[As he left public life, George Washington had serious concerns for the country he helped bring into being. He had surprising insights into the situations this new nation would face and (often ignored) advice on avoiding pitfalls that have destroyed other nations in the past. The language is difficult to comprehend at times, but we can learn from his wisdom or we can continue to ignore it at our peril.]
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
[As he left public life, George Washington had serious concerns for the country he helped bring into being. He had surprising insights into the situations this new nation would face and (often ignored) advice on avoiding pitfalls that have destroyed other nations in the past. The language is difficult to comprehend at times, but we can learn from his wisdom or we can continue to ignore it at our peril.]
Friends and Citizens:
The period for a new election of a citizen to administer the executive government of the United States being not far distant, and the time actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designating the person who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression of the public voice, that I should now apprise you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out of whom a choice is to be made.
I beg you, at the same time, to do me the justice to be assured that this resolution has not been taken without a strict regard to all the considerations appertaining to the relation which binds a dutiful citizen to his country; and that in withdrawing the tender of service, which silence in my situation might imply, I am influenced by no diminution of zeal for your future interest, no deficiency of grateful respect for your past kindness, but am supported by a full conviction that the step is compatible with both.
[Revisionist historians would have us believe that our founders were irreligious or, at best deists, who did not believe in a personal God involved in every area of our lives. Instead taking the word of ivory tower academics, let's look at the words of one our most courageous founders.]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
By His EXCELLENCY
John Hancock, Esq.
GOVERNOR of the COMMONWEALTH
of Massachusetts.
A PROCLAMATION,
For a Day of Public Thanksgiving.
In consideration of the many undeserved Blessings conferred upon us by GOD, the Father of all Mercies; it becomes us no only in our private and usual devotion, to express our obligations to Him, as well as our dependence upon Him; but also specially to set a part a Day to be employed for this great and important Purpose:
I HAVE therefore thought fit to appoint, and by the advice and consent of the Council, do hereby accordingly appoint, THURSDAY, the seventeenth of November next, to be observed as a Day of Public THANKSGIVING and PRAISE, throughout this Commonwealth:—Hereby calling upon Ministers and People of every denomination, to assemble on the said Day—and in the name of the Great Mediator, devoutly and sincerely offer to Almighty God, the gratitude of our Hearts, for all his goodness towards us; more especially in that HE has been pleased to continue to us so a great a measure of Health—to cause the Earth plentifully to yield her increase, so that we are supplied with the Necessaries, and the Comforts of Life—to prosper our Merchandise and Fishery—And above all, not only to continue to us the enjoyment of our civil Rights and Liberties; but the great and most important Blessing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Washington, DC – An estimated 12 million students recited the Pledge of Allegiance in school for the first time 119 years ago on October 12, 1892. Following the Pledge, students, teachers, school administrators, and public officials either said a prayer or read scripture from the Bible. Each principal at schools in Boston, Massachusetts, recited Psalm 145.
The first celebration of Columbus Day in 1892 was an original effort to keep American exceptionalism alive and to prevent America from losing its freedom and liberties in becoming a socialist nation. James Upham began uniting Americans in 1891 during a very divisive time, by inspiring patriotism through a campaign to hang an American Flag at every school in the nation. The following year on the first Columbus Day, Upham’s idea of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance underneath the flag became a national tradition. Columbus Day is a day to celebrate the discovery of America – a day of patriotism, unity, and freedom. The celebration of Columbus Day allowed all Americans to boldly declare their love of our nation and their fortitude to keep America free.
Many times I hear the ostriches among us exclaim, “What freedoms have we lost? America is the freest country on earth.” We have all heard that, right? Of course, part of the problem is that, thanks to our education system, media, and churches, many Americans do not even know how to define liberty and freedom. The truth is, America’s Founding Fathers were willing to pledge their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” and fight a bloody revolutionary war for far fewer abridgments of liberty than we Americans endure every day of our lives today. FAR FEWER!
To answer the second part of the ostrich argument first: no, America is not the freest nation on earth. According to the Index of Economic Freedom, which is produced by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, the United States just barely makes it in the top ten, ranked at number nine in the world.
According to Deroy Murdock, “Among the 179 countries examined in the Index, Hong Kong is ranked first, followed by Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, and Denmark. These nations all outscored the U.S. across ten categories, including taxes, free trade, regulation, monetary policy, and corruption.
