How Did Jefferson Know ?

John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

Especially read the last quote from 1802.

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as  Europe .
 

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.


It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
 

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
 

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
 

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
 

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
 

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
 

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
 

Thomas  Jefferson said in 1802: 'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.'

Making it Popular to Increase your Constitution IQ

A friend recently asked me about tests that high school students take to prepare for college entrance. We spoke about several, among which was the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the SAT. He said we ought to have a CAT for public officials—a Constitution Aptitude Test. He then asked about the PSAT, or Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, that some high school students take in preparation for the SAT and suggested that we require that all persons thinking about running for congress take a PCAT or Preliminary Constitution Aptitude Test before they can have their names put on the ballot or at least before their party will endorse them. This conversation got me to thinking this idea could really take off in preparation for the 2012 elections. What if in every public meeting, candidates would be asked if they have taken the PCAT or the CAT yet? What if precinct committeemen would ask that question of potential candidates as a condition of carrying their petitions to be put on the ballot? What if it became the talk of the town to continue to ask all candidates or potential candidates what their Constitution IQ is? What if candidates were continually asked to tell when the last time was that they undertook a serious study of the U. S. Constitution and perhaps to name two or three areas they think may be grossly violated today?

A Sample Preliminary Constitution Aptitude Test (PCAT)

Here is a sample Preliminary Constitution Aptitude Test with questions taken from the Constitution that all persons thinking about running for congress should know. By the way, these are generated using the eighth grade level option.

1. What is the one offense the president cannot pardon?
   1. Murder
   2. Treason
   3. Impeachment
   4. Domestic terrorism
2. Who has the final responsibility to see that the federal laws passed by Congress are faithfully executed?
   1. The president
   2. The vice president
   3. The Cabinet
   4. The Attorney General
3. Can a person employed by the government serve as an elector to choose the president and vice president?
   1. Yes
   2. No
4. When the Constitution was adopted, candidates for president had to be either natural-born citizens of the United States or naturalized citizens. True or false?
   1. True
   2. False
5. Does it violate the separation of powers when the president recommends to Congress that it pass certain laws?
   1. Yes
   2. No
6. Could the Congress transfer the position of commander in chief from the president to some experienced military leader in time of war?
   1. Yes
   2. No
7. Which of the following may be reasons why the Founders were opposed to placing any limitation on the number of times a president could be reelected?
   1. A limitation might require a change of leadership in a time of crisis.
   2. A limitation might deprive the nation of an experienced leader at a crucial time.
   3. It should be left to the people to decide who they want as president, regardless of previous time served.
   4. All of the above
8. Can the compensation of the president be increased or decreased while he or she is in office?
   1. Yes
   2. No
9. Are there any government officials who cannot be impeached?
   1. Yes
   2. No
10. Did the original Constitution limit the president to two terms?
    1. Yes
    2. No
11. Can the president pardon a whole group of people at once?
    1. Yes
    2. No
12. How old must a person be to become president of the United States ?
    1. 25
    2. 30
    3. 35
    4. 40
13. Suppose the president arranges a treaty with some foreign government. What must happen before the treaty can go into effect?
    1. The president must sign the treaty
    2. It must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate who are present when the matter comes up for consideration
    3. The Supreme Court must approve the terms of the agreement
    4. It must be ratified by a majority of the Senate who are present when the matter comes up for consideration
14. Originally, the Founders hoped the expenses of the national government would be so modest that the entire budget for the federal government would be covered by modest taxes. What form of taxes did they envision?
    1. Taxes on imports
    2. Taxes on exports
    3. Personal income tax
    4. Property taxes
15. Are taxes uniform throughout the United States as required by the Constitution?
    1. Yes
    2. No
16. The passing of laws can be slow and complicated. Why might this have been the intention of the Founders?
    1. They didn't want any more laws than were absolutely necessary.
    2. The goal was not ""efficiency"" in passing laws, but effectiveness in preserving freedom.
    3. They wanted to keep government as simple and uncomplicated as possible.
    4. All of the above
17. Can the state militias be called up to help the federal government suppress insurrections in the states?
    1. Yes
    2. No
18. If a person went to the Federal Reserve between 1914 and 1934, what could that person get in exchange for a Federal Reserve note?
    1. gold coins
    2. silver coins
    3. all of the above
    4. none of the above
19. The House of Representatives currently consists of 435 voting members. How many members must be present to constitute a quorum and allow the House of Representatives to conduct its business?
    1. 175
    2. 218
    3. 250
    4. 272
20. Can the Congress regulate interstate commerce in such a way that it requires a ship to stop at certain ports to pay duties for the “right” of passage?
    1. Yes
    2. No

Let's popularize the building of our Constitution IQs among both voters and public officials.
Sincerely,

Earl Taylor, Jr.
 
