Over the Horizon

Because it is the last day of 2010, it’s time to look ahead. New Year’s Eve Day here in Ohio is usually cold and sometimes features nasty weather so it offers a perfect environment for reflection and hopeful thinking. A steaming cup of coffee (in my world it represents “hair of the dog”) and a bowl game on the telly provide the ideal background for looking…over the horizon. There are two main areas that I wish to examine although they are intertwined with one another and with other concerns. They are the economy and the world of domestic politics and governance. Certainly international affairs, domestic social policy and the global economy are important sectors worthy of consideration, but I am not Nostradamus so I will not overreach.

As an relatively small time investor- Buffet (neither Warren nor Jimmy) doesn’t call me for advice,- I’ve been struggling in recent months and years to develop a strategy for the forthcoming short ter. For a while I was torn between expecting radical deflation followed by streaking inflation, but it seems to me that for the short term, the deflationary movement has become less likely. Deflation will be hovering around, however as local communities, state governments and ultimately the federal government face the prospect of financial collapse…default and bankruptcy. The impact of such a scenario would be immense as thousands or hundreds of thousands of vendors and recipients receive no payment. But in the immediate future (indeed, it’s already begun), I anticipate a rather aggressive inflationary movement.

There are three primary reasons and several ancillary ones for my expecting inflation in the near future. The first is the most obvious. The Federal Reserve Bank has indicated that it will be pursuing a modulated inflationary policy in the months ahead. One reason for this approach is that it allows the federal government and others to repay indebtedness with cheaper dollars which in turn may provide some easing in the GDP/debt ratio. A second reason that I expect marked inflation is the weakened dollar. The massive debt of the federal, state and local governments and the corresponding printing of dollars by the Fed have caused the value of each dollar to decline. As a result, it requires more dollars to purchase goods and services. The third primary impetus for an inflationary period is our nation’s misguided and radically stupid energy policy. Green solutions for our energy needs have not yet proven to be sufficient and efficient, yet we have ample resources of coal, oil and gas within our national boundaries. Misdirected environmental concerns have hamstrung our national energy production. Energy costs affect every transaction in our economy, and they will rise dramatically….and have a corollary impact on food prices.

Allow me to state here that I’m not antagonistic to the green movement or unconcerned about environmental issues. A growing vibrant economy provides the capital for research and development to find solutions for some hazards. I believe that petro chemicals are a reliable and efficient energy source, but I don’t want to spray them on my fields or my crops.

Politically speaking, there will be a few pitched battles between the President and the GOP. Those Congress watchers who anticipate a massive shift in attitude in D.C will be dismayed. There are just enough wobbly RINO’s in the Senate to blunt most of the House initiatives. I fully expect the Republican House to win a few early battles, but eventually the GOP Senators will beg for comity and compromise away more of our freedom. There will be hundreds of opportunities to advance the cause of freedom, and they will fail on most of them. The campaign for 2012 will begin in about three months (or fewer), and we will be back in the silly season again.

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Flashback

In June I shall celebrate (?) my 65^th birthday. I can clearly recall the apprehensive times of the Cold War. I have some vague recollections of the Korean Conflict. The Vietnam Fiasco is current history for me, and the two Kennedy and King assassinations have been burned onto my memory banks. I vividly recall Disco and the Bee Gees as well as alternate day gasoline purchases. The high interest rates and rampant inflation during the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s are easily accessible from my pain-laden memory banks. I can still visualize the second aircraft turning into the Twin Towers while I watched from the safety of my daughter’s living room. The sense of horror and dread that I felt at that moment is still with me. It marked the beginning of a decade that has changed our nation forever.

As I reflect on the past nine and a quarter years, I can recall of no similar period in my lifetime that has been as unsettling for so long. Every decade had its lows and highs…its endings and fresh beginnings, but the first decade of the Twenty-first Century has been one of doubt, frustration, and, in some cases, fear. My fears are not based on the possibility of my family or me becoming victims of terrorism, nor do they arise from a morbid expectation of an environmental catastrophe. No, my fears are deep-seated and gnawing. They represent a sense of exaggerated uneasiness and discomfort.  My mind continues to protest that what is bad could be worse, and we can salvage our nation and make it better. My gut disagrees. Perhaps it is a product of my age, but I have this nagging sense that the sand is near the bottom of the hour glass…that our time is nearly gone. Oh, maybe we’ll survive as a nation, but we’ll have radical divisions among us…sometimes violent ones, and our once-upon-a-time economic powerhouse and living standard will compete with other nations in the Second World.