I once felt all that kind of anger, which a man ought to feel, against the mean principles that are held by the Tories: a noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standing at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and after speaking his mind as freely as he thought was prudent, finished with this unfatherly expression, “Well! give me peace in my day.” Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent should have said, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;” and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty. Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America. Her situation is remote from all the wrangling world, and she has nothing to do but to trade with them. A man can distinguish himself between temper and principle, and I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.
America did not, nor does not want force; but she wanted a proper application of that force. Wisdom is not the purchase of a day, and it is no wonder that we should err at the first setting off. From an excess of tenderness, we were unwilling to raise an army, and trusted our cause to the temporary defence of a well-meaning militia. A summer’s experience has now taught us better; yet with those troops, while they were collected, we were able to set bounds to the progress of the enemy, and, thank God! they are again assembling. I always considered militia as the best troops in the world for a sudden exertion, but they will not do for a long campaign. Howe, it is probable, will make an attempt on this city [Philadelphia]; should he fail on this side the Delaware, he is ruined. If he succeeds, our cause is not ruined. He stakes all on his side against a part on ours; admitting he succeeds, the consequence will be, that armies from both ends of the continent will march to assist their suffering friends in the middle states; for he cannot go everywhere, it is impossible. I consider Howe as the greatest enemy the Tories have; he is bringing a war into their country, which, had it not been for him and partly for themselves, they had been clear of. Should he now be expelled, I wish with all the devotion of a Christian, that the names of Whig and Tory may never more be mentioned; but should the Tories give him encouragement to come, or assistance if he come, I as sincerely wish that our next year’s arms may expel them from the continent, and the Congress appropriate their possessions to the relief of those who have suffered in well-doing. A single successful battle next year will settle the whole. America could carry on a two years’ war by the confiscation of the property of disaffected persons, and be made happy by their expulsion. Say not that this is revenge, call it rather the soft resentment of a suffering people, who, having no object in view but the good of all, have staked their own all upon a seemingly doubtful event. Yet it is folly to argue against determined hardness; eloquence may strike the ear, and the language of sorrow draw forth the tear of compassion, but nothing can reach the heart that is steeled with prejudice.
[Editors note: In this classic article, Thomas Paine discusses the choices that laid before the colonists just prior to Christmas 1776. In many ways, they are the same choices we face today. Please return for Part II tomorrow.]
December 23, 1776
Part I
THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but “to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER” and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.
Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own; we have none to blame but ourselves. But no great deal is lost yet. All that Howe has been doing for this month past, is rather a ravage than a conquest, which the spirit of the Jerseys, a year ago, would have quickly repulsed, and which time and a little resolution will soon recover.
The Federalist No. 2
John Jay
Wednesday, October 31, 1787
[Editors note: Earlier this week we posted an article that referenced Federalist 2, written by John Jay. I thought it would be well to include the full article as there is much to learn from Jay's valuation of unity.]
To the People of the State of New York:
WHEN the people of America reflect that they are now called upon to decide a question, which, in its consequences, must prove one of the most important that ever engaged their attention, the propriety of their taking a very comprehensive, as well as a very serious, view of it, will be evident.
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede to it some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers. It is well worthy of consideration therefore, whether it would conduce more to the interest of the people of America that they should, to all general purposes, be one nation, under one federal government, or that they should divide themselves into separate confederacies, and give to the head of each the same kind of powers which they are advised to place in one national government.
There are many things going wrong in our wonderful country today, and there have been many solutions proposed. Most are well intentioned and most that show some common sense would work fine to fix the specific problem. However each is akin to putting a band aid on a broken leg. We are being hit with too many different attacks from too many different angles to be content with repairing our country piecemeal. It’s like the Cloward-Piven plan to overwhelm the system.
The father of our country, George Washington, understood “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His mercy, to implore His protection and favor… That great and beneficent author of all good that was, that is, or ever shall be, that we may then unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people.” He was not alone.
I can just hear the “fiscal conservatives” scream bloody murder almost as loudly as the atheist progressives now running the country and our lives. Many think all we have to do get our financial situation in order and things will be just fine. It is, unfortunately, not too surprising with the way the educational system has become a materialistic indoctrination operation and our courts have done their best to remove understanding of the Christian bent of most of our founders from the public knowledge. They believe this does no harm. They actually believe there is a real benefit to removing religion, especially Christianity from the public sphere. Then, they also think we can fix the problems ourselves… or really, themselves. Read more of this article »
If you have not made your vacation plans and live within a few hundred miles of Williamsburg VA, or if you happen to crave TSA molestation, now might be a good time to check out the walk back in time at early capitol of Viginia. You can travel down the same streets that Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson walked. You may even run into President Washington or Marquis de Lafayette. The children, even those in their 60s will find the early craftsmen fascinating as they explain how created the necessities of life in the eighteenth century with simple tools and a little ingenuity.
