During the recent discussions on Health Care, one former Congressman held up a copy of the Constitution and asked the TV host, “Tell me any place in the Constitution where the federal government has the power to pass this health care bill.” The host replied that it is the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution that contains that power. The argument then ensued, which like most arguments on current topics, never come to a proper conclusion because most people have no idea of the origin of Constitutional principles.
Background of the Power of Congress to Regulate Interstate Commerce
One of the challenges facing the states after the Revolutionary War was raising money to pay their expenses and debts. Most states knew taxing the people would be futile because the people had no money and they had just fought a war over the subject of oppressive taxation. So some states decided to set up taxes on commerce, that is, goods coming into or leaving the state, either at the ports or the inland borders. This tactic, however, tended to set states up as individual nations rather than as a common market. It would pit state against state and would lead to discriminatory taxation on certain industries.
Virginia was one of the principal offenders in this respect. While the Constitution was up before the convention of the various states for ratification, Washington wrote to Lafayette that his own state had recently tried to pass "some of the most extravagant and preposterous edicts on the subject of trade" that had ever been written.
But the other states were also gouging their neighbors with discriminatory regulations of commerce. Rhode Island , for example, met all of her expenses out of duties levied at one port where commerce had to enter from other states. New York also demanded oppressive duties on all imports coming through her major shipping channels. It was apparent that if the regulation of commerce were left to the states they would soon degenerate into isolated economic fiefs with each one using discriminatory and retaliatory regulations against surrounding states.
The question had to be resolved as to how to keep states from setting up these tariffs and regulations on goods flowing into or out of a state. To leave this to the states to solve might lead to civil war. It would certainly lead to dissolution of the union. There was no other way to keep a state from setting up these restrictions than by giving the authority to do so to a neutral entity, and that was the federal government.
James Monroe of Virginia (while serving in Congress from 1783 to 1786) had unsuccessfully tried to include the federal regulation of commerce in the Articles of Confederation. He is also credited with suggesting it for the Constitution. Madison felt it was "necessary to preserve the Union," for "without it, it (the Union ) will infallibly crumble to pieces."
So by the time the Constitutional Convention was held in 1787 it was clear to many of the delegates that unless the regulation of interstate commerce was placed in the hands of the national government, the states would wreck the union with their petty regulations designed to promote local prosperity at the expense of the general welfare.
Emphasis was on Maintaining a Free Flow of Commerce Among the States
Giving the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce, as a constitutionally delegated power proved to be the answer to maintaining a common market among the states. The commerce clause has consistently served as a barrier to the suppressive efforts of individual states to favor their own industry or economy. In more than 2,500 cases which have been brought before the state and federal courts, tax laws, license laws, and regulations of an infinite variety enacted by state legislatures have been held invalid as interfering with the free flow of interstate commerce.
As Economics Professor Gary Galles of Pepperdine University recently wrote: “The Commerce Clause was designed to take that abusive power from the states by giving Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce; ‘regulate' meant ‘to make regular or normal' or ‘to remove impediments….” ( Washington Times , March 27, 2010)
As with most constitutional provisions, the United States was the pioneer in discovering the advantages which the free flow of commerce among its several states contributed to national economic prosperity. Australia followed the opposite policy until 1900, when she conceded that provincial or state barriers to commerce were repressive. Brazil , Canada , and other nations with modern constitutions have generally followed the American Constitution in this respect.
It is crucial to note that, in the Founders' formula, the whole power to regulate interstate commerce dealt only with matters to ensure the free flow of goods, or in other words, transportation of interstate commerce, not with any control over the production, manufacturing, or sale of goods going interstate. As W. Cleon Skousen explained:
Doctrines relating to the protection of the states' sphere of power were set forth by the Supreme Court in the Sugar Trust Case. The court's decision stated:
Production is always local, and under the exclusive domain of the states.
Commerce among the states (interstate commerce) does not begin until goods commence their final movement from their state of origin to that of their destination.
The sale of any product is merely an incident of its production and is therefore under the domain of the state because its effect on interstate commerce is merely incidental
Combinations or associations organized for the sale and distribution of goods are under the regulatory power of the state since the effect on interstate commerce is indirect, not direct.
As Justice George Sutherland pointed out in Carter v. Carter Coal Co.:
"Much stress is put upon the evils which come from the struggle between employers and employees over matters of wages, working conditions, the right of collective bargaining, etc., and the resulting strikes, curtailment and irregularity of production, and the effect on prices; and it is insisted that interstate commerce is greatly affected thereby. But ... the conclusive answer is that the evils are all local evils over which the Federal Government has no legislative control. The relation of employer and employee is a local relation. As a common law it is one of the domestic relations. The wages are paid for the doing of local work. Working conditions are obviously local conditions. The employees are not engaged in or about commerce, but exclusively in producing a commodity.... Such effect as they may have upon commerce, however extensive it may be, is secondary and indirect.” ( The Ma king of America, p. 406)
Changing Emphasis from Commerce to Regulate
In the decades following the passage of The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 and usually under the pressure of war and depression, the Supreme Court twisted or reversed traditional cases on interstate commerce and introduced the unconstitutional doctrine that the federal government may regulate anything that affects interstate commerce directly or indirectly. (For a list of cases, see The Making of America , pp. 403-408) One must ask: “What doesn't affect interstate commerce indirectly?” This has resulted in usurpation of power in the form of sweeping federal regulations over nearly every aspect of American life. These doctrines include:
Anything affecting the "current of commerce" from manufacturing to distribution is under federal authority.
Commerce includes all aspects of selling, trading, and trafficking, as well as interstate transportation. Therefore, the federal authority extends to every aspect of commercial activity connected with interstate commerce.
The federal government can regulate any activity which affects interstate commerce either directly or indirectly. It can therefore fix prices, wages, working conditions, health conditions, and the retirement of employees.
All interstate industries automatically come under federal authority for the purpose of intervening in strikes and labor relations. As the Supreme Court said: "When industries organize themselves on a national scale, making their relation to interstate commerce the dominant factor in their activities, how can it be maintained that their industrial labor relations constitute a forbidden field into which Congress may not enter when it is necessary to protect interstate commerce from the paralyzing consequences of industrial war?" This now includes all major industries in the country.
A Graphic Example – the American Hamburger!
In 1980, U. S. News and World Report published a Pictogram entitled, “Your Hamburger: 41,000 Regulations.” It reads:
“The hamburger, staple of the quick, inexpensive meal, is the subject of 41,000 federal and state regulations, many of those stemming from 200 laws and 110,000 precedent-setting court cases.
“These rules, cited in a three-volume study by Colorado State University, touch on everything involved in meat production—grazing practices of cattle, conditions in slaughterhouses and methods used to process meat for sale to supermarkets, restaurants and fast-food outlets. Together they add 8 to 11 cents per pound to the cost of hamburger.” And that was 30 years ago!
