our unalienable rights in a written constitution

We have been talking about the 16 basic principles that our American republic was founded on (see the post "the difference between dogs and cats" for the complete list) and how liberals don't seem to agree with any of those principles. My last post discussed the first of those principles--all men are created equal by God. That's found in the Declaration of Independence. Principles 2-4 are found in the Declaration as well:
1. All men are endowed by God with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness. (the latter two of those were understood by the Founding Fathers to be intertwined--that's why I wrote it that way)
2. In order to secure those rights, men institute government, which derives its powers from the people (popular sovereignty).
3. When any government becomes destructive of those rights, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish that government and create a new government which will secure those rights.
Let's look at those principles as a group and I'll show you proof positive that each and every word contained therein directly contradicts modern liberal dogma.

Liberals believe in the unlimited, unchecked, unfettered right to kill unborn babies. They call that "choice". Roe vs Wade was an example of 9 unelected men in Washington creating a brand new "right" not found in the Constitution and ramming it down our throats. When our elected representatives, following the will of the people, have attempted to correct the injustice of that decision, liberals scream that conservatives are trying to impose our religious beliefs on others. Did Thomas Jefferson mean that God gave everybody but unborn babies the right to life? Did he mean that only liberals have the right to alter our government? Did he mean that only the executive and legislative branches are subject to the will of the people, but that the judicial branch is the liberal "trump card" that overrules popular sovereignty?

Liberals believe in a supposed "constitutional right" for gays to marry, even though that's not in the Constitution. Every single time gay marriage has been put to a vote, even in liberal states, the people overwhelmingly vote against it. So liberals have done what they always do--they get unelected judges to overrule the will of the people and impose the "right" to gay marriage by judicial fiat.

The liberal faction of the Supreme Court ruled that government has the unlimited ability to seize your personal property and use it for whatever they want. How can we pursue the American Dream--happiness--by working hard to earn a little piece of the landscape, when government can just come in and take it away from us? Liberals say that government knows best and to just shut our conservative mouths.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has issued more wacky liberal decisions, and been overturned more times, than any court in the country. They have ruled that it is legal to for U.S. citizens to financially support terrorist organizations and that the words "one nation under God" in our Pledge are unconstitutional. They have ruled that abortion and assisted suicide are absolute, fundamental rights. They ruled that Arizona's English-only law violated the 1st Amendment. They ruled that the use of police dogs to sniff out drugs or find criminals violated the 4th Amendment. They ruled that an armed bank robber couldn't be convicted of armed robbery because he "inadvertently" showed the gun. They have ruled that the government has the right to tell landowners what they can and cannot do with their private property. When conservatives proposed in 2005 to break up that judicial insane asylum (alter the government), liberals protested that the Constitution was under attack.

Do you see how this works? Liberals believe that our right to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness can be altered or abolished by government, that "we the people" get our rights from the government, and that "they the liberals" are entitled to impose their worldview on us! How do they justify their abhorrent philosophy in light of what is written in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution (look at Principle 5--our rights are best protected by a written constitution)? Very simply, they believe in a living, breathing Constitution, not a written Constitution. This is code for "The Constitution means what we liberals say it means!"

By the way, if you look at Principle 6--the Constitution guarantees a republican form of government (Article IV, Sec. 4)--and compare it with what we have talked about in this post, you will quickly understand that there is nothing about republicanism that liberals like. Liberals can't win at the ballot box with their nutty, perverse ideas. They can only achieve success when unelected judges implement their agenda.

Well, that's enough of a rant for today. I'll have more next time.

we hold these truths to be self evident

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. 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 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."---The Declaration of Independence