Answers to the sample Preliminary Constitution Aptitude test: 1. c, 2. a, 3. b, 4. a, 5. b, 6. b, 7. d, 8. b, 9. a, 10. b, 11. a, 12. c, 13. b, 14. a, 15. b, 16. d, 17. a, 18. c, 19.b, 20. b.

George Washington’s Indispensable Wisdom for Today

April is an historic month for the office of President of the United States . On April 6, 1789, Congress met for the first time and proclaimed George Washington had been elected President unanimously. On April 30th , he was inaugurated. During the next eight years he was to gain priceless insights concerning the government of a free people. By the time he left office in 1797, he had become a treasure of political wisdom.
If anyone ever wants to know how the Founders would address the problems of today, which are not much different than the ones Washington faced, he just needs to consult Washington 's Farewell Address, delivered on Constitution Day, September 17, 1796, as he was preparing to leave office. No political document gives such clear direction to a nation in trouble, than does this message.
We ask the questions and President Washington gives the answers in these excerpts from his Farewell Address. (punctuation is updated)

Question: Of all the labels used in the country to magnify people's differences in politics, religion, ethnicity, life styles, occupations, etc., what should be the most important unifying factor of all?

• "The name of American which belongs to you in your national capacity must always exalt the just pride of patriotism, more than any appellation .... With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes... Here every portion of our country finds the most commanding motives for carefully guarding and preserving the Union of the whole."
• "One of the expedients of party to acquire influence, within particular districts, is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts. You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heartburnings which spring from these misrepresentations. They tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affections."
• "To the efficacy and permanency of your Union , a government for the whole is indispensable. No alliance, however strict between the p,arts, can be an adequate substitute."

Question: What is the problem of giving political and legal power to political parties, unions, and other combinations of people?

• "...all combinations and associations... with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive... and of fatal tendency."
• "They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force, to put in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community... [and] to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common councils and modified by mutual interests."
• "However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely... to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government...."
• "Let me now... warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.... This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists... in all governments... but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy."
• "The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension... is itself a frightening despotism."
• "But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result [from wars between parties] gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins of public liberty."

Question: What actually will happen to our government if run by competing parties?

• "...the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it."
• "It [party spirit] serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration."
• "It [party spirit] agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection."
• "It [party spirit] opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."
• "There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true.... But... it is a spirit not to be encouraged... there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it."

Question: If changes need to be made in the government, how should it be done?

• "If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for... it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed."
• "It is important likewise that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another."
• "The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the power of all the departments in one and thus to create...a real despotism."

Question: What will be the result if basic constitutional principles are changed or rejected in the future?

• "...the preservation of your government and the permanency of your present happy state... [makes it] requisite... that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles.... One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown."
• "in all the changes to which you may be invited, remember... that experience is the surest standard by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution... [and] that facility in changes upon the credit of mere hypotheses and opinion exposes [you] to perpetual change...."

Question: Is Civil Disobedience a method to be used by freedom-loving people to bring about change?

• "The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government. But the constitution which... exists--till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people is sacredly�obligatory upon all. The very idea of the power and the right of the people to establish government presupposes the duty of every individual to obey the established government."

Question: Above all else, what would you consider the absolute foundation of liberty?

• "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens."
• "Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice?"

Question: Can morality be maintained without religion? Or by those of refined education?

• "And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever... the influence of refined education... reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
• "It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule indeed extends... to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?"
• "Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened."

Question: How does public debt effect liberty and freedom?

• "As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace...."
• "But remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursement to repel it."
• "Avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear."

