LIBERTY, EQUALITY, and JUSTICE for ALL

Many hard won battles in all struggles of human endeavor have secured for the People of the United States of America a level of freedom, prosperity and security never before achieved in the history of civilization. A strength of will from confidence and pride in a country founded on human rights has moved generations of citizens to fight and eliminate many problems which have oppressed countless generations of mankind. The course of these events has brought us to a point where we find many dangers obstructing our pursuit of ever greater achievements. Recent generations have been losing the spiritual connection with the generation that fought the American Revolution with wisdom, courage and justice and established the foundation of liberty that our country is built on.

To secure the full benefits of their sovereign authority, it is necessary for all citizens to be well educated in the design of government, and well informed in all government activities. All elected officials, government workers and law enforcement officers are public servants entrusted with authority delegated to them by the people they serve. All citizens collectively must be responsible for the management of their government servants to ensure good performance of their duties in obligation to the people with appropriate rewards for success and remedies for failure. Lack of good management on the part of citizens has allowed the growth of problems in government that has far exceeded the point of becoming an excessive burden on the lives of the people. Consider several of the most significant problems --

• Replacing sound money with a fiat currency (backed by nothing) has led to the accumulation of extreme debt beyond the point of any possibility of it ever being repaid.
• Restrictions on business practices to prevent wrong conduct rather than imposing measures to correct wrongs that actually happen have created excessive burdens on the operation of all businesses producing severe obstacles to economic progress.
• The federal government has been establishing a monopoly on all government business by taking authority from state governments to provide services directly to citizens and imposing conformity on the operations of state governments, undermining the independence and responsibilities of local government.

Complaining about problems and protesting the bad behavior of public servants fixes nothing. It is the responsibility of all citizens to choose officials who can be trusted to pursue effective solutions that are in harmony with the will of the people. Following is an outline of subjects in which all citizens should be well informed to effectively and responsibly exercise their sovereign authority over the operation of government business.

FOUNDATION of MODERN CIVILIZATION

(dimensions of human life within the realm of modern civilization)

• civilization - complex social system wherein people live cooperatively by formally defined rules
• religion - provides the belief systems that people live by - the basis for human rights
• culture - informal traditions of behavior which develop from the collective experiences of a community
• education - higher standards in education directly correlate with higher standards in living
• science / engineering - acquisition of knowledge and the application of knowledge in developing technologies in pursuit of economic progress
• commerce - trade between consumers / workers / businesses / investors to acquire the means of subsistence and improve quality of life
• economics - systems of processes involving interactions between people
  • informal systems in home and community life
  • formal systems in education, justice, business, industry, trade, government (democracy, free markets, capitalism, socialism)
• politics - people dealing with people to determine policies for coordinating economic processes
• justice - system of law to govern conduct and maintain order (the pursuit of peace)
  • laws establishing obligations required for protecting human rights
  • laws establishing limits on freedom for preventing violations of human rights
  • laws must apply equally to all persons because human rights must apply equally to all
• diplomacy - conducting negotiations between governments to guide the management of international relations
• government - set of political systems and institutions which define the organization of business operations for managing communities and states in pursuit of maximum harmony, productivity and efficiency in the operation of all economic processes (fundamental purpose - protection of human rights)
• civics - role of citizens in the operation and oversight of government business

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

• religion provides the belief system a person lives by
• religion is the foundation of human rights
• liberty, equality and justice - fundamental principles of all religions --
  • every persons life is a priceless treasure -
    no persons life can be worth any more or any less than any other
  • treat others as you would have others treat you - golden rule
    (equality of rights)
  • one person telling another person how to live is the foundation of evil -
    this is the difference between freedom and slavery
  • human rights must be balanced by the human obligation of virtue
    • wisdom, courage, justice, moderation, honesty
    • faith, hope, love
    • excellence of moral character
• true religion is in harmony with these principles
• a belief system in conflict with these principles is perverted religion
• these fundamental principles provide the validation for the concept of human rights
• the great tragedy of mankind is that so many do NOT believe these fundamentals
• a person learns his belief system formally through an established religion / church and informally within the community he lives in
• mythology is how we teach what we believe, art is the presentation of mythology
  • censoring art violates freedom of religion
  • government subsidy of arts violates the separation of church and state
• no law or government official can prescribe what shall be orthodox in religion, politics, nationalism, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by words or actions their faith in any such matters
• abolishment of religion allows totalitarian government to dictate a belief system to the people and define what rights people will have

EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM

• education must be available to all regardless of the means of any individual or family
• parents and educators must cooperate harmoniously with consideration for the roles of both
• there must be balance between conformity (for efficiency of schools) and diversity (for developing the unique talents of each student)
• education develops the student's literacy, knowledge, and intellectual talents in preparation for pursuit of personal interests throughout his life in his community and career pursuits in the business world
• educational freedom is fundamental to social harmony
• respect for diversity of talents, interests and beliefs of individuals is necessary for equality of human rights for all
• policies and procedures for the operation of schools
  • promote maximum social harmony (minimize social conflict)
  • responsive primarily to needs of students and parents (avoid problems from obligations to government bureaucracy)
  • flexibility to adapt to best meet the requirements of demographics and economic conditions in each community
  • adaptability to accommodate the needs in developing talents of individual students
  • maximize school choices for each student / family
  • promote highest academic achievement
  • parents must have freedom to choose education that is best for their children
• market based system
  • parents must have educational choice and be financially responsible
  • schools must have freedom to participate and compete in the free market
  • schools must set their prices and compensation based on competition rather than government regulation
  • schools must innovate to compete in attracting students / families
  • educators must be free to determine curricula and methods
  • educators must have opportunity to compete for positions and pursue maximum professional freedom and compensation
  • all should share in the profits of success and the responsibility for obligations resulting from failure
  • competition promotes innovation, efficiency, development and sharing of best practices

ECONOMIC FREEDOM

• a fundamental right of every person to control his or her own labor and property
• in an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please
• in an economically free society, government facilitates the free movement of labor, capital, goods and materials
• government must refrain from coercion, or constraint of liberty, beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself
• ideals of economic freedom are strongly associated with healthier societies, cleaner environments, greater per capita wealth, human development, democracy, and poverty elimination
• owning one's own home is a physical expression of individualism, of enterprise, of independence, of self-reliance and of the freedom of spirit
  (the foundation of prosperity for individuals, families, and communities)
• PILLARS of ECONOMIC FREEDOM
  • Rule of Law (property rights, freedom from corruption)
  • Limited Government (limited fiscal freedom, limited government spending)
  • Regulatory Efficiency (business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom)
  • Open Markets (trade freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom)

GOVERNMENT ROLE in the ECONOMY

• competition among businesses is natural
• cooperation can benefit businesses, workers, and consumers (standards, protecting human rights, fair opportunities for access to resources and markets (preventing restraint of trade), etc)
• a level playing field is necessary for any business to be confident that participation has significant potential for profitability - that no one organization can monopolize any process or market
• government involvement -
  • rules to establish a level playing field (protecting human rights)
  • prosecute violations
  • promote standards and best practices
  • recruit and distribute economic information
  • promote the investigation of economic and scientific problems
  • inspire and assist in the co-operative action
  • point out remedies for economic failure and the path to progress
• although government establishes and enforces the rules for free and fair markets, government business must also operate within the same markets by the same rules
• free markets - balance between the freedom to pursue prosperity and the burden of protecting our freedom
  • public sector - socialism (cooperative, to secure human rights)
    (strictly limited to what the private sector cannot do)
  • private sector - capitalism (competitive, for the exercise of human rights)
  • free markets require limited government
• taxes fund government business
• fair taxes - must not be an excessive burden on the economy

CITIZEN SOVEREIGNTY

• liberty means citizens are sovereign and government serves the people
• people must have the means to defend their homes, communities, and country
• people secure their human rights by establishing government that serves
• a constitution is a contract among all the people of a country that defines the design and operation of their government --
  • government business is people doing collectively what they cannot do on their own or through private business and industry
  • government business must operate in obligation to the people
  • the constitution obligates government to protect human rights
  • all government authority is delegated to government by the people
  • government granting privileges for people is a perversion of the governments position as servant of the people
• citizens are free to live as they choose for themselves only when government serves
• when governments rule, citizens are oppressed, exploited, enslaved and even murdered
• citizens are responsible for good management of their government to maintain their sovereignty and the security of their human rights
• government officials and employees must respect their position as servants of the citizens
• no servant can ever have authority to dictate to those he serves

FOUNDING of THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA

While fighting the war for independence from Britain, governments were established in each colony, transforming each into independent and sovereign states. To face the challenges of their new place in the world, the thirteen independent states formed a congress which established a federal government uniting them as one country, The United States of America. In designing this new government, they rejected the traditional forms in which government ruled and citizens served. A constitution was created defining the design and operation of the federal government and the relationship between citizens and the federal and state governments. The constitution was written as a contract among all the citizens of the thirteen states ("We the People of The United States..."), with all government authority by consent of the citizens. This design was based on the principles put forth in the Declaration of Independence, with the protection of human rights as the foundation of the design and operation of government, affirming citizen sovereignty and government as their servant. The state governments would serve the citizens, and the federal government would serve the states.

