Principles of Liberty (Ten and Eleven)

Principles of Liberty (Ten and Eleven)

By William Pressgrove

“The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.” (Ten) “The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical.” (Eleven) (The 5000 Year Leap, Cleon Skousen)

Now before the conclusion is reached that this article advocates a revolution to take back the reins of government from the current administration an understanding of the fact that the Founding Fathers did that very thing when they broke away from British rule when this country came into existence. This article in no way is an incitement to riot or rebellion, but an attempt to open eyes to the lessons from history and not just a history lesson.

In light of the recent events in which the country’s leaders have passed the largest spending bill in the history of the country and that all of the money appropriated for this spending bill will have to be added to the national debt because there isn’t anything in the national treasury to offset these expenditure, it seems to be an important time to review who the sovereign is and what rights the sovereign has in regard to changing leadership. This statement isn’t made in an of hand manner with no evidence that the sovereign isn’t happy with the leadership for the way this particular bill was handled. From statistics gathered by Family Research Center, only 37 percent of the sovereign of this country approved of the spending bill. That seems a far cry from a majority.

Another issue worth mentioning, although not totally related to this topic is that fact that the current administration has promised greater transparency in government and that the sovereign will have a chance to use technology to review legislation and make their voice heard on these issues; however, this spending bill was not only rushed through before the sovereign had a chance to look at and comment on it but it was done so fast and was so large that even the legislature that was required to vote on it on behalf of the sovereign didn’t even have time to read and digest it before being required to vote on it.

Now to return to the principles we are discussing. The Founding Fathers followed the philosophies of John Locke regarding who the sovereign was and what rights that sovereign had with regard to setting up and disposing of leadership. The underlying ideology of the whole people being the sovereign comes from the fact that each individual has the unalienable rights that Thomas Jefferson enumerated and implied exist in the Declaration of Independence, i.e. among others, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (property). If each individual has the same rights, then collectively they have the same rights. Those individuals can then unite themselves into a group and organize themselves in such a manner as to delegate to individuals, they deem trustworthy, the responsibility to safeguard those rights to and for each individual.

The Founding Fathers; therefore, followed the lead of John Locke who said, “...persons who are to bear rule being as natural and necessary a part of the form of the government itself, and that which has its establishment ORIGINALLY FROM THE PEOPLE...all commonwealths, therefore, with the form of government established, have rules also of appointing and conveying the right to those who are to have any share in the public authority...” (Locke, Second Essay Concerning Civil Government, pp. 70-71) and ensured that the authority of the rulers came from the consent of those governed and not the other way around. This sentiment is reflected by Alexander Hamilton as he declared: “The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.” (Federalist Papers, no.22, p. 152) If we abdicate our right as the sovereign body by allowing those to stay in power who have so blatantly usurped and abused our trust in them, we will not only find ourselves disenfranchised, but we will deserve everything that is coming because of the abuses of power by those we have placed in power.

As for the Eleventh principle concerning altering or abolishing a tyrannical government, events of the first month of the current presidency has already laid the foundation for unrest in this country that could lead to the alteration or abolition of the government that is leading us down a path that makes slaves of our posterity to the debt we have laid upon them. One of the most important ideologies behind the eleventh principle is that of majority. As pointed out earlier, only 37 percent of the sovereign approve of the spending bill just passed. This is a great gamble on the part of the leadership of the country!

If this government doesn’t deliver the relief promised, then what is going to happen? What happens when the cry of outrage about the current generation maintaining a standard of living at the expense of those yet unborn reaches the hearts of the majority of the people? This thought is being expressed by several thinking commentators in the country already. What happens when those of the world decide that this country’s securities have become a risk and stop buying our treasury notes as securities? Where will the money to support this gross expenditure to maintain a standard of living and governmental programs to appease the masses going to come from? As this is being written the discussion on the TV is about the over extension of credit that exists in this country from the individual all the way up to the central government.

There will come a point where the majority in this country will say that they have had enough of this type of extravagance at the expense of the rich and the unborn. There will be a revolt whether it will be an economic or violent revolt is yet to be seen, but it will come if fiscal responsibility doesn’t return to those who have been placed in positions of power over us. We as a people have to return to sound principles of self reliance and responsibility and expect the same from our leaders in order to salvage the reputation of America as the greatest country of the world.