In a cut-away graphic, the report gave several examples, two of which are: “Ketchup—to be considered Grade A fancy, it must flow no more than 9 centimeters in 30 seconds at 69 degrees Fahrenheit” and, “Pickles—Slices must be between 1/8 and 3/8 inches thick.” ( U. S. News and World Report , February 11, 1980, p. 64) (This Pictogram can be viewed at www.nccs.net/seminars . Scroll down the right side to Webinar Archives – Part 3, let it load, then slide over to 1 hour and 20 minutes into the presentation.)
Mandatory Health Care Invents even more
Authority in the Interstate Commerce Clause
As stated earlier, the proponents of the Health Care legislation recently passed by Congress and signed by the President cite the Commerce Clause as authority for doing such a thing. As we have just shown, any honest student who reads the Founders' must admit there is no authority in the Constitution for such legislation, but, of course, the proponents like to cite Supreme Court cases to show how the authority has been added to the “living constitution” by the federal judiciary.
However, in citing court cases, no one can cite a single case in the history of the United States where it has been held constitutional for the federal government to require every person in this country to purchase a product or a service. This is exactly what this new legislation requires. Furthermore, it provides for a penalty to be paid if such health insurance is not purchased. This provision is so far beyond any authority in the history of this country, that it is difficult to envision even the Supreme Court of today approving such laws. The lawsuits are being filed. People are challenging. States are challenging. It seems that if by some irrational means the majority of the court does go along with this edict, which is far beyond even a liberal interpretation of the Commerce Clause to this point, there may be wholesale numbers ready to invoke the following paraphrased idea in the Declaration of Independence:
“…and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind [Americans] are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing [changing] the forms to which they are accustomed [that is, the form by which the people give Congress its power]. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government [or abusive power], and to provide new guards for their future security.”
Surely, this will push modern Americans to the point we reached in 1776.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Principles of Liberty in our Founding Documents
Those who are familiar with the 28 Principles of Liberty outlined in The 5000 Year Leap are acquainted with the claim that these are the principles upon which the Founders based our new government, thereby assuring us of lasting peace , prosperity, and freedom. Occasionally the question is asked, “Where can we find these principles in our founding documents?” This letter will help the reader make that connection.
First, however, one point needs to be made clear. There is a notion today that the Declaration of Independence is not really a part of American jurisprudence and that the principles contained therein cannot be referred to as a basis of American law. This line of thought is usually concluded by saying that if a principle cannot be found in the Constitution, such as a belief in a Creator, it is not part of American culture or law. This idea is blatantly false. The Declaration of Independence has been repeatedly cited by the Supreme Court as part of the fundamental law of the United States of America . (See John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution , pages 360-362)
The following, then, are some of the ways in which the 28 Principles of Liberty were emphasized as the Founders structured our government.
Principle 1. The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law. Natural law was defined as the order in which the Creator made everything work properly. There are certain laws which govern the entire universe, and just as Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence, there are laws which govern in the affairs of men which are "the laws of nature and of nature's God." If governments and human relationships are formed according to these laws, they will succeed, if not, they will surely fail, as history has proven. (First paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 2. A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong. The Founders knew they could not succeed in this political building without the support of the “Supreme Judge of the world” and without a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence .” They knew this would not happen unless they kept His commandments which amounted to being virtuous and morally strong. (Last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 3. The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders. No greater case can be made of the damage done to a free people by power-hungry and tyrannical leaders than the long list of abuses Thomas Jefferson listed in the Declaration. While directed at King George, these abuses are typical of leaders who are without virtue and morality. (List of grievances in the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 4. Without religion the government of a free people cannot be maintained. As in Principle 2, the Founders knew they could not succeed in this political building without the support of the “Supreme Judge of the world” and without a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence .” They believed they would have His support and protection if they relied on Him, constantly kept His laws, and taught their children to do likewise. (Last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 5. All things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible. The Founders considered the existence of the Creator as the most fundamental premise underlying all self-evident truth. The words Nature's God, Creator, created, Supreme Judge of the Universe, and Divine Providence are used throughout the Declaration of Independence.
Principle 6. All men are created equal. (An exact quote from the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 7. The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things. “—That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men…” (Second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 8. Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. (Second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 9. To protect man's rights, God has revealed certain principles of divine law. The Founders knew that God had revealed certain laws for human happiness, such as laws against killing, stealing, adultery, lying, coveting, etc. These are reflected in the right of man to form a government to protect his unalienable rights of life, liberty, and property outlined in the Declaration and the Bill of Rights.
Principle 10. The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people. The last paragraph of the Declaration makes it clear that the people as a whole, by their representatives in Congress, have complete authority from the Supreme Judge of the Universe to govern themselves in every way and to take their rightful place among the sovereign peoples of the earth.
Principle 11. The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical. The second paragraph of the Declaration makes it clear that the people have a God-given right to throw off dictators and establish a government that will better protect them in their rights.
Principle 12. The United States of America shall be a republic. Article 1.2.1 of the Constitution sets forth the provision that gives the American people the right to vote for their own representatives, thereby making the United States a constitutional republic of the people.
Principle 13. A constitution should be structured to permanently protect the people from the human frailties of their rulers. In forming our government on the basis of Natural Law, the Founders dealt directly with the human nature characteristic that power almost always corrupts. The separation of powers, checks and balances, and limited governmental powers in the Constitution were all methods employed to check the human frailties which result in run-away power. That is why the Constitution will never be obsolete or outdated.
Principle 14. Life and liberty are secure only so long as the right of property is secure. The fifth amendment of the Bill of Rights specifically prohibits the federal government from taking private property of the people for public use without just compensation. It is a recognition of the sacred right to property and that property is really an extension of one's life and liberty.
Principle 15. The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations. Other than setting up a proper monetary system and ensuring the free flow of commerce between the states, no power is given to congress to regulate economic affairs of the people. It is a manifest intent to keep the federal government completely out of the free-market economy and to leave any needed regulation to the states.
Principle 16. The government should be separated into three branches - legislative, executive, and judicial. Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution create this beautiful separation of powers to prevent the tyranny of consolidated government.
Principle 17. A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power. This constitutional system of pitting human nature against human nature by checking each other's power is pure genius.
Principle 18. The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written constitution. Of the 200 or so nations on the earth today, about 125 of them have written constitutions. However, ours is the oldest one—one of the youngest nations has the oldest written Constitution. The Founders were the first in modern times to realize that the best way to preserve good government and the rights of the people, is to write them down.
