More Common Sense

"As my wish was to serve an oppressed people, and assist in a just and good cause, I conceived that the honor of it would be promoted by my declining to make even the usual profits of an author."
Thomas Paine on refusing to collect royalties on Common Sense and donating all proceeds to the Continental Army.

"The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth. 'Tis not the affair of a City, a County, a Province, or a Kingdom; but of a Continent — of at least one-eighth part of the habitable Globe. 'Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest"

This is what Thomas Paine thought of the contest we call -The Revolution- which pitted a small and very weak 13 Colonies against the greatest power in Europe. he knew that what lay in the Balance was the future of freedom, as well as, the future of not only American generations yet to be born, but also of untold millions world wide.

Today though not convulsed in a revolution against an out side colonial power, we are witnessing a form of socialist revolution the likes of which this country has never seen.

Not a day goes by but what some new plan for government -if not outright taking over some sector of the economy or aspect of American life-it is at least proposed that the government control be placed over it to an extent that would daze the founders.

There still is no greater cause than freedom and I believe this country was meant to lead the world to freedom. What is happening in this country today is indeed the affair of an entire continent and will have profound effects upon future generations of Americans as well as generations all over the world.

We have strayed so far from our original principles that if something is not done to stop this present madness I fear we may be witnessing the death of freedom. This country was not founded on the proposition that the "government can do it better". It was founded on the ideal that if the government would get out of the way, allow the people to have their own wealth and decide their own destiny, they, the people would do all things better than any government!

Government was seen as a necessary evil not to try to decide, tax, and control every aspect of society and life, but to provide the basic protections that a civilized society needed. Being legal protections to keep social order and peace-as well as-protection of God given rights. A further purpose of government was to provide for the defense of the people and create a climate for the betterment and improvement of society. It was never intended to be a nanny to wipe our noses clean our diapers and tell us what to do in every corner of our lives.

Indeed Paine's words ring as true today as they did when they were written "

'Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more or less affected even to the end of time..."

A Return To "Common Sense"

http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/index.htm

It seems to me that what America needs today -and needs badly- is a return to good old "Common Sense". during the revolutionary period pamphleteers and broadsiders were the equivalent of today's blogger and perhaps one of the most influential of those pamphleteers was Thomas Pain and his "Common Sense".

In the first chapter of Common sense Paine has this to day about government..."Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.

Our government has been a necessary evil but in its present state -especially in light of the recent tax proposals out of Washington- this government is quickly becoming an intolerable evil.

The left and left wing politicians such as Nancy Pelosi seem unable to comprehend the fact that a growing number of Americans are getting mad as hell and aren't willing to take it any more. Witness the Tea-Party movement.

Here's what Queen Nancy had to say about this grassroots movement..."This tea party initiative is funded by the high end — we call call it astroturf, it’s not really a grassroots movement. It’s astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class."

She's claiming that this congress is not going to tax the middle class and yet this congress has raised taxes on cigarettes, is considering an additional tax on alcohol, health benefits, and lets not forget cap and tax. These taxes will have a significant impact on the middle class especially cap and tax, which even Obama admits- will cause energy prices to sky rocket.

Pain goes on to say... "I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature which no art can overturn, viz. that the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier repaired when disordered..."

Our government started out in a relatively simple form -and stayed that way for over one hundred and fifty years- until the New Deal when there was an explosion of new government programs and bureaucracies.

We had another huge explosion of this madness in the sixties and I'm afraid we're having another explosion of this socialist madness today. Paine as well as all the founding fathers would be mortified to see what has become of their dream of limited government.

Today's government has become a bloated behemoth, and the politicians that populate the halls of congress and the Anointed one in the White house, seem to think their are no limits to how much power they can seize to themselves, and no limit on how much they can oppress the American people.

Yes it seems to me our country has a great need to return to the ideals of our founders and the Common Sense of writers such as Thomas Pain. This week I am devoting my posts to more expositions from this awesome work Common Sense.

" Extremism In The Defense Of Liberty Is No Vice"

"Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed. Their mistaken course stems from false notions of equality, ladies and gentlemen. Equality, rightly understood, as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences. Wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism. "

Acceptance speech, R.N.C, San Francisco, July 1964

Since the election of 2008 When our President, Barack OBama, was elected. It seems as though he, along with his accomplices in congress have been on a crusade to gather all- and I do mean -all power into Washington D.C. And unto them selves.

They seem to be following the same path as the Russian Communists of the Twentieth Century. Who sought to have everything centrally controlled.

The genius that has made this Nation great-is the notion- that individuals, local governments, and state governments, could come up with better solutions to the problems they face than a centralized government

Things have been happening lately that boggle the imagination, C.E.O.'s being fired by the government, companies being taken over by the government, and health care, being threatened by the government.

Our President and his minions in congress have been accumulating more and more power unto themselves. There's not a day goes by, that a new Department, Czar, or regulatory body, is not created by this president. At the same time the government seems to be less, and ,less responsive to the People. From the President on down this administration, and the Democrats in Congress, seek to bring "equality, and social justice, to the people. Salaries must be regulated, because it just isn't fair, for C.E.O.'s and top executive to be paid so much.

Companies must be regulated, because it's not fair for workers to take cuts, or even, be layed off, in order to save the company. It's not fair for big corporations , such as the oil companies, to make huge profits. Never mind that they also have huge expenses, and on average, only make about four cents, on every dollar they invest. While the Government makes more on a gallon if gas than they do. The financial sector must be regulated to bring "economic justice" to us all.

We've been down this road before. all the way back in the 1700"s, when King George the 3'rd took it upon himself, to usurp the power of local legislatures, replace Colonial Governor, and annul charters that gave certain rights to the Colonies.

Consider these words from our Declaration of Independance... "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

This greatest of political documents- in the history of man- goes on to list the grievances which our forefathers had against the King... "He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them." Given Barack isn't guilty of this specific trespass. But at his direction the Congress did dictate to the states how spending bills relate to the stimulus should be crafted, specifically, demanding that any stimulus spending states make be permanent.

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance." Does this sound familiar! especially the eating out their substance part. The harassment has already started, and if not vigorously opposed, will spread its evil tentacles into the lives ,as well as , livelihood of every man,women, and child .in this country

I don't want to be extreme. I have no desire for any kind of violence. Abraham Lincoln said" The Ballot is more powerful than the bullet". I still hold out faith, that the genius, of our Constitution will prevail, and we get rid of the current gang , through the wonder of a bloodless revolution through the ballot box.That said. Our founding Fathers didn't seek violence, they did not want to be extreme, but alas circumstances, history, and the stubbornness, of a King, to listen to His people, forced their hand.

At this point, if it is extreme, to want a return to our original values, and , ideals of Liberty,Freedom ,and Justice, Then count me extreme.

This current crowd would do well, to bone up on their history, and turn away from this headlong rush to socio-facism. And God forbid- they attempt- to make permanent- their grip on power by subverting the political process. then I to will be forced to say...

"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!

Gene, A lover of Freedom!