Question: Our foreign relations are a mess. What shall we do now?

• "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct."
• "It will be worthy of a free, enlightened and... great nation to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence.... Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue?"
• "Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities."
• "Likewise a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concession to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others, which is apt ... to injure the nation making the concessions by ...exciting jealousy, ill will and [a] disposition to retaliate in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld."
• "The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop."

Question: Should Americans seek commercial relations with other nations?

• "Harmony, liberal intercourse with all nations are recommended by policy, humanity, and interest. But even our commercial policy should hold an equal and impartial hand, neither seeking nor granting exclusive favors or preferences; consulting the natural course of things; diffusing and diversifying by gentle means the streams of commerce but forcing nothing; establishing with powers so disposed, in order to give to trade a stable course, to define the rights of our merchants, and to enable the government to support... conventional rules of intercourse, the best that present circumstances... will permit, but temporary and liable to be... abandoned or varied, as experience and circumstances shall dictate."
• "...it is folly in one nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its independence for whatever it may accept... that by such acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of... being reproached with ingratitude for not giving more."
• "There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate, upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion which experience must cure [and] which a just pride ought to discard."

Perhaps this speech should be the next document read in the halls of Congress.
Sincerely,

Earl Taylor, Jr.

Facts About Dr. Charles Krauthammer, MD

1. Born: March 13, 1950

2. Birthplace: New York City, New York

3. Raised in Montreal, Canada

4. Attended Mc Gill University and Harvard Medical School

5. 1972 diving accident left him paralyzed from the neck on down.

6. Directed psychiatric research for the Carter administration

7. Began writing career in 1981 with The New Republic

8. Helped develop the "Reagan Doctrine" in the 80's

9. Appointed to Presidential Council on Bioethics in 2002

Dr. Krauthammer is frequently on the Fox News Channel. He is an M.D., a lawyer and is paralyzed from the neck down. A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer . He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here, is NOT 2nd-hand but 1st. The ramifications are staggering for us, our children and their children.

Dr. Charles Krauthammer spoke to the Center for the American Experiment.. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views . He is a fiscal conservative, and has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post.

The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have summarized his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally.

Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free...
Summary of his comments:
1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask.The taking down of the Clinton dynasty was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton . He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite.Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!
3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along. He has a heavy hand, and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain orCanada .

4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada .. God forbid!
5. He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.
6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world.. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America , as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!
7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is reelected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.
8.. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan , but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future... We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and state's rights.
9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions that we don't have..This could lead to hyperinflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package.These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.
10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.
11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.

All our futures and children's futures depend on our good understanding of what is really going on in DC, and our action pursuant to that understanding!! It really IS up to each of us to take individual action!!

Shedding Light on the 1st Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for the right of redress of grievances.

Our Founder’s never intended that the Ten Commandments, prayer, Holy Scripture study, Christian holidays, study and/or practice of Christianity be removed from our American culture!

Just the opposite is true! Our Founder’s wanted freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. They wanted all sound religions, promoted throughout our great Republic and shared throughout the world! However, they did not want one religion to rule America, as the Church of England did during the reign of King George III.

Here’s what Thomas Jefferson (known as the Father of the Declaration of Independence) said in brief about separation of church and state. He wrote in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association dated January 1, 1802 explaining his position saying the constitution had created “a wall of separation between church and state.”

As studied in historical context, never did Jefferson nor any other of the founder’s wanted to see any sound religion attacked or excluded from our culture. Nor, should the federal government give preferential treatment to one religion over another.

They wanted ALL religions to be encouraged to promote their moral fiber and religious tone of the people. It was in the best interest of the government and the nation to promote religious values for the moral stability needed for “good government and the happiness of mankind.”

In Thomas Jefferson’s second inaugural address, he virtually signaled the states to press forward in settling their religious issues, since it was within their jurisdiction and not the Federal Government.

The Founder’s had no objection to using public buildings for religious purposes; that was even to be encouraged. The only question was whether or not the facilities could be used EQUALLY to all denominations desiring them.

