# 155 Trust

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

July 23, 2013

# 155

“Trust and Government – Today’s Chasm”

These past few years have seeded a very uncomfortable thought among many of us. We question if we can trust our government. The nagging thought is not relegated to a solitary event, either. Instead, this skepticism links to both events and legislation. What’s more, the source of our concerns appears endemic to the political arena within the Washington, D.C. beltway.

What happens in the halls of Congress today should make those who revere the U.S. Constitution cringe. The outline for proper government has taken a back seat to agenda-driven legislation and that should worry you.

Many keep a dictionary in the house. I do too, but I am partial to the Constitution as a good reference guide. Not only do I carry a copy of the Constitution in my vehicle but I also have another one within reach in the evenings, too. That particular, well-worn copy travels with me. I like to be able to pick it up whenever I like. The Constitution is not only our guide. Oh, not it is so much more. It is a discipline all its own.

I see history as a roadmap, not a dull recitation of names, dates, and events. When applied to this marvelous document, it is easy to lose track of the fine minds that created it.

How wise those men were… how concise… how aware… how distrustful of power….

Much to my chagrin, they foresaw just what we face today.
I watched a bit of a John Stossel special the other night. It focused on the striking parallel between ancient Rome thousands of years ago and the United States today. It was thrilling to hear a discussion of the two civilizations.

While I do not proscribe to agree with every libertarian “take” on all subjects, they do offer a meaty topic in this case.
Why? Because I’ve drawn a similar comparison in a number of columns over the past ten years — homing in on the growing near-obsession with leisure and sports. Oh, the workweek still exists –- for those fortunate enough to have full-time jobs — but the basic tenets of work before play blurs before our eyes and continues to wane. Applicants are more apt to ask about “time off” than overtime. Go figure….
Recently, a large group of libertarian-minded people gathered in Las Vegas at “Freedom Fest”. Over a thousand debated the question: “Are We Rome?” Read the following text from the FOX News Channel website.
“Matt Kibbe, Freedomworks CEO, says America is following in the footsteps of Rome. Carl Richard, University of Louisiana History Professor, cites America’s blatant disregard for the Constitution. Steve Forbes, Forbes Media Editor-in-Chief, believes that Americans are now more aware and involved, and things like the tea party movement may prevent us from collapsing like Rome.”
Many of the contributing thinkers reflected on an old theme — Bread and Circuses. Unlike the overused guns and butter comparison in beginning economics classes, this appraisal roots in the fact that Rome gave its people entertainment in lieu of leadership, frivolity and sport instead of ethical
Government. The Roman leaders distracted its people with inconsequential crises and allowed entertainment to trump incentive. Once it had the populace within its control without fanfare, it could rule without challenge.

There is an old story about feeding hogs. Begin with one section of fence placed near the trough. Little by little, add more sections until one side is complete. Day by day, the hogs still go to eat, all the while ignoring the growing enclosure. Over time, three sides are complete. The fourth goes slowly, and then — with that final section is in place — the hogs find themselves without a way out. That is precisely what will happen to us if we don’t pay attention to what is going on these days.

Soon the government will hold every piece of information about each and every one of us. The huge database within the Affordable Care Act will identify each of us from cradle to grave. What’s more, if a committee yet to be named deems us unworthy of care, it may be an earlier grave than we deserve. Grim? You bet it is.

Every time a citizen with genuine concern — and often armed with facts — challenges government, that citizen runs the risk of being labeled a “conspiracy theorist.” How convenient. Emotion again over facts… if they cannot refute facts, they call names and attack ad hominem.

Where will all this end? Will we find ourselves in a real mess and not know how we got there? We certainly are hogs at the trough right now, but at what stage is the fence?

Drones now fly over our nation. All phones and computer data are available to persons unknown. Data mining is likely far worse than we think. And, if that’s not enough to scare the pants off you, then the specter of what our president calls “a national police force” should.

The best government is small. The best government is closest to the people. A local law enforcement complement fulfills that description beautifully. When you begin to layer levels of enforcement, you end up in a bureaucratic spiral that never seems to end. Why on earth do we need a national police force, unless — of course — the architects of such a group wants to control everyone in the nation and not just the criminals?

We need to dedicate ourselves to the task and educate our children and grandchildren to recognize the tremendous value and resource of personal freedom. These young people take it for granted. They have never known anything else. Perhaps they need to heed those who have survived foreign despots and lived the dream of coming to the United States to achieve their long-sought freedom.

Ask anyone who lived in a divided Germany how it felt to be walled off from prosperity and opportunity, from family and friends.

You never miss something until you lose it. We cannot afford to lose our freedom. We cannot fail to see that it is under attack today.

Freedom stands as a compilation of many facets. Recently, the facets have been disappearing, leaving the brilliance of the country’s founders dulled. Instead of polishing a rough rock into a gorgeous diamond, we are witnessing the opposite. Today, there are those who, gleefully, aim to destroy a true gem one scrape at a time… one regulation at a time… one law at a time… one restriction at a time… one ban at a time. Sound familiar?

Speak out. Don’t believe for one moment that a groundswell of people cannot begin in your community. When you question decisions of your elected representatives, call them on the carpet. Demand explanations. Demand they follow the U. S. Constitution. Demand logical and sensible answers. Although, sadly, both logic and common sense are rare attributes among today’s leaders at the federal level.

We need to restore our nation. Adopt a new ancronym: T R U S T.

Time to
Restore the
United
States
To Greatness.

I am not at ease with the federal government. Old-fashioned trust is gone. I feel more and more threatened and worry about the youngest among us. If we do not move to set this straight, what will they inherit from us? Let’s steer another course. Set your sights on hard work and achievement. Set the ship of state back on the firm course of the past.

It is possible. It’s not a pipe dream. Time has not yet run out. But it will take all of us. The silent majority must rise up and do something.

It triumphs one person at a time. It takes courage. Will you help?

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