LIBERTY LOST

by Wyoming Mike via theburningplatform.com

“A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader… If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security.” — Samuel Adams

I don’t have to tell you that the biggest problem in America is malaise. Last week’s Republican debate drew approximately 3 million less viewers than X Factor. People can tell you what Chas Bono was wearing on Dancing With the Stars last week, but they don’t know that the federal government has made it illegal to give your garden vegetables to your neighbor. It is scary, shocking, and terrifying how far this nation’s people have fallen since we were the world leader in, well, everything worth being the world leader in.

We used to be a free nation with people allowed to keep the majority of what they earned and they were pretty much left to their own devices as long as they didn’t interfere with anyone else’s liberty.

Article 1 Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution only allows the federal government to do 20 things. The following is a brief list of the damage our freedom has taken in the last century by allowing the federal government to step around, on, and over the Constitution. The funny thing is, when you read the Declaration of Independence and see what our grievances against King George were, I think this list is much more heinous. These are just my top ten, I’m sure there are MANY MANY more:

1. The income tax amendment to the Constitution. Enacted in 1913 (some say illegally) it was supposed to have a maximum tax of 1%. How’s that working out for ya?

2. The Federal Reserve Act also in 1913 signed into law by Woodrow Wilson. This transferred control of our monetary system to the criminal Wall Street banks. Since this was passed, we have had a reduction of the value of the US dollar of 98%! In 1913 a 20 dollar gold piece bought you a nice suit, 2 pairs of pants, and a pair of shoes. In 2011 it still does, so I’m sure a 20 dollar bill will as well, no?

3. The Social Security Act signed into law by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1935. This was originally designed to help widows and orphans (if you believe that I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale). It is now the biggest scam in America today and this will be the first year since inception that it will pay out more than it takes in. I have been paying 12.4% of my salary to this for the last 27 years until the 2% credit enacted this past year designed to bankrupt the system faster, lowered the tax rate to 1 dollar tax for every 9 I earn. Imagine my ‘retirement’ account if this was being held in my name, instead of being redistributed? Given that the number of workers to retirees has fallen drastically from 16-1 in 1950 to 2.9-1 in 2010, how do you think we can continue this??

4. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. Created in 1938 & 1970 respectively, these quasi-governmental lenders working with CONgress teamed up over the last 15 years to destroy the housing market in this Country. I can’t believe giving no money down loans to anyone who could fog a mirror was a bad idea?

5. Medicare & Medicaid. Lyndon Baines Johnson, the WORST President in American History, although Carter and that used car salesman we have now give him a run for his money, started Medicare and Medicaid. These 2 Ponzi schemes I’m sure make Bernie Madoff proud. These programs have destroyed the US healthcare system, as we now spend 17% of our GDP on healthcare, helped pave the way for Obamacare and account for approximately 100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. I’ll spell that number out so you can see it – $100,000,000,000,000.00.

6. Patriot Act. What a pleasant name for such a sinister law. Purposely long and confusing, the Patriot Act was signed by President Bush on October 26, 2001. This Act (in complete violation of the 4th amendment to the Constitution) allows the Government to spy on its citizens under the guise of protecting us from terrorists. It was Ben Franklin who famously said “Those who would trade their liberty for security deserve neither”. For those that think there is a difference between Republicans and Democrats, this walking Constitutional violation was recently extended for 4 more years with approximately 2/3 of each of the republicrat parties approving.

7. TARP Troubled Asset Relief Program – 10/03/08. Forgetting the 700 Billion in tax dollars spent, this program officially signaled the end of the free market system. No longer did hard work, and a good idea mean anything, all you needed were good lobbyists to succeed in America.

8. Food safety bill passed December 2010. This bill is a massive Government overreach that makes it illegal for an individual to sell or GIVE AWAY any of their own food. Lobbyists led by food giant Monsanto got this through again under the cradle to grave idea of protecting us from ourselves. Several states have passed legislation this year in an attempt to protect their citizens from this new law.

9. Undeclared Wars – The Constitution clearly states that war MUST be declared and voted on by Congress. We are now in so many wars that I’ve lost track. We now have a President that doesn’t even feel the need to consult with Congress before attacking another Country. According to Brown University the “War on Terror”, i.e. chasing the boogeyman has cost us 3-4 trillion dollars. Amazing how arming pilots or putting some $10 master locks on flight cabin doors could have averted the whole thing. Apparently we “won” in Iraq, only 4,500 of our young people dead, 30,000 wounded, and 150,000 Iraqi’s killed. I wonder if any of the 150,000 Iraqi’s had relatives? What do you think they think of us and our liberation attacks? Wouldn’t it be better if our troops were home actually defending our borders and spending their money here?

10. Unlimited Detention of Americans – The defense authorization bill (NDAA) currently moving through Congress that funds the US military, effectively extends the battlefield in the “war on terror” to the US and applies the established principle that combatants in any war are subject to military detention. Specifically, sections 1031 and 1032, declare the unconstitutional right to detain Americans indefinitely without trial.

OTHER FACTORS

Those are the facts above. My opinion on how the Government / Bankers / Lobbyists have been able to get away with this is simple. The US Department of Education was recreated in 1979 and started operating as a cabinet level agency in 1980. The DoE has successfully dummed down several generations of our children. For example, we have gone from #1 in math worldwide to #31. It just does my heart good to hear those kids chant “Were #31, Were #31”. I could go all day on the damage caused by the Department of Education, and have in other articles, but the point here is that another unconstitutional cabinet department has destroyed education in this Country.