The United States Capitol has a very rich spiritual heritage and was used for religious services of all faiths in which Thomas Jefferson and other Founder’s attended for many years; even to this day, a room in the capitol that is closed to the public, is used for religious services for members of congress. Throughout the building are large beautiful paintings depicting America’s Christian Heritage. Remembering America’s Motto is engraved on the front of the Capitol building “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The United States Congress printed the first Holy Bibles in America and distributed them thought-out the nation for the good and well being of all Americans.

The large engravings on the front of the United States Supreme Court building are depicting Moses and the Ten Commandments. Keep in mind our Founder’s wanted the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution “strictly” as written in the ORIGINAL Constitution. They never wanted it changed easily by the whims of man, such has happened with the power seeking 16^th and 17^th amendments etc. They didn’t want an “elastic or flexible” Constitution to fit the times. They knew their inspiration came from God and those principles were eternal and unchanging. Our Founders wanted “constitutional supremacy”, as the law of the land, not “judicial supremacy”. Thomas Jefferson said, “Let not the Constitution become a blank piece of paper.”

Freedom of Speech and of the Press

This provision gave the American people the RIGHT to have the Federal Government prohibited from exercising any legal authority over freedom of speech or freedom of the press. The government has no right to dictate what is “politically correct” or not.

This does not mean that those freedoms are absolute. For example, it is not permissible for freedom of speech to slander or libel another person. It would be unlawful to cry “fire” in a crowded auditorium or theater as a practical joke and thereby cause a panic. Freedom of the press has been a difficult right to protect.

The freedom to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances shall not be abridged.

This provision guarantees the people the RIGHT to be able to petition the government without intervention or prohibition by the authorities.

THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN TO CONTROL GOVERNMENT, NOT TO CONTROL A RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE.

A note about The Declaration of Independence

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal (not equal in owning things, not equal in talents or living circumstances; but equal in the sight of God, equal under the Bar of Justice, equal under the “Laws of Nature and of Natures God” and equal in their rights under the Constitution). That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights (rights given by God, not the government that cannot be taken away) That among these rights are Life (including the rights of the innocent unborn), Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (the right to own property, marry whom we want, work where we want, live where we want etc.). That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed …”

The original inspired Constitution provided for only 20 enumerated powers to the federal government, plus it called for a gold and silver standard of true weights and measures, controlled by Congress; not controlled by private bankers.

The Declaration of Independence said in part: “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent forth swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their existence.”

Written By Fred R Willoughby

Ronald Reagan Fought Against Obamacare 50 Years Before It Became Law

While still a Hollywood man, Ronald Reagan took to the radio airwaves to speak out against a national health care bill, then referred to as the Ferrand Bill and later the King Bill. Although 50 years ahead of his time, Reagan's impassioned address warned that such a bill would not only bring an erosion of private rights and individual freedoms but would also give socialism and statism a "foot in the door."

In his memorable peroration, Reagan calls citizens to direct and immediate action. It's a call as timely today as it was 50 years ago. Otherwise, says Reagan, "One of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children's children, what it once was like in America when men were free."

Radio Address on Socialized Medicine, 1961:

My name is Ronald Reagan. I have been asked to talk on several subjects that have to do with the problems of the day. ...

Back in 1927, an American socialist, Norman Thomas, six times candidate for president on the Socialist Party ticket, said the American people would never vote for socialism. But he said under the name of liberalism the American people will adopt every fragment of the socialist program. ...

One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It's very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it.

Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it. We had an example of this. Under the Truman administration, it was proposed that we have a compulsory health insurance program for all people in the United States, and, of course, the American people unhesitatingly rejected this.

So, with the American people on record as not wanting socialized medicine, Congressman Ferrand introduced the Ferrand Bill. This was the idea that all people of Social Security age should be brought under a program of compulsory health insurance. Now this would not only be our senior citizens, this would be the dependents and those who are disabled, this would be young people if they are dependents of someone eligible for Social Security.

Now, Congressman Ferrand brought the program out on that idea of just for that group of people. But Congressman Ferrand was subscribing to this foot-in-the-door philosophy, because, he said, "[I]f we can only break through and get our foot inside the door, then we can expand the program after that."