However, it would be best study your history before treading these hallowed streets. The physical plant is superb, but the funding for much of the work came from the John D Rockefeller family that did not exactly have the founders passion for freedom of the masses. Then there is the proximity to William and Mary, a liberal arts university with the emphasis on liberal.
This was amply illustrated during a presentation that was billed as an example of the influence of the clergy on the war for independence. We were treated to a re-enactment of a sermon by John Camm, the colleges’ president from 1771 to 1776. Instead of hearing the stirring rhetoric of patriots like John Witherspoon or John Peter Muhlenberg, we heard the words of a loyalist promoting the divine right of kings along with the concept that not all men were created equal – that some were meant to have a station in life above others to insure a smoothly functioning society. It is much the same struggle we have today. Read more of this article »
I was chatting recently with a friend in the Republican Party about some of the people looking for the presidential nomination. Although I like and respect the gentleman, it was a meeting of the two kinds of Republicans – one a party person and the other an issue person. We both agreed that the pretender to the presidency was taking us in the wrong direction.
Our solutions, though, would take us in two different directions. The traditional Republican approach is to use conflicts with the Democrats to try to work out a compromise. The idea is to get concessions from the other side – for instance, in giving them a debt ceiling increase in exchange for significant cuts in spending. This traditional approach makes the assumption that they are 1) dealing with people you can trust to keep their word and 2) that we, in our already bankrupt condition, can afford to go even further into debt.
This thinking, I believe, is a result of the normalcy bias that prevents people from seeing the real dangers that present themselves, particularly because they never have been present in the past. It is same normalcy bias that led World Trade Center workers to return to their offices to turn off computers and lights rather than get themselves out of the building as quickly as they could. Some died because of this delay. Read more of this article »
As we enter another Independence Day weekend, I think it would be good to remind ourselves of who those men were that counted the cost and paid the price to bring this land of liberty into existence. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans today seem to have very little–if any–knowledge and appreciation for the sacrifices that our Founding Fathers made in order to birth this great country. We can thank the vast majority of our schools (including the institutions of higher learning), major media, political institutions, and even churches for this egregious embarrassment. Accordingly, I think it fitting that today’s column will attempt to renew in our hearts the respect and reverence that these great men whom we call Founding Fathers so richly deserve.
George Washington
Called “The Father of His Country,” George Washington was, perhaps, the most important man of the founding era. Supernaturally spared during the Indian wars, Washington became the military leader who held the Continental Army together when it was virtually impossible for any man to do so. Without his leadership at Valley Forge and elsewhere, there is absolutely no doubt that the Continental Army would have fallen apart and the fight for independence would have been lost. Read more of this article »
This is the day we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We often talk about the document, but how long has it been since we’ve read the declaration. It’s good to review the basis for rights we have enjoyed. It is also good to see what indignities and abuses the colonists had thrust upon them that drove them to rebellion. Then, finally, we come to the names of the signers… heroic signers who would have died at the end of a hangman’s rope had they not succeeded in breaking free from the British crown.
They were people who just wanted to live their lives and pursue their businesses whether it was agricultural, mercantile or even clerical. Yet they all answered a patriot’s call to stand up to an unresponsive monarch and demand their freedom. This is the day we honor these men and all those who fought for their, and our, liberty.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Read more of this article »
With July 4th on the horizon, the day we celebrate the birth of our nation, it would be good to not only review the history of the national anthem, but to actually read the words. They are part of our American Heritage. Contrary to some popular beliefs, the last words of the first verse are not “gentlemen start your engines” or “play ball”.
Shortly after the British burned the city of Washington, the redcoats marched up to the port of Baltimore Harbor. Francis Scott Key visited the British fleet there on September 13, 1814 to negotiate the release of Dr. William Beanes who had been captured a week or so earlier. Because the British were afraid the two would warn the Americans of their plans to bombard Fort McHenry, they were held on board a ship in the harbor. As dawn broke the next morning Key saw the flag waving above the fort. It was torn from the battle, but had not been lowered in defeat! The historic flag now hangs in the American History Museum of the Smithsonian Institute. Read more of this article »
To many people, the Federal Reserve and it’s operation is something beyond the scope of their understanding and interest. They see it as part of the banking system they rely on to buy a home, a car or the big screen TV in their living room. They see it as helping their local bank advance the cash they need to maintain their consumptive life style. Most have no problem with it as they see the banking system as essentially benefiting the average person. Although recently many have begun to understand the curse this ready availability of credit has been to us, individually and as a nation.