The citizens would elect representatives to form state legislatures which would write the laws the citizens would live by and the laws that would direct the operation of government business. Officials to manage government business would be elected by popular vote or chosen by the legislatures. Workers would be hired to conduct the business of government. All would be servants of the people entrusted by the people with the authority to operate government business for the people.

The legislature for the federal government would consist of a congress divided into two houses with members selected by popular vote by the citizens of each state forming the house of representatives, and members selected by the legislatures of each state government forming the senate. The federal laws for the country and the laws to direct the operation of the federal government would be developed by cooperation between the two houses finding a balance between what the citizens wanted government to do and maintaining an harmonious and productive relationship between the federal and state governments.

DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE

• national sovereignty
  • people create government to protect human rights
  • natural law - universal moral code that governs all people
  • unalienable rights (pillars of freedom)
    • a person has human rights by virtue of being born a human being
    • from God or self-evident truth (sacred and undeniable), NOT from government
    • these and more - right to life, liberty, property, equality, justice, education
    • the means for pursuit of happiness
  • equality - rights and laws apply equally to all persons
• popular sovereignty
  • citizens - higher authority than government
  • constitution - social contract
    • government authority derived from the consent of the governed
    • can have only powers delegated by the citizens
• federalism and states rights
• free and independent states with full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do
• divine providence

CONSTITUTION

• extension of the principles of the Declaration of Independence - particularly liberty, equality and God-given natural rights
• defines fundamental law and the limits of all delegated authority
• higher law than any acts of any legislature
• can be altered or repealed by express consent of a majority of the citizens only; never by any other authority
• peoples contract
  • government serves (does NOT rule)
  • federal government - for national strength
  • state governments - for citizen rights and freedom
  • balance between government business and citizen freedom
  • secure public good and private rights
• constitutional government
  • established by consent of the people (the only legitimate authority of government)
  • enumerated powers of government
    • common defense
    • preservation of the public peace
    • regulation of commerce with other nations and between the states
    • superintendence of political and commercial intercourse with foreign countries
• union
  • uniform citizenship
  • citizens choose which state they will reside in or work in
    • can change state of residence without notice
    • no government permission required or allowed
• republicanism
  • means for exercising political choice wisely and prudently
  • promote general welfare rather than special interests or specific constituencies
• separation of powers
  • protect against abuses from political officials
  • improves energy and efficiency of government by allowing each branch to specialize
  • makes possible a system of checks and balances
• federalism
  • protect people's interests by dividing political sovereignty between states and federal government
  • federal power limited to specific enumerated objects to preserve local political freedom

FEDERALIST PAPERS

• dangers from foreign force and influence
• dangers from dissensions between the states
• consequences of hostilities between the states
• safeguard against domestic faction and insurrection
• commercial relations
• a navy
• revenue
• economy in government
• preservation of the union
• powers necessary to the common defense
• restraints on legislative authority in regard to common defense
• militia
• power of taxation
• imperfections in the design of government
• republican principles
• powers conferred by the constitution
• restrictions on authority of the states
• dangers from the powers of the union to the state governments
• differences in influence of the state and federal governments
• structure of government and distribution of power among its parts
• department separation and control over each other
• guarding against encroachments of any one department
• periodic appeals to the people
• government structure must provide proper checks and balances between departments
• house of representatives
• apportionment of members among the states
• how to avoid elevating the few at the expense of the many
• power of congress to regulate election of members
• senate
• powers of the senate
• executive branch
• election of the president
• character of the executive
• duration in office of the executive
• support of the executive and the veto power
• command of military and naval forces
• pardoning power of the executive
• treaty making power of the executive
• appointing power of the executive
• judiciary branch
• powers of the judiciary
• distribution of judicial authority
• judiciary in relation to trial by jury

BILL of RIGHTS (human rights)

• from God or self-evident truth, NOT from government
• natural law - universal moral code that governs all people
• unalienable - by virtue of being born a human being
• human rights must be protected by government; cannot be changed by government
• must apply equally for all persons (classless society)
• citizen obligations must be in balance with rights, because a privilege granted to one person increases rights for that person by reducing rights for another (the path to tyranny)
• what is right is determined by God and mankind's spiritual relation with God (divine providence), NOT by any person or group of persons imposing their will on others
• ethics is founded on standards of conduct for respect of human rights

