A Week of Independence Thought

I came across a speech by President Calvin Coolidge on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  You can read the entire thing right here.  Near the end I read this:

Under a system of popular government there will always be those who will seek for political preferment by clamoring for reform.  While there is very little of this which is not sincere, there is a large portion that is not well informed.  In my opinion very little of just criticism can attach to the theories and principles of our institutions.  There is far more danger of harm than there is hope of good in any radical changes.  We do need a better understanding and comprehension of them and a better knowledge of the foundations of government in general.  Our forefathers came to certain conclusions and decided upon certain courses of action which have been a great blessing to the world. Before we can understand their conclusions we must go back and review the course which they followed.  We must think the thoughts which they thought.  Their intellectual life centered around the meeting-house.  They were intent upon religious worship.  While there were always among them men of deep learning, and later those who had comparatively large possessions, the mind of the people was not so much engrossed in how much they knew, or how much that had, as in how they were going to live  While scantily provided with other literature, there was a wide acquaintance with the Scriptures.  Over a period as great as that which measures the existence of our Independence they were subject to this discipline not only in their religious life and educational training, but also in their political thought.  They were a people who came under the influence of a great spiritual development and acquired a great moral power.


No other theory is adequate to explain or comprehend the Declaration of Independence.  It is a product of the spiritual insight of the people.  We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things.  These did not create our Declaration.  Our Declaration created them.


Read the whole thing.  It is worth the 10 or so minutes it takes.

The Declaration of Independence

The text of the Declaration can be found here.  I want to encourage all of you to read the text and think about it a little on this 4th of July.  One day I was wondering what to do in my study.  I decided to get a copy of the Declaration and the Constitution and hang them up as a daily reminder of the origins of the republic and our charge to keep it.  I hope your 4th is a great day and a safe day for all of you and your families.

Political Glossary

Thomas Sowell has the enviable ability to explain concepts so clearly and simply it is simply impossible to not understand what he is saying.  This series of four articles from Townhall magazine explains some of the words we will be hearing in the upcoming political campaign.  The first can be found here.  The second here.  The third here.  The fourth and last is here.

Another Dred Scott?

When I first heard of the 5-4 decision on the Affordable Care Act my first thought was this could go down as one of the worst decisions ever to come out of the Supreme Court.  I thought is could be another Dred Scott decision.  I hope it is because Dred Scott was overturned.  I read this today and it took me back to my time living in Mexico.  There were two types of medical care.  The kind for regular folks like you and me which was full of pain, delay, shoddy care and corruption, and the kind for the folks with money who basically paid cash for their care.

I can see that happening here.  Physicians could decide to do a cash business, pay as you are treated.  Fees for services would probably drop precipitously and you could see a doctor within a day or two if you needed to.  There might even be private emergency rooms where you could go for treatment and receive instantaneous care.  I hope somebody looks at this again and comes to their senses.

Lloyd Marcus Comes Through Again

I often read Lloyd Marcus' blogs on American Thinker.  I find him thoughtful and sincere.  This post is an expression of what many think concerning the topic.

The Price

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/as-memorial-day-nears-a-single-image-that-continues-to-haunt/

Memorial Day

I was thinking of Memorial Day and the weekend attached to it.  My thoughts went immediately on the lives of my grandparents who all have passed on some time ago.  I have many great memories of them and the experiences we had together.  I also have many friends and acquaintances who have suffered disease and accident that have taken their lives.

The real purpose for the consecration of this day is to ponder those who have fought for our liberty.  At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, looking out on Arlington certainly is most poignant.  Other military cemeteries I have visited give the same result, a profound feeling of indebtedness for those who paid far more than I have.

My nephew is now flying Blackhawks in Afghanistan and we are full of hope that he will be safe, as well as all the other military who are serving there and around the world.  Memorial Day?  The Warriors of Liberty and our ancestors are those we ought to ponder; at least from time to time this weekend.