The Fed does a number of things, some may actually be helpful. However, when we consider what this central bank has done to the country, we may want to reconsider even the helpful functions. In addition to the Chinese, Russians and an assortment of other unfriendly nations buying up our debt, the Federal Reserve has become the purchaser of last resort.
When this happens, the US Treasury issues notes of indebtedness and the Fed creates money out of thin air to buy these notes. It does not come from deposits of any kind. They do not borrow the money they lend. Now days, they do not even print the money. It is nothing more than a computer entry and the government can now spend the money… and the tax payers are on the hook to pay it back in real dollars WITH INTEREST! If you or I, or any other businesses would try to do this, we would soon be wearing orange jump suits and looking at the world through iron bars, in addition to living with some pretty unpleasant company. Read more of this article »
Robert Curry, continuing his examination of our heritage from the Scottish Enlightenment, makes the case that John Locke’s role was less significant than that of the Scottish moral philosophers.
It’s only fair, however, to note that Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government articulated the underlying justification for the Declaration of Independence and, in that respect, was a powerful influence. Written in 1689, the Second Treatise established a legitimate basis for ousting tyrannical king James II, namely that a sovereign is answerable to a higher law, from which flow God-given natural rights; that when a sovereign contravenes those natural rights, he forfeits his right to rule.
John Adams’s cousin Samuel Adams employed Locke’s argument in creating the Committees of Correspondence among the thirteen colonies, the agency that brought together the first Continental Congress. Read more of this article »
[Editors Note: The most effective series of articles denying the need for a stronger central government came from an unidentified Massachusetts anti-federalist in a series of five articles that appeared in the Boston American Herald, under the pseudonym "John DeWitt", in honor of the the seventeenth century Dutch patriot who had defended the liberties of the people against an oppressive central government. This is the first of five.]
Massachusetts, October 22, 1787
To the Free Citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Whoever attentively examines the history of America, and compares it with that of other will find its commencement, its growth, and its present situation, without a precedent.
It must ever prove a source of pleasure to the Philosopher, who ranges the explored parts of this inhabitable globe, and takes a comparative view, as well of the rise and fall of those nations, which have been and are gone, as of the growth and present existence of those which are now in being, to close his prospect with this Western world. In proportion as he loves his fellow creatures, he must here admire and approve; for while they have severally laid their foundations in the blood and slaughter of three, four, and sometimes, ten successive generations, from their passions have experience, every misery to which human nature is subject, and at this day present striking features of usurped power, unequal justice, and despotic tyranny. America stands completely systemised without any of these misfortunes. — On the contrary, from the first settlement of the country the necessity of civil associations, founded upon equality, consent, and proportionate justice have ever been universally acknowledged. — The means of education always attended to, and the fountains of science brought within the reach of poverty. — Hitherto we have commenced society, and advanced in all respects resembling a family, without partial affections, or even a domestic bickering: And if we consider her as an individual instead of an undue proportion of violent passions and bad habits, we must set her down possessed of reason, genius and virtue. — I premise these few observations because there are too many among us of narrow minds, who live in the practice of blasting the reputation of their own country. — They hold it as a maxim, that virtues cannot grow in their own soil. — They will appreciate those of a man, they know nothing about, because he is an exotic; while they are sure to depreciate those much more brilliant in their neighbours, because they are really acquainted with and know them. Read more of this article »
There has been copious speculation about who will arise to oppose Barack Hussein Obama at the end of his first and only term in office. There are almost as many ideas as there are people disgusted with the path of our country. I am looking for something more than an ideal candidate that can win an election. Instead of a politician running for an office, I would suggest we should be looking for a statesman… a leader with a vision and passion.
We often think of men like Washington, Jefferson, Adams… presidents all, but they were not alone in building the fledgling nation. There were others who drove the cause of freedom, helping pave the way to our independence. Patrick Henry was one of these who guided the our country into the light of independence. This future governor of Virginia is credited with helping his contemporaries see the need for independence and helping them to commit to fighting for it.
