Is it time to create a new United States? If so, how?

Townhall ^ | July 10, 2008 | Douglas MacKinnon

[2ndDivisionVet]

Right up front, let me state that this column is for ACADEMIC purposes only. According to friends of mine still with our government, because of my last novel, my home phone and computer became the subject of curiosity for at least two of our three-letter agencies.

The novel was entitled “America’s Last Days” and dealt with a revolution led by a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former Director of the FBI. Both men felt that the United States of their childhoods, of traditional values, and of true sovereignty, was in a death-spiral from which it would never recover. They felt, that as patriots, it was their duty to try and save at least part of the nation.

Over the course of the last year and a half, I’ve gotten over one-thousand emails from readers. Just in the last two months, I received emails from five war-fighters in Iraq who thanked me for writing a novel that held dear the ideals for which they were fighting in Iraq. Ideals that they felt, were waning in their very own country.

Of all the feedback I have gotten regarding the novel, none is more meaningful, sad, or telling, than those five emails. Are we losing the liberty and traditional values that these heroic soldiers are fighting for overseas?

Putting that rhetorical question aside, I’d like to stress again that this column is merely meant to create discussion. Nothing about it should be taken literally by those with the power to tap my phones or read my emails. Better to direct such resources toward the dictators and terrorists who continue to target our nation.

So, with that caveat established, let’s imagine a United States of the very near future.

A United States where:

• An ultra-liberal candidate for president has the unethical support of almost the top 100 newspapers in the country, the top three television networks, and two of the three top cable networks.

• Nancy Pelosi and other liberals would like to silence the needed and conservative voices of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, and others.

• Some Republicans are morphing into liberal Democrats in order to keep their seats at any cost.

• Border security has become a punch-line for many elected officials on both sides of the aisle.

• God and Christianity are under constant attack from the far-left.

• Liberals -- most especially the Democratic candidate for president -- and our Supreme Court, would like to treat Jihadists as criminals and extend statutory habeas corpus to enemy combatants.

• Large segments of the entertainment community are purposefully and systematically exposing our children to the vilest forms of smut to both make money and to indoctrinate.

• Strict-constructionist judges are an endangered species.

• A number of Republicans are jumping on the “Amnesty-for-illegal-aliens” bandwagon faster than Democrats.

• Lower taxes and fiscal restraint are going the way of the Hula-Hoop, good manners, and an abiding belief in the goodness and mission of the American soldier.

Whoops. I’m sorry. Did I say “the near future?” I meant now.

Accepting that depressing and potentially tragic state of affairs, while calculating the prospect of a committed, far-left president, teaming with a Democrat majority in Congress for at least the coming four years, an obvious question comes to mind. That being, is it time to create a “new” United States? If so, how would you go about establishing a new nation predicated on the beliefs and wisdom of our Founding Fathers?

The shrinking number of conservative Americans who still believe in the promise of our Republic are anxiously awaiting the scenarios to be outlined in this “for academic purposes only” homework assignment.

Let Freedom Ring!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Comments?

[Pistolshot]

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

[2ndDivisionVet]

Everyone forgets (or was NEVER TAUGHT) that the “Boston Tea Party” was over a 1% tax!!

[hershey]

If Obama gets in, securing total power for dems ad infinitum will be the first order of business. In a matter of months, the US will be unrecognizable. Gone.

[Bahbah]

Well, that pretty much puts it in perspective, doesn’t it.

[backhoe]

Damned if I know, what the answer is.

Representative governments work pretty well- until enough voters realize that they can “help themselves” to other people’s money ( taxes, tariffs, and fees ) by electing the “right” politician.

And as more and more people get stuff from the government, they want even more.

And we’ve reached, and passed, that point now.

Tarnation...

[metesky]

It's time to man up, stay and fight, not this bedwetting “new America”, nor secession. Fight like men or STFU.

[Man50D]

A new United States has been developing for some time.

