So, our first two entries in this three-part series on Liberty addressed how to define “liberty,” and in a primitive way, how to share what is “true liberty.” Now we’ll attempt to resolve how to “save liberty.” We already know that many people are dependent on government goodies, and may not view their dependence as part of the problem. Others may be aware that their involvement in the government scam programs undermines their and our liberty, but have calculated that their own short-term interests outweigh the good of the nation and the freedom for future generations. A third group is the radically clueless. They have no historical perspective and no civic knowledge. They simply float along immersed in their own ignorance. So, how do we penetrate the barriers of self-interest and know-nothingness in order to generate a movement for liberty? Do we don the William Wallace costume worn by Mel Gibson in “Braveheart,” paint our faces blue, and scream “Freedom.?” It could be a beginning, but I suspect that it may attract the guys with white coats and butterfly nets before it lures a sufficiently large number of citizens to our cause.
It would be better if we could illustrate for our fellow citizens that government goodies represent the ties that tightly bind us and restrict our freedoms. Why is it that we cannot sue the government for misfeasance or malfeasance without the government’s permission? Why is it that the pernicious RICO laws cannot be used to break the government monopolies or disassemble government collusion? Why are overreaching government promises not subject to contract law? When the ObamaCare monstrosity was passed, I heard several people complain about the exemption for government functionaries. But that’s the point, isn’t it? If government grants you some unconstitutional goodies, shouldn’t they have the right to exempt themselves? When you slavishly trade your liberty for some semblance of government security, you will lose.
Your liberty, our liberty is not a segmented right. Just like one cannot be a little bit pregnant, one cannot be partially free. What does a little bit of liberty represent—a longer chain, a larger cage? Dancing with the government is not the “hokey-pokey.” You can’t put one foot in and take it out again. You’re either all in…and selling out your God-given freedom, or you’re out…fighting each and every encroachment on your ability to live in unencumbered liberty. None of us is clever enough, tough enough or strong enough to compromise a “little” liberty for a “little” security. Once the tentacles of Nanny get their grips on you, they will not willingly set you free. “It’s for the greater good.” Submit your will to the state for the betterment of all is the siren song that we hear so often to legitimize the government’s insatiable desire to control every little detail of our lives. I’ve often noted that government has no heart, no mind and no soul, but allow me to add that government has no conscience or remorse. If government messes up your life or destroys the well-being of the country, it merely consumes a greater share of our labor, our property and our liberty and moves on.
To save our liberty, we must stop the inexorable expansion of government, then begin to unravel its multiple threads, and reduce it to its skeletal foundation. Can we save our liberty? Perhaps, but only if a significant number of us denounce and deny the “welcome wagon” basket of goodies that our government and the career politicians offer us and promise us. Despite their protestations and tender words of compassion, they will not love us in the morning when they are done with us. Bottom line: Liberty is an individual right. One can do whatever one wishes as long as he/she does no harm to others or their property. For liberty to exist, therefore, requires that individuals gnaw through the shackles of dependency and deny the “Trojan-horse gifts” from government. Continuing to be a ward of the state at any degree undermines the refreshing prospect of liberty for all. Give it up and enjoy the blessings of liberty.
Please comment: earl4sos@gmail.com cnpearl@woh.rr.com
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Sharing Liberty
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to interact with a two-year old, then you are probably aware of the universal tendency to control our own lives. Toddlers undoubtedly have questionable judgment, but they, nevertheless, possess an insatiable urge to make their own choices. Where the little child may fall short in the milieu of responsible liberty is in the realm of accountability. As we mature through knowledge and experience, we must learn the laws of responsible accountability to complement our inherent liberty. True liberty, therefore, is the unfettered living of our lives in any way or form that does not harm others or their property.
The purpose of the law, therefore, is to enshrine our liberty not to limit it. Further, the law should be used to design and enforce the issues of accountability and responsibility. Contracts, public and private, should be rigorously enforced, and those (including government) who violate the lives, labor and property of others must be made to provide sufficient restitution. Liberty is, therefore, absolute regarding one self and extremely limited when interfering with others. Intervention and interaction with the lives of others can be accomplished if all parties involved willingly assent. The associations and cooperative efforts must be wholly voluntary for the essence of liberty to be maintained.
While on the campaign trail for the last year, I often lamented our loss of liberty because of the unrestrained growth of the “Nanny-state.” Invariably, my complaint was met with cheers, knowing nods or “amen’s.” I often wondered, however, how many of my listeners truly understood the core of my concern. For far too long, too many of our citizens have relinquished their freedom for mere crumbs of “security” from the federal government….and to a lesser degree from the state government. I suspect that a significant number of my audience would gladly stop our meaningless foreign aid program, but would fight to the death to retain Social Security or Medicare. Also, while many citizens may oppose the broken welfare system that we have in place, how many are truly willing to examine duplicitous military expenditures with the same fervor?
When we forfeit our liberty, for whatever purpose, we surrender a piece of ourselves. Our humanity, our unique nature is God-given and God-breathed, and when we willingly or submissively fail to wholly exercise our liberty, then we necessarily diminish our special humanity. A study of history illustrates that most people are willing to sacrifice freedom for some notion of security. Most of us lack the courage, the conviction or the passion to forgo a life of relative ease in order to secure our absolute liberty. Are we willing to give up our subsidies, our tax breaks or our special programs? Those of us who have had children know that weaning time is difficult and filled with angst. This analysis is not intended as an indictment of my fellow citizens, but merely represents my observations about our tendencies to travel the “easy’ path.