If you read my last post, you saw that I outlined the 16 basic principles that form the foundation of our American republic. These 16 principles were the ideals that our Founding Fathers believed so strongly in, that they wove them into the very fabric of the government they created. I also made the rather outrageous statement that the difference between liberals and conservatives is that conservatives believe in and promote these principles. Liberals disagree with each and every one of these principles and will use any means necessary to destroy those principles. Pretty harsh, isn't it? I intend to back that up with facts, logic and reason so that there can be no doubt that I am right.
Let's get one thing straight right away. This is not a Republican/Democrat issue. It's true that the Democrat party has been hijacked by the lunatic fringe of the liberal movement, but there are still a few Democrats who have maintained their sanity (Zell Miller, for example). It is also true that the Republican party has more than a few liberals (John McCain, Arlen Specter, Mitt Romney, and a host of others) who have succummed to the madness and are now no different from yo-yos like Hillary Clinton, Ted "Swim Coach" Kennedy, or John Kerry. What you must understand is that liberalism is dangerous and contagious where ever it is found.
Go back to the list in the previous post ("the difference between cats and dogs") and look at the first four principles. They are all found in the words of the Declaration of Independence quoted above. Let's look at the first one.
Our Founding Fathers believed that God created all men equal--equal in His eyes and equal under the law. That's why a conservative Republican president freed the slaves. That's why a conservative Republican president (Eisenhower) sent federal troops into Little Rock to enforce desegregation. That's why more than 80% of conservative GOP Congressmen voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, compared to 63% of liberal Democrats. Former KKK member and current liberal Senator Robert Byrd filibustered for 14 hours against that bill! Conservatives believe in the American Dream--that anyone who works hard and perserveres can enjoy success in this great country if government will stay out of the way. Liberals don't believe that. Liberals believe that most Americans are too dumb, or too victimized, or too helpless to succeed without the help of some government entitlement program. How else do you explain affirmative action, or welfare, or lowered admissions standards to college for some minorities, or federally mandated quotas? Liberals say they believe in equality, but clearly they believe that some are more equal than others!
There is another component to that first principle: God created all men equal. Modern liberalism has become so tangled up in secular humanism that most liberals have no use for God. Liberals want all mention of God in the public square to be censored. Liberal federal judges forbid State legislators from praying in the name of Jesus. Liberal politicians threaten to revoke the tax-exempt status of churches if they get involved in conservative politics. By the way, when have you ever seen a church threatened with taxation because they participated in an anti-death penalty rally or in a pro-illegal immigration rally? Just let a church endorse a conservative politician, however, and the Liberal Dragon breathes fire, snorts thunder and moves to crush that church. Clearly, modern liberalism is offended by all things Christian, and they have no use whatsoever for equality.
More will come later. Have a good week!

the difference between dogs and cats

The mainstream media, the academic elite, and the rest of the self-proclaimed intelligentsia continually bemoan the fact that our society is so polarized. "Why can't we be united?" they say. "Why do conservatives constantly try to divide us?" they say, usually after conservatives refuse to give in to some silly liberal demand. Some people say that we all have the same goals, that liberals and conservatives both want the same things--we just have different ideas about how to get there. I disagree. I don't believe that liberals and conservatives have the same goals. In a nutshell, the difference between liberals and conservatives is this: true conservatives believe in and support the founding principles of the United States of America. Liberals do not. That sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? It's true, though. Modern liberalism loathes the foundational principles our great nation was founded on, and they are doing everything in their power to subvert those principles and destroy that foundation. Modern liberalism is the sworn enemy of the United States of America and there can be no compromise with that enemy. I'll explain what I mean.
First, so that we are all on the same page, let's talk about what those foundational principles of the American republic are. There are 16 basic principles, and they are as follows:
1. God made all men equal--equal in His eyes and equal under human law.
2. All men are endowed by God with certain natural rights that can't be taken away from us. Among those rights are life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.
3. In order to secure those rights, men institute government. Government gets its power from the people, a concept known as popular sovereignty.
4. When any government fails to secure those God-given rights, the people have the right to change that government, or to abolish it and to create a new one that will secure those rights.
5. These God-given rights are most likely to be secured if the government is constrained by a written constitution.
6. Our Constitution guarantees a republican form of government.
7. The republic will not survive without a religious and moral citizenry who in turn elect virtuous leaders.
8. Because religion, morality, and knowledge are necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged.
9. Our national government can only have those powers delegated to it by the Constitution. All other powers are reserved for the States and their citizens. This is called federalism.
10. The national government will be divided into 3 branches. This is called separation of powers.
11. A system of checks and balances will be created to prevent any one of those branches from abusing its power.
12. The judicial branch is intended to be the weakest of the 3 branches.
13. Majority rules, but not at the expense of the rights of the minority.
14. Life and liberty are secure only as long as property rights are secured.
15. Prosperity is highest in a free-market economy with minimal government regulations and low taxes.
16. The Constitution identifies specific individual rights that are to be protected. Those that are not identified for protection are not assumed to be under the jurisdiction of government--they are retained by the people.
Well, that's enough for this post. What I will do over the next several weeks is to go through those principles one by one and show 1.) Where does that principle come from and what does it mean?, 2.) What alternative belief do liberals hold?, and 3.) What are liberals doing to subvert that principle? I'll tell you right now, there isn't a one of those principles that liberals believe in.
Have a great weekend!

