The Problem with Liberty

Liberty may be purchased with "blood and treasure" as in America's war for Independence with Britain or the war Texas fought for Independence with Mexico. However, once Liberty is won, it must be maintained and defended from the "artifices of designing men". What is the state of Liberty in the US and why? This is important for those yearning for Liberty and Justice. It is important for those who are working for an independent Texas or any of the several states working to that end.

After America's victory in the Revolutionary War, the 13 Sovereign States, spoken of in the Declaration of Independence, banded together loosely as Sovereign States under the Articles of Confederation. A number of the Founders argued to stay with the Articles rather than ratifying the Constitution. They were afraid, and for good reason, of centralizing government power. Their fear was that the Federal Government would usurp powers left to the people of the Several States. As we know today their fears were correct. When one reads the American Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the Constitution with the Bill of Rights you would think Liberty would be safe with these documents. We do know Liberty is now threatened and the US does not resemble what those who gave "blood and treasure" envisioned. For the most part we have seen a systematic destruction of the Constitution. It has been relegated to a sentimental and ceremonial document, a dead letter, except at election time. Let's look at where we are now and how we got here.

The Preamble to the Constitution lists a number of reasons why, we the people of the Several States, felt it was a good idea.

1. To form a more perfect Union. Even with the 10th amendment the Federal Government has usurped power not delegated to it by the Constitution but rather powers left to we the people of the Several States. It has, and continues to treat the Several States as second class citizens. It subjects the States to clearly unconstitutional laws, regulations, agencies, and policies. It holds the States hostage over monies stolen from the States. It redistributes the monies as it sees fit around the world, amongst other states, and corporations. It invaded and plundered the South, causing over 650,000 deaths of Americans, for reasons not taught to children in public schools.

2. To establish Justice. The US has so many laws on the books and hundreds more every year, many of them clearly being unconstitutional. Many of you reading this are guilty of breaking at least one of these laws and are not aware of it. In truth, a law that is unconstitutional is no law at all but you can still be fined, imprisoned, and prosecuted anyway. Federal prosecutors, out to make names for themselves, lie, withhold evidence, and fabricate evidence to get a conviction. The Jury is never told about Jury Nullification, something the Founders saw as necessary for Justice, where the Jury uses the facts, circumstances, conscience, and the validity of the law itself. Think about it. If "facts" are all that matter a computer could decide guilt or innocence. A jury armed with the knowledge of Jury Nullification is one of the last walls of defense between tyranny and Justice.

3. Domestic Tranquility. This is not just the absence of civil unrest. It is not legislative multiculturalism or pluralism.

4. Common Defense. The key word here is Defense, not aggressive, occupational, and Imperialistic wars fought under false pretenses with the truth not being known for years or even decades. Trillions of dollars are spent on "Defense" and Billions are spent every year on Intelligence, yet 9/11 still happened in spite of the fact that intelligence had reports saying terrorists were going to use commercial airliners as missiles.

5. General Welfare. Boy, the Federal Government took this one and ran with it. The US definitely has "general welfare". I'll let a couple of the Founders of the US speak on this one. "With respect to the words "general welfare," I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators." – James Madison.

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger upon an article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." – James Madison

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated." – Thomas Jefferson

5. The Blessings of Liberty. How do you consider an ever increasing militaristic police state, surveillance state, and one which suspends habeas corpus if and when they see fit a blessing of Liberty? How does being the largest debtor nation history has known speak for Liberty? How do all of the bureaucratic/regulatory agencies prying into and regulating almost every facet of our lives speak for liberty? Should the government tell you what supplements and medicines you can take or what type of milk you can drink? How is a loss of 95% of your dollar in less than 100 years a blessing of Liberty?

That is just a brief look at the Preamble; much more could be said along these same lines with the Constitution. When did the centralization and concentration of power to the Federal government rather than to the Several States become a good idea? When did the concentration of power to the executive branch, contrary to Article I Sec. 8, become a good idea? When did it become a good idea for the President to not "take care that the Laws are faithfully executed"?

Legislators should listen to their constituents and legislate only within the confines of the Constitution, but that is not what the Legislators want, and unfortunately, not what many of the people want and thus the problem.

Ancient Israel was given its freedom from slavery in Egypt. They were given a Law to live by, a Constitution if you will. They were told to teach their children when they rise up, walk by the way, and when they lay down. They were told to gather every seven years to read the whole law. The king was told to make himself a copy (by hand) and read it and keep it with him. The people failed to do so and the king failed to do so. Israel lost its freedom and returned to slavery. In the US the people have failed their duty and the government their duty, freedom is all but gone. Slavery and poverty are quickly approaching.

The people are ignorant of their civil constitutions.

The people are apathetic.

The people are lazy.

The people are irresponsible. That is they don't realize the work Liberty, Justice, and self government takes.

The people and elected leaders are greedy.

Texans, it is time for education, it is time to care, it is time to get to work, and it is time to be responsible and govern ourselves and reap the rewards.

The US government has broken the agreement far too many times and in far too many ways and much to the detriment of Texas. They are and have been in breach of contract and have no intention of honoring it.

It is time to join the Texas Nationalist Movement and work for Texas Independence, Liberty, Justice, and the pursuit of happiness.