Advice from The Founding Fathers Part 4

Advice from The Founding Fathers – Part 4

Franklin, Jefferson, and Henry; their views of Money, Patriotism, and Limited Government

 It has been quite inspiring to bring you the views of The Founding Fathers, and how true and relevant their thoughts are for us today. I’ve heard people calling in to talk shows saying it is time for another Boston Tea Party in this country. I will leave that for you to decide, but the solutions to our country’s problems are in the words of the founders, if we care to listen.

 “Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.” “He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.” “He does not possess wealth; it possesses him.” Benjamin Franklin

Even though Franklin died at the ripe-old age of 84, he was wise beyond his years. Franklin’s a fore mentioned quotes can be summed up in one sentence to describe the modern American’s philosophy of wealth; “keeping up with Joneses.” We have been victims of the trendsetters. If the next-door neighbor had the latest and greatest (fill in the blank), then so should everyone else. It didn’t matter that there was nothing wrong with the (fill in the blank), we couldn’t be outdone. The process of keeping up with Joneses required more and more money or many cases more and more credit.

 “Never spend your money before you have earned it.” Thomas Jefferson

 If more Americans had taken Jefferson’s advice, the banks and other creditors wouldn’t be holding us hostage. We were convinced it was normal or acceptable to carry debt. Now many Americans are trapped behind the eight ball with no way to escape its shadow.

 “I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies, and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” Thomas Jefferson

 Our current financial situation is evidence of Jefferson’s sentiments. The private central banks are bringing us to our knees without firing a single shot. The tremendous debt we have allowed to accumulate, not to mention be stolen from us, will leave us in debt for generations to come if not forever.

 “We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” Patrick Henry

 “Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.” “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.” “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” Thomas Jefferson

 Henry and Jefferson are others in a list of patriots who knew the importance of staying informed, and involved to deter the tendency of an overburdening government. Patrick Henry as well as Madison, Washington, and John Adams, as discussed in Part 3, believed religious and moral principles were keys to preserving liberty. They also believed these principles were present in all who desired to be free.

 “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” Patrick Henry http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/patrick_henry/

 Henry’s fears of government have come true because of our ignorance and apathy. We are entangled in laws and regulations like a wild animal caught in a trapper’s net. We can’t wipe our noses before checking to see if there is a permit to fill out or a hoop that needs to be jumped through first. As long as we allow business as usual, the government is the instrument “to restrain the people.”

 “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” Thomas Jefferson

 We have become a society that punishes the successful and rewards the irresponsible and the idle. Our progressive income tax structure is evidence enough. I also find it fascinating that the government will rarely entertain the idea of spending cuts, only new ways to tax the American people. I have been following politics since 1991 and every election cycle since conger up the same divisive arguments like class warfare for example. If we had a Constitutional government, the advice of Jefferson would easily be achieved, however when the size and scope of the federal government continues to grow, there is no way we can have “a wise and frugal government.”

 “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson

 Not to sound repetitive, but Jefferson hits it out of the park again. We choose our leaders by what they are going to do for us instead of getting off our backsides and doing for ourselves. If you are one who enjoys getting a handout, then don’t complain when you become a slave to the government. Or if you’re one who thinks “The Great Society” under LBJ or Obama’s plan to redistribute the wealth are good ideas, you must not like freedom and liberty. Giving the government this kind of unchallenged power will destroy the power of the people given to us under The Constitution. We have a simple choice, take the advice of The Founding Fathers, or become slaves to the government.

 “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” George Washington

 Sources:

 Benjamin Franklin quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin.html

 Thomas Jefferson quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_jefferson.html

 Patrick Henry quotes: http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/patrick_henry/ and

 http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/patrick_henry.html

 George Washington quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/george_washington.html