Posted on 11/08/2006 1:55:58 PM PST by joanie-f
More than two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson observed, ‘Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction.’ Jefferson believed that America's survival lay primarily in the character of her people.
Likewise, Samuel Adams warned future generations by referring to ‘good manners’ as the vital ingredient a free society needs to survive. Adams said, ‘Neither the wisest Constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.’
As the few FReepers to whom I have pinged this probably know, I spent a lot of time over the past three weeks speaking to people about the need to re-elect Rick Santorum. While I was uplifted by the average person’s willingness to listen and comprehend -- and by the number who seemed to be swayed toward voting republican after listening and questioning -- it is still very disturbing to be personal witness to the number of voters who had intended to vote based on superficial perceptions resulting from snippets of campaign advertising, much of which was sheer distortion or out and out fabrication. For every one voter whose door was approached by a conservative intent on informing him, I am sure there were a thousand who entered the voting booth yesterday never having been ‘set straight’. It is beyond disheartening.
So, while I returned home every night uplifted by the fact that people are very one-on-one receptive, the ‘bigger picture’ is pretty grim.
With each succeeding year, the American populace becomes less informed and more special-interest oriented. Combining the ongoing illegal alien problem (whose solution is nowhere in sight) with the ‘education’ that our children are receiving in our public schools (placing less emphasis on our proud heritage, and civics in general, every year – focusing instead on phony, leftist multicultural philosophies), and the Marxist influence in virtually every institution of higher education, exactly what kind of optimistic view can we embrace of the intelligence/knowledge/allegiance of the new (both alien and youth) voters coming down the pike? Where is there a reason to believe that future disingenuous, un-American, anti-liberty candidates and programs will be held accountable by a citizenry that is even more apathetic, disinterested, special-interest-oriented, or leftist-indoctrinated than today’s voters?
Patriotism requires allegiance, education, strength, endurance, courage, resolve, and action. But it does not require the wearing of rose-colored glasses. Until our leadership addresses the illegal alien problem, until the number of voters who feed at the government socialist welfare/entitlement trough (as forewarned by deTocqueville) can be dramatically reduced, and until we determine to educate our children as to their proud heritage and the dangers posed by relinquishing it, election results will continue to fall in favor of powerful liars who can voice the biggest promises to the host of least informed minds.
I believe we are fighting a losing battle. But, unless and until the battle is lost, we are called to continue to do our part to keep the enemies (both foreign and domestic) at bay. To do any less would hold us just as accountable as those passive, 'sideline Americans' who choose not to be a part of the crusade to reclaim this republic from the scoundrels who call themselves leaders, but who bear no allegiance to our Founders and their vision.
I believe the results of yesterday’s election will have strong and insistent implications for the future of our republic. Barring a miracle of God, or a personal/spiritual epiphany on the part of the generally apathetic and/or ignorant-by-choice citizenry (the former is always possible; the latter grows more unlikely with each passing day), I believe that the following events are very likely to occur over the next few years.
Prepare for a dramatic increase in the invasion of America by an irresponsible, parasitic, malevolent army which chooses to thumb its nose at the critical concepts of the rule of law/national sovereignty by illegally crossing our southern border with the over-riding purpose of reaping the benefits of two-plus centuries of courage, moral sacrifice, work, excellence, and unprecedented prosperity … without any intention of contributing their own. In the process, and under the governance of left-leaning American ‘leadership’, they will play an integral role in the realization of the socialization of America. Even worse, we will witness the complete erasure of our borders, and the establishment of a North American Union, in knee-jerk deference to the eventual vision of one-world governance, under which our Constitution will become increasingly ridiculed, mocked, and eventually declared entirely irrelevant, and the vagaries of Marxist/socialist-authored and implemented international law will take precedence.
Personal and corporate industry will find themselves under relentless attack, with government, academia and media working feverishly to revoke the citizens’ right to keep the fruits of their labor, and replace it with a monstrous entitlement state which will ensure a massive, far-reaching, involuntary redistribution of wealth – aimed at punishing personal and business excellence and ambition and promoting personal and business mediocrity, with the end result being a dramatic increase in the power of the state and complete dependence on state largesse for our existence.
There will be continued erosion in respect for, and protection of, the institution of marriage and the nuclear family. Government will become even more of an advocate for homosexual rights, abortion rights, and laws which will continue to attack and destroy any notion of the importance personal responsibility for one’s own actions. Families will find themselves under relentless attack, with the government usurping increasing power over the lives and minds of the children of America, and with parents finding themselves serving simply as biological creators and temporary physical custodians of wards of the state.
Government intrusion into the education of our children will escalate. Despite the unconstitutionality of the federal government dictating education policy, it will continue its aims at leftist indoctrination of the generations to come through the political power implicit in loans, grants, regulations, activist court decisions, and curriculum manipulation. Government-controlled curricula will continue to downplay, if not eradicate, the importance of our constitutional heritage while indoctrinating our children in environmental mythology, globalist doctrine, and sexual liberation. As a result, future generations will not understand their proud roots, nor be willing to defend the noble society which emerged from them.