Through the years, his words have inspired many to a greater belief in both liberty and themselves. He demonstrated a single minded dedication to his country and its people. In view of the hazardous days ahead for our nation, it would be well to study these ideas coming from this man who loved his land and loved liberty. Read more of this article »
Europe and, to a lesser extent the United States, have voluntarily disavowed God and faded into the dark night of hellish alienation.
Liberal-progressivism’s pursuit of one-world, Godless socialistic government inescapably reduces every person to soulless equality with no meaning apart from the will of the political state. In this Brave New World, history and tradition are thrust aside. Clinging to standards of culture and morality become anti-social crimes.
Europeans, before the evolution of strong nation states in the 16th century, thought of themselves as inhabitants of Christendom. It is thus accurate to assert that everything that we know as western civilization is an exclusive product of Christianity emanating from the church at Rome. Read more of this article »
William Wilberforce is a hero in the eyes of most of us in the pro-life movement. He’s an inspiration to all of us.
However, his work against slavery in Britain is often cited (by incrementalists) as proof that “incrementalism works.” This claim not only mistakes the lesson we should take from his astonishing life, but also denigrates the true values that he held dear – those based upon a conviction in the God-given Rights to Life and Freedom.
The growing Personhood Wing of the pro-life movement holds that “any law which says ‘do this, and then you can kill the baby (or own the slave)’” is an evil regulation Christians should never support. Did Wilberforce support such laws during his nearly half-century of crusading? Yes. Have many sincere pro-lifers done so, even those who now support Personhood? Yes. The problem is not the person – it’s the naive, emotional position they hold for a time. Read more of this article »
We all understand the power of working as a team. It is good to have others to share burdens with. Yet there are times when we are faced with choices where no one goes with us. We sometimes come to cross roads where we can go with the crowd down a path we know to be wrong, or we can break with the group think and follow the promptings of our conscience.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is standing at such a crossroads. He could follow the desires of most of the world and allow the enemies of his country to possess land that was given to his ancestors and promised to succeeding generations, or he could do the right thing. The left in this country and his own are saying all manner of evil about him. They are plotting his political demise… although the people of his homeland believe otherwise.
He understands the principle that doing the right thing is more important than being popular. Read more of this article »
Let’s settle one thing first: God has never used a majority to achieve anything substantive or revolutionary. It has always been a tireless, committed, and courageous remnant that He has used to accomplish things considered noteworthy and lasting. Any dead fish can swim downstream!
Christ used a handful of apostles to turn the world upside down. In Jewish history, it was Gideon’s 300, David’s 300, Nehemiah’s remnant, and small bands of men here and there that God used to defeat mighty enemies and raise the banner of victory. In our own history, the men who fought against the powerful British army never comprised a number larger than 3% of the whole. The brave men whom we refer to as America’s Founding Fathers numbered less than 200. In fact, in most instances (if not all), the majority has either contributed little to the cause of liberty or has even been tools of opposition and hindrance to the principles of liberty. It has always been a relatively small number of people who have turned the tide of history.
And while we are at it, let’s define exactly what is a “remnant.” A remnant primarily connotes pieces of cloth that have been cut off from a garment and thrown away. When we talk about a remnant, we are talking about those who are regarded as leftovers, cast offs, rejects, discards, etc. They are the ones who don’t fit in with the mainstream. And they certainly do not fit in with these mainstream non-profit government corporations called churches. That is for sure! Read more of this article »
The next powers vested by this constitution in the general government, which we shall consider, are those, which authorise them to “borrow money on the credit of the United States, and to raise and support armies.” I take these two together and connect them with the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, because their extent, and the danger that will arise from the exercise of these powers, cannot be fully understood, unless they are viewed in relation to each other.
The power to borrow money is general and unlimited, and the clause so often before referred to, authorises the passing any laws proper and necessary to carry this into execution. Under this authority, the Congress may mortgage any or all the revenues of the union, as a fund to loan money upon, and it is probably, in this way, they may borrow of foreign nations, a principal sum, the interest of which will be equal to the annual revenues of the country. — By this means, they may create a national debt, so large, as to exceed the ability of the country ever to sink. I can scarcely contemplate a greater calamity that could befal this country, than to be loaded with a debt exceeding their ability ever to discharge. If this be a just remark, it is unwise and improvident to vest in the general government a power to borrow at discretion, without any limitation or restriction.