Walter Ruther said, "It's no secret that the United Automobile Workers is officially on record as backing a program of national health insurance.” And by national health insurance, he meant socialized medicine for every American. Well, let's see what the socialists themselves have to say about it.

They say, "Once the Ferrand Bill is passed, this nation will be provided with a mechanism for socialized medicine capable of indefinite expansion in every direction until it includes the entire population.” Well, we can’t say we haven’t been warned. ...

It is presented in the idea of a great emergency that millions of our senior citizens are unable to provide needed medical care. But this ignores the fact that, in the last decade, 127 million of our citizens in just 10 years have come under the protection of some form of privately owned medical or hospital insurance.

Now the advocates of this bill, when you try to oppose it, challenge you on an emotional basis. They say, "What would you do, throw these poor old people out to die with no medical attention?" That's ridiculous, and of course no one's advocated it. ...

What reason could the other people have for backing a bill which says, "We insist on compulsory health insurance for senior citizens on the basis of age alone, regardless of whether they're worth millions of dollars, whether they have an income, whether they're protected by their own insurance, whether they have savings?"

I think we can be excused for believing that, as ex-Congressman Ferrand said, this was simply an excuse to bring about what they wanted all the time -- socialized medicine.

James Madison in 1788, speaking to the Virginia Convention, said: "Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations."

The privacy, the care that is given to a person, the right to chose a doctor, the right to go from one doctor to the other ... this is a freedom that I wonder whether any of us have the right to take from any human being. ... From here it is a short step to all the rest of socialism. ...

The Founding Fathers -- for the first time -- established the idea that you and I had within ourselves the God-given right and ability to determine our own destiny. ...

What can we do about this? Well, you and I can do a great deal. We can write to our congressmen and our senators. We can say right now that we want no further encroachment on these individual liberties and freedoms. And at the moment, the key issue is we do not want socialized medicine. ...

Write those letters now; call your friends and tell them to write them. If you don't, this program I promise you will pass just as surely as the sun will come up tomorrow, and behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country until one day, as Normal Thomas said, we will awake to find that we have socialism. And if you don’t do this, and if I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children's children, what it once was like in America when men were free.

Kitty Werthmann Speaks about Freedom

Friends, I had the opportunity to hear Kitty Werthmann speak at the Eagle
Forum national conference a couple of months back. She told a powerful
story about what it was like growing up under Hitler.

America Truly is the Greatest Country in the World. Don’t Let Freedom Slip
Away

By: Kitty Werthmann

What I am about to tell you is something you’ve probably never heard or
will ever read in history books.

I believe that I am an eyewitness to history. I cannot tell you that
Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. We
elected him by a landslide – 98% of the vote. I’ve never read that in any
American publications. Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his
tanks and took Austria by force.

In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce
was unemployed. We had 25% inflation and 25% bank loan interest rates.
Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people
were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn’t want
to work; there simply weren’t any jobs. My mother was a Christian woman
and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle
of soup and baked bread to feed those poor, hungry people – about 30
daily.

The Communist Party and the National Socialist Party were fighting each
other. Blocks and blocks of cities like Vienna , Linz , and Graz were
destroyed. The people became desperate and petitioned the government to
let them decide what kind of government they wanted.

We looked to our neighbor on the north, Germany, where Hitler had been in
power since 1933. We had been told that they didn’t have unemployment or
crime, and they had a high standard of living. Nothing was ever said about
persecution of any group -- Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe
that everyone was happy. We wanted the same way of life in Austria . We
were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment
and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be
assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. Ninety-eight percent of
the population voted to annexAustria to Germany and have Hitler for our
ruler.

We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had
candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and
everyone was fed.

After the election, German officials were appointed, and like a miracle,
we suddenly had law and order. Three or four weeks later, everyone was
employed. The government made sure that a lot of work was created through
the Public Work Service.

Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was
a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An
able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn’t support his
family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could
retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage.
Hitler Targets Education – Eliminates Religious Instruction for Children:

Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school. The
population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools.
The day we elected Hitler (March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to
find the crucifix replaced by Hitler’s picture hanging next to a Nazi
flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we
wouldn’t pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang “Deutschland,
Deutschland, Uber Alles,” and had physical education.
Sunday became National Youth Day with compulsory attendance. Parents were
not pleased about the sudden change in curriculum. They were told that if
they did not send us, they would receive a stiff letter of warning the
first time. The second time they would be fined the equivalent of $300,
and the third time they would be subject to jail. The first two hours
consisted of political indoctrination. The rest of the day we had sports.
As time went along, we loved it. Oh, we had so much fun and got our sports
equipment free. We would go home and gleefully tell our parents about the
wonderful time we had.