So, how do we share the concept of true liberty to our family, friends and neighbors? How can we inoculate them against the lure of government “gifts and largess?” We might begin with the example of the two-year old whose adamant desire for self-determination illustrates our innate desire to manage our own lives. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14, NIV). Although I’ve never encountered an exegesis that examines this verse on the basis of liberty, the application of innocence as the underlying attribute can be extended to include liberty. Childlike innocence makes one unaware or indifferent to the pervasive influence of a controlling government. Jesus admonished the disciples to allow the children to approach his seat of grace because they were doing so willingly. In a metaphorical sense, the disciples represent the power of a government that determines who is worthy. Just as grace is reserved for the willing, liberty is a gift for the unburdened. True liberty can exist only when we sever the tendrils of government control, and when we sever the cords of our reliance.
Your comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com earl4sos@gmail.com
The purpose of the law, therefore, is to enshrine our liberty not to limit it. Further, the law should be used to design and enforce the issues of accountability and responsibility. Contracts, public and private, should be rigorously enforced, and those (including government) who violate the lives, labor and property of others must be made to provide sufficient restitution. Liberty is, therefore, absolute regarding one self and extremely limited when interfering with others. Intervention and interaction with the lives of others can be accomplished if all parties involved willingly assent. The associations and cooperative efforts must be wholly voluntary for the essence of liberty to be maintained.
While on the campaign trail for the last year, I often lamented our loss of liberty because of the unrestrained growth of the “Nanny-state.” Invariably, my complaint was met with cheers, knowing nods or “amen’s.” I often wondered, however, how many of my listeners truly understood the core of my concern. For far too long, too many of our citizens have relinquished their freedom for mere crumbs of “security” from the federal government….and to a lesser degree from the state government. I suspect that a significant number of my audience would gladly stop our meaningless foreign aid program, but would fight to the death to retain Social Security or Medicare. Also, while many citizens may oppose the broken welfare system that we have in place, how many are truly willing to examine duplicitous military expenditures with the same fervor?
When we forfeit our liberty, for whatever purpose, we surrender a piece of ourselves. Our humanity, our unique nature is God-given and God-breathed, and when we willingly or submissively fail to wholly exercise our liberty, then we necessarily diminish our special humanity. A study of history illustrates that most people are willing to sacrifice freedom for some notion of security. Most of us lack the courage, the conviction or the passion to forgo a life of relative ease in order to secure our absolute liberty. Are we willing to give up our subsidies, our tax breaks or our special programs? Those of us who have had children know that weaning time is difficult and filled with angst. This analysis is not intended as an indictment of my fellow citizens, but merely represents my observations about our tendencies to travel the “easy’ path.
So, how do we share the concept of true liberty to our family, friends and neighbors? How can we inoculate them against the lure of government “gifts and largess?” We might begin with the example of the two-year old whose adamant desire for self-determination illustrates our innate desire to manage our own lives. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14, NIV). Although I’ve never encountered an exegesis that examines this verse on the basis of liberty, the application of innocence as the underlying attribute can be extended to include liberty. Childlike innocence makes one unaware or indifferent to the pervasive influence of a controlling government. Jesus admonished the disciples to allow the children to approach his seat of grace because they were doing so willingly. In a metaphorical sense, the disciples represent the power of a government that determines who is worthy. Just as grace is reserved for the willing, liberty is a gift for the unburdened. True liberty can exist only when we sever the tendrils of government control, and when we sever the cords of our reliance.
Your comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com earl4sos@gmail.com
Monday, November 8, 2010
Seeking Liberty
Words have no inherent value. They are merely symbols that we use to transmit ideas to others. For example, when I write “rock,” do you picture a stone object that is larger than a pebble and smaller than a boulder? Or…do you envision a chair with arched feet that moves forward and back? Perhaps you conjure up a particular genre’ of music that has captured the imagination of generations while undergoing multiple transformations. Maybe you perceive “rock” to be a metaphor for stability and certitude. “Rock” is simply an assembly of four distinct etchings or symbols that when placed together in a particular order (not CRKO), prompt your mind to retrieve a picture.
As we have noted, “rock” can generate several different pictures, so context is required to further identify which definition of “rock” we are attempting to communicate. Consider this: when we say someone is “rocking,” we could be discussing Granny or KISS, but we have eliminated the geological version by adding context. “Rock” is generally considered to be something tangible, but when used to discuss the broad spectrum of music, the tangibility of the concept becomes more problematic. This little journey into American-English linguistics is an exercise for illustrating how difficult it can be to effectively communicate intangible ideas.
Take “liberty,” for example. Webster’s top two definitions identify liberty as 1) freedom from slavery, captivity etc., and 2) a particular right, freedom etc. How would one describe the concept of true liberty to someone who is uninformed? Technically speaking, a serf is not a slave, nor is an indentured servant, but neither can be characterized as enjoying the fruits of liberty. The version of Webster that I used for this discussion (New World) did not identify the source of the particular right or freedom that represents “liberty.” So, is liberty too illusive to define, or too idealistic to matter? Is “liberty” real, or merely the magical musings of multitudes who yearn for something that is unattainable? Can something so ephemeral, so difficult to define or identify be of value? Worth desiring? Worthy of great effort to secure? Can liberty be invested with enough intrinsic value that one would sacrifice her/his life to obtain it or secure it?