Principle 19. Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained in the people. Article 1.8 contains the twenty powers delegated to congress; Article II contains the six areas of responsibility of the president; and, Article III contains the eleven kinds of cases assigned to the federal courts. The Tenth Amendment reminds us that all other powers are reserved to the states and the people.
Principle 20. Efficiency and dispatch require government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority. Article VI declares the Constitution to be the supreme law of the land. If a law is passed which violates the rights of people, it can be declared null and void by the guardians of the Constitution.
Principle 21. Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom. The Tenth Amendment leaves most power to govern with the states and local governments. This is where freedom really manifests itself.
Principle 22. A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men. The people reserve the right in Article I.1.1 not to be governed by any law not passed by their representatives. Article III gives the power to the judiciary to prevent a citizen from being prosecuted by an unjust law which violates the unalienable rights of the people.
Principle 23. A free society cannot survive as a republic without a broad program of general education. The reaction of King George to the list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence is an example of why tyrants want to keep the people ignorant of their actions. In order to preserve and encourage the sacred right of people to gain knowledge, the Constitution forbids the federal government from involving itself in education of the people. It leaves this responsibility to the states and the people where it can be locally controlled. (Tenth Amendment)
Principle 24. A free people will not survive unless they stay strong. Article 1.8 gives Congress the power to maintain a military.
Principle 25. "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations - entangling alliances with none." No authority can be found in the Constitution for the United States to tie its sovereignty to any other nation or to give the people's money to foreign rulers.
Principle 26. The core unit which determines the strength of any society is the family; therefore, the government should foster and protect its integrity. No authority can be found in the Constitution to involve the federal government in family affairs. The Founders knew any laws dealing with these kinds of sensitive issues must be kept close to the people, thereby best preserving this most sacred institution.
Principle 27. The burden of debt is as destructive to freedom as subjugation by conquest. Article 1.8 lists “to pay the debts” as the first use of public funds. The Founders considered it immoral to pass debts on to the next generation.
Principle 28. The United States has a manifest destiny to be an example and a blessing to the entire human race. The entire Constitution was intended to be such a model for the world of how a people can govern themselves and thereby enjoy an unlimited amount of freedom, prosperity, and peace. Our greatest export was to be freedom.
As we experience this season of Thanksgiving, let us be thankful that our Founders rooted our wonderful country in solid and lasting principles.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
First, however, one point needs to be made clear. There is a notion today that the Declaration of Independence is not really a part of American jurisprudence and that the principles contained therein cannot be referred to as a basis of American law. This line of thought is usually concluded by saying that if a principle cannot be found in the Constitution, such as a belief in a Creator, it is not part of American culture or law. This idea is blatantly false. The Declaration of Independence has been repeatedly cited by the Supreme Court as part of the fundamental law of the United States of America . (See John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution , pages 360-362)
The following, then, are some of the ways in which the 28 Principles of Liberty were emphasized as the Founders structured our government.
Principle 1. The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law. Natural law was defined as the order in which the Creator made everything work properly. There are certain laws which govern the entire universe, and just as Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence, there are laws which govern in the affairs of men which are "the laws of nature and of nature's God." If governments and human relationships are formed according to these laws, they will succeed, if not, they will surely fail, as history has proven. (First paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 2. A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong. The Founders knew they could not succeed in this political building without the support of the “Supreme Judge of the world” and without a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence .” They knew this would not happen unless they kept His commandments which amounted to being virtuous and morally strong. (Last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 3. The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders. No greater case can be made of the damage done to a free people by power-hungry and tyrannical leaders than the long list of abuses Thomas Jefferson listed in the Declaration. While directed at King George, these abuses are typical of leaders who are without virtue and morality. (List of grievances in the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 4. Without religion the government of a free people cannot be maintained. As in Principle 2, the Founders knew they could not succeed in this political building without the support of the “Supreme Judge of the world” and without a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence .” They believed they would have His support and protection if they relied on Him, constantly kept His laws, and taught their children to do likewise. (Last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.)
Principle 5. All things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent, and to Him they are equally responsible. The Founders considered the existence of the Creator as the most fundamental premise underlying all self-evident truth. The words Nature's God, Creator, created, Supreme Judge of the Universe, and Divine Providence are used throughout the Declaration of Independence.
Principle 6. All men are created equal. (An exact quote from the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 7. The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things. “—That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men…” (Second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 8. Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. (Second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Principle 9. To protect man's rights, God has revealed certain principles of divine law. The Founders knew that God had revealed certain laws for human happiness, such as laws against killing, stealing, adultery, lying, coveting, etc. These are reflected in the right of man to form a government to protect his unalienable rights of life, liberty, and property outlined in the Declaration and the Bill of Rights.
Principle 10. The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people. The last paragraph of the Declaration makes it clear that the people as a whole, by their representatives in Congress, have complete authority from the Supreme Judge of the Universe to govern themselves in every way and to take their rightful place among the sovereign peoples of the earth.
Principle 11. The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical. The second paragraph of the Declaration makes it clear that the people have a God-given right to throw off dictators and establish a government that will better protect them in their rights.
Principle 12. The United States of America shall be a republic. Article 1.2.1 of the Constitution sets forth the provision that gives the American people the right to vote for their own representatives, thereby making the United States a constitutional republic of the people.
Principle 13. A constitution should be structured to permanently protect the people from the human frailties of their rulers. In forming our government on the basis of Natural Law, the Founders dealt directly with the human nature characteristic that power almost always corrupts. The separation of powers, checks and balances, and limited governmental powers in the Constitution were all methods employed to check the human frailties which result in run-away power. That is why the Constitution will never be obsolete or outdated.
Principle 14. Life and liberty are secure only so long as the right of property is secure. The fifth amendment of the Bill of Rights specifically prohibits the federal government from taking private property of the people for public use without just compensation. It is a recognition of the sacred right to property and that property is really an extension of one's life and liberty.
Principle 15. The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations. Other than setting up a proper monetary system and ensuring the free flow of commerce between the states, no power is given to congress to regulate economic affairs of the people. It is a manifest intent to keep the federal government completely out of the free-market economy and to leave any needed regulation to the states.
Principle 16. The government should be separated into three branches - legislative, executive, and judicial. Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution create this beautiful separation of powers to prevent the tyranny of consolidated government.
Principle 17. A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power. This constitutional system of pitting human nature against human nature by checking each other's power is pure genius.
Principle 18. The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written constitution. Of the 200 or so nations on the earth today, about 125 of them have written constitutions. However, ours is the oldest one—one of the youngest nations has the oldest written Constitution. The Founders were the first in modern times to realize that the best way to preserve good government and the rights of the people, is to write them down.
Principle 19. Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained in the people. Article 1.8 contains the twenty powers delegated to congress; Article II contains the six areas of responsibility of the president; and, Article III contains the eleven kinds of cases assigned to the federal courts. The Tenth Amendment reminds us that all other powers are reserved to the states and the people.