the future of conservatism

The past year has been a tough one for conservatives. The Republicans we sent to Washington, including Pres. Bush, have increasingly become indistinguishable from the tax-and-spend, big government Democrats we voted out of office. There are exceptions, of course. Indiana Congressman Mike Pence and Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo have been absolutely heroic in their efforts to stand up to the liberals in their party. Virginia Senator George Allen has been equally strong for the conservative cause. There are far too many Republicans, however, who have betrayed the conservative cause and who have damaged the republic in the process. It's discouraging!
I'm pleased to report that there is good news. I recently happened upon a blog called Conservative Textbook (on blogspot.com), which is the work of a Colorado 19 year old named Mr. K. After reading through the posts on his blog, I can see that Christian conservatism has a bright future. The GOP better get their act together, for the following reasons:
1. Young people are becoming increasingly conservative and increasingly active in their churches. As this continues they will become less forgiving of a political party that tolerates ethical lapses and liberal social and economic policies.
2. These young people are serious about conservatism, and they're not going away! If the GOP fails them, they will bolt for a more conservative 3rd party. We may very well be on the verge of serious change in the political landscape.
3. These young people are smart! I graduated (barely!) from Ball State in 1983. There wasn't anyone that smart at BSU in those days! Believe me when I say that no slick-talking politician is going to separate these young conservatives from their core values.

Congratulations to Mr. K and all of his like-minded cohorts. The future belongs to you. Somewhere in the Eternal Kingdom, inside the Pearly Gates, Pres. Ronald Wilson Reagan is smiling!

who's the real champion?

I watched a feature on the History Channel this weekend that examined the careers of all of our Presidents. Pres. Reagan was described as "an unskilled politician", "not particularly bright", "emotionally detached", and "the luckiest guy in the world" because the Soviet Union just happened to collapse while he was sleeping through Cabinet meetings. Pres. Clinton was described as "a brilliant politician" and an "intellectual giant" who saved our economy after "Reaganomics" saddled us with an enormous deficit. Wow! So many lies, so little time! Let's look at the facts:

1. When Reagan took office in 1981 America's economy was the worst it had been since the Great Depression. The policies of "The Pitiful Peanut Farmer" were responsible for that. The Reagan tax cuts were like rocket fuel for the economy, and the 1980's saw unprecedented American prosperity.

2. The huge deficits were the result of a Democrat-controlled Congress spending money like a drunken sailor in a Vietnamese brothel, even as Pres. Reagan begged them to reign in spending on domestic programs. The Dems refused.

3. Communism had spread farther and farther across the globe every year since Truman announced his ill-conceived plan of "containment". When Reagan took office, he used the power of political rhetoric to put the Soviet Union on notice that there was a new sheriff in town. He accelerated defense spending to a rate that the Soviet economy couldn't match. Reagan announced his vision for SDI which, although somewhat bizarre and sci-fi in nature, caused the Soviet economy to grind to a halt as they attempted to match our supposed technology. The Soviet people, encouraged by the words of Pres. Reagan, did the rest and the Soviet Union was swept into "the dust-bin of history."

4. As for Clinton? He received less than 50% of the popular vote in both of his elections. He won in 1992 only because Bush I broke his promise and pushed for a tax increase. He won in 1996 only because the GOP ran a broken down Bob Dole against him. Before Clinton took office, both houses of Congress were controlled by the Democrats, most of our nation's governors were Democrats, and most state legislatures across the land were controlled by the Democrats. When "The Master Politician" left office, all of the above were strongly GOP controlled. A strong case could be made arguing that William Jefferson Clinton almost single-handedly destroyed the Democrat Party. Oh, and by the way, the 1980's deficits caused by the Democrat Congress were wiped out by Newt Gingrich as part of the Republican Revolt of 1994. You can look it up.

welcome to the shining city on the hill!

"I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still."---President Ronald Reagan's Farewell Address to the nation, Jan. 11, 1989

Hi! I'm Bruce, and welcome to my rookie excursion into the world of blogging. The above words, spoken by the greatest president of the 20th Century, represent a vision of the potential of our great nation. The United States could be a shining city on a hill and a beacon of hope to the world. In fact, throughout much of our history our nation has lived out the promise of President Reagan's vision. I fear, however, that as a country we are losing our way and that the beacon is growing dimmer. I'll talk more in future posts to this site about how and why we are losing our way, but let me sum it up here for the purposes of this initial posting:

The United States of America was founded as a Christian nation, built upon the principles taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. The republican, representative style of government we have is wholly dependent upon the people of this nation living up to those principles. When we don't, the republic falters. Friends, we have faltered.

That's enough for today, but in future posts I'll show supporting evidence for my beliefs, I'll talk about how and why we have faltered, and I'll talk about the ways in which "we the people" can set our nation back on course to becoming the "shining city on a hill" envisioned by President Reagan.