Our Framers and Founders considered liberty to be the highest ideal of a civil society. As they labored to devise a system of governance, they sought to maintain a balance between tyranny and anarchy. Anarchy would transform the concept of liberty into the reality of libertine license while tyranny would obviously suffocate the spark of freedom. They rightly discerned that liberty would thrive in an environment structured by the rule of law, but the practice and application of the law should not be excessively restrictive. To achieve the delicate balance they limited the powers of the government and recognized that our freedoms, our liberty are gifts from God and should not be altered by government.
According to the Founders, government should not tamper with the natural law. What God has ordained, no device created by man should limit or abridge. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the application and practical use of liberty. How do we recognize it? How can we explain it? How to secure it, restore it and implement it. Until our citizens understand the true nature of liberty, they will not grasp its importance for our lives.
Your comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com or earl4sos@gmail.com
As we have noted, “rock” can generate several different pictures, so context is required to further identify which definition of “rock” we are attempting to communicate. Consider this: when we say someone is “rocking,” we could be discussing Granny or KISS, but we have eliminated the geological version by adding context. “Rock” is generally considered to be something tangible, but when used to discuss the broad spectrum of music, the tangibility of the concept becomes more problematic. This little journey into American-English linguistics is an exercise for illustrating how difficult it can be to effectively communicate intangible ideas.
Take “liberty,” for example. Webster’s top two definitions identify liberty as 1) freedom from slavery, captivity etc., and 2) a particular right, freedom etc. How would one describe the concept of true liberty to someone who is uninformed? Technically speaking, a serf is not a slave, nor is an indentured servant, but neither can be characterized as enjoying the fruits of liberty. The version of Webster that I used for this discussion (New World) did not identify the source of the particular right or freedom that represents “liberty.” So, is liberty too illusive to define, or too idealistic to matter? Is “liberty” real, or merely the magical musings of multitudes who yearn for something that is unattainable? Can something so ephemeral, so difficult to define or identify be of value? Worth desiring? Worthy of great effort to secure? Can liberty be invested with enough intrinsic value that one would sacrifice her/his life to obtain it or secure it?
Our Framers and Founders considered liberty to be the highest ideal of a civil society. As they labored to devise a system of governance, they sought to maintain a balance between tyranny and anarchy. Anarchy would transform the concept of liberty into the reality of libertine license while tyranny would obviously suffocate the spark of freedom. They rightly discerned that liberty would thrive in an environment structured by the rule of law, but the practice and application of the law should not be excessively restrictive. To achieve the delicate balance they limited the powers of the government and recognized that our freedoms, our liberty are gifts from God and should not be altered by government.
According to the Founders, government should not tamper with the natural law. What God has ordained, no device created by man should limit or abridge. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the application and practical use of liberty. How do we recognize it? How can we explain it? How to secure it, restore it and implement it. Until our citizens understand the true nature of liberty, they will not grasp its importance for our lives.
Your comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com or earl4sos@gmail.com
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Littlestuff Weekender
Some notes and observations from the campaign trail:
We often drove several hours for a candidate forum whereupon we were allotted 2-3 minutes to sway the audience. Those time constraints required that we develop something memorable to catch the attention of the audience. Here are a few of our attempts to impress the people.
- “There are three reasons that you should vote for me—I’m old, I’m crazy and I’m angry!”
The “old” description was used to flashback to my previous service in the Legislature, adding how many of the people that I served with remain in politics, and emphasizing that things haven’t gotten better in the last quarter century.
The “crazy” descriptor was my justification for running statewide as a third/minor party candidate who believes that principle trumps party.
Finally, the “angry” highlighted my passion for cleaning the stable and restoring Constitutional government to Ohio.
- “Hi, I’m Charlie Earl, and I’m a radical extremist!”
I am radically ticked off that our career politicians, so-called public servants, have allowed the fiscal structure of our country and our state to drift and slide towards bankruptcy.
I am extremely angry that they have spent the wealth of future generations while expanding the Nanny State in an attempt to control our lives.
- (Usually a closer) “Remember, if you’re angry with career politicians, E.A.R.L., Earl is a four-letter word!”
We cherished the opportunity to travel our amazing state “all at once.” Like many of you, I have, over my lifetime been to many venues in our remarkable state, but to see all of it in 9 months was an eye-opener for me. While the Cinci-Dayton corridor and the Columbus-Delaware County areas appear to be doing quite well, the remainder of Ohio is hurting. I can recall driving along SR 104 and observing several rural homes “for sale.” Many of these were of modular construction, with a small shed or barn, and sitting on a 2-acre plot. They represented someone’s dream—a little country home with some room for the kids to roam. A dream that had gone sour.
As an advocate of free markets, I do not embrace the “bailout/debt-forgiveness” strategies of the left. I firmly believe that one of our greatest freedoms is the freedom to fail—to learn and to try again. In order for us to have ample opportunities to recover from our lapses, government must get out of the way, and stay out of the way.
Maybe I’m a Neanderthal, but it seems to me that the more helpful that government is, the less self-reliant the people become. As we observe the monstrous fiscal crisis that is on our doorstep, we wonder if three generations of government intervention have weakened the will, and the ability, of the people to fail, to learn and to try again.