Principle 20. Efficiency and dispatch require government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority. Article VI declares the Constitution to be the supreme law of the land. If a law is passed which violates the rights of people, it can be declared null and void by the guardians of the Constitution.
Principle 21. Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom. The Tenth Amendment leaves most power to govern with the states and local governments. This is where freedom really manifests itself.
Principle 22. A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men. The people reserve the right in Article I.1.1 not to be governed by any law not passed by their representatives. Article III gives the power to the judiciary to prevent a citizen from being prosecuted by an unjust law which violates the unalienable rights of the people.
Principle 23. A free society cannot survive as a republic without a broad program of general education. The reaction of King George to the list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence is an example of why tyrants want to keep the people ignorant of their actions. In order to preserve and encourage the sacred right of people to gain knowledge, the Constitution forbids the federal government from involving itself in education of the people. It leaves this responsibility to the states and the people where it can be locally controlled. (Tenth Amendment)
Principle 24. A free people will not survive unless they stay strong. Article 1.8 gives Congress the power to maintain a military.
Principle 25. "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations - entangling alliances with none." No authority can be found in the Constitution for the United States to tie its sovereignty to any other nation or to give the people's money to foreign rulers.
Principle 26. The core unit which determines the strength of any society is the family; therefore, the government should foster and protect its integrity. No authority can be found in the Constitution to involve the federal government in family affairs. The Founders knew any laws dealing with these kinds of sensitive issues must be kept close to the people, thereby best preserving this most sacred institution.
Principle 27. The burden of debt is as destructive to freedom as subjugation by conquest. Article 1.8 lists “to pay the debts” as the first use of public funds. The Founders considered it immoral to pass debts on to the next generation.
Principle 28. The United States has a manifest destiny to be an example and a blessing to the entire human race. The entire Constitution was intended to be such a model for the world of how a people can govern themselves and thereby enjoy an unlimited amount of freedom, prosperity, and peace. Our greatest export was to be freedom.
As we experience this season of Thanksgiving, let us be thankful that our Founders rooted our wonderful country in solid and lasting principles.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Establishing and Preserving Constitutional Government
Establishing and Preserving Constitutional Government
in Ancient Israel and the United States of America
Next month we will celebrate 223 years since the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. It was ratified by the required nine states the next year in 1788. New Hampshire , the ninth state to ratify, was among those later states that hesitated and that eventually ratified the Constitution only by slim margins.
It was customary in New England , whenever a momentous election or decision was to be made, for a well-respected person to give what was called an “election sermon” prior to the vote. Such was the case in New Hampshire . The person chosen for this task was Samuel Langdon. He had graduated from Harvard in the class of 1740 with Samuel Adams. The two men shared the same political views. Samuel Adams became known as the father of the American Revolution. Samuel Langdon became a Congregational minister and provided powerful support for the revolutionary cause.
Eight states had ratified the Constitution, some with unanimous or near unanimous votes. Other states were very hesitant. It was at this time that Samuel Langdon delivered an election sermon called The Republic of the Israelites an Example to the American States. Not long afterwards New Hampshire ratified the Constitution by a vote of 57 to 46.
Ancient Israel Provides an Excellent Historical Example
Beginning his speech by quoting Deuteronomy 4:5-8, Langdon then says:
“…the Israelites may be considered as a pattern to the world in all ages; and from them we may learn what will exalt our character, and what will depress and bring us to ruin. Let us therefore look over their constitution and laws, enquire into their practice, and observe how their prosperity and fame depended on their strict observance of the divine commands both as to their government and religion.”
Langdon then recounts how Jethro helped Moses set up a republican form of government with leaders of the various groups of families of 10s, 50s, 100s, and 1000s and then 70 of the wisest men were called to assist Moses in national affairs. He explained how all the people had a voice and a vote and that most problems were solved on a local basis “with which Moses did not interfere.” Then he said:
“A government thus settled on republican principles, required laws; without which it must have degenerated immediately into aristocracy, or absolute monarchy. But God did not leave a people, wholly unskilled in legislation, to make laws for themselves: he took this important matter wholly into His own hands, and beside the moral laws of the two tables, which directed their conduct as individuals, gave them by Moses a complete code of judicial laws. They were not numerous indeed, but concise and plain, and easily applicable to almost every controversy which might arise between man and man, and every criminal case which might require the judgment of the court. … But far the greater part of the judicial laws were founded on the plain immutable principles of reason, justice, and social virtue; such as are always necessary for civil society. Life and property were well guarded, and punishments were equitably adapted to the nature of every crime.”
Israel's Meteoric Rise
“ How unexampled was this quick progress of the Israelites, from abject slavery, ignorance, and almost total want of order, to a national establishment perfected in all its parts far beyond all other kingdoms and states! From a mere mob, to a well regulated nation, under a government and laws far superior to what any other nation could boast! It was a long time after the law of Moses was given before the rest of the world knew anything of government by law.... must it not appear quite unaccountable, that the Israelites should so speedily attain to such an height of good policy and legislation, beyond all other nations? Are we not constrained to acknowledge an immediate interposition and direction of heaven? Had the inexperienced multitude been left to themselves to draw up a system of civil and military government for themselves, it would have been entirely beyond their abilities to comprehend so complicated a subject; they must have com mitted innumerable mistakes, in attempting to introduce and establish it; they would have been in danger of jarring opinions, tumults, and insurrections; and probably before the design could be effected, discouragement and confusion would have forced them to surrender into the hands of despotism. But their God provided everything necessary for their happiness, and nothing more was left to their own wisdom than to submit to his authority, and adhere strictly to his commands: by this, their reputation among the nations would have been equal to the excellency of their laws.”
Why didn't all Nations follow Israel 's Beautiful Example
of Peace, Prosperity and Freedom?
“But now you may say, Why then were they not universally celebrated? Why did not princes and politicians from all parts of the world visit them, to learn maxims of polity from so well regulated a nation? Why did not philosophers come, and enquire into that system of religion and morality which carried virtue to such an height of perfection? Surely a nation, of which all the parts were so firmly cemented, must be strong and formidable: a people, who enjoyed the most rational liberty, and yet were under the most voluntary and absolute subjection to authority, free from all the convulsions and revolutions which frequently arise from the raging folly of the populace, must become famous: a wise and impartial administration of justice, according to the most excellent laws, by which all were kept in perfect security and peace, could not but be admired: and the commerce of a people, whose morals were governed by the best precepts, whose word might be trusted, wh o practiced no kind of fraud, and whose behavior was always benevolent, sober, prudent, and sincere, must be highly valued by the world.”