My mother was very unhappy. When the next term started, she took me out of
public school and put me in a convent. I told her she couldn’t do that and
she told me that someday when I grew up, I would be grateful. There was a
very good curriculum, but hardly any fun – no sports, and no political
indoctrination. I hated it at first but felt I could tolerate it. Every
once in a while, on holidays, I went home. I would go back to my old
friends and ask what was going on and what they were doing. Their loose
lifestyle was very alarming to me. They lived without religion. By that
time unwed mothers were glorified for having a baby for Hitler. It seemed
strange to me that our society changed so suddenly. As time went along, I
realized what a great deed my mother did so that I wasn’t exposed to that
kind of humanistic philosophy.
Equal Rights Hits Home:

In 1939, the war started and a food bank was established. All food was
rationed and could only be purchased using food stamps. At the same time,
a full-employment law was passed which meant if you didn’t work, you didn’
t get a ration card, and if you didn’t have a card, you starved to death.
Women who stayed home to raise their families didn’t have any marketable
skills and often had to take jobs more suited for men.

Soon after this, the draft was implemented. It was compulsory for young
people, male and female, to give one year to the labor corps. During the
day, the girls worked on the farms, and at night they returned to their
barracks for military training just like the boys. They were trained to be
anti-aircraft gunners and participated in the signal corps. After the
labor corps, they were not discharged but were used in the front lines.
When I go back to Austria to visit my family and friends, most of these
women are emotional cripples because they just were not equipped to handle
the horrors of combat. Three months before I turned 18, I was severely
injured in an air raid attack. I nearly had a leg amputated, so I was
spared having to go into the labor corps and into military service.
Hitler Restructured the Family Through Daycare:

When the mothers had to go out into the work force, the government
immediately established child care centers. You could take your children
ages 4 weeks to school age and leave them there around-the-clock, 7 days a
week, under the total care of the government. The state raised a whole
generation of children. There were no motherly women to take care of the
children, just people highly trained in child psychology. By this time, no
one talked about equal rights. We knew we had been had.
Health Care and Small Business Suffer Under Government Controls:

Before Hitler, we had very good medical care. Many American doctors
trained at the University of Vienna . After Hitler, health care was
socialized, free for everyone. Doctors were salaried by the government.
The problem was, since it was free, the people were going to the doctors
for everything. When the good doctor arrived at his office at 8 a.m., 40
people were already waiting and, at the same time, the hospitals were
full. If you needed elective surgery, you had to wait a year or two for
your turn. There was no money for research as it was poured into
socialized medicine. Research at the medical schools literally stopped, so
the best doctors left Austria and emigrated to other countries.

As for healthcare, our tax rates went up to 80% of our income. Newlyweds
immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a
household. We had big programs for families. All day care and education
were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college
tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as
food stamps, clothing, and housing.

We had another agency designed to monitor business. My brother-in-law
owned a restaurant that had square tables. Government officials told him
he had to replace them with round tables because people might bump
themselves on the corners. Then they said he had to have additional
bathroom facilities. It was just a small dairy business with a snack bar.
He couldn’t meet all the demands. Soon, he went out of business. If the
government owned the large businesses and not many small ones existed, it
could be in control.

We had consumer protection. We were told how to shop and what to buy. Free
enterprise was essentially abolished. We had a planning agency specially
designed for farmers. The agents would go to the farms, count the
live-stock, then tell the farmers what to produce, and how to produce it.
“Mercy Killing” Redefined:

In 1944, I was a student teacher in a small village in the Alps . The
villagers were surrounded by mountain passes which, in the winter, were
closed off with snow, causing people to be isolated. So people
intermarried and offspring were sometimes retarded. When I arrived, I was
told there were 15 mentally retarded adults, but they were all useful and
did good manual work. I knew one, named Vincent, very well. He was a
janitor of the school. One day I looked out the window and saw Vincent and
others getting into a van. I asked my superior where they were going. She
said to an institution where the State Health Department would teach them
a trade, and to read and write. The families were required to sign papers
with a little clause that they could not visit for 6 months. They were
told visits would interfere with the program and might cause homesickness.
As time passed, letters started to dribble back saying these people died a
natural, merciful death. The villagers were not fooled. We suspected what
was happening. Those people left in excellent physical health and all died
within 6 months. We called this euthanasia.