It is my goal to continue my efforts to be an “Evangelist for Liberty” in the months ahead. If any of you need a speaker for your Tea Party, 912, Liberty or Patriot groups, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions or Chamber of Commerce, please contact me. I promise you a stirring and uplifting message. Although I generally prefer to concentrate on Ohio, I will travel to Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Illinois. I will, in fact, be addressing the Conclave of the Michigan Libertarian Party on February 5th.
You can respond to this blog or schedule a speaking date by emailing:
Earl4sos@gmail.com
cnpearl@woh.rr.com
We often drove several hours for a candidate forum whereupon we were allotted 2-3 minutes to sway the audience. Those time constraints required that we develop something memorable to catch the attention of the audience. Here are a few of our attempts to impress the people.
- “There are three reasons that you should vote for me—I’m old, I’m crazy and I’m angry!”
The “old” description was used to flashback to my previous service in the Legislature, adding how many of the people that I served with remain in politics, and emphasizing that things haven’t gotten better in the last quarter century.
The “crazy” descriptor was my justification for running statewide as a third/minor party candidate who believes that principle trumps party.
Finally, the “angry” highlighted my passion for cleaning the stable and restoring Constitutional government to Ohio.
- “Hi, I’m Charlie Earl, and I’m a radical extremist!”
I am radically ticked off that our career politicians, so-called public servants, have allowed the fiscal structure of our country and our state to drift and slide towards bankruptcy.
I am extremely angry that they have spent the wealth of future generations while expanding the Nanny State in an attempt to control our lives.
- (Usually a closer) “Remember, if you’re angry with career politicians, E.A.R.L., Earl is a four-letter word!”
We cherished the opportunity to travel our amazing state “all at once.” Like many of you, I have, over my lifetime been to many venues in our remarkable state, but to see all of it in 9 months was an eye-opener for me. While the Cinci-Dayton corridor and the Columbus-Delaware County areas appear to be doing quite well, the remainder of Ohio is hurting. I can recall driving along SR 104 and observing several rural homes “for sale.” Many of these were of modular construction, with a small shed or barn, and sitting on a 2-acre plot. They represented someone’s dream—a little country home with some room for the kids to roam. A dream that had gone sour.
As an advocate of free markets, I do not embrace the “bailout/debt-forgiveness” strategies of the left. I firmly believe that one of our greatest freedoms is the freedom to fail—to learn and to try again. In order for us to have ample opportunities to recover from our lapses, government must get out of the way, and stay out of the way.
Maybe I’m a Neanderthal, but it seems to me that the more helpful that government is, the less self-reliant the people become. As we observe the monstrous fiscal crisis that is on our doorstep, we wonder if three generations of government intervention have weakened the will, and the ability, of the people to fail, to learn and to try again.
It is my goal to continue my efforts to be an “Evangelist for Liberty” in the months ahead. If any of you need a speaker for your Tea Party, 912, Liberty or Patriot groups, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions or Chamber of Commerce, please contact me. I promise you a stirring and uplifting message. Although I generally prefer to concentrate on Ohio, I will travel to Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Illinois. I will, in fact, be addressing the Conclave of the Michigan Libertarian Party on February 5th.
You can respond to this blog or schedule a speaking date by emailing:
Earl4sos@gmail.com
cnpearl@woh.rr.com
Friday, November 5, 2010
Longtime Loving
One of my all-time favorite songs is George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” It’s a poignant lament about a lifetime committed to unrequited devotion. Only through the finality of death did the old gent stop his longing for his lost love. Country music is often heralded as the genre’ that most reflects the real-life experience of the average low-brow American. Trains, trucks, guns, booze and heartbreak seem to be the dominant themes on my XM Country stations. While my musical talents are limited, my tastes are eclectic, and I find myself becoming more attracted to Country as the years go by. It represents, in my view, a metaphor for the state of the nation and our state of mind.
Like many citizens of the United States, I spent my early years taking Liberty, Freedom and Opportunity for granted. I accepted the premise that my goals and dreams were limited only by my vision, my energy and my determination. Sometime during the past fifty years, that formula for self-fulfillment was seriously altered, and I failed to note the change. The rules were changed, and without a clue, I was clinging to the old ways. Liberty was no longer considered a God-given natural right, but was a precious commodity to be parceled out in tiny increments by a kind and generous government.
Many jurists, legislators, administrators and citizens had twisted the “pursuit of happiness” into a justification for government oversight and intervention into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. In addition, the “general welfare” clause was expanded to the point of becoming an all-inclusive justification for governmental intrusion and involvement. So, how can a mindless, heartless, soulless entity like our leviathan government insure the general welfare and promote the pursuit of happiness for 312million people? Do we share the same dreams? Do we have similar talents and abilities? Are our ambitions and desires equally distributed? To me, the answers to these questions are self-revealing, and demonstrate clearly the impotence and unresponsiveness of too-big government.
Admittedly, my view springs from the individualist perspective. Big government advocates accept the collectivist point-of-view. These world views are incompatible, and no meaningful compromise is acceptable for either group of advocates. These two mindsets are diametrically opposed to one another and cannot co-exist in any meaningful way. For several decades the collectivist mentality has controlled the agenda while individualists meekly succumbed to the usurpation of natural Law. As one individual who believes that God granted me the spark of life and the free will to make my own decisions, I apologize for my silence in years gone by. Just as God has granted me the power to choose Him…or reject Him (and face the consequences), I also have the individual power to yield or to reject the smothering oppressive big government intervention into every aspect of my life.
