Grugore

Posted on 10/27/14 06:01 PM by Alex Adrianson

Fifty years ago Monday, Ronald Reagan gave his first national political speech. In making his pitch for the country to get behind Barry Goldwater’s campaign for president, Reagan talked about many things, but especially government’s proper and limited role in a free society:

This is the issue of this e******n: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.

In this v**e-harvesting time, they use terms like the “Great Society,” or as we were told a few days ago by the President, we must accept a greater government activity in the affairs of the people. But they’ve been a little more explicit in the past and among themselves; and all of the things I now will quote have appeared in print. These are not Republican accusations. For example, they have voices that say, “The cold war will end through our acceptance of a not undemocratic socialism.” Another voice says, “The profit motive has become outmoded. It must be replaced by the incentives of the welfare state.” Or, “Our traditional system of individual freedom is incapable of solving the complex problems of the 20th century.” Senator Fullbright has said at Stanford University that the Constitution is outmoded. He referred to the President as “our moral teacher and our leader,” and he says he is “hobbled in his task by the restrictions of power imposed on him by this antiquated document.” He must “be freed,” so that he “can do for us” what he knows “is best.” And Senator Clark of Pennsylvania, another articulate spokesman, defines liberalism as “meeting the material needs of the masses through the full power of centralized government.”

Well, I, for one, resent it when a representative of the people refers to you and me, the free men and women of this country, as “the masses.” This is a term we haven’t applied to ourselves in America. But beyond that, “the full power of centralized government”—this was the very thing the Founding Fathers sought to minimize. They knew that governments don’t control things. A government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they know when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. They also knew, those Founding Fathers, that outside of its legitimate functions, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector of the economy.

Reagans speech

http://www.insideronline.org/blogarchive.cfm?month=10&year=2014&blogid=53A07932-5056-B712-66A1E5BD43841513&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRokuKvAZKXonjHpfsX56eglXK%2BzlMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4CSMZiI%2BSLDwEYGJlv6SgFQrLBMa1ozrgOWxU%3D

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Sadly, there's not one single candidate that espouses those views and none of the one's we've elected in the last 8 years does either. There is only one focus for todays politician and that is "me", everyone else are "the masses" and are for sale, lock, stock, barrel and Constitution.

Grugore

Sad, but true. This country is doomed. I'd love to be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but we are traveling a well rutted path in history. Events have gone too far to turn back. The only thing that could save us would another Revolution. One that would bring us back to a time of limited Government and Constitutional law. Sadly, I don't see this happening in my lifetime.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

When the people get off their duffs and start getting personally involved, they'll FORCE the various parties to find qualified, dedicated and sincere candidates for office - or they'll abandon those parties and find their own. As long as people are content to let everyone else run their business FOR them, we'll just see more of the same. I still hold out hope - but I'm not holding my breath either.

Grugore

We were doomed the moment that v**ers discovered that they could use their v**e to get money from the government. Human nature will insure that that people will continue to be elected to pander to these lazy bastards.

L8erToots

Call me naive, but I'm hoping Ben Carson will run for office. I'm hoping the American people will be done with lawyers and professional politicians and ready for someone of the people, and for the people and I'm hoping (and researching) to see if Carson might be that someone.

Forkbassman Loc: Missouri

Amen!!! I've been the lone wolf on this column for quite a while now for Carson!! You are not naive! Political candidates have a very poor approval rating; look at congress. I've been following politics for 40+ years and enough is enough! America is going down the tubes and we keep v****g in politicians to correct things. Wake up America!! 99% have an agenda and lose their focus and principles when in office. It's time for one like Carson who doesn't want to run but will IF the people desire it. All you naysayers with your "no experience" comments, well, how has the last few presidents worked out for ya?They spend and spend and waste our money frivolously with no end in sight. The mark of a great leader: get good people under you working FOR the people. THE big qualification, which no one has talked about, is: TRUST!!! Can you trust another politician to lead us? I think not!
I'm done for now, so let's here from the liberals and progressives.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Mr. Bassman,

Carson may be the right man, may be not...

But the political powers will not let him run..The best that will come up are probably former Governors.. That seems the best back ground to me.. That would give us people like Cristie, Jeb Bush, Palin, Pawlenty, Dean, or even Ventura, Who was better Governor then I had recalled. I looked him up a while ago and he did pretty good while fighting both parties... But even with these, and others you may think of, the pickings are not very good. For eather party...