The federal government will continue to pass laws focused on driving up the cost of medical care, so as to eventually allow the government takeover of that all-important industry. The direct takeover of medical care in programs like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the free hand that trial lawyers have obtained in dictating the terms of care (while coincidentally lining their own pockets, and those of the politicians to whom they choose to contribute) have played a major role in the destruction of what was once the most excellent health care system in the history of the human race. The government’s interference in the healthcare free market through ERISA mandates related to HMOs and other managed-care organizations, and the medical aspects of our tax code, will continue to undermine healthcare in American, while lining the pockets of the privileged few, driving good doctors out of business, and eventually placing the government in complete control of our health and well-being. When medical care is forced to circumvent government rules and bureaucratic management, it will not be long before the quality of each and every American’s life will be profoundly and inalterably affected.
The left will eventually impose its own brand of ‘faith’ on the American culture – a secular humanist ‘faith’ in which man and his needs and follies are the focus of ‘worship’, and the mention in the public square of the name of the one and true God becomes legally and politically verboten … there will arise an incrementally, governmentally-imposed ‘faith’ in which moral absolutes are deemed criminally intolerant and situational ethics are raised to the level of holy sanctimony.
The war on Islamic fascism will be transformed into a series of compromises with evil, including the retreat of American forces from the Middle East, which will result in brutality against liberty-oriented Middle Easterners that will rival the bloodshed that occurred in the killing fields of Cambodia. Our enemies, in the Middle East and the Far East especially, will become dramatically emboldened, and our genuine allies, Israel and Taiwan especially, will find themselves looking down the barrels of vicious, barbaric, unyielding guns … and, when they turn around to see who is watching their backs, they will see nothing but darkness.
There will be another terrorist attack (if not a simultaneous series of attacks) on America, made possible by a deadly combination of open borders and failed paper-tiger policies, which will make the holocaust of 9/11 seem like a walk in the park. The increased demands for vigilance, defense of sovereignty, and sense of nationalism that occurred five years ago have all but evaporated into the political ether, and the after-effects of what was surely our final wake-up call have fallen by the wayside. There will be no more wake-up calls. There will be death blows, after which America will be brought to her knees, pleading for mercy with barbaric madmen, and no longer capable of even whispering the word ‘freedom’, let alone defending that noble, precious, God-given gift.
The democrats controlled congress for forty years, from 1954 through 1994. Ronald Reagan was entirely responsible for paving the way for the Republican Revolution. The miraculous and providential accomplishments of the Reagan Revolution are now nothing but a fond memory. And, to those who believe that the pendulum will eventually swing back, and that conservatism will regain the prominence and power necessary to reclaim our beloved republic from the scoundrels, I say there is no time to wait to reclaim her again. We have run out of options and wiggle room. The hot breath of a mad and unprecedentedly barbaric and determined adversary, bent on our annihilation, is breathing down our necks now. They will not be denied ... nor does our current leadership – especially after yesterday’s election results – appear to have what it takes to hold them at bay.
The majority of Americans cannot continue to accept, at face value, leadership which says what we want to hear, and then proceeds to do as they wish (which, in the case of the current, and now future, leftist leadership on the Hill, requires the eventual subjugation of American citizens to the state, and the eventual subjugation of the American state to globalist governance). Simply put, the future of our republic will lie in the willingness of her people to take the time, and expend the effort, to look beneath the surface. Believing the words from the mouth of a leader is a conscious choice that must be made by every concerned citizen. As with any choice, it cannot be made without critical thought. Believing their words was okay when our leaders in Washington were virtuous. It is a deadly practice when they are anything less.
Over the last twenty-four hours, I have heard countless references to the need for bipartisanship and building bridges. Bridges are only as desirable and powerful as the relevance of what lies at the other end. I, for one, want no part of bridge-building, when doing so means creating a meandering, but single-minded, path to self-destruction.
For now, adieu.
Must sign off for a few hours. Back later tonight to respond to any additional comments.
PS: thanks for the ping
America died on January 23, 1973. With the death of every child in the womb of its "mother" another nail is driven into the casket of America. There have been over 70,000,000 children die.. their blood cries to us... "how long O Lord until our blood is revenged"
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We have GOT to get control of the MEDIA!!!!!!
The only reason we lost yesterday is the incessant drumbeat of lies, halftruths and other distortions being pumped into society daily!
(Oh yeah.... we gotta get the SCHOOLS back, too!)
The Education/Intertainment industry has to be turned around or it's all over when the NEXT batch of voters come along!
You have pretty much written what I have felt in my heart. The terrorists won last night, America lost. Amazing how blind those are that refuse to see.
Do I understand your post correctly?