The Final Steps - Gun Laws:

Next came gun registration. People were getting injured by guns. Hitler
said that the real way to catch criminals (we still had a few) was by
matching serial numbers on guns. Most citizens were law abiding and
dutifully marched to the police station to register their firearms. Not
long after-wards, the police said that it was best for everyone to turn in
their guns. The authorities already knew who had them, so it was futile
not to comply voluntarily.

No more freedom of speech. Anyone who said something against the
government was taken away. We knew many people who were arrested, not only
Jews, but also priests and ministers who spoke up.

Totalitarianism didn’t come quickly, it took 5 years from 1938 until 1943,
to realize full dictatorship in Austria . Had it happened overnight, my
countrymen would have fought to the last breath. Instead, we had creeping
gradualism. Now, our only weapons were broom handles. The whole idea
sounds almost unbelievable that the state, little by little eroded our
freedom.

After World War II, Russian troops occupied Austria. Women were raped,
preteen to elderly. The press never wrote about this either. When the
Soviets left in 1955, they took everything that they could, dismantling
whole factories in the process. They sawed down whole orchards of fruit,
and what they couldn’t destroy, they burned. We called it The Burned
Earth. Most of the population barricaded themselves in their houses. Women
hid in their cellars for 6 weeks as the troops mobilized. Those who couldn’t,
paid the price. There is a monument in Vienna today, dedicated to
those women who were massacred by the Russians. This is an eye witness
account. 

Kitty Werthmann tells this story of her arrival in the United States: 
"I was processed in New York. I stayed in a hotel the first night, and the next morning asked the concierge for directions to the nearest police station. I asked if it was in walking distance, and it was. "I walked in and told the desk sergeant I wanted to register. He said,'What are you talking about?' I said I wanted to register, so they'd know where I was. How would they find me if I broke the law? He said don't worry, they'd find me. And then he said, 'Lady, get the hell out of here.'
"I walked outside and it was a January day with a blue sky.
"I looked up and said, 'What kind of country is this?' All of a sudden it dawned on me. It's freedom."

The top 10 violations of the Constitution by Obama and the 111th Congress

At the close of the 111th Congress, America is deeply in the bog of Thomas Jefferson’s prophetic warning: “The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.” Unfortunately, the broken chains of the Constitution have failed to contain the federal government.

By way of review, let’s take a stroll through the junkyard of constitutional violations that have been painted fresh by President Obama and the 111th Congress. Here’s my top-ten list, highly abbreviated for length.

#10. — 9/11 Responders Relief Fund: We love and honor those who put themselves in harm’s way for our security. However, giving the 9/11 first responders money after the fact violates the Constitution. Article 1.8 gives Congress the right to expend funds for all the purposes itemized, provided it is done for the general welfare, NOT for individuals or preferred groups. The states may reward heroes if they so choose.

#9. — Checks and Balances Failure: The Chairmanship of the UN Security Council: Where was Congress when President Obama became the chairman of the powerful UN Security Council in 2009? The normal monthly rotation for that chair goes to the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. because Article 1.9 of the Constitution forbids the president (and all other office-holders) from accepting any present, foreign office or title from a foreign country or a foreign potentate unless it is specifically authorized by Congress. The Founders wanted to prevent deal-making, corruption, and foreign influence from affecting America’s internal affairs.

#8. — Net Neutrality: The government is trying to stop Internet providers from blocking or slowing some web traffic and prevent providers from showing favoritism. The FCC thinks it should be able to regulate the Internet like it regulates utility companies. This violates the property rights of Internet providers and interferes in the market’s free choice of which services receive funding. Article 1.8 makes it clear that the FCC is not constitutionally authorized to pass laws, especially those disguised as regulations.