Now it’s not my intention to make this column into a hand-wringing tale of woe. It is merely a personal observation of my sense of our nation today. This past year (2010) has been the most difficult one of my life. Maybe my view is jaundiced because I drove more than 85,000 miles during a ten month campaign. Many of the events that I attended were exhilarating and fulfilling, but beneath the glad handing, the smiling and the speech making was an undercurrent of dismay. The people were valiantly attempting to forge on as if their lives were normal, but they appeared to be anxious. I drove past numerous closed plants and foreclosed homes. I visited convenience stores with empty dusty shelves. The overall mood that I witnessed was one of apprehension, but not yet despairing. A certain wariness seemed to have invaded the normally warm hearted Buckeyes. It was a cordial caution.

Normally I’m a rather upbeat fellow. I prefer to seek the silver lining when I encounter difficult times. The sense of foreboding that I have now is alien to my nature. I have a new appreciation for the Old Testament prophets who valiantly attempted to wake up the Children of Israel, and who were usually ignored or scorned. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t see myself as a spokesperson for God or the Founders, but I do understand their agony when their messages went unheeded. Also, I am aware that my concern and my fearfulness are not solely my own. There are many of you, warriors all, who have decided that it is time to draw the line and say, “NO MORE.”  I am heartened by your passion and your courage.

Tomorrow I will look to the days and years ahead, and will try not to be so morose. Allow me to close by stating that I’m relieved that 2010 is nearly over…mere hours remain of what, for me, has been a dreadful year.

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U.S. Grant-Time to Retire

Read any Sunday paper and the odds are you’ll find a “help wanted” ad for a grant writer. So who awards those grants? Where does the money come from? Except for a few foundations, most of the grants are given by governments. Grant writers are needed because either the grant process is a competitive one or certain criteria must be met and/or bureaucratic hoops must be jumped before the recipient is deemed to have qualified. So, for the taxpayer it’s a double whammy. Sacrifice some your labor or profits to fund the grant, and forfeit more of your sweat equity to underwrite the grant writer.


My personal view is that grant writers represent B.S. artists who are savvy in the world of bureaucratic minutiae. They appear to be experts at generalized obfuscation, “i-dotting” and “t-crossing.” Although I am certain that someone at one time offered a reasonably valid justification for the entire grant process, I suspect that like every other Big Government function or process, it has morphed into a ludicrous exercise with minimal value that has scant constitutional purpose. The entire grant system is a sham. The feds or the states pretend to acknowledge the priorities set by the local government while, at the same time, the locals can boast about receiving “state” or “federal” funds. In Ohio, for example, Butler County officials could rejoice about their receiving federal money for a new updated recycling center. The County would be responsible for the 70% that the grant would not cover as well as any unanticipated costs, but the people should be happy because the 30% would be coming from the federal government. Maybe we should ask the folks in Warren County or Hamilton County if they wish to pay for some other county’s recycling center. What would the folks in Indiana or Kentucky say if they had been asked? This scenario is one that I have created to illustrate the folly of the grant writing shell game.

The entire process is merely the moving of taxpayer dollars from one community or state to another while providing the illusion that the locality is getting something for nothing. A recent example is the $400 million dollar grant awarded to Ohio for startup and design of a “so-called” high speed rail system. After the November election, Governor-elect Kasich declined to accept the federal funds, and Big Brother (aka Sec’y Ray LaHood) immediately offered the funds to Florida or California. These events suggest that the need for the funds in Ohio was not a burning priority, and that the federal government will continue to irresponsibly spend borrowed money even when facing a fiscal crisis.

If you employ a competent grant writer, then you can locate the moving pea under the shell. A community can take momentary advantage of a system that takes money from others, but eventually all will pay and pay dearly. Oh yes, don’t forget to include the cost of the grant writer. Remember to include salary, benefits, supplies, space, furniture and utilities, and maybe this time, local government, you can find the pea.

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The Ohio Plan-the seed

This entry will be rather short for two reasons. The first is that this plan requires further development before it can be successfully implemented, and I wanted some feedback from you about its potential efficacy. The second impetus for this abbreviated column is that we are developing a new format for “Littlestuff-minoosha” that will feature an executive summary at the beginning that will be followed by the “fleshed out” portion. Symbols and words have meaning. In our efforts to communicate concepts and ideas, we often rely on symbols to capture the essence of our thought processes. Symbolic action serves a similar purpose. When undertaken free of cynicism or hypocrisy, a symbolic gesture can create a tone or provide a worthy example for those who observe it.

