I, like most of you, would rather have been going along with life as usual, but have found that to be extremely difficult for the last twenty-four months. I am a 51 year old small business owner, who loves God, my Family, my Country, and my Freedom. I have had to make a commitment, to either fight for our Freedom, or keep going and ignore the truth about what is happening in our country today, wondering can I make a difference.
January 2009, two years ago, I did decide to commit to step up, and dedicate my free time to make a difference. Well, as it has turned out, it took way more than my free time. I will also say, I would have it no other way.
This past two years I have been to Washington, DC on no less than on ten occasions for rallies, delivering petitions, visiting our representatives, the Swearing-In Ceremony on Jan. 5, 2011, and the first Senate Tea Party Caucus. I had not been to Washington D. C. five times in the last thirty years. As a common sense conservative, I consider myself a huge grassroots activist if you want to call me that. I used every chance I could, to be involved and be educated about the issues at hand. I have really felt like I was in a war, with many battles at hand. Winning them one by one, knowing another one was ahead to fight, all along making friends all across this great land.
Well, let me tell you, "WE THE PEOPLE" have made the difference. This war is not won on the back of one American, but on the backs of many. As most of you know, the sign I rallied with on many occasions in DC said “ Take the Hill, America, Take the Hill”. This was proven on Nov. 2, 2010 when all our efforts took back the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. Because I love America, and the Freedom it stands for, and I will not sit back and watch our country be mandated, and force onto the citizens changes that are in direct conflict with the Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and The Declaration of Independence, our forefathers founded this country on.
August 15, 2010 began an endeavor that took me to 48 states in 77 days, rolling 15,600 miles to bring awareness to the destruction of our Constitution. I thank you America, for supporting the Constitution Ride Across America, and all that come out to "Rally Up" when I rode into your state capitol. With the final rally ending in DC on Oct. 30, 2010, I inked on the Constitution Resolution For America, signatures of legislators in 42 of the 48 state capitols I rallied with you in. The success of the ride happened because you to love America. The success of Nov. 2, 2010, was because, you, just like I, never gave up and believed that we could “Take the Hill”.
Daren Gardner
Constitution Ride Across America
http://www.craa2010.com/
Showing posts with label founding principles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label founding principles. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What Type of Conservative Are You and Why it Matters
by Freddie Boisseau
The first step in fixing a problem is to identify the problem. To do that you have to be honest to yourself about what the problem is. The conservatives in this country suffer from the problem of ignoring the different types of conservatism and how those parts can work with and against each other. To resolve this problem we first need to be honest about who we are and resolve the conflicts between our different factions. Split asunder we are used against each other, and thus, made weak.
From my perspective, the three factions of conservatism are political, fiscal and social. They each have their good points and their own unique weaknesses. These weaknesses can and must be tempered by the strengths of the other forms of conservatism. This can only happen if we understand those strengths and weaknesses, and that is what I hope to develop with this article.
I would like to start with Political Conservatism, or what can also be called originalism. This group tends to believe in the principle of limited government that our Founders setup for us. They tend to support personal freedom and liberty, negative rights, and the free market system. They are the defenders of the Constitution and the Republic. They truly understand the ideas of John Locke and the republic that Madison designed, but they also understand the concerns the Founders like Patrick Henry expressed about that republic. Unfortunately, they do not have the whole answer to our problems, they have their own weaknesses.
The Political Conservatism policies are not necessarily bound by fiscal or social boundaries, and this is where they make their mistakes. For example a Political Conservative could be lead astray to supporting major military expenses, because they are authorized by the Constitution. Without the restraint of Fiscal Conservative principles, there is nothing to restraint their belief that the expense is legitimate. They need the beliefs of the other two to keep them from falling into traps like this one.
Fiscal Conservatives are the members of our society that watch the pocketbook. They tend to support limiting government spending and thus they prefer lower taxes paid to the government. They also seem to support other sound fiscal policies dealing with money, such as borrowing and rules dealing with banking. They also are the primary supporters of the free market and the principles set forth by Adam Smith. They understand the differences in views of Jefferson and Hamilton regarding the central bank.
But their primary weakness mirrors that of the Political Conservatives, they are not as beholden to the Constitution as their Political Conservative brothers. They can and have been led astray in supporting programs that are unconstitutional, because they sound good and the expense is zero or very low. For example, a Fiscal Conservative would have no problems with implementing regulations eliminating home schooling, as long as the additional cost to the government and citizens are low or non-existence. Since they are less bound by the Constitution, they have no problem violating the rights of parents to educate their children as they see fit. They need the Political Conservatives’ ideals to help them recognize when they go astray.
I left the Social Conservatives for the last, because, to me, they are the most important, though they are also the most likely to be led astray. They are the heart and soul of the conservative movement. They hold and promote the rules that we use to define how we treat each other and it is from these rules that we formed our Constitution and our republic. They are the ones that promote our morals and helping of those in our society that are less fortunate. They are the heirs of all great religious leaders that have shaped our world for the better. This is where we draw our greatest strength, and it is also our greatest weakness.
