An Open Letter to the Citizens of the United States

Button Gwinnett, William Hooper and Thomas Stone pledged their lives to each other, along with their fortunes and sacred honor, in support of the declaration they put into writing. In so doing, along with Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and fifty others, they ignited the powder keg which gave birth to the United States of America. These bold men knowingly put themselves at peril. The oath made in the Declaration of Independence was fervent; the events in that period of history were extreme.

How can we not be grateful to the patriots who fought for our liberty and to the authors of the Constitution who established our form of governance? They carried out their duties with care and wisdom not only out of dedication to a cause, but also out of a responsibility owed to their neighbors and friends who held them to a high standard. These men are praiseworthy, in part, because of the informed and educated public which held them accountable and demanded excellent leadership from them.

More than two centuries later, is the populace as diligent? Do we, the citizens, censure the activities of our elected officials so that they dare not stray beyond their legitimate power? We do not. When the legislative process is so complex, and the bills so lengthy and mind-numbing that even the representatives and senators know not the complete content of the bills on which they vote aye or nay, it is far easier for us to shrug our shoulders and say, “How can I make a difference anyway?”

Yet with all this apathy, there is much animosity. With each election cycle, the friction between Democrat and Republican seems to be increasingly heated. Here is why: The federal government has gained incredible amounts of additional power and control over our lives. Political power has become more concentrated into fewer individuals calling the shots. As state power is overtaken by federal power, bureaucrats are dictating and mandating from a further distance. Each of us is more removed from the process, yet greater numbers of us are affected by the decisions being made. Policy implemented at a national level resembles an all-or-nothing gamble. All of this causes us to place greater importance on who wins control over our lives. With so much at stake, emotions escalate, opinions diverge and sparks fly. Partisan strife will not dissipate as long as the muscle of the federal government continues to swell and intensify. Finally, we will reach a point of no return and we will ask, “How did this happen?” We will only have ourselves to blame. The answer will be that we did not remain vigilant.

Our Constitution makes clear that a bloated form of our federal government was not intended, and in fact was to be discouraged. This is why the Tenth Amendment, which protects state powers, was included in the Bill of Rights. It is like a slap in the face to those who bravely stood up against the tyranny of their day that we have permitted ourselves to be subjected to the bureaucratic nightmare of an overfed centralized authority.

Benjamin Franklin stated that the Constitution had granted us a republic, “if you can keep It”. Inherent in Franklin’s statement is the fact that our magnificent form of government, and the liberty it offers, can be lost. We cannot take for granted our freedom, our plush way of life, our happiness and prosperity. Our Founding Fathers recognized that a republic is the most moral and just form of government possible, but that it has its fragility. They put their trust in us to carry it forward by actively participating in guarding its structure.

When politicians tell us that their health care reform proposal will cover more people for less money, we must submit their claim to logic and determine if it makes common sense. When a single bill – The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 - is 1200 pages of federal government authority expansion, we need to stop what we’re doing and look up. When the President signs an 1100-page bill which authorizes the federal government to spend an additional $787 billion – The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – we need to focus on more than just mowing the lawn and grilling the bratwurst. When the federal government commits us to spending in the billions instead of millions, and then in the trillions instead of billions, we must ask, “How does that work?”

We are told that we need not worry, because it’s the “other guy” who will pay. Yet who else is hearing the same thing, except that for them, we’re the “other guy”? We all pay. You can’t keep whipping a horse and expect him to carry you forever. Eventually the horse will collapse, and both the horse and rider perish. We all pay in the form of hidden taxes. Each government regulation which adds to the cost of manufacturing or transportation increases the cost of the goods we buy. Each law which demands more of our employers leaves less for the employees. Judicial rulings which limit our personal property rights, limit our ability to sell or own.

As politicians grant additional power and control to the federal government, our liberties are slowly ground away under the guise of seemingly minor infringements. A thousand pages here, a thousand pages there. The incessant pecking and plucking of our independence is perpetrated upon us unabashedly. But don’t be fooled. It is oppression. Like a frog which begins its day in a pot of cool water, but ends up cooked, gradual increases in the application of heat are dangerous and warrant more than a dismissive shoulder shrug.

Ironically, our prosperity allows for our demise. We remain sedentary because we are so very comfortable. People riot in the streets when the state of things is grave and severe. Until then, it is human nature to stand idle or worse yet, to duck our heads into the sand. Therefore it takes conscious effort to thwart off catastrophes which have not yet occurred. Yet, doesn’t it make sense to repair a levee before it is breached? Must we find ourselves standing in bread lines before we will take action?

I want the United States to remain a beacon of hope. I’m proud of the achievements of our ancestors. I long for our country to survive and remain a standard of freedom and prosperity to which other nations aspire. Our republic is worth protecting. I urge you to live wide awake. I urge you to make time to pay attention. I urge you to seek the truth, educate yourself, refuse to be hoodwinked, say “whoa!” when something doesn’t make sense, ask questions, listen, pay heed, take notice, speak up, reach out, and stand up! Find a way.

Freedom. Free enterprise. Freedom of religion. Freedom of speech. Freedom to own private property. Freedom to buy. Freedom to manufacture. Freedom to invent and sell. Now you are free to choose: Do you trod along wearing blinders, or do you take the reins? Employ rational conviction, seek the truth, and demand common sense. It is the greatest tribute we can pay to those before us who made our freedoms possible.