This is nothing new. The GOP has been so intent to expand it's voter base by appeasing socialists in the Democrat party at the expense of the Conservative principles upon which our founding fathers wrote the Constitution.

[metesky]

And this guy writes like he invented some new idea. I guess he never heard of nor read “Seven Days in May”, eh?

[Pistolshot]

[Smokin' Joe]

I think Americans in your scenario should dust off the Consititution. Great set of ideas, low mileage, only waved by people who don’t much know how to operate it for the last century or so.

Clarify, in writing, the interstate commerce clause to limit meddling from the Federal level (and the plethora of agencies and departments which ensue from that), eliminate an income tax, and use it.

[rbg81]

IMHO, one of the problems with our “Republic” was that we give the franchise (voting rights) away too easily. All you have to be is above 18 and have a pulse. In some places, they don’t even bother checking citizenship eligibility. There are a lot of idiots out there—when you combine them with liberals (some of whom are real moonbats), its nearly a majority.

I think Heinlein had the right idea in “Starship Troopers”: only give the franchise to those who have served in the armed forces. If you do that, they you at least guarantee that the people making the calls at least given enough of a damn about their country to put their lives on the line for it. Of course, its possible the Vets could start voting themselves big benefits, but I don’t see that happening. Even those who join as liberals may leave as conservatives after experiencing military discipline and gritty reality. I’d sleep a lot better at night if that were the case.

Other variations on the theme are: only give the franchise to people who actually pay [income] taxes. I like this too, though not nearly as much.

[rbg81]

FIXED IT:

IMHO, one of the problems with our “Republic” was that we give the franchise (voting rights) away too easily. All you have to be is above 18 and have a pulse. In some places, they don’t even bother checking citizenship eligibility. There are a lot of idiots out there—when you combine them with liberals (some of whom are real moonbats), its nearly a majority.

I think Heinlein had the right idea in “Starship Troopers”: only give the franchise to those who have served in the armed forces. If you do that, then (at least) you guarantee that the people making the calls care enough about their country to put their lives on the line for it. I’d sleep a lot better at night if I knew that were the case. Of course, its possible the Vets could start voting themselves big benefits, but I don’t see that happening. Even those who join as liberals may leave as conservatives after experiencing military discipline and gritty reality.

Other variations on the theme are: only give the franchise to people who actually pay [income] taxes. I like this too, though not nearly as much.

[Bobalu]

I love the idea of only veterans being able to vote!
Under such a setup I would not get to vote...but I think I could put my trust in veterans to choose wisely :-)

[veritas2002]

Here's my solution. Instead of funding any political parties, let's form an organization whose sole objective is to achieve those States’ rights that the Confederacy was unable to protect 160 years ago and which have increasingly been eroded by rampant central government control. Let's promote a well-funded campaign for people who advocate for State's Rights to move to enough States that they would be able to control both house of Congress. I don't think that an armed uprising (although protected by the Constitution against oppressive government) is needed. Since most people are mobile anyway and if they know that moving to any one of a number of States will effect the kind of government they wanted (limited) then this is one way to get it over the next 25 years. These States could control what children get taught in school and so the kind of government they want would be perpetuated. Once people get fed up enough, these kinds of options will become more and more viable. In days past when people were wedded to the land more, they were not as mobile as today.

[Hardastarboard]

because of my last novel, my home phone and computer became the subject of curiosity for at least two of our three-letter agencies.

I'm amazed that this article appeared in a mainstream website like Townhall. As to the above quote, so much for freedom of speech. I've often thought of writing such a novel myself, as an academic exercise, and to express my frustration with our current state of affairs, perhaps even as a warning to those who would push the radical agenda of change too far.

I've had two immediate problems with the idea of writing a novel about this. The first is that while I'm a technically proficient writer, I doubt that I have the skills to be a novelist worth reading. The second is, despite my rather vivid, sometimes outlandish imagination, I can't come up with a scenario in which any kind of revolution doesn't end badly within about two weeks, for a number of reasons (e.g. communications and coordination of effort, capitalization, and the left's total control over the alphabet agencies the author mentions above).