Henceforth, I will battle, confound, resist and undermine the mindless, heartless and soulless state. Liberty is a gift from God, and I shall not squander it willingly.
Comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com
earl4sos@gmail.com
Like many citizens of the United States, I spent my early years taking Liberty, Freedom and Opportunity for granted. I accepted the premise that my goals and dreams were limited only by my vision, my energy and my determination. Sometime during the past fifty years, that formula for self-fulfillment was seriously altered, and I failed to note the change. The rules were changed, and without a clue, I was clinging to the old ways. Liberty was no longer considered a God-given natural right, but was a precious commodity to be parceled out in tiny increments by a kind and generous government.
Many jurists, legislators, administrators and citizens had twisted the “pursuit of happiness” into a justification for government oversight and intervention into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. In addition, the “general welfare” clause was expanded to the point of becoming an all-inclusive justification for governmental intrusion and involvement. So, how can a mindless, heartless, soulless entity like our leviathan government insure the general welfare and promote the pursuit of happiness for 312million people? Do we share the same dreams? Do we have similar talents and abilities? Are our ambitions and desires equally distributed? To me, the answers to these questions are self-revealing, and demonstrate clearly the impotence and unresponsiveness of too-big government.
Admittedly, my view springs from the individualist perspective. Big government advocates accept the collectivist point-of-view. These world views are incompatible, and no meaningful compromise is acceptable for either group of advocates. These two mindsets are diametrically opposed to one another and cannot co-exist in any meaningful way. For several decades the collectivist mentality has controlled the agenda while individualists meekly succumbed to the usurpation of natural Law. As one individual who believes that God granted me the spark of life and the free will to make my own decisions, I apologize for my silence in years gone by. Just as God has granted me the power to choose Him…or reject Him (and face the consequences), I also have the individual power to yield or to reject the smothering oppressive big government intervention into every aspect of my life.
Henceforth, I will battle, confound, resist and undermine the mindless, heartless and soulless state. Liberty is a gift from God, and I shall not squander it willingly.
Comments are welcome: cnpearl@woh.rr.com
earl4sos@gmail.com
Thursday, November 4, 2010
A Short Glance Back
Hey, it's over. I'm snorkeling now as I swim under the weight of the GOP tsunami. Also, in addition to catching up with the errands at home, I'm trying to analylize the previous year--it's successes and failures, and I'm preparing a game plan for the next two years. In other words...no rest for the old guy.
Candidly, I expected to lose, but Holy Insignificance, Batman, less than 5 per cent? Is it my hair, my breath, my message, or my perceived Constitutional radicalism? It was probably my anonimity. Although I was the Libertarian candidate for Ohio's Secretary of State, I was merely another nameless face, faceless name in the grand scope of Ohio's power politics. I spoke with thousands of people, but it required hundreds of thousands to penetrate the "membrane of silence." It was vital that I speak directly with many thousands to escape the "also running" pigeonhole constructed by many of the mass media.
To lay the blame for my anemic totals at the clay feet of the mass media is not productive and not accurate. There were two glaring errors in my campaign for which I, alone, am responsible. The first was my failure to engage a campaign manager who would be responsible for organizing and deploying our volunteers. We made an early attempt to do so, but when that situation did not work out, I continued to forge on without taking the time to fill the gap. That weakness was deadly because our ground game was haphazard at best and nonexistent generally.
The second major chink in my candidacy's armour was my reluctance to solicit funds. A couple of my supporters offered to have fundraisers for me, and I waited for them to go forward rather than doing the planning and scheduling myself. As a result, when we got to the final days, we had insufficient financing for mass media purchases. I'm not certain if its pride or stupidity that drives my unwillingness to plead, cajole....and beg for bucks.
While there are numerous other contributing factors for my tiny total of votes, I believe those two are the most obvious. Let me be clear. I have no regrets. Sharing the message of Liberty and Constitutional government is a mission that I have and will embrace. If I had worked smarter, then the cause could have been advanced somewhat farther.
Candidly, I expected to lose, but Holy Insignificance, Batman, less than 5 per cent? Is it my hair, my breath, my message, or my perceived Constitutional radicalism? It was probably my anonimity. Although I was the Libertarian candidate for Ohio's Secretary of State, I was merely another nameless face, faceless name in the grand scope of Ohio's power politics. I spoke with thousands of people, but it required hundreds of thousands to penetrate the "membrane of silence." It was vital that I speak directly with many thousands to escape the "also running" pigeonhole constructed by many of the mass media.
To lay the blame for my anemic totals at the clay feet of the mass media is not productive and not accurate. There were two glaring errors in my campaign for which I, alone, am responsible. The first was my failure to engage a campaign manager who would be responsible for organizing and deploying our volunteers. We made an early attempt to do so, but when that situation did not work out, I continued to forge on without taking the time to fill the gap. That weakness was deadly because our ground game was haphazard at best and nonexistent generally.
The second major chink in my candidacy's armour was my reluctance to solicit funds. A couple of my supporters offered to have fundraisers for me, and I waited for them to go forward rather than doing the planning and scheduling myself. As a result, when we got to the final days, we had insufficient financing for mass media purchases. I'm not certain if its pride or stupidity that drives my unwillingness to plead, cajole....and beg for bucks.