One of our more recent examples of symbolic action would be when the President of the United States jets overnight to serve a holiday meal to our troops in harm’s way. The action itself has no intrinsic value because there are military professionals who can do a much better job of carving turkey or ladling gravy. The value lies in the symbolic nature of the President’s empathy for the troops in the field. We know it’s stupid. We know that it is unnecessarily costly. We know that at its base, it is a meaningless endeavor, but, nevertheless, we experience an element of “feel good” that the leader of our nation engaged in the symbolic action.

This lengthy preamble is the “set up” for my germinating idea that members of the Ohio General Assembly must take the lead for restoring liberty and fiscal sanity to our state. My nearly two-year old grandson has provided me with some valuable insights about human nature. When there is limited structure, his curious mind and busy hands will seek something to explore. Legislators are similar. They will continually search for little problems-real or imaginary- to be solved. “Idle hands are the Devil’s tools.’ Personally, I believe that the expansion of the Buckeye version of Big Brother coincided with the “need” for a “full-time” General Assembly. If we are ever to put the bloated monster back into its rightful place, then let’s begin by placing the Legislature back on a “part-time” basis.

Modern technology has provided the means for State House members and State Senators to “stay home” while fulfilling their legislative duties. They can be gainfully employed in the private sector while using the technology to complete their legislative tasks. In my view they should be limited to one week per month, and nine months per year of assembly in Columbus. The remainder of the time could be spent in their districts with the electronic umbilical cords uniting them in common purpose (geesh!). Clearly, some constitutional and legal hurdles must be overcome, but the welfare of our state is at stake.

In addition to encouraging them to communicate electronically, I would reduce their pay from the current $60,584 per year to $24,000 annually. As each member is elected and assumes office, the taxpayers would provide her or him with the $5000 package of technology and software to allow them to function. Just on the salaries alone minus the start-up costs, the savings would approach $9million every two years. This is without adjusting the benefit packages and the mileage reimbursements. Admittedly, $9 million is peanuts, but the symbol would be priceless. The greatest advantage, though, is the dispersal of the legislative body from the central location where they are accessible to lobbyists and other entities who survive on the government teat. This is merely a seed of thought and requires more development, but check the link for the current pay scale and mileage reimbursement.

An Ohio Plan.docx

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We Need a Law

We need a law that bans new laws. In my view six of the most dangerous words in our language are “there ought to be a law.” Every time a legislator, a regulator, a public interest group or a powerful corporate entity has a brain fart, they seek to enact a law that enhances their position or makes life more difficult for their opposition or competitors. As a result, we have laws upon laws upon laws. We have been outlawed. "The essence of fascism is to make laws forbidding everything and then enforce them selectively against your enemies." We are all aware of instances where our governments have current laws that are not enforced while they continue to pass new ones.


In a December 12th article in the “Washington Post,” Philip K. Howard bemoaned that proliferation of laws in the United States. He declared, “Once a law is in place in the United States, it’s almost impossible to dislodge.” Citing the debate over the “temporary” Bush tax cuts, he illustrated that even temporary laws are often embedded in our Federal Code into perpetuity. Add to the proliferation of laws the concept that many of them have no Constitutional justification, and we find ourselves on the path to tyranny. Too many laws, too many unconstitutional laws, overregulation, whimsical rulemaking by bureaucrats seeking to justify their positions and their budgets, and we have a sure fire formula for abuse. Although Congresspersons are the elected representatives of the people, we all know that many of them lose their local, down home perspective and fall in love with the trappings of power.

The imperial attitudes of our elected leaders is often matched by the various agencies and departments who interpret and execute the laws, rules and regulations given to them by our peerless all-knowing “public servants.” The result is that we have a myriad of interlocking, overlapping and redundant proscriptions that make it impossible for the typical law abiding citizen to be fully aware of every action that may affect him or her. It’s similar to the death by a thousand cuts. Every action or movement by a citizen could potentially be an infraction of some sort. It seems possible that as this madness continues, many citizens will simply withdraw…lose their initiative and cease their efforts for creative enterprises and solutions. The overabundance of laws and regulations will have an effect similar to throwing sand in a gearbox. The great engine of ingenuity and energy that has been the historic legacy of our people will grind to a halt.

We are being smothered by an avalanche of lawmaking and rulemaking. The “promote the general welfare” clause in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States was clearly designed to limit the federal government enactments to those issues that affect EVERYONE in the nation. A cursory reading of the Federalist papers or ratification documents will endorse that view. Can any Member of Congress or Executive branch appointee honestly attest that every one of the multiple thousands of laws, regulations and rules directly impacts every citizen and promotes the general welfare? They may try, but they cannot do so reasonably and truthfully.