It is our greatest weakness, because while their beliefs were used to create our Constitution that the Political Conservatives hold dear, they are not bound by it. They are not also bound by the beliefs of the Fiscal Conservatives; they have a higher purpose to uphold. It is this purpose helping those less fortunate than them that can be very destructive. If they lose focus because while we should be a moral people and help each other, those charges are individual in nature. We cannot force people to live up to those standards, nor can we protect people from their own destructive behavior. We must realize that while some of the beliefs and values expressed by Social Conservatives are good for both the individual and society as a whole, each of us must come to those beliefs and values willingly.
Finally, I have been speaking as if these three type of conservatism need to be brought in balance in the group as a whole, but actually these three types of conservatism need to be in balance in all of us. If they are in balance in all of us, then they are in balance in whole. For example how many of you have not helped someone who asked for and needed help when you could? Have you lied to a police officer if you broke a law, even speeding? Is doing that holding to the principle of a Social Conservative, helping other people and upholding social norms?
How many you have promoted not allowing someone to express their opinion because you disagreed? How many of you have discounted or persecuted another religion because it was one you disagreed with? Is that holding to the principles of a Political Conservative, protecting the rights of others given to them by the Creator?
How many of you spend money that you do not have? How many of you live from paycheck to paycheck? Is that holding to the principles of a Fiscal Conservative, not building up debt and controlling spending?
I know that I cannot answer no to all of the above. I know that I have failings, but acknowledging that fact is the first step to recovery. I know that I have a lot of work to do to bring myself in balance, but I also know that I can count on you to help me do that, just like you can count on me to help you.
The first step in fixing a problem is to identify the problem. To do that you have to be honest to yourself about what the problem is. The conservatives in this country suffer from the problem of ignoring the different types of conservatism and how those parts can work with and against each other. To resolve this problem we first need to be honest about who we are and resolve the conflicts between our different factions. Split asunder we are used against each other, and thus, made weak.
From my perspective, the three factions of conservatism are political, fiscal and social. They each have their good points and their own unique weaknesses. These weaknesses can and must be tempered by the strengths of the other forms of conservatism. This can only happen if we understand those strengths and weaknesses, and that is what I hope to develop with this article.
I would like to start with Political Conservatism, or what can also be called originalism. This group tends to believe in the principle of limited government that our Founders setup for us. They tend to support personal freedom and liberty, negative rights, and the free market system. They are the defenders of the Constitution and the Republic. They truly understand the ideas of John Locke and the republic that Madison designed, but they also understand the concerns the Founders like Patrick Henry expressed about that republic. Unfortunately, they do not have the whole answer to our problems, they have their own weaknesses.
The Political Conservatism policies are not necessarily bound by fiscal or social boundaries, and this is where they make their mistakes. For example a Political Conservative could be lead astray to supporting major military expenses, because they are authorized by the Constitution. Without the restraint of Fiscal Conservative principles, there is nothing to restraint their belief that the expense is legitimate. They need the beliefs of the other two to keep them from falling into traps like this one.
Fiscal Conservatives are the members of our society that watch the pocketbook. They tend to support limiting government spending and thus they prefer lower taxes paid to the government. They also seem to support other sound fiscal policies dealing with money, such as borrowing and rules dealing with banking. They also are the primary supporters of the free market and the principles set forth by Adam Smith. They understand the differences in views of Jefferson and Hamilton regarding the central bank.
But their primary weakness mirrors that of the Political Conservatives, they are not as beholden to the Constitution as their Political Conservative brothers. They can and have been led astray in supporting programs that are unconstitutional, because they sound good and the expense is zero or very low. For example, a Fiscal Conservative would have no problems with implementing regulations eliminating home schooling, as long as the additional cost to the government and citizens are low or non-existence. Since they are less bound by the Constitution, they have no problem violating the rights of parents to educate their children as they see fit. They need the Political Conservatives’ ideals to help them recognize when they go astray.
I left the Social Conservatives for the last, because, to me, they are the most important, though they are also the most likely to be led astray. They are the heart and soul of the conservative movement. They hold and promote the rules that we use to define how we treat each other and it is from these rules that we formed our Constitution and our republic. They are the ones that promote our morals and helping of those in our society that are less fortunate. They are the heirs of all great religious leaders that have shaped our world for the better. This is where we draw our greatest strength, and it is also our greatest weakness.
It is our greatest weakness, because while their beliefs were used to create our Constitution that the Political Conservatives hold dear, they are not bound by it. They are not also bound by the beliefs of the Fiscal Conservatives; they have a higher purpose to uphold. It is this purpose helping those less fortunate than them that can be very destructive. If they lose focus because while we should be a moral people and help each other, those charges are individual in nature. We cannot force people to live up to those standards, nor can we protect people from their own destructive behavior. We must realize that while some of the beliefs and values expressed by Social Conservatives are good for both the individual and society as a whole, each of us must come to those beliefs and values willingly.
