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Editorial: Government threatens our freedom [must read!]
The La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, Wis. ^ | 2009-09-14 | Terry L. Terrell

Posted on 09/13/2009 9:26:46 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

Freedom. Independence. Opportunity. These are a few of the descriptive words defining America. A place to carve out a new life, to farm a piece of land you could call your own, to raise a family and make a living, all free from government intervention, oppression and thousands of pages of rules and laws- this was America of two and three centuries ago.

People governed their own affairs in small communities. They elected needed government officials they knew. The local and the state governments were accessible and existed as servants of the people. The framers of our national government limited its powers and authority to just a few items beyond the scope of any single state to control: a national defense, interstate issues, immigration, a federal court to resolve lower court and state conflicts.

Along the way the federal government has grown like the flesh-eating bacteria on a physical body and now threatens the very existence of America. We have allowed the federal government to intrude into every area of our lives, and destroy the very independence that was the hallmark of our founders.

With independence and opportunity for advancement comes risk. But elected officials promote and vote for legislation that removes risk, thereby limiting our freedoms and forcing us into more and more dependence upon government. What was once a free republic has drifted to a socialist state and, with government owning a major portion of businesses like General Motors, a communist state.

By providing nurturing programs whose purpose is to ease every area of our lives, the government is telling us, "You are too ignorant or too lazy to resolve issues for yourselves."

Frankly, I believe our nation and people would be far better served with a vastly reduced federal government in size and powers.

For example, why do we need a federal Department of Education? It merely creates another very expensive layer of bureaucracy to first collect money from states, then redistribute it to states. Just leave the dollars in the hands of states in the first place, and let parents on local and area levels determine the education they want for their children.

This is one of the problems with the current health/insurance proposals. We don't need another layer of federal bureaucracy, with all its incumbent cost and waste, trying to provide health care. Leave it to states and local governments.

Politicians constantly try to expand programs in the guise of helping people who, in their view, are obviously incapable of helping themselves. Go back a hundred years in time, or look at the Amish today: A dozen friends can build the barn in day, and we don't need government involvement.

Look at the muddled educational system propounded by government. Our pioneers just met together, provided a school, took responsibility to see that their children were in school and studied, hired the teachers, and amazingly enough produced generations of hard-working, contributing men and women who were self reliant, independent risk-takers. They were the captains of industry and invention; great writers and thinkers; explorers, inventors, dreamers.

Frankly, I believe federal government could be cut by 90 percent and we would all be much better off. We might even see the independent spirit that founded and built our nation return. I'm all for that.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Front Page News; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: donttreadonme; education; government; healthcare; islam; israel; military; obama; obamacare; palin; politics; sarahpalin; veterans
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To: FormerACLUmember

So many laws are made(a good number of them worse than useless) that its impossible to keep up with them.


21 posted on 09/14/2009 12:58:12 AM PDT by liberalism is suicide (Communism,fascism-no matter how you slice socialism, its still baloney)
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To: FormerACLUmember

Right we are all criminals every day. It is impossible not to break some law rule or regulation. For years we have allowed more and more socialist geniuses with too much time on their hands to make up more and more stupid rules.


22 posted on 09/14/2009 2:02:33 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (!!)
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To: rabscuttle385

23 posted on 09/14/2009 3:40:34 AM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
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To: rabscuttle385

When public service evolved from being a temporary job into a lifetime career full of tax payer funded perks including retirement, the genie was let out of the bottle.

‘A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.’

-Thomas Jefferson-

What part of this statement does the left not understand???


24 posted on 09/14/2009 5:32:52 AM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
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To: rabscuttle385
"We don't need another layer of federal bureaucracy, with all its incumbent cost and waste, trying to provide health care. Leave it to states and local governments the individual, and their Doctor(s)."

Fixed it!

25 posted on 09/14/2009 5:35:20 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...Call 'em What you Will, They ALL have Fairies Living In Their Trees.)
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To: rabscuttle385

For example, why do we need a federal Department of Education?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To advance the cause of communism!