It may possibly happen that the safety and welfare of the country may require, that money be borrowed, and it is proper when such a necessity arises that the power should be exercised by the general government. — But it certainly ought never to be exercised, but on the most urgent occasions, and then we should not borrow of foreigners if we could possibly avoid it. Read more of this article »
Back in February of 2010, I appeared on Neil Cavuto’s FOXBusiness TV show to talk about the emergence and effectiveness of America’s Tea Party movement. I warned FOX biz host Charles Payne that I was very concerned about the Tea Parties being infiltrated and taken over by big-government neocons.
See my interview on Neil Cavuto’s show (hosted by Charles Payne): Click Here
With more than a year having gone by since that interview, I believe the concerns I expressed on FOX were more than warranted. I am seeing more and more Tea Parties fall into the same trap, as did their predecessors back in the “Conservative Revolution” of 1994 and ‘95.
Right here in my home State of Montana, voters overwhelmingly threw the liberal Democrats out of both State houses and replaced them with Republicans who campaigned on strong conservative rhetoric. But what has happened since? Neocon Republicans in leadership positions squashed the best legislation and bullied compromised, big-government legislation through both chambers. The result: big-government neocons, once again, stymied and squashed the efforts of constitutionalist GOP legislators. Read more of this article »
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon (Iraq) is so breathtaking to behold that it is easy to forget their cultic past. Built in about 575 BC, this gate was once one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But, despite its opulent splendor, it was built by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II in honor of the goddess Ishtar.
Archaeological digs within the last century have caused this cedar gate to re-emerge to our present generation. Initially, only the foundations of the gate were found, going down some 45 feet, with molded, unglazed figures. The gateway has been reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum, in Berlin, from the glazed bricks found. It sits there now as a major German, tourist attraction.
Biblical records show us that Nebuchadnezzar was responsible for bringing the kingdom of Judah to an end by his destruction of Jerusalem and carrying off the Jews into exile. The Ishtar Gate was the starting point for the processions. This gate was one of the eight gates of the inner city of Babylon. Read more of this article »
During the first American Revolution, many of the unsung heroes were men of the cloth who would preach about salvation for mens souls and the relationship of the same men to each other and the world around them. They spoke of the revelation of God to the world beyond scriptures in the nature of creation itself, and along with it, the concept of natural law which recognized the worth of each individual… and the rights, natural rights, that came along with this unique position.
Ignored by many historians, blinded by the “separation of church and state” mantra, was the role Jonas Clark played in Lexington MA on April 19, 1775 when British troops marched into town looking for Samuel Adams and John Hancock. He had been working with the men of his congregation, preparing them for the time when it would be necessary for them to defend their homes and families. His followers were among the first on the scene to stand their ground against their masters from across the sea.
John Peter Muhlenberg, a Lutheran pastor in Woodstock VA, upon hearing of the fighting in the northern colonies, preached a sermon on Ecclesiastes 3, then removed his clerical robe to reveal the uniform of general in the Continental Army. He then went on distinguish himself in numerous battles to rid the new land of foreign oppression and control. Read more of this article »
President Kennedy once said, “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” I don’t think he would mind if we add stronger women as well. I believe he had a very good point, one that applies to our current struggle to retain the freedom our forefathers gave us through their blood, sweat and tears. Many pray for a change in the leadership of our country. Others, following the Biblical mandate pray for wisdom for our leaders as they rush headlong into destruction. Still others pray for a new crop of citizens to come along and do battle to set things right. This last one may be closest to what the former President was advising us to do.
Sure the Obama administration appears to be doing everything in its power to bring about the change they ambiguously promised. We can, and must, pray for a change of heart in the White House. However, it is within the realm of possibility the Almighty may tell us “no”. Just as he told the Israelites that they needed to go and clear the promised land themselves… and suffered because they did not complete the job. It is entirely possible, that He will not dramatically clear the snake pit of Washington with a wave of his all powerful hand. He may waiting for us to be willing to be part of His plan rather than sitting on the sidelines. He may be looking at us to take advantage of the freedoms we have been given as Americans and put people in office that will stand against the increasingly dictatorial tendencies of Barack Hussein Obama.
We need to send people to represent us in the nation’s capitol who will agree with Thomas Jefferson when he said, “I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” We don’t need, indeed we cannot afford, to send those to Washington who seek to work “across the aisle” and compromise with the enemies of freedom and make their machinations slightly less onerous. These are dangerous times and we need men and women of courage who will stand for victory rather than compromise which only leads, ultimately to defeat. Read more of this article »
[The Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom, was written by Thomas Jefferson and guided through the legislature by James Madison in 1786, banned government interference in religion and individual beliefs.]