Finally, I have been speaking as if these three type of conservatism need to be brought in balance in the group as a whole, but actually these three types of conservatism need to be in balance in all of us. If they are in balance in all of us, then they are in balance in whole. For example how many of you have not helped someone who asked for and needed help when you could? Have you lied to a police officer if you broke a law, even speeding? Is doing that holding to the principle of a Social Conservative, helping other people and upholding social norms?
How many you have promoted not allowing someone to express their opinion because you disagreed? How many of you have discounted or persecuted another religion because it was one you disagreed with? Is that holding to the principles of a Political Conservative, protecting the rights of others given to them by the Creator?
How many of you spend money that you do not have? How many of you live from paycheck to paycheck? Is that holding to the principles of a Fiscal Conservative, not building up debt and controlling spending?
I know that I cannot answer no to all of the above. I know that I have failings, but acknowledging that fact is the first step to recovery. I know that I have a lot of work to do to bring myself in balance, but I also know that I can count on you to help me do that, just like you can count on me to help you.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Out with the old, in with the .......old? by Julie Ranson
In January 2009, with New Year’s celebrations still fresh in Americans’ minds, CHANGE arrived in the form of a new president. Barack Obama’s historic election held the promise of so much – a fresh approach and the end of politics as usual. Besides promising to “fundamentally transform America,” our President promised a new climate of bipartisanship and a new way of doing things in Washington. In particular, he promised a change in legislative earmarks, stating on numerous campaign stops how badly this process needed to be “changed.” That Senator Obama (D-IL) displayed beside his Grammy a “trophy in earmarking” for his home state of Illinois to the tune of one-billion-plus-dollars escaped the logical processing of a sycophantic press and electorate. Barely off his Inaugural high, Obama signed the Stimulus Bill containing thousands of earmarks! That’s not change, my friends.
The greater pledge of a transparent government has also been invalidated. No healthcare deliberations have been held on television (just in backrooms and closed-door meetings) nor have Americans been able to view bills for at least five days before legislative voting. Perhaps the only transparency to cite is the fact that even liberals and some media are starting to see right through this administration!
While those who did not vote for Mr. Obama are not surprised by his lapses in honesty and fair representation, many were greatly astounded and angered by the lack of response from our other so-called representation in Washington. No amount of protests, phone calls, letters, visits, and emails seemed to sway those hell-bent on helping our “historic” president achieve his leftist agenda. This lack of responsiveness from our “representatives” gave rise to numerous groups. One such group formed this blog and we continue to write and post videos to educate, inspire, and motivate American Patriots wherever they are!
As we end this year (and yes, thank heavens, it’s really over!!), we have much to reflect upon and much to look forward to. While it has been exhausting for so many patriots to do the extra work of complaining couch potatoes everywhere, we have accomplished much and the new year holds great promise for the work of average American patriots who are determined to return this country to its foundational principles.
If you don’t know what is going on at the state level, you need to learn about it....NOW. Get on patriot email lists, find the legislative websites for your state and follow them closely, and get involved hands-on with a group that will keep you motivated and informed. (And please keep visiting this blog, too!)
I wish all of our readers a blessed 2010. I wish for America “Real Change” that will take us back to the principles and values of our Founding Fathers. That’s the “old” we want to usher in for 2010. Wishing isn’t enough, of course, so I challenge you to do more as a patriot in 2010.
The greater pledge of a transparent government has also been invalidated. No healthcare deliberations have been held on television (just in backrooms and closed-door meetings) nor have Americans been able to view bills for at least five days before legislative voting. Perhaps the only transparency to cite is the fact that even liberals and some media are starting to see right through this administration!
"That's what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process," Obama said at a debate in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2008.
The special interests and lobbyists, he said, "will resist anything that we try to do ... And the antidote to that is making sure that the American people understand what is at stake."
While those who did not vote for Mr. Obama are not surprised by his lapses in honesty and fair representation, many were greatly astounded and angered by the lack of response from our other so-called representation in Washington. No amount of protests, phone calls, letters, visits, and emails seemed to sway those hell-bent on helping our “historic” president achieve his leftist agenda. This lack of responsiveness from our “representatives” gave rise to numerous groups. One such group formed this blog and we continue to write and post videos to educate, inspire, and motivate American Patriots wherever they are!
As we end this year (and yes, thank heavens, it’s really over!!), we have much to reflect upon and much to look forward to. While it has been exhausting for so many patriots to do the extra work of complaining couch potatoes everywhere, we have accomplished much and the new year holds great promise for the work of average American patriots who are determined to return this country to its foundational principles.
If you don’t know what is going on at the state level, you need to learn about it....NOW. Get on patriot email lists, find the legislative websites for your state and follow them closely, and get involved hands-on with a group that will keep you motivated and informed. (And please keep visiting this blog, too!)
I wish all of our readers a blessed 2010. I wish for America “Real Change” that will take us back to the principles and values of our Founding Fathers. That’s the “old” we want to usher in for 2010. Wishing isn’t enough, of course, so I challenge you to do more as a patriot in 2010.
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