than two terms, setting a precedence which would be unchallenged until FDR. When leaving the Presidency, he warned against the evil of the spirit of party (of which we are all too familiar today).

With this in mind, we should heed his warning about the nature of government:

  • Government is FORCE.
  • Government is a DANGEROUS SERVANT.
  • Government is a FEARFUL MASTER.

Consider the warnings of some of his contemporaries:

"The greater the power
the more dangerous the abuse."

-- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Irish-born British statesman,
parliamentary orator, and political thinker
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Edmund.Burke.Quote.7322

"There is no crueler tyranny
than that which is perpetrated
under the shield of law and in the name of justice."
-- Charles-Louis de Secondat (1689-1755)
Baron de Montesquieu
Source: The Spirit of the Laws, 1748
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Charles-Louis.de.Secondat.Quote.4760

Also consider C.S. Lewis' thoughts on the matter. He writes nearly a century later, and was a first hand witness of the results of such application of government (he was a civilian in Brittan during the air raids by the Third Reich).

" 'Useful,' and 'necessity'
was always 'the tyrant's plea'."

-- C. S. Lewis (1898-1963),
British novelist
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/C..S..Lewis.Quote.7377

Government is not a solution to all of our problems (God responsibility). The role of government is to provide for the common defense and provide justice

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him [God] to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
(1Pe 2:13-14 ESV)

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
(Rom 13:3-4 ESV)

While these verses do not address this particular issue directly, they do indicate the purpose of government.

Government has its place. 
Yet its place is to be well defined.

This article has interesting news, and possibly implications.
Obama closes curtain on transparency

BE

Monday, August 9, 2010

State vs. General Governement

"In the next place, the state governments are, by the very theory of the constitution, essential constituent parts of the general government. They can exist without the latter, but the latter cannot exist without them."
--Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833

"Few men desire liberty;
most men wish only for a just master."
-- Sallust
[Gaius Sallustius Crispus] (86-34 BC) Statesman and Historian during the last century of the Roman Republic
Source: Sallust (Gaius Sallustius Crispus) in Histories
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Sallust.Quote.EEC5

All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it is said,
"See, this is new"?
It has been already in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
nor will there be any remembrance of later things
yet to be among those who come after.
(Ecc 1:8-11 ESV)

As there has been nothing new under the sun, let us learn from the past and seek to learn our lessons from those who have gone before.

Oh I forget, evolution.  “We have progressed beyond those behind us.  We are better than our forefathers.”

My hope lies not with making ‘heaven on earth’ but in seeking the one who made the heavens and the earth.  I look forward to the day he says,

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'
(Mat 25:21 ESV)

BE

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Jefferson: On Government

"[W]hen all government,
domestic and foreign,
in little as in great things,
shall be drawn to Washington
as the center of all power,
it will render powerless the checks
provided of one government on another
."
--Thomas Jefferson, letter to Charles Hammond, 1821

When will we learn the lessons of history?
I expect only when we are willing to listen to the past, rather than trying to rewrite it.

BE

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Harness of Regulation(s)

"As government regulations grow slowly, we become used to the harness. Habit is a powerful force, and we no longer feel as intensely as we once would have [the] constriction of our liberties that would have been utterly intolerable a mere half century ago."
-- Judge Robert Bork
(1927- ) Cricuit Judge for US Court of Appeals
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Robert.Bork.Quote.B48D

Too true, as anyone who has tried to operate their own business knows, Judge Bork rings true.  Why else was he opposed as a Supreme Court Justice?

BE

Limited (Enumerated) Powers of the Federal Government

Check the contrast of the following quotes (found at Patriot Post) and consider why I might be concerned about the state of our nation:
"[W]hen all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great
things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will
render powerless the checks provided of one government on another."
--Thomas Jefferson

"I think that there are very few constitutional limits that would
prevent the federal government from rules that could affect your private
life. ... The federal government, uh, yes, can do most anything in this
country." --Rep.
Pete Stark (D-CA)
,
Our Founding Fathers understood that centralized power corrupts.  Our leaders today understand that from a first hand basis, and revel in it.

If our country to is truly recover, it is time for us to repent for having turned our backs on God, expecting the Federal Government to replace him, among other things.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man
who gives way before the wicked.
(Pro 25:26 ESV)
BE






Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Correction on MO Senate Race District 28

Given new information I would have placed my vote for:

State Senator
Larry D. Wilson http://larrydwilson.com/

I have received new information about Mike Parsons, unfortunately after I had submitted my ballot.  Apparently, Mr. Parsons has been taking contributions from Gambling, Brewing, and perhaps embryonic stem cell interests.  While I would not deny the right of those to make and accept those contributions, I would not vote for those who do so.

The websites below are from the first 2 quarters of the year.  I didn’t believe it necessary to follow up further at this late hour.

http://www.mec.mo.gov/CampaignFinanceReports/CFFilerHTML/ReportMenu/SummaryCD1.asp?CDRCP_id=809&MECID=C091129&MyYear=2010&Com=PARSON%20FOR%20STATE%20SENATE

http://www.mec.mo.gov/CampaignFinanceReports/CFFilerHTML/ReportMenu/SummaryCD1.asp?CDRCP_id=4751&MECID=C091129&MyYear=2010&Com=PARSON%20FOR%20STATE%20SENATE

BE

Monday, August 2, 2010

Vote Your Conscience August 3rd

MO primaries are tomorrow.  While we have the freedom to vote in secrecy, I wanted to share my recommendations, for those who are interested, for the Republican primary in MO Congressional District 4.

My selections are not based on electability, but rather understanding of their position on the issues.  Career politicians, incumbents, and those who emphasis party have an up-hill battle getting my vote.

I FIRMLY believe that I am accountable to God for my vote, that I MUST vote my conscience and trust God for the results.

Federal
For United States Senator
Chuck Purgason   http://purgasonforsenate.com/

Federal
For United States Representative in Congress-
4th District
Jeff Parnell  http://www.jeffparnell.com/

MO State Auditor
Allen Icet   http://www.icetforauditor.com/

MO Sate Senator-District 28
Mike Parson http://www.teammikeparson.com/

MO State Representative-126th District
David Jerome http://www.citizensforjerome.com/

Non-Partisan Issue:  Statutory Measure Proposition C
My summary of the summary to amend our constitution:  Vote yes to prevent ObamaCare from penalizing us for rejecting it  and keeping our freedom of decision about our own healthcare. 
Vote: YES

Once again Robin Carnahan (MO Secretary of State) has confused the wording so as to make it appear that you need to vote opposite.

On local races I have insufficient knowledge of the individuals to recommend any particular individual.

Be blessed, and again, vote your conscience.

BE