Section I.
Well aware that the opinions and belief of men depend not on their own will, but follow involuntarily the evidence proposed to their minds; that Almighty God hath created the mind free, and manifested his supreme will that free it shall remain by making it altogether insusceptible of restraint; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments, or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do, but to extend it by its influence on reason alone; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time: That to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical; that even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own religious persuasion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular pastor whose morals he would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most persuasive to righteousness; and is withdrawing from the ministry those temporary rewards, which proceeding from an approbation of their personal conduct, are an additional incitement to earnest and unremitting labours for the instruction of mankind; that our civil rights have no dependance on our religious opinions, any more than our opinions in physics or geometry; that therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which, in common with his fellow citizens, Read more of this article »
The revisionist historians who are infesting what used to be the halls of learning would have us believe that America was a secular nation from the beginning and that the Christian heritage is all the figment of some religious nut’s imagination. However, just as light drives out darkness, so does the truth drive out the lies of those with nefarious plans and schemes.
With this in mind, it would be good to see what the pilgrims thought about their arduous journey to the new world that cost so many of them their earthly lives.
The Mayflower Compact
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Read more of this article »
When President Ronald Reagan called up the Soviet Premier to tear down the wall the divided free Berlin from enslaved Berlin, he spoke with the moral authority of one who understood the difference between right and wrong. He spoke as one who understood the difference between liberty an oppression. He also understood that one was better than the other in each case.
It could have been just the fanciful ranting of a semi senile old man… but, it wasn’t. He persisted in pursuing the evil empire until it became obvious that the central planning and control of the oppressive regime was no match for the creativity and industry of our free people. He knew that there was no substitute for victory. He knew that making nice with those who want to defeat you and wipe you from the history books only gives them time to regroup and plan for more dastardly attacks. He knew so much this current administration hasn’t even considered. Read more of this article »
If you like the copyrighted content of Political Christian and would like to repost, republish or email the material, permission is granted for any article attributed to Larry Miller provided 1) there is a link back to this site and 2) there is no subscription fee and no paid advertising.
For other circumstances and other contributors, please contact larry@politicachristian.org or follow links that may be provided.
Be the First to Comment 
[As he left public life, George Washington had serious concerns for the country he helped bring into being. He had surprising insights into the situations this new nation would face and (often ignored) advice on avoiding pitfalls that have destroyed other nations in the past. The language is difficult to comprehend at times, but we can learn from his wisdom or we can continue to ignore it at our peril.]
[As he left public life, George Washington had serious concerns for the country he helped bring into being. He had surprising insights into the situations this new nation would face and (often ignored) advice on avoiding pitfalls that have destroyed other nations in the past. The language is difficult to comprehend at times, but we can learn from his wisdom or we can continue to ignore it at our peril.]
ounsel
Many times I hear the ostriches among us exclaim, “What freedoms have we lost? America is the freest country on earth.” We have all heard that, right? Of course, part of the problem is that, thanks to our education system, media, and churches, many Americans do not even know how to define liberty and freedom. The truth is, America’s Founding Fathers were willing to pledge their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” and fight a bloody revolutionary war for far fewer abridgments of liberty than we Americans endure every day of our lives today. FAR FEWER!
I once felt all that kind of anger, which a man ought to feel, against the mean principles that are held by the Tories: a noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standing at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and after speaking his mind as freely as he thought was prudent, finished with this unfatherly expression, “Well! give me peace in my day.” Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent should have said, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;” and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty. Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America. Her situation is remote from all the wrangling world, and she has nothing to do but to trade with them. A man can distinguish himself between temper and principle, and I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.
[Editors note: In this classic article, Thomas Paine discusses the choices that laid before the colonists just prior to Christmas 1776. In many ways, they are the same choices we face today. Please return for Part II tomorrow.]
The Federalist No. 2
There are many things going wrong in our wonderful country today, and there have been many solutions proposed. Most are well intentioned and most that show some common sense would work fine to fix the specific problem. However each is akin to putting a band aid on a broken leg. We are being hit with too many different attacks from too many different angles to be content with repairing our country piecemeal. It’s like the Cloward-Piven plan to overwhelm the system.
If you have not made your vacation plans and live within a few hundred miles of Williamsburg VA, or if you happen to crave TSA molestation, now might be a good time to check out the walk back in time at early capitol of Viginia. You can travel down the same streets that Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson walked. You may even run into President Washington or Marquis de Lafayette. The children, even those in their 60s will find the early craftsmen fascinating as they explain how created the necessities of life in the eighteenth century with simple tools and a little ingenuity.
