Time for a few more quotes

[subdjoe]

This is a clash of ideals, a profound and terrible clash of ideals. It is a fight between right and wrong. Relativism has no place in this confrontation. We're not defending an idea that every human being should eat corn flakes, play baseball or watch MTV. We're not insisting that all societies be governed by a bicameral legislature and a term-limited chief executive. We are insisting that all people have a right to be free, and that right is not subject to the whims and interests and authority of another person, government or culture. Relativism, in this contest, is most certainly not a sign of our humility or ecumenism; it is a mask for arrogance and selfishness. It is, and I mean this sincerely and with all humility, not worthy of us. We are a better people than that.

MCCAIN, JOHN, Senator, Commencement Address at New School, New York, May 22, 2006


Considering the general tendency to multiply offices and dependencies, and to increase expense to the ultimate term of burden which the citizen can bear, it behooves us to avail ourselves of every occasion which presents itself for taking off the surcharge.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, First Annual Message, December 8, 1801


The time to guard against corruption and tyranny, is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and claws after he shall have entered.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, Notes on Virginia, Query 13


It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, Letter to Benjamin Rush


The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, Letter to Abigail Adams, 1787




One of John-boy Edwards’ pet themes during his early bid for the demonocratic Presidential numbanation was that there are “two Americas”. Danged if I don't agree with him! One of those two Americas, the one he likes, would be happier if it were part of the European Union. That one is an America that wants socialism as its governing philosophy, and that thinks the whole idea of sovereign nations is antiquated. It is an America that thinks making more things illegal will make bad people behave, an America that thinks bad people behave badly because society has failed them, and that thinks the foundation of security both personal and national lies in the lyrics of “Love is All You Need”. That one is an America that glorifies government above all other forms of human endeavor and that regards self-interest, personal responsibility and individual initiative as vices rather than virtues. The other America, the one I like, believes that a nation owns its sovereignty. It believes that a free republic of sovereign states, united under a constitution that clearly and specifically delimits the scope and reach of its federal government is the greatest idea yet to be advanced for governing a people. This America believes that ownership of property and economic freedom are the essential manifestations of liberty and that ones choice of labor as well as the disposition of the fruits of that labor are the sole provinces of each individual. My America finds virtue in rugged individualism and self-reliance. For us, the greatest failing would be that we should become a burden upon our neighbor, and our greatest joy would be in the opportunity to show him charity. We are the remnants of the original United States of America, the nation that was born in a rage against tyranny and forged in the fire and blood of war. We don’t fear war nor do we fear our enemies and we give them no quarter. We are not fools who court death, but neither do we lack the courage in whatever amounts required to remain free. My America turns away from the hairy teat of the nanny state and our palates will not suffer the loathsome government cheese made from its soured milk. Live free or die! We say. Don’t tread on us! Give us liberty or give us death! Those are the words that inspire us. Our America is nothing like that other America. Ours is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Theirs is the land of perpetual childhood with the lordly state as parent and guardian. There are two Americas, John-boy, and the differences seem frankly irreconcilable.

NEELY, MIKE, The Sudden Curve, October 9, 2004


Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of government. The history of liberty is the history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power, we are resisting the processes of death, because concentration of power is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties.

WILSON, WOODROW, Address to New York Press Club, September 9, 1912


The true danger is when Liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts.

BURKE, EDMUND, Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol, April 3, 1777


A hand from Washington will be stretched out and placed upon every man's business; the eye of the Federal inspector will be in every man's counting house. The law will of necessity have inquisitorial features, it will provide penalties. It will create a complicated machinery. Under it businessmen will be hauled into courts distant from their homes. Heavy fines imposed by distant and unfamiliar tribunals will constantly menace the taxpayer. An army of Federal inspectors, spies and detectives will descend upon the state. They will compel men of business to show their books and disclose the secrets of their affairs. They will dictate forms of bookkeeping. They will require statements and affidavits. On the one hand the inspector can blackmail the taxpayer and on the other, he can profit by selling his secret to his competitor.

BYRD, RICHARD E., Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Commenting on the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, 1910


And in closing one more from Mr. Jefferson. Would that the left took this part of one of his letters to heart and gave it force of law as they did with his wall of separation comment:

rivate fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on...And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.