He then answered:
“They received their law from God, but they did not keep it. They neglected their government, corrupted their religion, and grew dissolute in their morals, and in such a situation no nation under heaven can prosper…. [W]e find this remark repeatedly made in the book of Judges— “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” —that is in plain terms, there was no authority anywhere, but every man was left to act as he pleased. No wonder therefore if they were weak in council and war, and exposed on every side to the insults of their neighbors, being unable to unite in their own defense…. If they were at a loss what to do, they had the greatest oracle in the world among them, and they ought to have enquired of God, their King, how to proceed and what persons to choose…. By all this we may plainly see that the general neglect of government is to be charg ed as the fault of the people…. And now we cannot wonder if courts of justice ceased, when the higher powers of government were wanting. These courts, which should have been continued in every walled city, dwindled way and came to nothing; crimes were unpunished, and the most abominable vices spread their infection through all ranks. No law was executed to deter men from murders, robberies, rapes, or any other kind of wickedness.”
Samuel Langdon Applies Israel's Lesson
to the United States of America
“And now, my fellow citizens, and much honored fathers of the State, you may be ready to ask “To what purpose is this long detail of antiquated history on this public occasion? ” I answer—Examples are better than precepts; and history is the best instructor both in polity and morals. I have presented you with the portrait of a nation, highly favored by heaven with civil and religious institutions, who yet, by not improving their advantages, forfeited their blessings, and brought contempt and destruction on themselves. If I am not mistaken, instead of the twelve tribes of Israel, we may substitute the thirteen states of the American union, and see this application plainly offering itself, viz.—That as God in the course of his kind providence hath given you an excellent constitution of government, founded on the most rational, equitable, and liberal principles, by which all that liberty is secured which a people can reasona bly claim, and you are empowered to make righteous laws for promoting public order and good morals; and as he has moreover given you by his son Jesus Christ, who is far superior to Moses, a complete revelation of his will, and a perfect system of true religion, plainly delivered in the sacred writings; it will be your wisdom in the eyes of the nations, and your true interest and happiness, to conform your practice in the strictest manner to the excellent principles of your government, adhere faithfully to the doctrines and commands of the gospel, and practice every public and private virtue. By this you will increase in numbers, wealth, and power, and obtain reputation and dignity among the nations: whereas, the contrary conduct will make you poor, distressed, and contemptible.”
Langdon further said that while God has not spoken to the people of the United States directly from a burning bush or written commandments in our day on stone tablets,
“but the signal interpositions of divine providence, in saving us from the vengeance of a powerful irritated nation, from which we were unavoidably separated by their inadmissible claim of absolute parliamentary power over us; in giving us a Washington to be captain-general of our armies, in carrying us through the various distressing scenes of war and desolation, and making us twice triumphant over numerous armies, surrounded and captivated in the midst of their career; and finally giving us peace, with a large territory, and acknowledged independence; all these laid together fall little short of real miracles, and an heavenly charter of liberty for these United States…. we cannot but acknowledge that God hath graciously patronized our cause, and taken us under his special care, as he did his ancient covenant people.”
Samuel Langdon's Testimony of the U. S. Constitution
“ Only one thing more remains to complete his favor toward us; which is the establishment of a general government, as happily formed as our particular constitutions, for the perfect union of these states. Without this, all that we glory in is lost; but if this should be effected, we may say with the greatest joy, “God hath done great things for us.” The general form of such a constitution hath already been drawn up, and presented to the people, by a convention of the wisest and most celebrated patriots in the land: eight of the states have approved and accepted it, with full testimonies of joy: and if it passes the scrutiny of the whole, and recommends itself to be universally adopted, we shall have abundant reason to offer elevated thanksgivings to the supreme Ruler of the universe for a government completed under his direction.”
Langdon's Plea for the Preservation of the Constitution
Samuel Langdon seemed to be looking down the corridor of time to our day in making his final plea:
“On the people, therefore, of these United-States it depends whether wise men, or fools, good or bad men, shall govern them; whether they shall have righteous laws, a faithful administration of government, and permanent good order, peace, and liberty; or, on the contrary, feel insupportable burdens, and see all their affairs run to confusion and ruin.
“Therefore, I will now lift up my voice, and cry aloud to the people; … Rise! Rise to fame among all nations, as a wise and understanding people! Political life and death are set before you; be a free, numerous, well ordered, and happy people! The way has been plainly set before you; if you pursue it, your prosperity is sure; but if not, distress and ruin will overtake you.
“Preserve your government with the utmost attention and solicitude, for it is the remarkable gift of heaven. From year to year be careful in the choice of your representatives, and all the higher powers of government. Fix your eyes upon men of good understanding, and known honesty; men of knowledge, improved by experience; men who fear God, and hate covetousness; who love truth and righteousness, and sincerely wish the public welfare. Beware of such as are cunning rather than wise; who prefer their own interest to everything; whose judgment is partial, or fickle; and whom you would not willingly trust with your own private interests. … Let not men openly irreligious and immoral become your legislators; for how can you expect good laws to be made by men who have no fear of God before their eyes, and who boldly trample on the authority of his commands? …If the legislative body are corrupt, you will soon have bad men for counselors, corrupt ju dges, unqualified justices, and officers in every department who will dishonor their stations; the consequence of which will be murmurs and complaints from every quarter. … Never give countenance to turbulent men, who wish to distinguish themselves, and rise to power, by forming combinations and exciting insurrections against government: for this can never be the right way to redress real grievances…”
Could there be a more impassioned plea today to try to save our nation from the turmoil that befell ancient Israel ? Surely, Samuel Langdon, who expressed the hope that the United States could do what Israel did not do, would give the same speech today, perhaps with even more intensity.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
in Ancient Israel and the United States of America
Next month we will celebrate 223 years since the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. It was ratified by the required nine states the next year in 1788. New Hampshire , the ninth state to ratify, was among those later states that hesitated and that eventually ratified the Constitution only by slim margins.
It was customary in New England , whenever a momentous election or decision was to be made, for a well-respected person to give what was called an “election sermon” prior to the vote. Such was the case in New Hampshire . The person chosen for this task was Samuel Langdon. He had graduated from Harvard in the class of 1740 with Samuel Adams. The two men shared the same political views. Samuel Adams became known as the father of the American Revolution. Samuel Langdon became a Congregational minister and provided powerful support for the revolutionary cause.
Eight states had ratified the Constitution, some with unanimous or near unanimous votes. Other states were very hesitant. It was at this time that Samuel Langdon delivered an election sermon called The Republic of the Israelites an Example to the American States. Not long afterwards New Hampshire ratified the Constitution by a vote of 57 to 46.
