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7/6/2009
The fatigue of supporting - inciting for - freedom
Minority Leader John Boehner incited (at least!) House Republicans several days ago as he commandeered the floor for over an hour to read and blast amendments added clandestinely at the eleventh hour to the Climate Change Bill.
“There are times when the majority just does such outrageous things that you have to find a way to make your point to the American people,” said Mr. Boehner. It’s an inspiring article that speaks of Boehner reaching time and again into his bag of tricks to outwit congressional Dems. I don’t know if John Boehner will achieve the same legacy as those revolutionary Patriots so long ago, but the story brought to mind Sam Adams and his Sons of liberty in 1760 and beyond. This Independence Day I’m enjoying days chocked full of history lessons in a first visit to Boston, learning more of the myths we celebrate proudly, but also filling up with plenty of new historically accurate facts and figures. Sam Adams was a sloganeer extraordinaire, and used hyperbole and whatever else it took to incite his fellow citizens to action. And by gum, he pulled it off. Independence and this great republic.
I’d say there are times when our state and federal governments, our people, our neighbors even – do such outrageous things that someone – lots of someones – must continue to find a way to make the point that maybe, just maybe, America has lost its way.
It’s time we all stayed better informed, it’s time we all respond, as the government oversteps its bounds, time after time, issue after issue after issue. Heaven knows we’ve had lots to respond about. The reckless state budget, trillions in federal deficits, cap-and-trade, health-care ‘reform,’ and now, Governor Doyle spending lavishly on the taxpayers dime – without receipts! Geeez. At the Fox Valley Tea Party July 19, you’ll hear constructive incitement. Yeah, Joe the Plumber will be there. But so will Madison high-schooler Melika Willoughby. Informed, courageous. And - you’ve got to hear it – yes, inciting the crowd to action. Melika’s forcefulness, willingness to be involved, readiness to take a stand puts many of us to shame!
On a cold December night I 1773, a small band of courageous patriots decided to take a stand… Watch the whole thing. Then come to hear Melika live, July 19, 3:00, Greenville Lions Park. Come away ready to take a stand.
”Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." -- Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777 Imagine.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Like Greta Garbo the new rallying cry appears to be "I vant to be alone". Well, build your roads alone, handle your own waste alone, bury your own garbage alone, grow your own food alone, milk your own cow alone, feed your family with local game alone, take care of yourself after the tornado alone, raise your own child with a disability alone, clear your snow alone, maintain law and order alone, well, you get my point. We are interdependent that is at the very core of our social order. Where we draw the line is debatable. Let the debate begin. And by the way, tell me one example of peoples right to worship being hamstrung by government.
billie (Mon Jul 06 07:14:19 2009)
"I vant to be alone" - what the hell article were you reading?
Addressing Jo's comments, I'm more inclined to adapt the Clinton formula for public policy: "It takes a village, not a state or federal government."
Town, village and city governments are the best, because we, the vast unwashed masses, can march on them with our pitchforks and torches without being mocked by the government's newspeak as some sort of vile homosexual gang.
I'll vote for, and enthusiastically support, any candidate for national or state office that campaigns on the premise that, "I'll dismantle the federal (or state) government and return governance to the grassroots where it belongs."
Duke (Mon Jul 06 08:12:38 2009)
No billie, I don't think you understand what we REALLY want.
We don't want to be alone, we want to be togeter - we want to have the ability to care for our neighbor rather than being ISOLATED from them through regulation and want to do for others INSTEAD of having our hands tied of a lack of resources in a time of need.
We believe that it is the responsibility of the individuals within a community to care for each other and to fulfill the very real needs of the less fortunate - but our ability to assist is greatly diminished when the government drives a wedge between neighbors and makes it nearly impossible for those who have to assist those who have not.
It is the responsibility of individuals to assist individuals - THAT is the fundamental principal which is ignored and disdained by the big government types. We don't need a body of "Robin Hoods" in our capitol. With Robin Hoods comes waste, fraud, and social engineering. With one to one charitable compassion comes a hand up, not a hand out.
We don't want to be alone - we want to be together ... we ALSO want to be free.
Jeff Riedl (Mon Jul 06 10:31:28 2009)
Billie, I suggest we start the debate with mention of the constitution. To be sure, we need national defense. but to bail out "Too big to fail, but probably going to fail no matter what we do" companies? To provide incentives NOT to work and produce? For the federal government to take on all manner of tasks that are NOT authorized by the constitution? (Education, dept. of energy, subsidies to business, and a whole lot more as examples.) And even some of those essential services you mention, why should I pay for the streets of NY to be swept, any more than we should expect Chicagoans to pay for our snow plowing. If we can not afford to pay for LOCAL services locally, we simply can not afford them.
Using the force of government to pick each others pockets is clearly leading to economic catastrophe, and far less freedom. And the more incentives there are to go to Madison or Washington to get your share of the pie leaves fewer bakers in the kitchen, fewer and smaller pies at the end of the day. Sorry, BIG GoverNMEnt is NOT the answer.
Ultimately, governments spread poverty, not wealth. Wait and see if you do not believe me now.
Ken Van Doren (Mon Jul 06 10:54:33 2009)
Are we interdependent? Yes, but as Mises wrote, it is thru voluntary cooperation in the marketplace, that most of us are fed, clothed, housed, and have most of life's needs and wants taken care of. Socialism, as he so aptly argued, leads to less wealth and more compulsion, less freedom. Hardly the America I want to live in.
Ken Van Doren (Mon Jul 06 10:58:58 2009)
Where we draw the line is the enumerated and implied delegation of power in the Constitution between the fed gov't, states and the people. The federal government was never designed to take care of waste disposal, clearing snow off the driveway and putting food on the table. The items mentioned are best handled at the state and local level--or between private individuals in the free market. Where the Constitution "draws the line" on government overstepping its bounds is not necessarily open to debate, unless you're talking about a constitutional amendment or a SCOTUS ruling. And freedom of religion is much broader than just a right to worship. This page lists dozens of recent cases where gov't (fed, state, local) violated/attempted to violate freedom of religion.
amy (Mon Jul 06 11:21:28 2009)
Think of it this way, no society ever yet TAXED its way to prosperity. Our country was built by people who did just what Billie spoke of. In fact, in addition to freedom of religion, they came here for the right to milk THEIR OWN cow, plant THEIR OWN food, build THEIR OWN roads...
They did raise their disabled children themselves (I read a lot of history), and they DID help each other out--more-so than we do today, because today, we hide behind the excuse "the govt. will take care of it."
Just read even the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and you'll see how beautifully people coped without an all-pervasive, intrusive government.
emily matthews (Tue Jul 07 09:13:39 2009)
What I find laughable about Billie's comments is that government is up to its neck already in every single thing mentioned.
Just try to build your own outhouse or mess around burying or burning garbage. People do take care of themselves after natural disasters, or perhaps Billie never noticed because the media has waved Katrina in front of us for so long.
Feed ourselves with game? Good grief, the government has its nose in that one so far I'm surprised they don't have a DNR guide to point every hunter in the way they should go after making sure they're dressed properly..... oh wait...they already do that. The federal and state governments have intruded into every phase of our lives and they won't stop until they can manipulate us like marionettes.
It's like being in the care of our anal retentative aunt, who means well, but is compulsive about making sure we do things her way! Or else!
I'd like to say, "Give me Liberty or give me Death," but with this new health care bill looming on the horizon it would be the latter and I'm not ready yet.
C.R. Stevenson (Wed Jul 08 11:03:56 2009)
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