JEFFERSON, THOMAS, Letter to S. Kercheval, 1816


That's all for now boys and girls. Please check back here from time to time for more quotes about YOUR liberty!

Bye now!

[The Big Dog]

Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of government. The history of liberty is the history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power, we are resisting the processes of death, because concentration of power is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties.

WILSON, WOODROW, Address to New York Press Club, September 9, 1912

Interesting that you would cull this quote from Wilson's first campaign for the presidency. Once in office he governed in exactly the opposite manner from what he says in this quote. Wilson was an unrepentant and rather socialistic progressive who believed that the government knew best. Among the accomplishments of term....

** formation of the Federal Trade Commission
** the Federal Farm Loan Act
** creation of the Federal Reserve
** the Revenue Act of 1913, which gave us our first progressive income tax
** created the War Industries Board which nationalized many institutions
** nationalized the railroads
** strongly supported labor union growth
** the Lever Act which installed government supervision of food and agricultural production
** the re-inroduction of segregation into the federal workforce (Wilson was actually quite racist in his beliefs, and openly denied admission of black students to Princeton while head of that university)
** introduced the American Protective League, which peaked with 250K members across 600 cities. Members carried Government Issue badges and freely conducted warrantless searches and interrogations. This organization was empowered by the U.S. Justice Department to spy on Americans for anti-government/anti war behavior. As national police, the APL checked up on people who failed to buy Liberty Bonds and spoke out against the government’s policies.
** supported the compulsory sterilzation of "certain individuals" and, prior to his presidency, helped get the first eugenics / forced sterilization laws passed in Indiana. Eventually 30 states had such laws.



A condensed and annotated review of Wilson's seminal 1887 essay on The Study of Administration might be a worthwhile read. It makes a good window on his overt socialist leanings and a hint of the fascism he led throughout his presidency.

[subdjoe]

I never said he was good at the job. And yes, his words and deeds were poles apart. On the other hand, the ideas in the given quote are quite good.

[The Big Dog]

I don't disagree that the ideas were good.... I am merely pointing out that Wilson was lying when he said them.



Woodrow Wilson is one of the darlings of the political left, the real progressives, in this country. His record, both before and during his presidency has been largely sanitized by revisionist historians. He was, in word and deed, a true fascist and not always a benign one given his creation of the organized thuggery known as the American Protective League.

Barack's "national civilian security force" sounds eerily like a modern version of the APL, which is more than a little scary.

[subdjoe]

Nov 10, 2008 14:33:35 GMT -5 The Big Dog said:

I don't disagree that the ideas were good.... I am merely pointing out that Wilson was lying when he said them.

You mean like the old joke "How do you know a politician is lying? His lips are moving."

Kind of puts you in mind of someone recently elected, doesn't it?

[The Big Dog]

You responded too quick... see my edited post up one.

[subdjoe]

Nov 10, 2008 14:39:03 GMT -5 The Big Dog said:

You responded too quick... see my edited post up one.

Well get it right the first time, dammit! I read your addendum, thank you. And, heck, just about ALL the history we are taught in school, unless you go for a masters or doctorate, is revisionist.

Barrys NCSF puts me more in mind of the SA, but the APL may be closer.

[The Big Dog]

Nov 10, 2008 14:43:13 GMT -5 subdjoe said:

Well get it right the first time, dammit!

Fingers work faster than brain some days and.... shut up brain or I'll stick a pencil in you.

I read your addendum, thank you. And, heck, just about ALL the history we are taught in school, unless you go for a masters or doctorate, is revisionist.

The history of the 20th century, inordinately so I'd think based on my own research. It really is a darned shame that so many kids (even back when I was in school) find history to be a subject to be avoided at almost any cost. History, the unrevised kind, can teach us so much.

Of course it was always kind of fun being the six foot five inch, erstewhile jock, full on history nerd.

Barrys NCSF puts me more in mind of the SA, but the APL may be closer.

I lean the APL route. The progressives have invested way too much ink in falsely associating the right in this country (and quite wrongly I might add) with the fascist and nazi labels to go completely overboard right from the gate.

Although some of them on the transition team look and feel like they are rather drunk with their self assumed level of power already.