Why do we have government?
We can answer this with several answers, but I’d like to take a look at the answer as found in our Declaration of Independence:
…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security…
We, as people, have certain inalienable rights given to us by our Creator (not, as many would erroneously assert, by our government). It is the purpose of government, therefore, to make these rights secure, with the consent of the governed. Right? We can see this here. But if a form of government becomes hostile to the purpose of securing these rights—and even begins to serve its own interests in opposition of the governed—it is not only the right but the duty of the people to set it right again. This is a simplistic, yet accurate, way of summing up the purpose of government according to one of our founding documents.
To be clear, it is the government who serves the people, and the people who are in charge of all. Without consent of those who would be governed, those who would govern err as usurpers. They are in the wrong, and it is the right and duty of the people to set the government right by amending or abolishing and reforming government such that it once again serves its original purpose of serving the people.
Why do I mention this?
Because I believe the consent of the governed has been withdrawn. Lets take a look at what I mean.
For a long time, we’ve understood that Congress—those responsible for creating the laws of the land—has had a terrible approval record. According to a recent Gallup poll (14 November), the approval rate for Congress is now in the garbage heap at only 13%. In fact, the active disapproval rate now stands at 82%! This is astounding, and clearly not a sign of consent by the governed. Interestingly, the lowest approval levels reside with independents at 11% and highest with Democrats at only 15%—terrible across the board.
Approval of President Obama, according to a Gallup poll from today, indicates another minority number of 43%—worse than Jimmy Carter’s approval during this stage of his presidency and 12% less than George W. Bush’s approval during this respective stage of his presidency.
I cannot find how this qualifies as consent. Add the approval of Congress and the President together and you’ve barely got a majority. And the interesting thing (to me) is that whether the person in office wears a donkey or elephant as a badge, approval numbers continue to slide.
Maybe it’s time to “alter” or “abolish” this government and start from scratch. It seems that Jefferson—who contributed significantly to our nation’s founding (and the Declaration of Independence)—thought this would be something we’d do on a much more frequent basis, when he said, “God forbid we should ever be 20. years without such a rebellion.”
To those who would presume to govern—amend your ways, lest such amendment be done for you, rightfully, by the people.
Please start focusing on what can be done locally. Federal and State level efforts are on the verge of being After the Greater Depresssion and literally irrelevant! Focus on getting the county to Nullify NDAA; next protect local food and milk producers from federal invasion. Turn this county back toward freedom and liberty and moving ever so rapidly away from federal financial support.
If interested, I will share with you a full disclosure of “Fort Westcliffe”, “Building a Resilient County of Resilient communities” and finally, “Returning America, One County at a time: Putting the Purse & the Sword back in local hands.”
So, please re-focus on what we can do locally and forget this national, federal or state level actions approach. TOO distant and a waste of time given the advanced status of economic and social collapse coming!!!
Noel
Hi, Noel. Do you plan to come on Thursday? I’ll discuss some of what you mentioned to at least some degree, with an invitation to those interested in further action to gather, plan, and act. Since political avenues are generally irrelevant (even locally) now, I prefer to focus on that which individuals or groups can do to prepare for our imminent economic crash—and all the following fall-out.
Hi Jeff;
Yes, coming Thursday. Totally agree that taking steps to prepare personally, within family, then community and the like is the key. The Greater Depression, as Doug Casey calls it, is inevitable now with the Banksters literally having taken control of EU and very clearly America. There is a sinister odor wafting from the East, the stench in DC, spreading the rot of tyranny, the UN’s Agenda 21 (here under the auspices of Sustainable Ways, pretty on the outside, but reptilian inside) that is eating away at Custer County and Westcliffe, the Valley as a whole, a place that is truly in my heart and soul (http://fortwestcliffe.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/this-fortress-built-by-nature-for-herself-westcliffe-facing-coming-hard-times/).
Yes, Jeff, getting ready for the storm that is clearly in the Western skies, is coming; just this time and politically speaking, it is coming from the East, the den of vipers in DC or since the two party system is a sham, we now know DC is run by the CFR via the Banksters; actually we know much more. But, like you, I do hope to see ever more evidence of local actions in the valley for individual, family then ‘resilient’ communities. Of course, my ideas of Fort Westcliffe and then Custer County as a Resilient Community of Resilient communities, both these documents or presentations are built around working as individuals in strategic planning action groups, based on voluntary association to achieve the goal of preparedness necessary to survive the coming Greater Depression.
Yes, coming Thursday, 26th. Tis time to activate the Force Field around the Enterprise!!!! I do not want Westcliffe to become another district as in Hunger Games. Now there is a great metaphor for what is coming under Agenda 21 and the UN, if you have had the pleasure of reading the trilogy…
Lastly, I DO think the valley can be turned around, the BOCC brought to task, using the nullification of NDAA and other recent federal actions at the county level and reigning in the sheriff’s office to share the vision of control of the Purse and Sword as necessary during hard time and slowly remove the county from the teat of DC as a source for funding actions locally. But it takes a truly fully developed, workable strategy developed by the key economic and social leaders, not the politicians, to develop it, then demand it from those elected to represent them. We know the actors and we can make this our valley.
Now, go get them, Mr. Jeff!!!
Sincerely
Noel