At the time that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence most of the citizens believed that the rights they had were given to them by government. Jefferson and John Locke pointed out that the exact opposite was the case, men had natural rights and it is the people who have the ability to create and dissolve governments. The government's job is to protect our rights.Today the Progressives, once known as Liberals, are on a mission to show all of us how wonderful it would be if this nation were led by the government. They have been very clever in promoting good causes like wear you seat belt, stop smoking and avoid fatty foods. Few of us would argue with this campaign but is it really the responsibility of the government to regulate these matters? The answer is a definitive no because we, as individuals, are in charge and are obliged to order our own lives.
Now you might ask how does this really have an adverse affect on us? Remember when wearing a seat belt was voluntary? Now it is mandatory and a punishable crime if you are caught not wearing it. Do our governmental officials really have a concern about our well being or is it simply another way to not only alter our behavior but collect money from us to fund more government programs? Are we not turning good people into criminals while ignoring serious criminal activity? Whatever happened to that new FISA law?
Is there a danger here? I believe there is. Start out with something innocuous and it's barely noticed. Pretty soon the folks are used to it. They also become accepting of the propaganda from government officials about how much good the government is doing for us when we should be asking what they are doing to us. Before we know it we will be looking at major alterations to how we live our lives. Government will tell us that we can no longer drive those big cars we like. Maybe we will be told what kind of house we can live in because our carbon footprint is to big. If we can't move to a new house the local government will be allowed to tax us to pay for all the pollution our home is emitting.
If we fail to educate ourselves on the intent of the Progressives, whose plan has been evolving since the Wilson's administration, we will find ourselves surrounded by government bureaus and their many regulations with accompanying punishments. The desire to establish a nanny state will be fulfilled
I know may you find all of this hard to believe but take a look at what happened in the past in places like Mussolini's Italy, Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, Mao's China and ask yourself is it going on here. I contend that it is and keep in mind the words of Alexis de Tocqueville,"It must not be forgotten that it is especially dangerous to enslave men in the minor details of life. For my own part, I should be inclined to think freedom less necessary in great things than in little ones." Start with the innocent causes and watch the Bill of Rights disappear.