I was chatting recently with a friend in the Republican Party about some of the people looking for the presidential nomination. Although I like and respect the gentleman, it was a meeting of the 
As we enter another Independence Day weekend, I think it would be good to remind ourselves of who those men were that counted the cost and paid the price to bring this land of liberty into existence. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans today seem to have very little–if any–knowledge and appreciation for the sacrifices that our Founding Fathers made in order to birth this great country. We can thank the vast majority of our schools (including the institutions of higher learning), major media, political institutions, and even churches for this egregious embarrassment. Accordingly, I think it fitting that today’s column will attempt to renew in our hearts the respect and reverence that these great men whom we call Founding Fathers so richly deserve.
This is the day we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We often talk about the document, but how long has it been since we’ve read the declaration. It’s good to review the basis for rights we have enjoyed. It is also good to see what indignities and abuses the colonists had thrust upon them that drove them to rebellion. Then, finally, we come to the names of the signers… heroic signers who would have died at the end of a hangman’s rope had they not succeeded in breaking free from the British crown.
With July 4th on the horizon, the day we celebrate the birth of our nation, it would be good to not only review the history of the national anthem, but to actually read the words. They are part of our American Heritage. Contrary to some popular beliefs, the last words of the first verse are not “gentlemen start your engines” or “play ball”.
To many people, the Federal Reserve and it’s operation is something beyond the scope of their understanding and interest. They see it as part of the banking system they rely on to buy a home, a car or the big screen TV in their living room. They see it as helping their local bank advance the cash they need to maintain their consumptive life style. Most have no problem with it as they see the banking system as essentially benefiting the average person. Although recently many have begun to understand the curse this ready availability of credit has been to us, individually and as a nation.
by Thomas Brewton
[Editors Note: The most effective series of articles denying the need for a stronger central government came from an unidentified Massachusetts anti-federalist in a series of five articles that appeared in the Boston American Herald, under the pseudonym "John DeWitt", in honor of the the seventeenth century Dutch patriot who had defended the liberties of the people against an oppressive central government. This is the first of five.]
There has been copious speculation about who will arise to oppose Barack Hussein Obama at the end of his first and only term in office. There are almost as many ideas as there are people disgusted with the path of our country. I am looking for something more than an ideal candidate that can win an election. Instead of a politician running for an office, I would suggest we should be looking for a statesman… a leader with a vision and passion.
By Thomas Brewton
by Bob Kyffin
We all understand the power of working as a team. It is good to have others to share burdens with. Yet there are times when we are faced with choices where no one goes with us. We sometimes come to cross roads where we can go with the crowd down a path we know to be wrong, or we can break with the group think and follow the promptings of our conscience.
Let’s settle one thing first: God has never used a majority to achieve anything substantive or revolutionary. It has always been a tireless, committed, and courageous remnant that He has used to accomplish things considered noteworthy and lasting. Any dead fish can swim downstream!
10 January 1788
By Chuck Baldwin
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon (Iraq) is so breathtaking to behold that it is easy to forget their cultic past. Built in about 575 BC, this gate was once one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But, despite its opulent splendor, it was built by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II in honor of the goddess Ishtar.
During the first American Revolution, many of the unsung heroes were men of the cloth who would preach about salvation for mens souls and the relationship of the same men to each other and the world around them. They spoke of the revelation of God to the world beyond scriptures in the nature of creation itself, and along with it, the concept of natural law which recognized the worth of each individual… and the rights, natural rights, that came along with this unique position.
President Kennedy once said, “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” I don’t think he would mind if we add stronger women as well. I believe he had a very good point, one that applies to our current struggle to retain the freedom our forefathers gave us through their blood, sweat and tears. Many pray for a change in the leadership of our country. Others, following the Biblical mandate pray for wisdom for our leaders as they rush headlong into destruction. Still others pray for a new crop of citizens to come along and do battle to set things right. This last one may be closest to what the former President was advising us to do.
[The Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom, was written by Thomas Jefferson and guided through the legislature by James Madison in 1786, banned government interference in religion and individual beliefs.]
The revisionist historians who are infesting what used to be the halls of learning would have us believe that America was a secular nation from the beginning and that the Christian heritage is all the figment of some religious nut’s imagination. However, just as light drives out darkness, so does the truth drive out the lies of those with nefarious plans and schemes.
