Celebrating the Fight for Freedom on the Fourth
Every
year on the Fourth of July we remember our founding fathers and the precious
inheritance of freedom that they secured for us. Every year it seems we
get further and further away from that birthright, but we still have much to
celebrate.
This
country was founded on principles of freedom from overbearing rulers, onerous
taxation, and the right to live our lives as we see fit. Our independence
was won after decades, and even centuries of abuses that unscrupulous,
corrupted leaders and big governments visited upon their subjects. The
Founders knew there was a better way, and they forged it here on this soil.
In
the new United States of America, the rights of the individual were enshrined
in the Bill of Rights. Today, government encroaches on those rights
through countless provisions in numerous laws. However, how much worse
off might we be had the Founders not enumerated these rights in the highest law
of the land? While it is true that many aspects of those rights have been
redefined and watered down, and will likely continue to be eroded, we can
celebrate the wisdom of the Founders and that at our very core we, as Americans,
still hold these rights dear.
The
American tradition of individual liberty and self-reliance still runs deep, in
spite of the increasing nanny state tendencies that the U. S. government has
been gradually shoving down our throats. It is sad to see government
seeking to completely replace the voluntary protections through families and
charities that we have relied on throughout our history. Especially
disturbing is the rhetoric of community and interdependence being employed by
the administration to institute government as the great middle man for all
healthcare and charity for which all citizens must dutifully sacrifice.
This trend is not improving quality of life for Americans, but instead is
greatly enriching the government bureaucracies that take a generous cut of all
transactions in the welfare state. There still remains much resistance to
cradle-to-grave government dependence and control. This spirit of fierce
independence is a tribute to our founders and is cause to celebrate.
The
majority of our Founders believed in sound money, in part because they knew it
kept government in check. Governments that are unable to expand the money
supply and manipulate credit at will are unable to fund frivolous wars of
conquest. Instead of adventurism abroad, seeking monsters to destroy,
governments restrained by sound money are restricted to truly defensive wars
that the people are willing to fight and to fund. Today, in spite of all
the economic turmoil that fiat currency and military interventionism have caused,
there is cause to celebrate. The demand to audit the Federal Reserve is
quite encouraging. The truth about the Fed will put us one step closer to
sound money, and peace.
Public
outcry against the bank bailouts and the government power grab known as
cap-and-trade proves that the spirit of liberty still lives. Part of our
celebration of Independence Day should include a renewed determination to keep
fighting the good fight for freedom. As long as the U. S. government
continually seeks to take liberties away, patriots need to keep fighting this
ongoing war for sustained independence.
Congressman Ron
Paul of
To learn more
about Congressman Ron Paul, visit his Congressional
Home Page.
See Ron Paul's official website regarding his run for President in 2008.
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