Not the government's to give!

Were did we go wrong? There was a time when we knew our neighbors and we would freely help each other. There was a time when the doors on our homes were left unlocked There was a time when a hand shake was a contract and we all took pride in our products and productivity. There was a time that the government did not feel compelled to protect us from our selves and we we were at liberty to succeed or fail according to our own abilities.

I'm not sure that we can find our way back to that aforementioned place. For too long we have been coddled by a government that has become like an overbearing over protective parent. Over time, we have sacrificed our liberty for the illusion of comfort and security by a government of our own making. The detrimental ramifications of our actions have become deeply woven into the fabric of our society.

Lets start with a few basic premises:

Government is a necessary institution. Like a lion it must be caged by inescapable set of boundaries. In the case of America, that cage is our constitution.

The constitution is as current and relevant today as it was the day it was written. It must be taken as a whole. The preamble sets the tone and the context for the articles and amendments. It also helps us to see the intent of its authors.

It is not the job of the American government to create a level playing field. We are all created equal, but we are not all the same. There are winners and losers. There are those who are more gifted intellectually than others. There are those who are more industrious than others. Some excel at sports, others at math. If a person works hard and wisely invests or saves their money, then it is their money. The government does dot have the right to confiscate a person's money and redistribute it to those with less. If a charitable person should choose to help others with their personal resources, then that is their personal choice. I am not saying that we should not pay taxes. Government infrastructure needs to be funded by reasonable taxation. This funding is to pay for the defense of the country and the protection of its citizens.

We have a right to defend ourselves. The second amendment is in the constitution for a reason. Okay at this point some of you are thinking "guns are dangerous" or "that is why we have police", well hear me out... We all have to struggle through security a the airports right? they take your fingernail clippers, they make you take your shoes off and x-ray your carry on luggage and make you walk through a metal detector. Here's an idea. Just imagine that there are a couple of gentlemen with box cutters and a plan to commandeer the plane and fly it into a building. Are you following me so far? Okay now lets suppose that everyone getting on the plain was given a weapon. Not a gun. That would be kind of silly in a pressurized airliner. Let say just for the sake of this discussion, a baseball bat. Were talking about a airplane with a few hundred people on it. Do you really think anyone on that airplane is going to misbehave? I don't think so. I know that sounds a bit extreme, but I'm trying to make a point here. There is strength in the hands of the people. If evil doers know that a large segment of the population is armed, they will be more hesitant to act out.

I live in a small town, a really small town with a population of under three thousand people. If you have a clean record you can apply to the county sheriff for a state wide permit to carry a concealed handgun. Over the last thirty five years a lot of the local folks have applied and obtained their permits. It is common knowledge that many people in the area are "packing heat". There is very little violent crime here. Gun related crime is pretty much the realm of the meth makers and the Mexican Mafia in the southern part of the county.

Foreign aid is specifically discussed in the writings of the framers of the constitution. They repeatedly warn us to not meddle in the affairs of other nations. They also warn us about the pitfalls of forming political alliances with other nations.

• Charity is NOT the job of our government!

• Foreign aid is not authorized by the constitution.

• The bailout of private enterprise is not authorized by the constitution.

• Free market means a free market. Not an artificially propped up or regulated market where a government or its regulatory agencies have their fingers in it.