DON’T MESS WITH THE 2ND

People in the Lone Star state warn outsiders “Don’t mess with Texas.” Americans should warn their fellow citizens, “Don’t mess with the Second Amendment.”

A blogger has noted that James Madison in one of the Federalist papers explained that people needed the right to keep weapons for joining their state militias to fend off, if need be, a national government intent upon taking away other  rights granted to it by its citizens. Citizens give authority to the government; not the other way around.

Today, that is the real reason to uphold the Second Amendment and to turn away attempts to weaken it, even in the face of horrendous events such as happened at Newtown.

Opposing restraints on the purchase of assault weapons and high-capacity ammo clips is being characterized as – can this be too strong? – Barbarian. Defense of the amendment is not the same as acquiescence to more slaughter of children in their classrooms, although some control-control advocates seem to argue that.

All right, what if some autocrat should appear in Washington and to erode the freedom of the citizenry to an untenable reality?  Armed bands could form and unite, only to face the Army and elite military units such as the Seals and the Rangers. Any quick success for the citizen bands would be unlikely. Look at Syria.

No one wants such a confrontation. Although it might be sanctioned by the message of the Declaration of Independence, the structure of the Constitution, and the existence of the Second Amendment, such rebellion could very well end America as the haven it has been for people from all corners of the earth. The hope of America’s promise must, nonetheless, be kept alive.

On the other side, to those who would erode the American system, the very fact that the Founders foresaw the need for strong reaction to unconstitutional usurpation of freedom should be a strong disincentive.

Our current situation does not – repeat, does not – demand any overt action against legitimate political forces. What exactly what would engender such action need not even be the subject for speculation.

Still, the principle that the source of governmental authority in the United States of America originates with the consent of the governed cannot be tinkered with. A fight to retain the Second Amendment’s integrity must be waged.

One does not have to own a gun to believe that.

SIMPLIFY BEFORE SOLVING

Liberals believe taxpayers owe government a living.

Conservatives seem to acquiesce.

Libertarians wish for complete lack of governmental restrain, while admitting a teensy bit might help.

Constitutionalists believe that government is necessary, but only enough governing to protect the weak and to encourage enterprise, as in get-up-and-go.

Most American citizens wish Washington would get it right.

Right now, our U.S. government appears to have been won over by liberals. There may be a way out, and there may not be. What seems certain is that the very continuation of government in this Land of Liberty – as we struggle to keep going – is to hit the taxpayers for even higher taxes for a government that would stall out without more money, whether earned or borrowed.

Government can only “earn” its living by doing what it was meant to do, and that is at the heart of our current problem. Otherwise, citizens should agree that government cannot produce wealth; government can only live because of the wealth created by its citizens.

Constitutionalists can agree with that assertion.

Conservatives would agree if they were not so imbued with the political imperative of re-election.

Libertarians sort of agree but advocate only enough taxation to ward off invaders and keep states from trade wars.

Liberals appear to think that government earns the money it needs for “investing” in the indigent so they, in turn, can earn their livings by their dutiful dependence on a beneficent government. Investors are the “wealthy” taxpayers.

Of course, government is not as simple as the above would suggest. Yet, similar simplification needs to be employed in public debate if the current fiscal problems are to be resolved.

Politicians, who seem more interested in governmental careers than in serving constituents, need to buckle down and do what they were elected to do: Serve citizens, not rule and impoverish them.

                                        IF GOVERNMENT WERE A BUSINESS
 If a business – any size – were in a similar financial condition as the U.S. government it would be out of business. If a business owned by shareholders was in a condition such as our national government, top management would have been fired by now, if such an “enterprise” even could have survived to be in such disarray. With any organization, the shareholders would have long rid themselves of such a board and management. Indeed, perhaps it is impossible to imagine a corporation, maybe even a family-owned business, getting into an untenable position that is our three-branched government. There is but one solution for American voters: Vote the rascals out at the next election. Use the intervening time to organize a grassroots effort to accomplish that as far as possible. A 10 percent replacement would cause turmoil; 25 percent mass hair pulling; 50 percent¸ the Congress would see the light and do something about the national financial disaster ahead, at least – rationally – getting it under control with some hope of saving our constitutional system of self-governance. Replacing any more than half of the elected members of the House and a third of the Senate would bring the backbone of lawmakers to bring some sense of reality in the executive.