Marxism is our nation’s **most** serious threat. Schools ( especially schools controlled on the federal and state levels) are the Marxists’ most powerful weapon against freedom.

Yet...Few conservatives even recognize Marxism as being our most urgent and serious threat. Few even realize that their local schools are destroying our nation.


26 posted on 09/14/2009 5:46:07 AM PDT by wintertime (People are not stupid! Good ideas win!)
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To: rabscuttle385

90% sounds a bit low but I’m willing to compromise.


27 posted on 09/14/2009 6:04:31 AM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com ............. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
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To: rabscuttle385

As I always tell my Democrat BIL, what is the ONLY entity that can take every dime of your property, your family, even your life and get away with it, with no repercussions whatsoever? Not even the Mafia can do that. Only government. He never listens to me, of course. I’m a right wing nut case.


28 posted on 09/14/2009 6:15:23 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (I long for the days when advertisers didn't constantly ask about the health of my genital organs.)
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To: rabscuttle385

Exactly!!!

There is damn little that the federal government does that we couldn’t do better without. Except for the military, there’s not much of anything they do that is worthwhile or productive.

Excellent editorial.


29 posted on 09/14/2009 6:32:52 AM PDT by DNME (All your rights end when the next "national emergency" begins!)
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To: screaminsunshine; liberalism is suicide

We have become a nation of “criminals” enslaved by a permanent unconstitutional bureaucracy.

http://www.overcriminalized.com/


30 posted on 09/14/2009 6:40:06 AM PDT by FormerACLUmember (When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.)
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To: rabscuttle385; nanetteclaret

Excellent article, bookmarked


31 posted on 09/14/2009 6:44:21 AM PDT by boxlunch
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To: rabscuttle385

The Tribune is the big paper in my area. It is an utterly lib, pro-Obama paper, but it occasionally lets conservative voices be heard. Unfortunately a lot of the “conservative” columnists they publish are of the Kathleen Parker/David Brooks stripe.


32 posted on 09/14/2009 6:58:39 AM PDT by driftless2 (for long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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To: rabscuttle385; Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; ..
Frankly, I believe federal government could be cut by 90 percent and we would all be much better off. We might even see the independent spirit that founded and built our nation return.



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!
(View past Libertarian pings here)
33 posted on 09/14/2009 8:04:48 AM PDT by bamahead (Avoid self-righteousness like the devil- nothing is so self-blinding. -- B.H. Liddell Hart)
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To: rabscuttle385

A man after my own heart!!!!!!!!


34 posted on 09/14/2009 8:17:23 AM PDT by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
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To: bamahead

Thank you for the ping..


35 posted on 09/14/2009 8:29:26 AM PDT by Freedom2specul8 (I am Jim Thompson............................Please pray for our troops....)
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To: rabscuttle385
Frankly, I believe federal government could be cut by 90 percent and we would all be much better off.

The number is a bit low (I'd cut 99% or more) but I like how you're thinking! :D
36 posted on 09/14/2009 8:33:56 AM PDT by Filo (Darwin was right!)
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To: rabscuttle385
Along the way the federal government has grown like the flesh-eating bacteria on a physical body and now threatens the very existence of America.

The truth is, federal government has become an evil entity.

37 posted on 09/14/2009 8:34:12 AM PDT by dragnet2
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To: hosepipe
Not government .... BUT federal government.. State and local government is something ELSE... both of them..

Fact is, many state and local government are also bloated, parasites on the working people and corrupt to the core

38 posted on 09/14/2009 8:37:26 AM PDT by dragnet2
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To: FormerACLUmember
I'm mot making excuses for the Dims, 'cuz you are absolutely right...but the GOP hasn't been much better. The are BOTH co-partners in crime.
39 posted on 09/14/2009 8:41:24 AM PDT by ChrisInAR (The Tenth Amendment is still the Supreme Law of the Land, folks -- start enforcing it for a CHANGE!)
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To: freethinker_for_freedom
They are always willing to cede more and more power to the government so that it can take care of us better, protect us better, make us feel better, etc....

...tell us what leaves we can smoke, and where.

40 posted on 09/15/2009 5:07:14 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
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