Our legal landscape is like a beach that has been mined. We citizens are the ones who are attempting to cross the beach to safety on the solid land. The mines represent the legal and regulatory traps that may blow up in our faces as we seek to navigate through the treacherous sand. Each of us, as we move to safety, will face a different set of mines than our colleagues whose paths are somewhat different. The bloated, self-important government may claim that the general welfare necessity is satisfied because all of us must tread through the minefield, but the fact that each of us encounters different mines blows up the government’s argument and its legitimacy. Too many laws, too many regulations, too many rules, too many bureaucrats, and certainly, we have too much government and too little liberty.

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Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

We hope that you enjoyed this week’s Littlestuff entries.

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Monday……JOY

Tuesday…….TO

Wednesday..THE

Thursday……WORLD

C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\Joy To The World - Whitney Houston.flv

C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\Handel - Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus.flv

May you have a blessed Christmas.

Charlie

World

Remember this song by the New Seekers? A derivative of it became a very popular commercial for Coca Cola.


C:\Users\Charlie\Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\New Seekers - I'd Like ToTeach The World To Sing.flv

The song is a good lead in for today’s topic: world. The world is a glorious place. The first definition for world is the earth. Consider the majesty of our surroundings here in the United States. The Appalachians, Allegheny’s, Smoky Mountains, Rockies, Grand Tetons and more are impressive and beautiful. The prairies, plains, flatlands and deltas are fertile. Our rivers, lakes and streams nourish their valleys. The four coasts with their inlets, bays and harbors are gateways to the inland wonders and as departure points for crossing the lakes, gulfs and oceans.

The world contains even greater wonders than we have here. The Alps and the Andes are phenomenally impressive. The mighty Amazon is fascinating and foreboding, and the Danube and Rhine twist and turn through breathtakingly beautiful places. The Nile has been the life source for generation after generation. Gorgeous and dangerous deserts can be found on nearly every continent. Each little area or region has its unique properties and challenges, and those who live there must adapt. Truly, when one views the disparate elements of our planet, one must consider that God is, and He is the Creator.

As was implied earlier, differing conditions throughout the globe require different responses for survival. Now, let’s return to the feel good song that we linked earlier. It reflects a squishy, wonderful sentiment that if only all of humankind could read from the same page on the same songbook, then everything would be perfect. It reflects an alluring siren song. When we are encouraged to sacrifice our individuality for unity or harmony, we are being asked to surrender our free will and our liberty on the altar of world homogeneity. That is not what God intends. He understands that when all of humanity works in concert, His purpose for us will be undermined. Remember Babel?

For centuries nefarious dream weavers have sought to unify the people of the globe. Some like Alexander the Great used military might, and others attempted to use the force of ideas. An example of the latter would be Marx who promoted the proletariat as the unifying mechanism. No matter the source of the global unity movement, the result is the loss of freedom for individuals. The overwhelming pressure to conform causes the suppression of the individual’s uniqueness.

Teaching the world to sing is notable. Requiring perfect harmony and unity leads to a one world government. The world is a beautiful place. The world can be a beautiful place, but its beauty should not be surrendered to a one-size-fits-all mentality that denies our God-given humanity. Freedom is our legacy. It’s our primary inalienable right. No fuzzy idealistic feel-good sentiment should be allowed to undermine our individual relationship with God. The world will be much better if each of us is free to do our best.

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"The"

It’s easy for me to assume that many of you are somewhat uncomfortable when in the presence of a narcissist or an egomaniac. The other person’s overwhelming sense of self importance makes you fight the urge to slap some humility into him or her. Although my negative opinion of him has softened over the years, I still become a little bit uneasy when I hear “The Donald.” Perhaps it’s because I view “the” as an indicator of individuality rather than supremacy. While I do understand that “the” can be used to isolate groups such as “the group,” the family,” or “the Americans,” “the” continues to provide an individualistic function by segregating the group from other clusters. “The” is a marker that informs the reader or the listener that the noun that follows has some unique property…some distinctive difference.


Generally “the” is used before nouns with a specifying or limiting effect. In other words “the” suggests that referred object is special. The identified item stands out from all the others. My favorite example is “THE Ohio State University.” Not only does the emphatic use of “the” single out OSU as unique, it also drives Michigan fans crazy. Who knew that such an innocuous little word could have such an impact? Think of “The Word,” “The Bible,” “The Constitution,” and “the people.” Each time that we read “the,” our focus becomes narrowed to a specific image. Contrast that with word or people. Without the definitive “the,” they describe the common, the broader application.

