By Terry Paulson
Monday, August 12, 2013
Whether it was finding the solid ground in writing the
Declaration of Independence that would justify and drive a revolution or
defining the core rights that would guide the crafting for our Constitution,
our Founding Fathers held firmly to core principles that would help them
navigate through unchartered waters.
Every improvement is the result of change, but not every
change is an improvement. Our Founding Fathers had to find a compass to give
them a true north as they sorted through the choices and changes our emerging
country faced.
After more than two centuries, it is understandable that
our citizens and leaders can find themselves on autopilot. We honor our
founding documents by putting them on the wall or in a vault. But in our
abundance and arrogance, it's far too easy to ignore them in making the current
decisions that are shaping our country's future. Unfortunately, core rights and
liberties are being lost in the name of "transformational change."
Russ Walden was a CEO who knew the power of a page. He
would claim that if you can't write on one page the principles that define you
as a leader, you will likely be rudderless in a rapidly changing world. His one
page of core statements served him well. He would use it making tough
decisions. He would share it with others as they came on to his
team--"They deserved to know how I made decisions before they took the
job."
I couldn't help but wonder what might have been on the
page our Founding Fathers would have crafted to guide them through the
decisions they made in those early years. Here's my guess on what might have
been on their page:
Never let the force of a majority take away the rights of
an individual.
Establish no right that is not given to all equally or
that obligates another citizen for anything more than non-interference.
Measure the success of government, not by how many
services it provides, but by how many citizens are free and effective in
meeting their own needs.
Never sacrifice tomorrow's liberties for today's
temporary needs for security.
Protect the property rights of citizens to enjoy and
control the fruits of their own labor and investments.
Refuse to expend the money of constituents for
benevolence best done by individual charities or local governments.
Promote and preserve a sound, free-enterprise economy and
protect economic freedoms--the freedom to work, the freedom to enjoy the
rewards one earns, the freedom to own and control one's property, and the
freedom to participate in a free market.
Protect the right of individual self-defense, the spirit
of resistance in defense of liberty, and the right to bear arms.
Protect "we the people" from the abuse of
government by creating checks and balances between branches that prevent hasty
change, unnecessary regulations, or government tyranny.
Ensure and promote the free expression of religion
without ever establishing any state religion or denomination.
Ensure freedom of speech that allows people to criticize
their government, express unpopular opinions, or even express offensive
comments without fear of government reprisal or criminal persecution.
Establish, fund and maintain a vibrant and effective
military force appropriate for the time and the threat that preserves the
security of our country.
Finally, ensure that all citizens, from the poorest to
the richest, will equally pay their fair share of the cost of maintaining our
Constitutional Republic--freedom isn't free.
Our Founding Fathers are not around to endorse or sign
this list, and I'm sure they would amend, delete and add to what I have
written. But what is clear is that too many of our leaders today would run from
this list like they do from Washington when tough work needs to be done to
ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for generations to come.
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