Ancient Israel Provides an Excellent Historical Example
Beginning his speech by quoting Deuteronomy 4:5-8, Langdon then says:
“…the Israelites may be considered as a pattern to the world in all ages; and from them we may learn what will exalt our character, and what will depress and bring us to ruin. Let us therefore look over their constitution and laws, enquire into their practice, and observe how their prosperity and fame depended on their strict observance of the divine commands both as to their government and religion.”
Langdon then recounts how Jethro helped Moses set up a republican form of government with leaders of the various groups of families of 10s, 50s, 100s, and 1000s and then 70 of the wisest men were called to assist Moses in national affairs. He explained how all the people had a voice and a vote and that most problems were solved on a local basis “with which Moses did not interfere.” Then he said:
“A government thus settled on republican principles, required laws; without which it must have degenerated immediately into aristocracy, or absolute monarchy. But God did not leave a people, wholly unskilled in legislation, to make laws for themselves: he took this important matter wholly into His own hands, and beside the moral laws of the two tables, which directed their conduct as individuals, gave them by Moses a complete code of judicial laws. They were not numerous indeed, but concise and plain, and easily applicable to almost every controversy which might arise between man and man, and every criminal case which might require the judgment of the court. … But far the greater part of the judicial laws were founded on the plain immutable principles of reason, justice, and social virtue; such as are always necessary for civil society. Life and property were well guarded, and punishments were equitably adapted to the nature of every crime.”
Israel's Meteoric Rise
“ How unexampled was this quick progress of the Israelites, from abject slavery, ignorance, and almost total want of order, to a national establishment perfected in all its parts far beyond all other kingdoms and states! From a mere mob, to a well regulated nation, under a government and laws far superior to what any other nation could boast! It was a long time after the law of Moses was given before the rest of the world knew anything of government by law.... must it not appear quite unaccountable, that the Israelites should so speedily attain to such an height of good policy and legislation, beyond all other nations? Are we not constrained to acknowledge an immediate interposition and direction of heaven? Had the inexperienced multitude been left to themselves to draw up a system of civil and military government for themselves, it would have been entirely beyond their abilities to comprehend so complicated a subject; they must have com mitted innumerable mistakes, in attempting to introduce and establish it; they would have been in danger of jarring opinions, tumults, and insurrections; and probably before the design could be effected, discouragement and confusion would have forced them to surrender into the hands of despotism. But their God provided everything necessary for their happiness, and nothing more was left to their own wisdom than to submit to his authority, and adhere strictly to his commands: by this, their reputation among the nations would have been equal to the excellency of their laws.”
Why didn't all Nations follow Israel 's Beautiful Example
of Peace, Prosperity and Freedom?
“But now you may say, Why then were they not universally celebrated? Why did not princes and politicians from all parts of the world visit them, to learn maxims of polity from so well regulated a nation? Why did not philosophers come, and enquire into that system of religion and morality which carried virtue to such an height of perfection? Surely a nation, of which all the parts were so firmly cemented, must be strong and formidable: a people, who enjoyed the most rational liberty, and yet were under the most voluntary and absolute subjection to authority, free from all the convulsions and revolutions which frequently arise from the raging folly of the populace, must become famous: a wise and impartial administration of justice, according to the most excellent laws, by which all were kept in perfect security and peace, could not but be admired: and the commerce of a people, whose morals were governed by the best precepts, whose word might be trusted, wh o practiced no kind of fraud, and whose behavior was always benevolent, sober, prudent, and sincere, must be highly valued by the world.”
He then answered:
“They received their law from God, but they did not keep it. They neglected their government, corrupted their religion, and grew dissolute in their morals, and in such a situation no nation under heaven can prosper…. [W]e find this remark repeatedly made in the book of Judges— “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” —that is in plain terms, there was no authority anywhere, but every man was left to act as he pleased. No wonder therefore if they were weak in council and war, and exposed on every side to the insults of their neighbors, being unable to unite in their own defense…. If they were at a loss what to do, they had the greatest oracle in the world among them, and they ought to have enquired of God, their King, how to proceed and what persons to choose…. By all this we may plainly see that the general neglect of government is to be charg ed as the fault of the people…. And now we cannot wonder if courts of justice ceased, when the higher powers of government were wanting. These courts, which should have been continued in every walled city, dwindled way and came to nothing; crimes were unpunished, and the most abominable vices spread their infection through all ranks. No law was executed to deter men from murders, robberies, rapes, or any other kind of wickedness.”
Samuel Langdon Applies Israel's Lesson
to the United States of America
“And now, my fellow citizens, and much honored fathers of the State, you may be ready to ask “To what purpose is this long detail of antiquated history on this public occasion? ” I answer—Examples are better than precepts; and history is the best instructor both in polity and morals. I have presented you with the portrait of a nation, highly favored by heaven with civil and religious institutions, who yet, by not improving their advantages, forfeited their blessings, and brought contempt and destruction on themselves. If I am not mistaken, instead of the twelve tribes of Israel, we may substitute the thirteen states of the American union, and see this application plainly offering itself, viz.—That as God in the course of his kind providence hath given you an excellent constitution of government, founded on the most rational, equitable, and liberal principles, by which all that liberty is secured which a people can reasona bly claim, and you are empowered to make righteous laws for promoting public order and good morals; and as he has moreover given you by his son Jesus Christ, who is far superior to Moses, a complete revelation of his will, and a perfect system of true religion, plainly delivered in the sacred writings; it will be your wisdom in the eyes of the nations, and your true interest and happiness, to conform your practice in the strictest manner to the excellent principles of your government, adhere faithfully to the doctrines and commands of the gospel, and practice every public and private virtue. By this you will increase in numbers, wealth, and power, and obtain reputation and dignity among the nations: whereas, the contrary conduct will make you poor, distressed, and contemptible.”
Langdon further said that while God has not spoken to the people of the United States directly from a burning bush or written commandments in our day on stone tablets,
“but the signal interpositions of divine providence, in saving us from the vengeance of a powerful irritated nation, from which we were unavoidably separated by their inadmissible claim of absolute parliamentary power over us; in giving us a Washington to be captain-general of our armies, in carrying us through the various distressing scenes of war and desolation, and making us twice triumphant over numerous armies, surrounded and captivated in the midst of their career; and finally giving us peace, with a large territory, and acknowledged independence; all these laid together fall little short of real miracles, and an heavenly charter of liberty for these United States…. we cannot but acknowledge that God hath graciously patronized our cause, and taken us under his special care, as he did his ancient covenant people.”
Samuel Langdon's Testimony of the U. S. Constitution
“ Only one thing more remains to complete his favor toward us; which is the establishment of a general government, as happily formed as our particular constitutions, for the perfect union of these states. Without this, all that we glory in is lost; but if this should be effected, we may say with the greatest joy, “God hath done great things for us.” The general form of such a constitution hath already been drawn up, and presented to the people, by a convention of the wisest and most celebrated patriots in the land: eight of the states have approved and accepted it, with full testimonies of joy: and if it passes the scrutiny of the whole, and recommends itself to be universally adopted, we shall have abundant reason to offer elevated thanksgivings to the supreme Ruler of the universe for a government completed under his direction.”