It seems clear, therefore, if we wish to avoid becoming lost in the wasteland of ambiguity and generality, we must have “the” to define the object of our consideration. Marriage counselors often state that the little things make a difference in a relationship. “The” is proof that the little things do matter. The end.

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"To"

“To” is one of those words that drove you crazy when you were in the second grade. Just like their, there and they’re, “to” battled with two and too to earn its rightful place in the communication cavalcade. For those of us who have managed to unravel the mysteries of “to,” there is the awareness that our little two letter friend is very active and quite useful. “To” is a hard working preposition predominately positioned to positively provide a sense of direction. Note: a sentence about “to” required a “to” to complete the thought. Our efforts to communicate would be severely handicapped if we had no “to” for directing our attention.

Personally, I’m rather fond of “to.” The little preposition that could suggests a sense of forwardness…of progress. “To” is twice as efficient as its four-letter counterpart, from. “To” brings forth a feeling of anticipation as we eagerly seek to discover where the mighty two-word phenom will lead us. Our little preposition reminds me of many patriots and citizens who grace our nation. They, as does “to,” do the heavy lifting while remaining relatively anonymous and unheralded. “To” like many solid, salt-of-the earth people is underrated and underappreciated.

We all should know what remarkable people our founders were. Their knowledge of the classics, and their familiarity with contemporary philosophers including Adam Smith’s newly published Wealth of Nations provided them with a firm foundation for crafting the structure of our new nation. Looking ahead, however, I suspect the heroes of the restoration of our liberty will not be the most highly educated of their generation. Neither will they be the elite or the super wealthy. The people most responsible for the restoration of liberty for our nation will be the unsung every-day people who want to live free. The fathers, mothers and grandparents who will not allow their young people to be oppressed and suppressed by an overzealous unconstitutional government. They represent the “to’s” in the language of liberty. They shall lead our nation back TO freedom. They shall lead future generations TO a new hope and rekindled opportunity. They will rise up TO lead our nation, and they will not fail.

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Joy

Webster defines “Joy” as “a very glad feeling, happiness, delight.” Seems somewhat understated to me. You may wonder how I can devote an entire column to a three letter word, but as we approach Christmas Day, I believe that we should be wrapping ourselves in Joy. First, I wish to examine the spiritual implications of joy, and then pursue Joy’s place in the political realm.


Strong’s Dictionary of the Bible provides some additional texture to the Webster definition. Such terms as “rejoice”, “gleeful,” “cheerfulness,” “exultation,” and “gratitude” expand the concept of joy beyond mere pleasure or happiness. Joy is much deeper and more enduring than momentary giddiness. My personal definition is that Joy is the perfect merger of unconditional love and divine purpose. As a Christian who has accepted Christ and consequently enjoys a personal relationship with Almighty God, I am the unworthy recipient of His unconditional love. Christ’s intervention has assured me of my worthiness, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance helps me to transform God’s love into a purpose for me to honor him. The Joy is a result of my awareness that I am worthy, through Christ, of God’s love, that I am in fellowship with the Creator, and that my life, my walk and my path have a purpose.

The Joy that I have in the permanency of my salvation provides a buffer or a reservoir of hope when I have doubts about my faith, my commitment or my worthiness. The Holy Spirit whispers and nudges me as I make my way down the path of purpose (walking the walk). Sometimes I stumble, and sometimes I stray, but He is there to lead me back upon the path. (Once in awhile He has to shove me back on track). He has provided me with lamps for my feet so that I can take note of every step…one at a time. I cannot see too far ahead because I may become discouraged or rush too quickly toward the goal. The Joy comes from knowing that I have been embraced, and that I know the path to follow.

The political aspect of Joy is quite similar to the spiritual component. When one understands the liberating ideal of freedom, our environment becomes radically altered. While liberty is a concept, one can internalize the essence of freedom, and enjoy the personal transformation that occurs upon the realization that you, subject only to God, are in charge of your destiny. You will never fall prey to victimhood even when you’ve been defeated (momentarily) or thwarted. You KNOW that you own yourself and the results of your labor, your intellect and your creativity. In the spiritual world you can dedicate yourself and your production to Him, but in the secular world no one can legitimately deprive you of yourself, your labor or your property. No force is powerful enough to control your heart and your thoughts unless you allow it. They may confiscate your property. They may enslave you, but they cannot own YOU. Even if you may be losing many of Life’s battles, the knowledge that who you are is determined by you, leads you to understand that you will not, you cannot be defeated. The joy comes from knowing that you will not bend, you will not break, and ultimately you will prevail.

