Is America Free?

To the Editor:

In the Bee recently, a former respected Congressman expressed concern about the condition of our “representative” democracy. He implied that the founding fathers established that system so we would not have to make decisions ourselves.

Wasn’t this country founded as a republic? That is a limited government system designed to preserve God-given, preexisting rights that all are created equal and that the people hold supreme power. The people were to govern themselves. We were intended to delegate rights to the government, but never lose them.  Changes are necessary and constitutional; however, disaster strikes when the process is violated. “The US Constitution declared that the government was to protect the republic. The US shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republic form of government,” Article 4. The Constitution limits government so that no majority can overrule: “There is nothing to check the inducement to sacrifice the weaker party in a democracy,” James Madison. The system of checks and balances has become extinct, robbing us of wealth and liberty.

We have been brainwashed by the major media to believe that democracy equates to freedom thanks to our major media. Therefore, it must be unquestionably good. Wrong. Freedom means living without government coercion. Notice today we are almost completely under government control. We have lost faith in ourselves. Our founders opposed democracy 100 percent. The word never even appears in the Constitution or Declaration.  Majority rule is obviously incompatible with freedom. Democracies ultimately fail. “Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide,” Samuel Adams. Democracy ultimately ends in bondage. Jefferson and Franklin said respectively, “The government is best which governs least” and “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.”

 Our economic problems result from ignoring the Constitution. The Fed keeps printing money and the dollar is almost worthless. We’ve rejected the gold standard and are paying dearly. Jefferson warned, “If America ever allows private banks to control the issue of currency first through inflation and then by deflation, banks and corporations will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” Paper is the ghost of money.  The constitution prohibits anything other than gold or silver as legal tender for payment of debt. Alan Greenspan even admitted, “In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. Gold is a protector of property rights.” The current solution, a $600 stimulus rebate check, is equivalent to cutting off your arm and trying to use a Band-aid. Enough is enough.

 Six presidential candidates remain in this race. Five will advocate proposals with identical results — net increase in size of government. One has been waiving the red flag his entire career and speaking truth to Americans. Not surprisingly, he is ignored by the media. They are worried you might vote for Ron Paul in the February 5 primary and threaten “Democracy.”

Brian O’Connor

37 Swamp Road, Newtown                                       January 30, 2008