While there are numerous other contributing factors for my tiny total of votes, I believe those two are the most obvious. Let me be clear. I have no regrets. Sharing the message of Liberty and Constitutional government is a mission that I have and will embrace. If I had worked smarter, then the cause could have been advanced somewhat farther.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Liberty Lovers Can Make a Difference
To my Libertarian, Tea Party, 912, We Surround Them, WeByFor and other affiliated and like-minded friends and Patriots:
Let me begin by acknowledging that is has been twenty-eight (28) years since I last ran for public office. I haven’t been totally dormant during that time because I have managed or consulted for a statewide ballot petitioning issue, a Congressional race, three County Commission campaigns, a County Auditor’s contest and various and sundry legislative and local campaigns. In addition, my graduate work was in Political Communication while pursuing my advanced degrees within the Mass Communication discipline. In other words, I have been very involved with the electoral process for the past three decades and longer.
Many of you are engaged in the electoral process in a meaningful way for the very first time. Your energy, your passion and your commitment to good Constitutional government are commendable. There is, however, one area where I believe that your efforts are leading to a significant strategic error and a gross miscalculation. Your primary focus based on your rhetoric and efforts seems to be directed toward the national political scene. Granted, Washington is radically messed up, but I believe that your impact and your effectiveness should be targeted toward the state.
Because I live in Ohio, I will use the Buckeye state as an illustration of why I would re-direct my energies if I were you. In my humble opinion the efforts of liberty loving patriots should be directed towards state legislative races. Why? Twelve (12) active individuals can, through their efforts, make the difference in an Ohio House contest. A dozen committed workers can implement a true “feet on the ground” strategy that can overcome most funding inequities, work EVERY neighborhood and capitalize on every outreach opportunity within the district. It takes 50 House members to control the general Assembly, therefore with roughly six hundred (600) active, engaged and dedicated workers, we/you could exercise true power in the state capitol. Clearly, working with candidates who are welded to a nullification agenda is critical. The candidates MUST be strict Constitutionalists who will not waver. Because they represent smaller districts within the state and because Columbus is reasonably accessible, the people can hold “their feet to the fire.” You might counter by remarking that the legislators do not pay attention to their constituents now, so what would change? Well, the new members would owe their positions to you “new activists.”
Similar numbers would have the same impact in the Ohio Senate races. With 25-30 energized team members, a Senate district would be in play. Seventeen is the controlling number in the upper chamber of the Ohio General Assembly, so roughly 500 freedom warriors could change the course of Ohio’s history. Add the House and Senate districts together, and roughly 1100 dedicated, hard working people could transform Ohio’s and the Nation’s political landscape. The Nation’s? Of course, with an Ohio legislature committed to a Nullification Agenda….and if a few other states follow the same path, then 10 to 11 states who refuse to implement any unconstitutional garbage from the feds would cause federal Nannyism to screech to a halt. What response could we (the states, Ohio) expect from Big Brother? National Guard? Can’t do it because too many of our Guard are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan plus are your friends, neighbors, sons and daughters going to forcibly make you comply with illegal federal law? I don’t think so.
So, what about a statewide campaign (e.g. mine)? Won’t the nullification legislature be hamstrung by statewide officials who do not support their principles? Perhaps, but an effective, winning statewide campaign can be waged with 500-600 active workers, however a statewide nullification supporter can get by with fewer because of the carry-over from the legislative races. You might ask what about those critters who represent our state in Congress? First, I’m inherently suspicious of anyone who lusts to serve there, but they are generally quick to jump in front of a bandwagon when they see it coming. Let’s do the calculus: Twelve to 15 people in 50 house (a dozen or so neighbors, co-workers, churchmembers)districts, plus 25-30 people in 17 senate districts and 500 working for a statewide ticket can transform the political structure in Ohio. Ohio will have 16 Congressional seats for the next election cycle (2012). Fewer than 2,000 extremely active Patriots will be altering Ohio politics and governance for the better. If Ohio were to do a political “180,” isn’t it likely that at least 9 Members of Congress will jump on board. If we concentrate on Congress alone without placing Ohio at the hub of reform, then we will be sending people to that den of corruption with little support. They’ll be hours away by plane and surrounded by the culture that got us into this mess in the first place. Even if we can elect people with 100% Constitutional principles over 3 to 4 election cycles, by the time we have a full contingent of Patriots, the early victors would probably have begun the trail of compromise. Let’s begin the cleansing here.
So, Charlie, you might ask…what about the courts? What if they strike down all of our nullification efforts? My response is “so what?” An apocryphal story attributes this quote to Andrew Jackson referring to the Supreme Court: They have made their decision, now let them enforce it.” The courts have no police or military units. There is precedent in Ohio for ignoring state Supreme Court edicts---remember the school funding fiasco? OK, what about the Rule of Law that is so instrumental for maintaining a civil Republic? In the words of a five year old in the back seat of a car: They did it to me first. The Congress, the Executive, the Judicial branches on the Federal level plus all three branches of the state level have cavalierly ignored the supreme law of the land while stealing our liberty, our labor and our property.
