March 24, 2008

I recently finished reading a book by Franklin Pierce entitled "Federal Usurpations." The book, which was originally published in 1908, addressed the usurpations of power being perpetrated by the federal government during Pierce's day. In the final chapter, "How to Restore the Democratic Republic," Pierce provided his blueprint for achieving this goal. Even though I disagree with his proposals for amending the Constitution, I found his assessment of the problems profound because they mirror what we are experiencing today.

On political parties he wrote:

"The political partisan is never a critic. He and his associates are ever engaged in covering the sores of their party. What the people need is a large body of fearless men who ask no favors of government, and who are willing to stand up and ask disagreeable questions, and utter uncomfortable truths, and lay their fingers upon abuses, and attack those men behind the abuses."

"Republicans and Democrats fight a little.[in Congress].then connive and collude behind the doors of the committees in aiding each other to pass all kinds of special and private bills requiring extravagant expenditure of the public's money."

"Politics as a trade has been the curse of the United States ever since the Civil War, and will continue to be until a new line of men with new ideas of their duties to their countrymen are heard."

"The parties of to-day do not represent the opinions of the people, but represent political machines which exist for the purpose of securing to the faithful henchmen the spoils of office. No man who really has convictions on public questions, and who hates corruption, can attain any party standing in any political party to-day. The party stands for graft and nothing but graft."

On the people and liberty he wrote:

"No set of laws, however good, will bring good government unless honestly and intelligently administered, nor unless those responsible for such administration are held strictly accountable at all times for public abuses. The sore spot is right here; do the people really wish good government? Is there sufficient public virtue among our citizens to demand and appreciate good government? If the legislature passes a bad law you can repeal it, if the constitution is defective you can amend it, but if 'the people themselves are lacking in public spirit there is no remedy.'"

"There is no such thing as an individual securing his rights unless he is willing to insist upon them at all times; and there is no such thing as a people securing their rights unless they are ready to fight for them at all times."

"Until [the] spirit of indignation is stirred to action all over the land and the people are ready to fight for the vindication of their rights, there is little hope of effective reforms. We need the spirit of old Peter Muhlenburg, who, in the Revolutionary days, to the astonishment of his congregation, flung aside his surplice, disclosing a Continental uniform, and explained: 'There is a time for all things - a time to preach and a time to pray; but there is also a time to fight, and that time has come!'"

Pierce's observations are now 100 years old and nothing has changed. In fact, it has only gotten worse.

* The American people do not judge presidential candidates on their ability to exercise the 12 powers and duties vested in the office of the President by the Constitution; they judge them on party propaganda and how much government largess they promise to provide if elected.

* The American people do not judge members of Congress on their fidelity to the Constitution; they judge them on how much money they steal from other Americans and bring back to their State or congressional district.

* The American people do not reject and castigate federal politicians who violate or promise to violate the Constitution; they reward them with campaign contributions and work to get the usurpers re-elected to office.

* The American people do not resist and fight federal usurpations of power; they embrace them and beg for more government control over their lives.

A century of usurpations since Pierce wrote his book has left the nation drowning in debt and on the verge of a federal police state. While the political parties torch the Constitution and empower government, the American people fiddle with their cell phones and ipods. Instead of rising-up and overthrowing the usurpers, the people cower in the shadows afraid of government reprisals for daring to question its authority.

Pierce was right. We cannot have constitutional government if the people are not willing to hold politicians accountable for their usurpations of power and we cannot preserve our rights unless the people are willing to fight for them at all times. The result of these failures can be summed-up in words of Edward R. Murrow - "A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves."

Constitutional government and liberty go hand in hand. Every time government is allowed to usurp power the people lose a little more freedom. As stated by Thomas Jefferson: "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and for government to gain ground." In the process of gaining ground, liberty and constitutional government are being trampled under the hooves of the donkeys and elephants as they strive for more power over the people.

We are rapidly approaching the point of no return. The American people are going to have to choose between constitutional government or servitude to government and the political parties that control it. As stated by Pierce, "the sore spot is right here;" Are the people willing to fight for constitutional government and the preservation of their rights or has the spirit of indignation been so debased that the people are willing to accept anything but liberty?

[Editor's Note: There is a third and better choice: individual sovereignty. It is not possible to delegate power to other people without the inevitable slide into tyranny. Those who wish to choose rulers should be free to do so, but those of us who choose to rule ourselves will never willingly join them.]

Some other, related reading:

The Flawed Second Amendment Debate

The Second Amendment and the Preamble to the Bill of Rights

Another Look at the Wording of the Second Amendment

Would the Repeal of the Second Amendment Empower the Federal Government and Negate the Right to Own a Firearm?

Tell me why the States needed the so-called "Collective Right" Second Amendment?

The Second Amendment is an Individual Right

A Question For The Supreme Court

Your comments welcome!

Now Available! See Editor's review here.

"The Bill of Rights Does Not Grant You Any Constitutional Rights"
By Robert Greenslade and Claude Ellsworth

$10.00-includes shipping and any applicable sales tax.

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Email any questions concerning the book/booklet to Bob at-govtnitwit [at] yahoo.com

Robert Greenslade focuses his writing on issues surrounding the federal government and the Constitution. He believes politicians at the federal level, through ignorance or design, are systematically dismantling the Constitution in an effort to expand their power and consolidate control over the American people. He has dedicated himself to resurrecting the true intent of the Constitution in the hope that the information will contribute, in some small way, to restoring the system of limited government established by the Constitution.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Constitution, take a look at this book. I use it in many of my articles and it is the best book I've found on this subject. Bob

The Federal Government: Its True Nature and Character: Being a Review of Judge Story's Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States.

Reprint of the 1868 edition. ''Perhaps the ablest analysis of the nature and character of the federal government that has ever been published. It has remained unanswered.'' This review of Judge Story's Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States is perhaps the ablest analysis of the nature and character of the Federal Government that has ever been published. It has remained unanswered. Indeed, we are not aware that any attempt has been made to challenge the soundness of its reasoning. The great vise of Judge Story and the Federalists consisted in desiring the clothe the federal government with almost monarchical power, whereas the States had carefully and resolutely reserved the great mass of political power for themselves. The powers which they delegated to the federal government were few, and were general in their character. Those which they reserved embraced their original and inalienable sovereignty, which no state imagined it was surrendering when it adopted the constitution. Mr. Madison dwelt with great force upon the fact that ''a delegated is not a surrendered power.'' The states surrendered no powers to the federal government -- they only delegated them. 160 pages.

Please see the bottom of the page for Bob's book offer.

Archives

The 2004 Declaration of Independence

The Constitution and YOU Part 1

The Constitution and YOU Part 2

The Constitution and YOU Part 3l

Out of Chaos comes Control

"Government of the People, by the People and for the People" -- or Not?

Would the Repeal of the Second Amendment Empower the Federal Government and Negate the Right to Own a Firearm?

Are the Barry Bonds' Record-Setting Baseballs Subject to the Federal Income Tax?

The Constitution did not Abolish the System of Government Established by the Articles of Confederation and Consolidate the States into One Nation

Tell me why the States needed the so-called "Collective Right" Second Amendment?

Rudy Giuliani shows his Ignorance of the Second Amendment

The Second Amendment is an Individual Right

A Question For The Supreme Court

The Second Amendment Question before the Supreme Court is Constitutionally Flawed and Dangerous

It's Time To Break Out The Torches And Pitchforks!

Constitution to Hillary, Obama and McCain Congress Makes the Laws not the President

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