Can We Keep It?

At the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1789, as Benjamin Franklin was emerging from the modest structure we now call Independence Hall, a man apparently approached Franklin and asked him ‘Well, Dr. Franklin, what have you given us, a republic or a tyranny?’ Franklin, supposedly responded ‘a republic – if you can keep it.’ The implication is clear – a representative republic is much easier to squander than it is to establish. If you look at The Federalist Papers you will become aware that the founding fathers were keenly aware of the failed republics of the past. I think I’ve come up with a major reason why America is in the state that it is currently in, guided by an overly large, inefficient, even corrupt federal government. I want to connect two statements to illustrate my point, one made over 200 years ago by our 2nd president, John Adams, and the other made not even a year ago by a high-ranking authority in my church, Elder D. Todd Christofferson. One disclaimer though, I don’t want anybody to believe, or think that I believe, that Elder Christofferson’s remark is aimed at the current administration. I think he was making a broad statement about human society in general, but the comment is especially relevant to America’s current direction. So here are the quotes:

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams


“…self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to main-
tain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control
by individuals breeds external control by governments."

"Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions, and moral
values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police
and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense
for a civilized society. Our increased reliance on laws to regulate
behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we have become."

"More and stronger regulations may dissuade some from unprincipled
conduct, but others will simply get more creative in their circum-
vention. Their could never be enough rules so finely crafted to
anticipate and cover every situation, and even if there were, en-
forcement would be impossibly expensive and burdensome. This
approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone. We would not
accept the yoke of Christ so we must now tremble under the yoke
of Caesar." - D. Todd Christofferson

Is there any better explanation for where we are right now in this country? What did John Adams mean when he said that our Constitution is only good for a religious/moral people? Well, take a look at the US Constitution, at just over 4000 words long it is only 2.5% the length of the EU constitution. It was purposely devised to greatly limit the power and scope of federal government. There is great wisdom there. I think our system of government (as it was intended, not as it has been administered over the last 15 years)is the greatest form of government to ensure individual success and liberty. However, the founders took a great risk because a nation whose government has only minimal influence over its citizens depends almost entirely upon its people to govern themselves. Unless we will be governed internally by the age-old principles of loyalty, honesty, charity, kindness, obedience, trustworthiness, and reverence we will be compelled by external forces.

Whereas a limited government, with all its accompanying personal liberties, is the natural result of a society which is restrained by these principles, a bloated, inefficient government and one that threatens the free exercise of agency is the natural result of a people who refuse to control themselves.

I’m not advocating that we strip the government of any semblance of strength. The authors of The Federalist Papers were also clear on the need for a strong central government. Strong, but limited. After all, from efficiency comes strength and efficiency does not stem from an overly large and complex governmental structure. The health care law alone will establish over 100 new federal boards and commissions. Do you really think this is going to make health care more efficient (ie - cost-effective) than what we have now? I guarantee it won’t. But I digress.

Government does not like to give up its newly acquired powers. While the vocal protests against the Patriot Act have quieted down, those who opposed it have now risen to power in government and rather than rolling it back or repealing it entirely, it has been expanded. You see, they grow fond of the control now that it is in THEIR hands. No, government will rarely relinquish the sweet morsels of liberty that it manages to extract from its citizens. We must be careful not to forfeit our powers into the hands of government for we will never have them returned. A society that is too comfortable giving up its liberties is ripe for the picking because it takes just one overly ambitious leader to use those powers for evil. We must be ever vigilant. Vigilant against a government that craves influence and vigilant against our own tendencies away from the principles I listed above. If not, we end up being governed by compulsion because that is all we are fit for.

So can we keep it? This republic that is so fragile? Of course we can because, at its core, America is a good country. A just country. A merciful country, civil and decent; aware of the need for self-control and self-responsibility. We were founded on thrift, humility, modesty (if we could just recapture those last two I think we would be okay). These are the principles that lead a people to liberty and they are the principles that will help us recapture our country. The answer is us.

I've Finally Done It

I've been tossing the idea around of starting this blog for months. A good friend of mine has been on me about doing this and I guess I've finally given in. I'm passionate about my country so, because I have a real job and a great family, it will be a feat of extraordinary self-control to not spend an excessive amount of time researching things that I'm interested in and feel need to be discussed on here.

In this forum I want to take advantage of blogging technology to discuss the issues that are facing our nation. Let me just briefly explain the viewpoint that I'm coming from. I love the men who founded the United States. I believe they were inspired by God to establish the form of government which they instituted. I believe that the system which they established is the form of earthly government most conducive to the exercise of free will, the system most conducive to prosperity and enlightenment. And I believe that we have strayed far from the wise principles espoused by the likes of Ben Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Samuel Adams, John Adams, etc. I believe that the primary cause for our apostasy, if you will, is a lack of character in our elected officials which stems from a lack of character and a corruption of the American people as a whole. So I guess the way back is by returning to the character traits that guided our founders during the birth of the nation.

I'm not starting this blog because I want to be the go-to guy. I don't know half of what I should about the founding of America. Nor do I have anywhere close to the time that it takes to do in-depth research on the events that are currently on-going in our government. However, what I do know is that our government currently is not guided by principle. At least, not the AMERICAN principles of personal responsibility, hard work, liberty anchored by a sense of duty, and capitalism. These ideals helped to make America great and they will restore her to her greatness when practiced again. So share this blog with your friends and invited them to join the discussion. I welcome all viewpoints because what good is it for me to share opinions with a bunch of people who agree with me. All I ask is that the discussion is civil, taking each point as it comes and no painting with broad strokes.

But leading into the next post I'd like to ask one question: Does it matter to you who our elected leaders' have gained their world-view from? Or does it only matter what they are saying now?