The “peace of God which transcends all understanding” is the product of the joy that results from knowing who you are and understanding your purpose for life.

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Littlestuff Weekender12-18-2010

This “Weekender” will be somewhat transitional as we move from such cheery subjects as secession into more positive ones like family, communities and compassion. A reader accused me of whining and moaning about the state of affairs in our country but said that I didn’t do anything proactively for change. He may be correct, but Jeremiah has an entire book in the Bible dedicated to him. Personally, I may be handicapped by my past experiences. As a former broadcaster and college teacher, I am aware of how shallow our knowledge is about the matters of liberty, freedom and personal responsibility.


Who are you, treasured readers? I don’t know who you are. I do not know what you know. I have no clearly defined matrix for identifying how much, how often or why you read “Littlestuff.” So, allow me to share my target demographics with you, and please do not be offended by my descriptions of you. You are relatively unsophisticated in the matters of political theory, economic theory, Constitutional law, systematic theology and political strategy. Certainly some of you are well read in one or more of these disciplines, but for the most part, you have a rudimentary knowledge of them. As do I. My role for this daily column, as I see it, is too increase my awareness (and yours) of these various fields of study, then attempt to integrate them into a coherent game plan for our nation. Fortunately, for you and me, most of the heavy lifting has already been completed. The Framers and Founders possessed an extensive knowledge of these areas, and Almighty God has “breathed” His Word to provide guideposts for our lives. As I sit before this keyboard every day, I attempt to capture, to understand the historical wisdom available to us and within 700-1000 words to transmit it to you. Please take note that as I structure my columns, I am learning with you.

More books and authors:

Historical fiction by the Shaara’s, Michael and Jeff.

Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

History by Victor Davis Hanson (classical period)

Historical and legal analysis by Mark Levin

Richard Viguerie, G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Lewis, Bernard Lewis, George Orwell.

Two books by Nathaniel Philbrick: “Sea of Glory” and “Mayflower.”

More poetry: Robert W. Service

This list is not exhaustive, but if you read everything by every one of these authors, you will not need another list until next Christmas. 

During the Christmas season I often found myself in a somewhat reflective mood. As we were returning from my sister’s home yesterday following the Earl Family’s Christmas dinner, I was struck by how things have changed over the past half-century or so. When I was a young dude, we would have a Christmas noontime get-together at my paternal grandmother’s home. My dad was the eldest of eight, and everyone would attend except for when one uncle was serving in the military. It was a large and raucous crowd. All of my Dad’s siblings lived within 20 miles of Grandma’s house. There were no excuses for not attending. On the maternal side we would go to Grandpa and Grandma’s on Christmas Eve. Again, my mother was the eldest of eight children. Two of her siblings lived outside of a 25 mile radius. They both had lived in various places as one pursued his Ph.D. and the other worked with the Marriot Corporation, but when it Christmas eve, they came home. The Wenner household like the Earl’s was overflowing with people and laughter.

It’s different today. First, our families are smaller. Instead of loud noises of joy, there is the hum of discussion. Our families have scattered. My little nuclear family of four has spent 13 years living out of state and away from “home.” I sense that the notion of family unity and invincibility has been lost. We’re no longer this strong, tightly knit unit of people with common purposes and common blood. We are now scattered little islands whose roots are not so great a priority.

In many ways our small towns and communities reflect the changes in our families. The towns are smaller now and some of the traditions have become too big or too expensive to continue. Maybe, in lieu of developing 2, 5 or 10 acre estates on the fringes of the metropolis, people would be better served to work with the small towns to rebuild, to renew the community. Maybe I shouldn’t view “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

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Sedition Sentiment

So far in this series we’ve discussed various responses to an unconstitutional overreaching federal government. Tuesday’s column was about submission as a strategy. Wednesday we examined nullification as a means of counteracting big government, and yesterday we briefly reviewed secession as a means for thwarting an out-of-control federal monolith. Today, we take a look at sedition or resistance as a strategic vehicle for preserving individual liberty when confronted by an oppressive government. This is a difficult avenue to explore for a couple of reasons. One would pray that our situation doesn’t deteriorate to the point where sedition is necessary, and even with a successful outcome for the resisters, the tragedy of the process would be phenomenal.