Langdon's Plea for the Preservation of the Constitution
Samuel Langdon seemed to be looking down the corridor of time to our day in making his final plea:
“On the people, therefore, of these United-States it depends whether wise men, or fools, good or bad men, shall govern them; whether they shall have righteous laws, a faithful administration of government, and permanent good order, peace, and liberty; or, on the contrary, feel insupportable burdens, and see all their affairs run to confusion and ruin.
“Therefore, I will now lift up my voice, and cry aloud to the people; … Rise! Rise to fame among all nations, as a wise and understanding people! Political life and death are set before you; be a free, numerous, well ordered, and happy people! The way has been plainly set before you; if you pursue it, your prosperity is sure; but if not, distress and ruin will overtake you.
“Preserve your government with the utmost attention and solicitude, for it is the remarkable gift of heaven. From year to year be careful in the choice of your representatives, and all the higher powers of government. Fix your eyes upon men of good understanding, and known honesty; men of knowledge, improved by experience; men who fear God, and hate covetousness; who love truth and righteousness, and sincerely wish the public welfare. Beware of such as are cunning rather than wise; who prefer their own interest to everything; whose judgment is partial, or fickle; and whom you would not willingly trust with your own private interests. … Let not men openly irreligious and immoral become your legislators; for how can you expect good laws to be made by men who have no fear of God before their eyes, and who boldly trample on the authority of his commands? …If the legislative body are corrupt, you will soon have bad men for counselors, corrupt ju dges, unqualified justices, and officers in every department who will dishonor their stations; the consequence of which will be murmurs and complaints from every quarter. … Never give countenance to turbulent men, who wish to distinguish themselves, and rise to power, by forming combinations and exciting insurrections against government: for this can never be the right way to redress real grievances…”
Could there be a more impassioned plea today to try to save our nation from the turmoil that befell ancient Israel ? Surely, Samuel Langdon, who expressed the hope that the United States could do what Israel did not do, would give the same speech today, perhaps with even more intensity.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Americans are Awakening to Our Awful Situation
America's Founding Fathers were students of human nature and how influential people and governments have dealt with human nature throughout the history of this world. In nearly every case, the Founders discovered that powerful people have nearly always sought to gain mastery over others. Whether by force or by slow deceptive means, power-hungry individuals have sought to thrust themselves into positions where they can control the lives, liberty, and property of others. The distaste for this kind of control is what led Thomas Jefferson to proclaim, “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal vigilance against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” Generally, this kind of power, which tends to pander to the pretended needs of the masses and thereby invades the unalienable rights of individuals, is known as socialism.
The Many Faces of Socialism
The classical definition of socialism is: Government ownership or control of all the means of production and all the means of distribution in a society.
In order to achieve these objectives, socialists throughout history have used different strategies and tactics, depending on how much power they have and what they can get (or force) the people to accept, but their ultimate goal of total control remains the same. Here are the main kinds of socialism that have been used:
Communism is "International Revolutionary Socialism." It uses the tactics of terrorism, violence, subversion and propaganda against other nations as though it were at war with them. Even while pretending to work for peace, it exerts all of its resources preparing for war.
Nazism is "National Socialism." This system is designed to set up a Socialist military dictatorship in one country at a time. In Germany the word, "Nazi" was an abbreviation for "National Socialism."
Fascism is the form of National Socialism which was set up in Italy under Benito Mussolini. He told the people they could keep their property, but the government would just tell them what to do with it.
Democratic Socialism seeks to achieve its goals by peaceful means. Its purpose is to acquire control of the means of production and distribution with the people's consent. The Democratic Socialists found that they could only achieve this by appealing to individual economic groups. For example, farmers were told they would be bailed out if their crops failed, factory workers were told they would share the profits of the factory, and the businesses are told they would control certain industries so as to limit competition.
Fabian Socialism is closely related to democratic socialism. It is a deliberately deceptive method of getting Socialist control over the people and their property while pretending to be merely helping the unfortunate. Every crisis or emergency is used as an excuse to greatly increase taxes. It constantly emphasizes that people should look to government to solve the problems of the poor, the sick, the unemployed, the elderly, the young, the bankrupt, the under-educated, the under-privileged, etc. There is also a constant emphasis on the transfer of power from the individual to the local government and then from the local government to the Federal Government. The process of nibbling away at the constitutional structure of freedom and property rights is called gradualism. The name Fabian comes from a Roman general named Fabius who became famous for his ability to win wars by whittling away the forces of his enemies a littl e at a time. The cynical sense of humor of the Fabian Socialists is demonstrated in their coat-of-arms which is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
It was almost exclusively the tactics of the Democratic and Fabian Socialists which were used to drastically change the political and economic structure of both England and the U.S.
The Founders considered Socialism a serious threat to freedom
The Founding Fathers recognized the principles of Socialism as a deadly threat to the inalienable rights of life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.
Samuel Adams, pointed out why they had tried to make the principles of Socialism unconstitutional. He said:
"The Utopian schemes of leveling (re-distribution of the wealth) and a community of goods (central ownership of all the means of production and distribution), are as visionary and impracticable as those which vest all property in the crown."
Then he went on to say that these ideas "are arbitrary, despotic, and in our government unconstitutional.”
Thomas Jefferson anticipated the day when the government would seek to excuse heavy taxation on the basis that it was necessary to help the poor. Said he:
"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy."
Americans have fallen for the deceptive slogans of socialism
When the founder of NCCS, W. Cleon Skousen, was working closely with J. Edgar Hoover in the FBI, he was assigned to study the reports of congressional investigating committees concerning the attempts by socialists, including communists, to infiltrate the government and culture of the United States. He also became personally acquainted with and read many of the writings of former socialists who exposed the inner workings and philosophy of those trying to push America toward socialism of one kind or the other. Because of his in-depth knowledge, he was one of only a few allowed by Mr. Hoover to speak publicly for the FBI on this subject.
These congressional records are available for all Americans to study and to see for themselves the devastating inroads that have been made upon the liberties of our people. The serious student will furthermore see how many well-meaning citizens have become involved in pushing forward the Socialists' programs without realizing it. These citizens have become converted to Socialist objectives because they accepted superficial Socialist slogans . Soon they were thinking precisely the way the Socialists wanted them to think.
