Commentary: Liberty Hijacked by Democrats, Republicans

By: Ameek Sodhi

Our founding fathers constructed our governmental institutions, mindful of the simple idea of liberty. They knew it was something that would set us apart from others. The founders understood the power of a ruthless king as their colonies had been subjected to the wrath of Britain’s Empire. They experienced British troops living in their homes and the inability to have a voice in their governance. They witnessed the tyranny of a monarchy that stretched its influence all across our original thirteen colonies. They fought a bloody revolution, and they won. Our founders celebrated, but their work was not finished.

They drafted the Articles of Confederation, and it was too weak to collect taxes or raise a militia. So they tried again – this time with more luck with the Constitution we still adhere to today. In the documents that they left us of their debates, the Federalist Papers, we see why our government is divided the way it is. Our founders wanted factions in the population, so that healthy debate and compromise would occur. To make sure that the same would hold true for government, they wanted auxiliary precautions – a multidimensional government. Namely, three co-equal branches that would check the others, making sure no branch of government got too powerful. It is a pretty solid system, and it all works because ordinary citizens have the freedom – the liberty – to choose the direction of our country.

As genius as our institutions may be, they are not perfect. The most pressing fear our founders had was that of tyranny – tyranny of the majority in our country. They feared that passions of the moment would cause people to vote with their short-term self interests in mind, instead of considering the long term good of the country. The Anti-Federalists feared an executive branch that would abuse its powers and resemble that of monarchal rule. Unfortunately, both political parties have exploited the power they have, and have done what our founders feared the most – stripped the public of liberty.

The free market is an economic expression of our liberty. Every day citizens, investors, and capital all come together to decide what they want to produce and consume. Under the Democrats, this is the latest battlefield where war has been waged against liberty. President Obama says he doesn’t want to run the auto companies. Why then has he delayed GM and Chrysler out of an inevitable, healthy bankruptcy? If this government assistance is temporary, why has the federal government mandated that the unions get a disproportionate share of Chrysler when it comes out of bankruptcy? The federal government is stripping market forces, big and small, of their role in determining the fate of these companies. The market is not able to express the supply and demand that has made it an engine of growth for the world to enjoy. Simply put, the market’s liberty is at stake.

And to be fair, the Republicans are just as guilty. They began this out of control spending that has crowded the private sector’s ability to function correctly. They played the national security card to take dangerous advantage of the public’s trust – most tragically with racial profiling and threatening all descent. They forgot that a land of liberty demands free speech, as the direction of the country rests with the people.

Although the Republicans began the wrongdoings, it does not give Democrats the right to do the same. George Bush’s doubling of the national debt does not give the Democrats the right to quadruple it. Republicans calling those against the Iraq war unpatriotic does not give Democrats the right to accuse those opposed to government-run healthcare unsympathetic towards the sick and uninsured. Both parties have the stain of trying to take our liberty on their hands.

What is striking is that Democrats campaigned and won on the message of fiscal responsibility in 2006 and 2008 – pointing out that the Republicans had doubled the national debt. The American people were rightfully angry, voting in Democrats in the hope they would restore some fiscal discipline in Washington. What many people did not consider when voting Democratic was their party’s record with spending – they’re Keynesians, it’s what they do. And now, the same liberal fiscal policies that we experienced under President Bush are getting exponentially worse under President Obama.

Unfortunately, our founders’ fears have surfaced to the reality of American politics today. As our founders warned, our institutions are imperfect because our populous is imperfect. When one party messed up for 8 years, we elected the other without recognizing what exactly we were voting for. The Democrats have managed one of the most massive hoodwinks in the last century of American history by promising change, but in the end, continuing the same raid on our liberties. Our liberty has been hijacked far too many times, and it’s time we take it back. In 2010, vote for the candidate, not the party, which will best redeem our liberties.

Commentary: Republicans Need to Get Back to Principles

By: Louie Glinzak

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Clinton County Lincoln Day Dinner. For those of you who are not familiar with Lincoln Day Dinners (sometimes also labeled as Reagan Day Dinners), they are the primary fundraiser for county republican parties. They usually consist of a lot of mingling, along with a dinner, and then a speaker to address the group. Clinton County was able to get Joe the Plumber to give a speech.

That day, Joe the Plumber was the most popular guy in the room. This may come as a surprise to a lot of people considering he is an average American who challenged President Obama during the campaign. However, Joe talked in a manner that was not politically correct, and I am sure it did not sit too well with many of the elected officials; although this is exactly what America and the elected officials need.

Joe is like most Americans. He is tired.

Joe is tired of his elected officials and government failing him. He is tired of the economic down swing that we have now been in for awhile. He is tired and he knows it is time for him to do something. He is doing his best to make a difference and tell elected officials what they need to hear not what they want to hear.

One of the things that stuck with me at the end of the night was when Joe said politicians need to return to acting and deciding based on their principles. Both parties have left their principles and that is why we are currently in the situation we are in.

Now I can not speak for members of the Democrat Party, but from a Republican perspective Joe is absolutely correct.

Republicans have left the principles of their party, and members of both parties have disregarded their moral principles. When you look at this, it is no surprise that we are currently in the situation we are in.

Republicans have left the principles that are the foundation of the party. We have made government bigger under our own watch, and, as a result, have spent an obscene amount of money contributing to what seems to be our never ending national debt.

Yes, we have continued to advocate for tax cuts, but that is not enough anymore.

We have been hypocritical with our interpretation of the Constitution. We say the Constitution must be interpreted strictly and there is no room for loose interpretation, but when we have the opportunity to expand a branch’s power we grasp the opportunity even if it results in a loose interpretation of the Constitution.

Even civil liberties have been shoved aside and abused. This is coming from the party who were enormous advocates to freeing the slaves and granting them sovereignty.

Republicans have abandoned their principles that have made them a success and earned them the trust of the public. However, politicians have abandoned their moral principles and it is through this that they are also losing the respect and trust of the public.

We are no longer shocked to hear politicians act immorally. Whether it is a sex scandal, the abuse of drugs and alcohol, or taking bribes from lobbyists, we now expect our politicians to act immorally.

And this is the wrong thing for us to expect.

It should not be expected of us to see politicians act immorally. Politicians are leaders and many people look up to them. When they see politicians act immorally they begin to think it is okay. If our nation’s leaders can do it why can’t we?

Part of being a leader is having more responsibility and being under a light of strict scrutiny. Great expectations come with great responsibility and politicians need to become the people that act above immorality. Yes, we are all human, but there comes a point where they need to be the leaders that we need and have morally sound actions. How can we expect our leaders to make the best decisions for our country and the world when they have little moral regard for their own actions and decisions? Quite simply, we can’t.

Joe the Plumber was absolutely correct and we need to all be more like him. We need to speak up and we need to demand more out of our politicians. In a time of great economic upheaval, we need leaders who are morally sound and are ready to act upon moral principles as well as the principles of their party.