Sedition is defined as an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government. Clearly by this definition, any seditious attempt to dislodge the federal government would be illegal or unlawful. Those who engage in the seditious activity would be subject to extremely harsh penalties. The moral justification for a citizen’s involvement and promotion of sedition is based on the premise that the federal government has exceeded its authority, exercises power beyond its mandate, and engages in practices and activities which are blatantly unconstitutional. In other words, if the government is illegitimate and operating illegally, then those who oppose it in the name of constitutional validity are functioning as lawful and legal enforcers of the Constitution. In the moral and philosophical universe the tables are reversed and the government and the resisters exchange places on the legitimacy scale. That’s the ideal. The reality is much different.

Over the years, film, television and literature have explored the nobility of a just resistance in the face of tyranny. (e.g. “Red Dawn.”). Generally the good guys win. Despite the evil government’s massive superiority in weaponry, personnel and power, the pure-of-heart remnant manages to prevail. That scenario is not real. Sedition and resistance are messy affairs. Former friends and family members will choose “security” rather than join the remnant of resistance. They may even report the resisters to the “authorities.” Trust will become a rare commodity. Fear of discovery will be a constant concern.

The fires of liberty will not be easily extinguished. While many will succumb to the power and illicit authority of the government, there will be those who yearn for freedom. They’ll have furtive encounters and obliquely test others as they seek new allies. Not all resisters will be militant warriors. Some will produce broadsides and pamphlets or sound the cry of liberty on pirate broadcast, hard-wired and satellite outlets. The huge government apparatus will be directed against the freedom fighters, and artificial crises will be generated to co-opt the people. The government will attempt to dam every rivulet of resistance and quell the flames of freedom. Because of its awesome power, and the fearful indifference of most citizens, the flame will be compromised. It will be smaller. The embers of liberty will not be extinguished however. People of faith, people of hope and people of strength will nurse the embers, and pray their prayers until the oppressive regime implodes. Liberty must prevail. For some generations it will be only in their hearts and in heaven. For others it will be a day-to-day effort to teach and inform their peers. Some generations may taste the fruits of freedom and flourish, but every generation will have those who cherish Liberty. The spark of liberty in the heart will not die.

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Unsuccessful Secession?

Secession as a strategy for states of the United States of America that resist imperial federal power has not been a successful maneuver for those who have attempted it. In the political context secession is the unilateral voluntary withdrawal from the federal compact. Actually, though, secession was successful in the short term for South Carolina and the other members of the Confederate States of America (CSA). It began to unravel as the numerical superiority and industrial advantages of the Union began to grind away the Confederacy. The secessionist movement was handicapped, too, because the abolitionists of the North used slavery as a rallying cry for inspiring the citizens and creating support for the war.


The secessionist argument was not only prevalent in the years leading up to the War Between the States, but had been on the burners, both front and back, since before the founding. For example, the slow process for endorsing the Constitution by the respective states is indicative that total membership or unanimity was not a given. If you recall, the first ten amendments (12 were proposed) were a product of some states’ hesitancy to enter the federation. They wanted stronger protection and a more emphatic confirmation for individual rights in the founding document. The clear evidence of the Framing Period is that the Constitution was a document that limited the federal government and provided for a contractual relationship among the various states to join together for those purposes expressly described in the Constitution. The federation was an alliance of convenience. The federal government would be given enough powers and resources to fulfill the functions that were defined for it. All other powers, duties and obligations were “reserved to the states, “or “retained by the people.”

It follows, therefore, that if all parties are legally and constitutionally executing their respective roles, a state may withdraw from the compact. Although the prospect of secession is not explicitly addressed, neither is any penalty contemplated for those states that may choose to suspend their involvement in the federation. The sections of Article I of the Constitution describe some prohibitions for states. Also, Article IV provides a more thorough view of the states’ position within the federation. There is no direct prohibition for seceding, but perhaps some would cite the portion of the Constitution in Article IV, Section 3, as an oblique denial of a state’s right to leave the federation. The clear reality is that for many decades the federal government has violated the Constitution, thus abdicating any contractual claim it may advance to prevent a state from leaving the federation.

Based on our last column (A Salvation Message) which discussed nullification as a means for states to resist unconstitutional federal power, secession is an option only if the state has diligently and consistently attempted to thwart excessive federal intervention via nullification. There are practical problems associated with this progression of response: 1) the state legislature must nullify because if they do not, then it seems rather logical that the political will to secede will not be present; 2) if the state does employ nullification against every instance of federal power abuse, there is no guarantee that the federal government will honor the individual state’s right to withdraw from the federation. We could have a flashback to 1861. The confrontation might be avoided, however, if the state refrained from occupying constitutional federal property such as military installations. One of the most important mitigating factors is that the federal government has become a self-perpetuating entity that seeks to command the states rather than serve them. The feds would, therefore, enforce their own preservation interests even if they did not have the support and acquiescence of the states that remained in the union. It has become a circular conundrum. A state secedes because the federal government exceeds its mandate, and the federal government in turn employs force to require the state to yield to its power and authority.