For all the folks who made it through the education system before the indoctrination started, we have cable news, newspapers, and reality TV. It is amazing to me how few people go get their news, rather they let it come to them and take it as gospel. The only folks today who are informed are the ones that go get their news rather than letting it come to them. When I hear paid pundits like Bill O’Reilly talking about something like it is fact, I like to ask “who do they work for, who is their master?” The answer to that question is very important to determining the accuracy of the statements. It mattes not what network they work for, I have heard Bill and other MSMers BS so much that the only time I tune in to one of these shows is literally to count their lies.

CANDIDATES

We have an election coming in 2012, it’s kind of a big one, our Nation’s future is at stake. If you are in either the “Obama’s not so bad”, or the “Anyone but Obama” camp, you are a big part of the problem. For example: We have 7 main candidates running for the republican nomination, Bachmann, Gingrich, Huntsman, Paul, Perry, Romney, Santorum. I would like to take them 1 by 1 if I may.

Newt – We could talk about his longggggg list of personal shortcomings; cheating on this wife or that wife, congressional ethics violations, taking money from Fannie & Freddie, but I’d prefer to judge him on his record. He is a big government progressive who was a huge global warming supporter with Nancy Pelosi, supported the Federal healthcare takeover when he was speaker, takes credit for 2 federal balanced budgets while he wasn’t even in office, and thinks we should tighten the Patriot Act like a noose around every citizen’s neck. Give him credit for one thing, he is his biggest fan.

Mitt – Another Big Government Progressive who never met a social program he didn’t love. Mitt’s switched positions on so many issues so many times, it is impossible to keep up. Recently he was endorsed by Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell, who has also given money to Cain, Gingrich & Santorum. She said in a CNN interview that she liked his “consistency.” When the reporter informed her that Mittens has been on both sides of virtually every issue, Christine didn’t skip a beat, “”That’s one of the things that I like about him — because he’s been consistent since he changed his mind.” Priceless!

Rick Perry – Poor Rick Perry, when he’s not busy inoculating preteen girls against their will, he’s busy showing off his intellect. Enough there, feel sorry for the man. He is likable, I would have him over for dinner, but putting him in charge of the Country, that’s another story.

Michele Bachmann – Constitutional conservative my ass! BIG Patriot Act supporter. Dumb as a bag of doughnuts. She sees terrorists in every corner. Don’t give her access to the red button whatever you do!

Huntsman – A nice man who wants the troops home, which is a good thing. He’s way out of his league here, asked to talk about anything but China, he talks about…well…China.

Rick Santorum – The only candidate scarier than Bachmann. He is the biggest anti-freedom war monger of the bunch. Preaches conservatism, but apparently has never opened a Constitution. Luckily, he can’t raise any money because he scares the beejeezus out of folks. As an incumbent senator in PA in 2006, he lost reelection by 18 points, a state record for an incumbant. The people in Pennsylvania had it right. He should be out in a couple of weeks.

SOLUTIONS

It will not be easy. The problem, as I found out first hand is that a lot people either don’t want to fix it as they would have to get a job and stop living off of the taxpayer, or they don’t have any idea what a mess we are in as explained above. We have become fat and lazy as a nation. As much as I hate the income tax, 47% of our people paying none and being supported by the rest of us is not a good thing.

Among people who know the Country is in deep trouble, there are 2 camps. The “We are too far gone” camp and the “We can turn this around” camp. I belong to the latter. That’s why I ran for office last year in a district that was all of 18% republican. I sincerely believe that if we get honest people who legitimately care about this Country and understand the role of government into public office that we can fix a lot of this mess. Why not start at the top with the President?

All Revolutions start with one man. One man has for the last 30 years shouted “The Empire has no clothes”. One man has voted alone many times, fought the big Government takeover, fought for the rights of all individuals. He has fought for each and every one of us. One man.

It is hard to put Ron Paul into a few words, but I will try. He has dedicated his life to helping people. He has delivered over 4,000 babies, and he spent 5 years in the Air Force while several other candidates were doing everything they could to stay out of the service. He has a perfect Constitutional voting record in congress, always voting for the good of the Country and the rule of law no matter what the party line or the sob story was. He does not let lobbyists into his office, he does not participate in the congressional pension plan, and when he is elected President he will only accept the mean salary of the average American, approximately 39,000 a year. Compare this to the latest multi-week Obama vacation in Hawaii expected to cost taxpayers a cool $4,000,000.

Dr. Paul is the ONLY candidate who does not favor the Patriot Act, opting instead to follow the Constitution. He is the only candidate for a strong national defense, and he wants to bring the troops home. According to CIA reports, and the terrorists themselves, our presence in these foreign lands is the cause of the hatred toward us.

Contrary to the popular lie, Ron Paul is not for legalizing all drugs. He simply believes that the federal government has no business in the drug business. Consider that we have spent over 1 trillion dollars on the “War on Drugs” and we have the largest incarceration % of developed countries and over 50% of those incarcerated have done no harm to anyone but themselves, it has been a huge failure.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/13/ap-impact-years-trillion-war-drugs-failed-meet-goals/
Dr. Paul is the only candidate to offer a plan to cut spending, balancing the budget in 3 years, and cutting $1 trillion in the first year by eliminating 5 unconstitutional departments.

He is the only one who has a plan to save social security by funding it from the cuts from the rest of the budget. The rest offer nothing.

He will end the bailouts, cut regulations, bring back jobs, sound money, and the free market by allowing all of the debt on our books to liquidate like it should have years ago.

A walking oxymoron, Dr Paul is an honest, principled, intelligent politician. He has already brought hope and faith back to millions. 90% of the American people agree with Ron Paul on almost all of the issues, but 70% of them just don’t know it yet. Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to vote for the least objectionable republicrat in 2012 for a change?

“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.” — Samuel Adams

God Bless and Merry Christmas Everyone!