CIVICS

• role of citizens in the operation and oversight of government business
• citizenship rights, duties, obligations
• citizen moral responsibility
• voting - the primary right / responsibility of citizens in the management of government business
• jury duty - personal participation in the justice system
• decentralized government and justice system required for citizens to maintain their sovereign authority (to avoid the rise of totalitarianism)
• policies and procedures for exercising power must be authorized by the citizens
• within public business of local communities, there must be coordination and cooperation to guarantee opportunity for every citizen to participate effectively (elimination of obstacles)

POLICIES for GOOD MANAGEMENT of GOVERNMENT

• the preservation of self-government and its full foundations in local government
• the perfection of justice whether in economic or in social fields
• the maintenance of ordered liberty
• the denial of domination by any group or class
• the building up and preservation of equality of opportunity
• the stimulation of initiative and individuality
• absolute integrity in public affairs
• the choice of officials for fitness to office
• the direction of economic progress toward prosperity and the further lessening of poverty
• the freedom of public opinion
• the sustaining of education and of the advancement of knowledge
• the growth of religious spirit and the respect for and tolerance of all faiths
• the strengthening of the home
• the advancement of peace
• the government workforce must respect their obligations of service for the people
• representatives of the people must act in all ways at all times as servants of the people who entrusted them with the authority to conduct government business on their behalf
• government operation must NOT be conducted based on emergencies, purges, propaganda, bureaucracy, hate, class conflict, intellectual dishonesty
• congress must never rubber-stamp legislation
• laws from congress and state legislatures must be in harmony with the will of the people for purposes decided by the people

PROBLEMS in GOVERNMENT

• 16th amendment allows the federal government to tax individual citizens
• 17th amendment requires senators to be elected by popular vote instead of by state legislatures
• these amendments allowed power to be taken away from state governments and concentrated within the federal government.

  approximate cost of government today:	federal: 20% of gdp, states: 5% of gdp
  100 years ago:	federal: 5% of gdp, states: 10% of gdp

• Sherman anti-trust act (competition law)
  • intended to prevent restraint of trade; preserve competition in markets
  • often applied to restrict business practices to prevent wrong conduct rather than imposing measures to correct wrongs that actually happen, leading to government actions for policing markets, effectively allowing government to dictate business practices, transforming the free market system into a command economy
• Federal Reserve interference with the economy must stop
  • establish sound money (eliminate fiat currency)
  • eliminate deposit insurance
  • interest rates must adjust in response to market supply and demand
  • banks - take in deposits and make loans
    • no investing in securities or derivatives or commodities (gambling)
    • no asset management, insurance or financial advisory business
    • raise reserve minimum
      better - eliminate fractional reserve banking; establish free banking
    • reinstate Glass-Steagall - to enforce responsible management of depositor's money
• crony capitalism must stop
  • eliminate the electoral college
  • campaign with public funds only
  • pursue an end to permanent governing class and political parties; the power of political parties is directly proportional to the voters ignorance of the design and operation of government
  • require balanced budget - deficit spending is effectively a wealth-confiscation scheme
  • end government management of markets
  • end social insurance, bailouts and subsidies
• federal government business involving citizen services must return to state governments
  • required by the constitution
  • would end most federal departments
  • citizens would be taxed by states only
  • state governments would have the flexibility to improve efficiency and value of services for citizens rather than operating under restrictions of federally imposed conformity
• defense and welfare must be paid for with taxes (not debt)
  • foreign policy - non-intervention in internal affairs of all other nations
  • conventional forces to defend US territory only
  • police forces must be returned to state service
  • means-tested safety net (no person deserves a free ride)
  • end the minimum wage
• federal subsidies directly to citizens undermines the independence and responsibilities of state governments
• government is bankrupt - face the problem - restructure the debt
  an illusion of solvency is being maintained by printing money

SUMMARY

• the fundamental principles of religion provide the validation for the concept of human rights
• citizen sovereignty is founded on human rights
• liberty means citizens are sovereign and government serves the people
• citizens must maintain their authority over the operation of government
• the constitution defines government with the protection of human rights as the foundation of its design and operation, affirming citizen sovereignty and government as servant of the citizens
• citizens are responsible for good management of their government to maintain their sovereignty and the security of their human rights
• there must be no surrender in the fight to protect human rights
• the government role in the economy must be limited to protecting free markets by maintaining a balance between the freedom to pursue prosperity and the protection of human rights
• the people must never tolerate a betrayal of trust by their government servants
• the most important job for all citizens is voting, and to be as well informed as possible when voting
• we must not wait to choose among candidates who volunteer, we must call forth the most talented among us
• to work together cooperatively, we must all think independently
• the pursuit of solutions to problems requires the courage to face the problems
  only simple minds fear the truth