I've given this topic a lot of thought, as it doesn't seem to me like we'll ever be truly free of the left without violence, and yet for as much as they abhor violence, they've made it a point to gain a monopoly on the ability to use it.

Our forefathers wrote down their reasons for securing their freedom from a tyrannical government in one of mankind's most enduring documents, the Declaration of Independence. They stood up to the world's strongest military, the strongest known to man up to that point. But what they didn't face was the modern American military, a masterpiece of leadership, communications and firepower. They also didn't face the kind of surveillance society that we have today, where this kind of uprising would be found out and killed in the womb (kind of a fitting analogy, eh?).

Our Founding Fathers declared that we had the right to put a stop to the madness that we see gathering around us, told us it was our duty to do it, and enshrined it in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Then the government came along and made it illegal to plot or advocate the overthrow of the government (rightly so). Apparently, it's now illegal to even discuss how it might happen if it were to happen.

I don't have any happy concluding thoughts to this rant. I would close by just cautioning the left (the one or two who will read this comment over the next hundred years), that an all powerful government can work both ways. Imagine if their worst fears about W were factual. DailyKos, DU and MoveOn would be dark and quiet. They'll never understand that, and their blindness condemns us all to a form of slavery that we'll never escape.

[EBH]

--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

The reason, the Right, the responsibility, and the duty given and assigned to every American. Not enumerated in the Constitution, but clearly stated in our Declaration of Independence.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; (immigration issues)

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice,(as sighted in the article regarding enemy combatants)

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices,

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.(enviro-laws, hate speech rules, energy independence etc.)

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: (SCOTUS sighting international laws we are not subject too.)

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: (do I need to explain this)

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: (trial by the media)

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:(interesting when you think about the recent State that have restated their agreements/contracts to become members of the Union and remind the feds. "Don't tread on me.")

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. (Hillary's statement for our own good)

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.(the failure to stop funding islamic states by failing to provide for our energy independence. Under democrats we will see islamic mercenaries here,)

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. (future...riots by various ethnic groups?)

This is where we would start again. This is where the People's reset button is. To read the violations of human rights the created this document and compare them to the laws/legislation and actions of our government, in less than 4 years we will again be under the tyranny of a despotic government.

It is my firm held belief that the Declaration of Independence holds the first Right of the People, is our Right of Reset, and provides for We the People the ability to dissolve the three branches of government. Read the list of examples sighted as a tyrannical government and compare it to today. We are 1 minute to midnight.

What would a modern Declaration look like? Almost word for word identical to the original from what I can tell.

[don-o]

I saw the writing on the wall almost twenty years ago. When the Christians in this nation were given the opportunity to end legalized abortion on demand through peaceful civil disobedience (Operation Rescue), the so-called Christian leaders (Stanley, Dobson, Falwell) flinched. They failed to shepherd their sheep and the sheep scattered.

Instead of calling their millions into the streets (actually to the killing camps to non-violently block access to the doors), they mouthed platitudes and never walked the walk.

I mark that as America’s lost last chance for true repentance and a renewal of dedication to the founding principles of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

[ladyL]

I think we should get out our History books and take another look at the Civil War, which is still being fought in the Great State of Tennessee.

[gogogodzilla]

I like the idea espoused in Heinlein’s ‘Starship Troopers’.

That voting is a priviledge that all can attain, if they want... but it is not a right.

And if you want to vote, or run for office... that you’ll have to prove yourself (demonstrate some loyalty to the county) by committing to some form of military service.

‘Cause if you ain’t willing to die for your country, you don’t have any business trying to lead the country.

I think it’d weed out most of the criminals, leeches, and liberals from our voter rolls. It’d probably also remove about half of the Republicans as well...

(note: that’s Republicans, not Conservatives)