The May 4th Primaries have come and gone. The results for the Champions of Liberty were rather meager. There were some small victories, but generally speaking, our clocks were cleaned. The diffused nature of our activities doomed us to come up short in the electoral lottery for liberty. So what vehicles do we have available now with the General Election a mere 5 months down the road? My suggestion would be to quickly vet the remaining candidates for the General Assembly and statewide office. If a third party candidate who has ballot access meets all the qualifications for Constitutional restoration and nullification, then we should coalesce around those candidates (obviously, I prefer the Libertarian alternatives). NO CANDIDATE WHO REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MAJOR PARTIES SHOULD RECEIVE OUR COORDINATED ACTIVE SUPPORT. Why? Well, if you haven’t learned from the Primary election that Kevin DeWine and those of his careerist ilk are not your friends, then you cannot seriously be considered a reformist. You could be mildly disturbed with the party apparatus, but you would be willing to give them the car keys again to drive you home from the party. I served in office as a Republican legislator in the ‘80’s. I have watched them become “D-lite” politicians who are more interested in their careers than they are with MY state. The only states that they appear to wholeheartedly support is the state of confusion…the state of economic collapse…the state of political misfeasance and malfeasance, and the state of political corruption. If there is no viable third party candidate available in a given district, then a careful thoughtful vetting of the two remaining Old Party partisans should be undertaken with a bias in favor of the candidate who has served the least amount of time in office. Never forget…career politicians lie…often. The existent party apparatus has fought against Liberty candidates, including GOP State Central Committee, in the past—both way back (I remember Goldwater) and as late as this month. They are untrustworthy. All about power and party…not about principle and posterity.
When one has been assaulted, when one’s loved ones have been abused and when one’s treasure has been confiscated by an irresponsible, out-of-control government, then one is duty bound (to God, to one’s family and one’s progeny) to resist with every weapon in the armory. The strategy that I have proposed herein is non-violent, Constitutional and was anticipated by the Founders. Join me as we forge a new vision for Ohio (and all you other states who have the courage to join us) and restore the great documents that were inspired by God and conceived by men—the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. If we are citizens who cherish our country, our state, our honor and our legacy, then we must engage in a plan that will work in the short term and endure until the people become lethargic again and the process will have to be repeated. Let us hope and pray that future generations will look to us as inspiring beacons of liberty just as we look to our Founding.
Please accept my apology for being so tardy with this observation. I understand that the disparate groups among you have varying goals and objectives. My intent is not to dictate how you advance the cause of Freedom, but I love my Lord, my wife, my family, my community, my state ….. and my country. I am now more than six decades old (60+ for those in Rio Linda). I am sorry that I have not fulfilled my duty as a leader of my family and as a citizen. My disdain for the political class (career politicians) outweighed my alarm and willingness to do battle again. I do not want the same thing to happen to all of you. I can image that if victory and Constitutional restoration are not accomplished relatively quickly, then your frustration and despair will mirror mine. That cannot be allowed to happen. That must not occur. Our children and grandchildren shall not live in tyranny.
Thank you.
For comments, contact:
Charlie Earl
Libertarian candidate for Ohio Secretary of State
www.earlforohio.com
earl4sos@gmail.com
Let me begin by acknowledging that is has been twenty-eight (28) years since I last ran for public office. I haven’t been totally dormant during that time because I have managed or consulted for a statewide ballot petitioning issue, a Congressional race, three County Commission campaigns, a County Auditor’s contest and various and sundry legislative and local campaigns. In addition, my graduate work was in Political Communication while pursuing my advanced degrees within the Mass Communication discipline. In other words, I have been very involved with the electoral process for the past three decades and longer.
Many of you are engaged in the electoral process in a meaningful way for the very first time. Your energy, your passion and your commitment to good Constitutional government are commendable. There is, however, one area where I believe that your efforts are leading to a significant strategic error and a gross miscalculation. Your primary focus based on your rhetoric and efforts seems to be directed toward the national political scene. Granted, Washington is radically messed up, but I believe that your impact and your effectiveness should be targeted toward the state.
Because I live in Ohio, I will use the Buckeye state as an illustration of why I would re-direct my energies if I were you. In my humble opinion the efforts of liberty loving patriots should be directed towards state legislative races. Why? Twelve (12) active individuals can, through their efforts, make the difference in an Ohio House contest. A dozen committed workers can implement a true “feet on the ground” strategy that can overcome most funding inequities, work EVERY neighborhood and capitalize on every outreach opportunity within the district. It takes 50 House members to control the general Assembly, therefore with roughly six hundred (600) active, engaged and dedicated workers, we/you could exercise true power in the state capitol. Clearly, working with candidates who are welded to a nullification agenda is critical. The candidates MUST be strict Constitutionalists who will not waver. Because they represent smaller districts within the state and because Columbus is reasonably accessible, the people can hold “their feet to the fire.” You might counter by remarking that the legislators do not pay attention to their constituents now, so what would change? Well, the new members would owe their positions to you “new activists.”
Similar numbers would have the same impact in the Ohio Senate races. With 25-30 energized team members, a Senate district would be in play. Seventeen is the controlling number in the upper chamber of the Ohio General Assembly, so roughly 500 freedom warriors could change the course of Ohio’s history. Add the House and Senate districts together, and roughly 1100 dedicated, hard working people could transform Ohio’s and the Nation’s political landscape. The Nation’s? Of course, with an Ohio legislature committed to a Nullification Agenda….and if a few other states follow the same path, then 10 to 11 states who refuse to implement any unconstitutional garbage from the feds would cause federal Nannyism to screech to a halt. What response could we (the states, Ohio) expect from Big Brother? National Guard? Can’t do it because too many of our Guard are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan plus are your friends, neighbors, sons and daughters going to forcibly make you comply with illegal federal law? I don’t think so.