Although the secession remedy appears as the third alternative in this four-part series, it may be the most difficult to implement. Most states and their political leaders lack the will. If the federal government responds with all the power that it has available, the state may be incapable of any meaningful resistance. On the face of it secession is a lose-lose strategy. Achieving overwhelming support for leaving the union within any given state is probably impossible. A remnant of liberty loving patriots can resist an out-of-control federal government, but to marshal the citizens of an entire state is unlikely. Too many people will watch “American Idol” while the resistance is battling for freedom.

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A Salvation Message

One of the definitions for salvation is redemption, and redemption is precisely what is needed in the United States at this time. Anyone who has read all of the Constitution of the United States of America while doing so literally will understand that the current method of operation has strayed far off the path designed by the Framers and Founders. The procedures, policies and practices of the Federal Government bear a mere token resemblance to the original concept that was conceived at the founding. Throughout the decades of our Nation’s existence, the government and its power have grown to the point where they have become unmanageable and uncontrollable.


So if Big Brother has indeed become uncontrollable, how do we the people regain our control? How do we save or redeem our legacy of liberty? How do we reassert our power as a free people who hold the reins of power in our country? Prayer is a solid beginning, but if you’re a secularist, you may choose to study the Constitution for remedies that embedded there. On page 79 of his 1952 book, The Ordeal of Change, Eric Hoffer states “A society that in normal times cannot function adequately without unanimity is unfit for freedom.” (That title was prophetic, wasn’t it?). In other words Hoffer suggests the Rodney King lament (“Can we all get along?) undermines the cause of freedom. Attempts to secure universal results or broad based legislation to “level the playing field” are intended to force us all to get along. Much of our legislative agendas these days are directed towards the squeaking wheels. By greasing the lives of the petitioners government seeks to eliminate or minimize discord. As a result, government grows geometrically and individual freedom (and responsibility) shrinks accordingly. One cannot be all things to all people, and neither can government satisfy the whims of everyone. Discord, passion and inequitable outcomes are necessary for freedom to thrive. Complacent populations squander their opportunities, and liberty becomes a secondary preference.

Despite Judy Collins’ assertive claim, the answer isn’t “blowing in the wind.” The answer is found in the Constitution and reinforced by the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 and 1799. Whereas individual outliers have little power when confronting an overly zealous federal government, their voices are magnified within the borders of their respective states. In Ohio, for example, the 132 state legislators are more approachable than the 535 members of the federal legislature. The drive from any point in Ohio to Columbus pales in comparison to the trek from Dayton to D.C. Accountability and responsiveness are more easily attained on a state level than federally. Clearly, an unengaged citizenry has allowed state governments in most cases to avoid constitutional scrutiny. When the people have become disgruntled, their wrath has often been directed at local dog wardens or focused on the incomprehensible federal apparatus. The states have often been spared the spotlight of review. State governments have coasted along under the radar despite some lurches into profligacy and power grabbing.

The salvation of our nation and our liberty is acquired in a fashion similar to spiritual salvation. According to evangelical Christian doctrine, the petitioner recognizes that he is a sinner, that she is estranged from God, and that he is incapable of navigating through life without Christ’s assistance. In a similar fashion the citizens must recognize that they have failed their responsibilities as watchdogs. The people should study and understand the Constitution so as to identify where government has corrupted the document, and then work together with like-minded patriots to grasp control of the state capitols throughout the land. State legislative candidates who are committed to the principle of nullification are the ONLY ones—regardless of party—who should be supported and elected. Principles must outweigh party labels if salvation or restoration is to succeed. The journey toward “we the people” must begin in the states….actually; the trip will begin in the living rooms of each respective state.

Once enough nullifying legislators are elected, they can begin to reject unconstitutional federal laws, mandates, rules and regulations. Those legislators can be held accountable by their respective constituencies who will discourage them from trading state overreaching for the federal version. This stratagem is constitutional, legal and much more quickly and effectively pursued than is a federal focus.

What if the state-based nullification strategy fails? Tomorrow we’ll discuss secession as a remedy. We’ll examine its viability and practicality.

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