#7. – Czars: The moniker for appointees who report to no one but the president has taken on a new and eerie resemblance to the dusty Russian tsars of old. Article 2.2 grants the president leeway to appoint managers, but those managers may not have any regulatory, legislative or law-making powers — such powers are reserved to the legislative branch. Today’s “czars” have the power of cabinet members without having to go through a vetting process or the confirmation process prescribed for cabinet members. Czars are unelected and untouchable political decision-makers — in violation of Article 1.1.

#6. — Cap and Trade: The Clean Energy and Security Act mandates greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, 42 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and 84 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. By 2020, this tax will extract an estimated $160 billion from the economy, or an average $1,870 per family. Once again, had the chains of Article 1.8 not been broken, America would be spared such tomfoolery. Cap and trade masked in any disguise whatsoever cannot be justified as a general welfare activity.

#5. — Cash for Clunkers: The government offered $4,500 rebates to people turning in their clunkers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. When the first program quickly ran out of the $4 billion allotted to it, another $2 billion was added. Follow-up analysis showed the program did nothing to stimulate the economy and put many people into additional debt by encouraging them to purchase cars that they otherwise would not have bought during these hard economic times. The government has zero authority to selectively give individuals tax money for purchases of vehicles, according to Articles 1.2 and 1.8 — and common sense.

#4. — TARP Funding: The original 2008 act authorized $700 billion to bail out banks and other institutions. The government has no business rescuing private financial institutions from bad judgment and risky ventures. Article 1.8 excludes permission for Congress to grant financial aid or loans to private companies. Any use of Treasury funds must go toward the general welfare, not to specific groups.

#3. — Illegal Immigration: Arizona is being invaded. When that state passed SB 1070 to stem the flow of violent illegals into its sovereign territory, a derelict federal government turned around and sued. At issue was the Feds’ failure to control the border, so Arizona took it upon itself to do just that — to uphold existing federal immigration laws. It didn’t add new laws; it simply gave local authorities the power to enforce federal responsibilities. The federal government claims the right to manage immigration, but when it refuses to carry out that obligation, thereby jeopardizing the security of border states, it is derelict in its duties. Arizona should haul the federal government before the Supreme Court for malfeasance. Article 4.4 clearly states that the U.S. shall protect states from invasion — more than 400,000 illegal aliens (est.) in Arizona is, by definition, an invasion.

#2. — Economic Stimulus Bill: The $814 billion stimulus is the most backward-thinking proposition to come along since human sacrifice. Dumping borrowed money into an over-fed, bloated and out-of-control ogre doesn’t solve anything, it simply temporarily props up with blocks of melting ice cream a failed and failing government of extravagance. Not only does it illegally take money out of the economy that could be used to provide jobs, but it’s using borrowed money — with interest due.

And the worst violation of the Constitution over the past two years is …

#1. — Health Care Reform: Health care reform was the last lever needed to lift the lid off the pot of American gold and empty it out for socialism. It required all Americans to have health insurance whether they wanted it or not. Earlier this month, Federal Judge Henry E. Hudson said that the government has no power “to compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market.”

The string of constitutional violations supporting the judge’s rejection is long and shocking:

For purposes of regulation, Congress invoked Article 1.8 and claimed insurance may be controlled because it falls under Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce. But insurance is not interstate commerce — you can’t buy insurance across state lines.

Language in the bill says the health care law may NOT be changed or amended by anyone once signed into law. This violates the role of Congress. Article 1.1 makes it clear that only Congress is authorized to make law, meaning it has every right to alter, amend and change the health care law. To restrict Congress is to change its constitutional duty. The 111th Congress must think it can change the Constitution without amending it — a violation of Article 5, which outlines the amendment process.

The health care bill also violates the 10th Amendment because it coerces states into complying with a new national program that reaches far into state jurisdiction.

So, what do you do when you’re navigating through a blizzard of political white-out where visibility is reduced to zero, the road is slick and slippery, and disaster is strewn about in all directions? You come to a complete stop — and put on the chains.

Paul B. Skousen

Article courtesy of 'The Daily Caller".