Tony Snow indicated last night that W will embrace such legislation. Are you saying it's the paleo's fault that the amnesty issue was handed to the a president who finally will get his amnesty wish?
I've been saying over and over that amnesty for illegals will make the U.S. disappear. It annoys me big time how many people here think that last night's elections is only a temporary setback, and the conservatives will get it back in '08! It's the blind leading the blind among conservatives.
joanie, you don't mind if I email your piece to everyone I know do you? Bravo zulu!
I like George Washington's take on our future to this day, and believe his wisdom will also ultimately apply:
"No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain blessings. Much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universe has led us too long and too far to forsake us in the midst of it. We may, now and then, get bewildered; but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path. " - George WashingtonUnfortunately, at a time when we have deadly enemies in the Islamic terrorist tyrants and the Chinese Communists, we have entered into one of those times when we have become very "bewildered".
But, but we will find our way and come through it stronger...albeit, as I stated, at tremdous cost to wake us up.
In World War II after a surprise attack we monbilized for war and fought hard for four years and lost 225,000 military personnel. Now, we are attacked in a similar fashion, and have lost less than 4,000 in four years of fighting and are stupefied into calling it quits...becoming tired of that very necessary fight.
I believe it is because we did not mobilize fully for war as we should have, bringing home to every American the seriousness of the struggle. At a time when the President had the House and Senate, they decided to go along to get along...and albeit we rightfully took the fight to the enemy, we tried to do it in such a fashion to avoid the hardship to both ourselves and our enemies that such a war with such animals must necessarily entail.
In trying to mullify both the liberal democrats and make nice to them, and in not pacifying with extreme prejudice (as we did in World War II) those foreign citizens and communities abetting our enemies...we have sown the seeds for a much more traumatic experience to bring our thinking back around to where it ought to be.
But I believe both that experience and the change it will bring about in our people is coming...and with it we shall see our nation rise once again, as Washington said, and "recover the right path".
It is just a crying shame and a tragedy that it will have to come at such cost when we had it in our power to avoid it.
God's best to you and yours, and the very best of Fregards my friend.
Many of those who have voiced the "we taught the pubbies a lesson" have also expressed the opinion that the dems will be ousted next election because the Republicans will have learned their lesson. unfortunately those Republicans who were standing in the way of Bush passing amnesty are gone or have no power to stop it
What an extraordinary post, so well written.
I'll have to print and really digest your views.
Thanks for taking the time to do this.
I know joanie-f meant to ping you to this thread.
Joanie, we will not cut and run from this struggle or any other, the democrats and others while sitting in a foxhole being sniped at have decided that our commander in chief is
not leading right and have now decided to lead themselves by committee. Such thinking WILL result in many more Americans dying than ever died freeing Iraq. We will also
find that the democrats have no problem wielding the provisions of the Patriot Act themselves and probably stretching it to enclude their domestic enemies as well.
Thanks for all your hard work on behalf of Rick and our
republican/conservative cause.
Your FRiend
Tet68
What person would want to destroy his life and family by leading us when they could just "let it ride". With all our comfort and ease in this Nation there are few left that can and will stand up for this. Even most in our Military(finest on EARTH!) would hesitate to enter battle with their wife and children strapped to their chest!
Very interesting post. Could stand as an outline for a larger "manifesto". I think that is what is needed. Along with some optimism, after our long night of discouragement. Great movements from acorns grow. Reagan did not appear from the mists, sua sponte. He was uniquely gifted in leadership, but the blessed 25 years we have enjoyed since he assumed the presidency have been mostly great years for america because he set a course that had been thought out, largely, before he assumed power, as much by others as by him. He shattered unacknowledged elitist understandings, just as he shattered the Soviet Union.
We are not beaten, we are not lost. We have been led to pointlessness by the corrupt media and the ruthless left. Bush has been too "nice." Two years trying to get UN support to take on Saddam, only served to dilute support for the inevitable action, and made our tactics tame, as if to please the liliputians of global consensus.
We do need renewal. One person with a good manifesto, however, is all it will take, and a leader to push it forward. As Rush suggested today, in defeat there is liberation. Humanity is misguided for 1000 and 1 reasons, but the conditions for civilisation, the satisfactioin of humanities real needs, are not products of random choice, they are governed by natural laws. Political freedom. Individual rights. Property rights. Intellectual property rights. Free Association/Capitalism. Sanctity of Contract. The realization that taxation and government mandates are anti-freedom and that while necessary for security, order and justice, that they are toxic in large doses. Humility before God. Faith in Devine Mercy. Belief in the supremacy of reason. Application of reason to the problems of life. Elevation of life, from the bog of indulgence to the summit of lasting accomplishment.
You have made an interesting beginning. Shed your pessimism, invest yourself in finding what has been lost. Find the holy grail of conservatism and lead the rest of us to it.
God bless. Forward...not backwards!
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