Labels

Saturday, January 2, 2016

The Purpose of Government - By Bruce Walker

In the midst of a rancorous presidential nominating season, when we are bombarded every day with promises by politicians about how they will create jobs or educate our children better or get the economy rolling again, few if any candidates seem to grasp the purpose of government in America.  The purpose of government is to preserve liberty. 
That would include protecting us from foreign enemies who seek to take our freedom and from people who come into our nation illegally, either as illegal immigrants or as terrorists.  Protecting the legal integrity of our borders and our citizenship is an aspect of protecting American liberty.  Nothing matters, though, if liberty first is not preserved…….

Finally, consider giving teeth to the Bill of Rights, which is, of course, all about liberty.  It is from beginning to end a statement of what the federal government may not do, to us or to the governments of the states.  The Second Amendment, for example, is about preserving our individual right of self-protection.  We need to stop apologizing for exercising that right. 
The Ninth Amendment is not about allowing abortion on demand.  Hear the words of that amendment: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."  The italicized words show an intention to limit federal judicial power, which was also seen as a threat to liberty.
The sad fact, of course, is that we live in a land full of people more afraid of the responsibilities of freedom than the blessings of freedom.  Until we re-learn the purpose of government in our land, the problems we have in politics will remain intractable and politics largely an exercise in futility.
America is about liberty, and with liberty, despite the dolts who hold or seek elective office, our nation will do just fine.