So, what about a statewide campaign (e.g. mine)? Won’t the nullification legislature be hamstrung by statewide officials who do not support their principles? Perhaps, but an effective, winning statewide campaign can be waged with 500-600 active workers, however a statewide nullification supporter can get by with fewer because of the carry-over from the legislative races. You might ask what about those critters who represent our state in Congress? First, I’m inherently suspicious of anyone who lusts to serve there, but they are generally quick to jump in front of a bandwagon when they see it coming. Let’s do the calculus: Twelve to 15 people in 50 house (a dozen or so neighbors, co-workers, churchmembers)districts, plus 25-30 people in 17 senate districts and 500 working for a statewide ticket can transform the political structure in Ohio. Ohio will have 16 Congressional seats for the next election cycle (2012). Fewer than 2,000 extremely active Patriots will be altering Ohio politics and governance for the better. If Ohio were to do a political “180,” isn’t it likely that at least 9 Members of Congress will jump on board. If we concentrate on Congress alone without placing Ohio at the hub of reform, then we will be sending people to that den of corruption with little support. They’ll be hours away by plane and surrounded by the culture that got us into this mess in the first place. Even if we can elect people with 100% Constitutional principles over 3 to 4 election cycles, by the time we have a full contingent of Patriots, the early victors would probably have begun the trail of compromise. Let’s begin the cleansing here.
So, Charlie, you might ask…what about the courts? What if they strike down all of our nullification efforts? My response is “so what?” An apocryphal story attributes this quote to Andrew Jackson referring to the Supreme Court: They have made their decision, now let them enforce it.” The courts have no police or military units. There is precedent in Ohio for ignoring state Supreme Court edicts---remember the school funding fiasco? OK, what about the Rule of Law that is so instrumental for maintaining a civil Republic? In the words of a five year old in the back seat of a car: They did it to me first. The Congress, the Executive, the Judicial branches on the Federal level plus all three branches of the state level have cavalierly ignored the supreme law of the land while stealing our liberty, our labor and our property.
The May 4th Primaries have come and gone. The results for the Champions of Liberty were rather meager. There were some small victories, but generally speaking, our clocks were cleaned. The diffused nature of our activities doomed us to come up short in the electoral lottery for liberty. So what vehicles do we have available now with the General Election a mere 5 months down the road? My suggestion would be to quickly vet the remaining candidates for the General Assembly and statewide office. If a third party candidate who has ballot access meets all the qualifications for Constitutional restoration and nullification, then we should coalesce around those candidates (obviously, I prefer the Libertarian alternatives). NO CANDIDATE WHO REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MAJOR PARTIES SHOULD RECEIVE OUR COORDINATED ACTIVE SUPPORT. Why? Well, if you haven’t learned from the Primary election that Kevin DeWine and those of his careerist ilk are not your friends, then you cannot seriously be considered a reformist. You could be mildly disturbed with the party apparatus, but you would be willing to give them the car keys again to drive you home from the party. I served in office as a Republican legislator in the ‘80’s. I have watched them become “D-lite” politicians who are more interested in their careers than they are with MY state. The only states that they appear to wholeheartedly support is the state of confusion…the state of economic collapse…the state of political misfeasance and malfeasance, and the state of political corruption. If there is no viable third party candidate available in a given district, then a careful thoughtful vetting of the two remaining Old Party partisans should be undertaken with a bias in favor of the candidate who has served the least amount of time in office. Never forget…career politicians lie…often. The existent party apparatus has fought against Liberty candidates, including GOP State Central Committee, in the past—both way back (I remember Goldwater) and as late as this month. They are untrustworthy. All about power and party…not about principle and posterity.
When one has been assaulted, when one’s loved ones have been abused and when one’s treasure has been confiscated by an irresponsible, out-of-control government, then one is duty bound (to God, to one’s family and one’s progeny) to resist with every weapon in the armory. The strategy that I have proposed herein is non-violent, Constitutional and was anticipated by the Founders. Join me as we forge a new vision for Ohio (and all you other states who have the courage to join us) and restore the great documents that were inspired by God and conceived by men—the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. If we are citizens who cherish our country, our state, our honor and our legacy, then we must engage in a plan that will work in the short term and endure until the people become lethargic again and the process will have to be repeated. Let us hope and pray that future generations will look to us as inspiring beacons of liberty just as we look to our Founding.
Please accept my apology for being so tardy with this observation. I understand that the disparate groups among you have varying goals and objectives. My intent is not to dictate how you advance the cause of Freedom, but I love my Lord, my wife, my family, my community, my state ….. and my country. I am now more than six decades old (60+ for those in Rio Linda). I am sorry that I have not fulfilled my duty as a leader of my family and as a citizen. My disdain for the political class (career politicians) outweighed my alarm and willingness to do battle again. I do not want the same thing to happen to all of you. I can image that if victory and Constitutional restoration are not accomplished relatively quickly, then your frustration and despair will mirror mine. That cannot be allowed to happen. That must not occur. Our children and grandchildren shall not live in tyranny.
Thank you.
For comments, contact:
Charlie Earl
Libertarian candidate for Ohio Secretary of State
www.earlforohio.com
earl4sos@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