Below are 45 goals of the Socialists which Dr. Skousen gleaned from their writings. Because Communism was the type of socialism which was the immediate threat during the time of his compiling this list, he referred to them as Communist goals. But when one form of socialism fails, the socialist merely changes the tactic, which is what they did when the Soviet Union fell. For this reason, we have taken the liberty to change the word Communism to Socialism in some of the items. One will quickly see, however, that no matter what kind of Socialism it is, the goals remain the same and will remain until they either achieve all their goals or are defeated by awakened Americans. One will also quickly realize that nearly all of these goals are well on the way to being totally achieved.
Current Socialist Goals
U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.
U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.
Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.
Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Socialist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.
Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet Satellites.
Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Socialist domination.
Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.
Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.
Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the U.S. has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.
Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.
Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Socialist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)
Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.
Do away with all loyalty oaths.
Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent office.
Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Socialist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
Gain control of all student newspapers.
Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Socialist attack.
Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.
Gain control of key positions in radio, TV and motion pictures.
Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."
Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive meaningless art."
Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.
Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."
Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."
Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a world-wide basis.
Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."
Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture" of social studies. Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.
Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture -- education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Socialist apparatus.
Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.
Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
Infiltrate and gain control of big business.
Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat.
Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Socialist goals.
Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use "united force" to solve economic, political or social problems.
Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.
Internationalize the Panama Canal.
Repeal the Connally Reservation so the U.S. cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
As was said earlier, many of the goals of Socialism have been achieved right under the nose of sleepy and apathetic Americans. But Americans are awakening and realizing these are all failure formulas for traditional American prosperity and peace. NCCS stands ready continue to teach the positive, success formula of the Founders and restore America's greatness.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
The Many Faces of Socialism
The classical definition of socialism is: Government ownership or control of all the means of production and all the means of distribution in a society.
In order to achieve these objectives, socialists throughout history have used different strategies and tactics, depending on how much power they have and what they can get (or force) the people to accept, but their ultimate goal of total control remains the same. Here are the main kinds of socialism that have been used:
Communism is "International Revolutionary Socialism." It uses the tactics of terrorism, violence, subversion and propaganda against other nations as though it were at war with them. Even while pretending to work for peace, it exerts all of its resources preparing for war.
Nazism is "National Socialism." This system is designed to set up a Socialist military dictatorship in one country at a time. In Germany the word, "Nazi" was an abbreviation for "National Socialism."
Fascism is the form of National Socialism which was set up in Italy under Benito Mussolini. He told the people they could keep their property, but the government would just tell them what to do with it.
Democratic Socialism seeks to achieve its goals by peaceful means. Its purpose is to acquire control of the means of production and distribution with the people's consent. The Democratic Socialists found that they could only achieve this by appealing to individual economic groups. For example, farmers were told they would be bailed out if their crops failed, factory workers were told they would share the profits of the factory, and the businesses are told they would control certain industries so as to limit competition.
Fabian Socialism is closely related to democratic socialism. It is a deliberately deceptive method of getting Socialist control over the people and their property while pretending to be merely helping the unfortunate. Every crisis or emergency is used as an excuse to greatly increase taxes. It constantly emphasizes that people should look to government to solve the problems of the poor, the sick, the unemployed, the elderly, the young, the bankrupt, the under-educated, the under-privileged, etc. There is also a constant emphasis on the transfer of power from the individual to the local government and then from the local government to the Federal Government. The process of nibbling away at the constitutional structure of freedom and property rights is called gradualism. The name Fabian comes from a Roman general named Fabius who became famous for his ability to win wars by whittling away the forces of his enemies a littl e at a time. The cynical sense of humor of the Fabian Socialists is demonstrated in their coat-of-arms which is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
It was almost exclusively the tactics of the Democratic and Fabian Socialists which were used to drastically change the political and economic structure of both England and the U.S.
The Founders considered Socialism a serious threat to freedom
The Founding Fathers recognized the principles of Socialism as a deadly threat to the inalienable rights of life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.
Samuel Adams, pointed out why they had tried to make the principles of Socialism unconstitutional. He said:
"The Utopian schemes of leveling (re-distribution of the wealth) and a community of goods (central ownership of all the means of production and distribution), are as visionary and impracticable as those which vest all property in the crown."
Then he went on to say that these ideas "are arbitrary, despotic, and in our government unconstitutional.”
Thomas Jefferson anticipated the day when the government would seek to excuse heavy taxation on the basis that it was necessary to help the poor. Said he:
"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy."
Americans have fallen for the deceptive slogans of socialism
When the founder of NCCS, W. Cleon Skousen, was working closely with J. Edgar Hoover in the FBI, he was assigned to study the reports of congressional investigating committees concerning the attempts by socialists, including communists, to infiltrate the government and culture of the United States. He also became personally acquainted with and read many of the writings of former socialists who exposed the inner workings and philosophy of those trying to push America toward socialism of one kind or the other. Because of his in-depth knowledge, he was one of only a few allowed by Mr. Hoover to speak publicly for the FBI on this subject.
These congressional records are available for all Americans to study and to see for themselves the devastating inroads that have been made upon the liberties of our people. The serious student will furthermore see how many well-meaning citizens have become involved in pushing forward the Socialists' programs without realizing it. These citizens have become converted to Socialist objectives because they accepted superficial Socialist slogans . Soon they were thinking precisely the way the Socialists wanted them to think.
Below are 45 goals of the Socialists which Dr. Skousen gleaned from their writings. Because Communism was the type of socialism which was the immediate threat during the time of his compiling this list, he referred to them as Communist goals. But when one form of socialism fails, the socialist merely changes the tactic, which is what they did when the Soviet Union fell. For this reason, we have taken the liberty to change the word Communism to Socialism in some of the items. One will quickly see, however, that no matter what kind of Socialism it is, the goals remain the same and will remain until they either achieve all their goals or are defeated by awakened Americans. One will also quickly realize that nearly all of these goals are well on the way to being totally achieved.
Current Socialist Goals
U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.
U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.
Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.
Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Socialist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.
Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet Satellites.
Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Socialist domination.
Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.
Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.
Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the U.S. has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.
Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.
Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Socialist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)
Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.
Do away with all loyalty oaths.
Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent office.
Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Socialist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
Gain control of all student newspapers.
Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Socialist attack.
Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.
Gain control of key positions in radio, TV and motion pictures.
Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."
Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive meaningless art."
Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.
Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."
Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."
Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a world-wide basis.
Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."
Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture" of social studies. Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.
Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture -- education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Socialist apparatus.
Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.
Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
Infiltrate and gain control of big business.
Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat.
Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Socialist goals.
Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use "united force" to solve economic, political or social problems.
Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.
Internationalize the Panama Canal.
Repeal the Connally Reservation so the U.S. cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
As was said earlier, many of the goals of Socialism have been achieved right under the nose of sleepy and apathetic Americans. But Americans are awakening and realizing these are all failure formulas for traditional American prosperity and peace. NCCS stands ready continue to teach the positive, success formula of the Founders and restore America's greatness.
Sincerely,
Earl Taylor, Jr.
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