Common Sense Revisited

[HARDCORE]

12-30-2019

(A New Years Thought)

Back in “The Early Years of Our Great Experiment In Democracy”, a magnificent gentleman (and a Founding Father), by the name of “Thomas Paine” penned a stirring little pamphlet that was entitled “Common Sense!” And if words could truly ignite a justifiable war, then this foray into the world of rebel-rousing sentiment, definitely lit the fuse that gave substance to all that we have become today! And most of us who reside here within “These Awe-Inspiring United States of America”, however, are well aware of the reputations and daring of people like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson! And most are even familiar with the history-making deeds of patriots like Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and even Dolly Madison, but it must also be remembered that these people were not the only “Fire-Brands of Democracy”, but rather, they were just a scant few of that legion that made up the tip of “The Javelin of Freedom”, that plunged its message deeply into the hearts and souls of those who felt that humanity just could not exist without some sort of overlord dictating their every movement!

And once again, and this must forever be remembered, there has always been an army of “Genuine American Heroes” who fought, and even fell in death, defending that which far too many of us no longer even think about? And it is to these still magnificent, though often forgotten, patriots that I am dedicating this testimonial to today.

“Oh how quickly we forget!” And those who forget their past – are so often doomed to repeat it! And with these bloody encores of mankind’s utmost folly, also come even more pain, suffering and even the lost dreams of young patriots! “When, if ever, will we learn?”


Hardcore

[Boats]

I haven't forgot our history..

Freedom isn't free - to keep freedom you have to fight for it or they will take it away.
Many have died for freedom and for the freedom of others.

Freedom is a condition in which people have the opportunity to speak, act and pursue happiness without unnecessary external restrictions. Freedom is important because it leads to enhanced expressions of creativity and original thought, increased productivity, and an overall high quality of life.

Freedom stands for something greater than just the right to act however I choose—it also stands for securing to everyone an equal opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

One way to think of this is the difference between “freedom of” (or “freedom to”) and “freedom from”—a point eloquently made by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his State of the Union Address delivered on January 6, 1941:

We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The (1st) first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world.

The (2nd) second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world.

The (3rd) third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.

The (4th) fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.

That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation.

Here's a good piece I found:

As Thomas Frank points out in this important op-ed from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal:

Conservatives of the 1930s, led by an upper-crust outfit called the American Liberty League, certainly felt that way. “That Roosevelt was a dictator there was no doubt; but Liberty Leaguers were not quite sure what kind,” wrote the historian George Wolfskill in “The Revolt of the Conservatives,” a 1962 study of that organization. “Some thought he was a fascist, others believed him a socialist or Communist, while others, to be absolutely sure, said he was both.”

Frank’s piece is titled “The Left should reclaim ‘Freedom’—The Right was wrong about FDR too.” He says:

There are few things in politics more annoying than the right’s utter conviction that it owns the patent on the word “freedom”—that when its leaders stand up for the rights of banks to be unregulated or capital gains to be untaxed, that it is actually and obviously standing up for human liberty, the noblest cause of them all. . .

Any increase in the size or duties of government, the right tells us, necessarily subtracts from our freedom. Government is, by its very nature, a destroyer of liberties; the Obama administration, specifically, is promising to interfere with the economy and the health-care system so profoundly that Washington will soon have us all in chains.

“What we’re going to end up with is higher taxes, bigger government and less freedom for the American people,” House Republican Leader John Boehner said on Fox News in July. “We’re going to have a real fight for how much freedom we’re going to have left in America.”

Hogwash.

Today, of course, we know that the right’s tyranny-fears [about FDR] were nonsense. Most of Roosevelt’s innovations have been the law of the land for 70 years now, and yet we are still a free society.

In closing, Frank makes this vital point:

The reality of misgovernment, meanwhile, is not something you can grasp simply by donning a tricorn hat and musing on the majesty of Lady Liberty. It requires, among other things, close attention to the following irony: That many of the most destructive and even corrupt policies of the past few decades were engineered by exactly the sort of people who claim to be motivated by freedom and liberty.

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Personal note:

My Grandparents came over from Italy, Sweden & France - shortly before WW1 and in doing so they (fought in WW1 - WWII - Korea - Viet Nam) and raised their kids. As did my parents and I have raised ours. My Grandkids will someday raise theirs in a society of freedom (God Willing)!

But do note: The Cost of Freedom isn't Free in most cases. The cost in American lives since its conception and to this day - has been a costly one.

Other lands have terrine such as China and Socialism in Russia these are based on authoritarianism. (Meaning: the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom or lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others).

England has a monarchy style government: A monarchy is a country that is ruled by a monarch, and monarchy is this system or form of government. A monarch, such as a king or queen, rules a kingdom or empire. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution. But in an absolute monarchy, (*) the monarch has unlimited power.

(*) This is how I see Trump's operating system during his administration:

Hence: The disadvantage of a monarchy is that the people being ruled rarely have a say in who gets to be their leader. Because everything is predetermined, a society could become stuck with an abusive individual in power for multiple decades and have little recourse to save themselves. (Hence he seeks Kingship mannerisms with unquestionable power - thus answering to no one.)

But then again I'm just one American Citizen who requires a multitude of citizens to make or submit an argument for any changes in our system. The things we want or need are outside of our ability to amend without the multitude of public official's in the chain of command - who have to review & process the request and then get the majority or it may just get deep six'ed because of cost or non-interest. We American Citizens participate once ever 2-4 years to vote for new electorate's.

I also feel Congressional Term Limits are also needed. Of which many are already in office for decades (both the House & Senate) who say they are buried in a backlog of issues and that they cannot get the majority of either the House and Senate to agree on. Hence it becomes a Dead Horse (otherwise impassible).

Then of course the White House can Veto such a bill and send it back for amendments or changes - and now the issues of simplicity get caught up in the bureaucracy (basically it ends up as a dead horse). Hence once again - NO VOTE.

This is basic politics as I see it. We have such a backlog of issues - that take two or three administration to pass it - than it no longer has the value we anticipated - hence its passed - but now requires funding - and therefore - they increase our taxes to supplement the cost of this new project.

But when it come to warfare money - here it gets ugly - tax paper's get hit again - and our National Debit increases - and once again over and over - and you should see our current National Debt! It would give you a stoke just to see those staggering amounts of National Debt! And guess what we American's have to pay this our of our pocket in taxes.

Here's a link that will scare your socks off: https://www.usdebtclock.org/

Well I got this out of my system. Now have Good New Years because next year is M.O.T.S.
(more of the same).

Boats