Over the recent 4th of July holiday I started thinking about what it means and does NOT mean to be free. The Declaration of Independence, the reason for the holiday, lays out our rights as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Politically, I am a conservative. Being a conservative means that I believe the government does not have the right to obstruct my pursuit of happiness.
NOTE: We are not guaranteed happiness, we are guaranteed to the right to pursue it.
Every time the government passes legislation and takes our money, they are setting more limits to our pursuit. This is what conservatism is about, limiting government and pursuing freedom.
I have more ideas to add later. Right now my eyeballs hurt. I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on Independence.
Global Warming:
I am skeptical about the whole concept of global warming. If we believe that God created the universe, isn’t it hypocritical to think that human beings can destroy it. That is putting an awful lot of power into our hands, and feeding into the idea that we don’t need God, or that He doesn’t exist. The Bible tells us that God will destroy the earth when he is ready. (Thus our need to be ready) Should we really be hindering our pursuit of happiness by telling people what kind of car to drive, or what kind of light bulbs to use? If the owner of an SUV can afford that vehicle, and the fuel it takes to run it, should he be chastised for owning it? Not in a free country.
Welfare:
This is a really sore subject with me. If we are all allowed to pursue happiness, how does taking money from one person who has worked really hard to give to a less successful one accomplish that goal? Here is a ridiculous scenario: Imagine you are a school child again. You are an A student. The teacher comes to you and says that you must give part of your A to a failing student so that you both have a C. You studied hard for your success. You should not be punished for that. That will discourage you from working hard in the future. On the flip side, the student who chose to watch TV or play video games rather than study, still gets a passing grade. This is how the welfare system works. Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to helping people who truly need it, and who are trying to get on their feet. However, I think lifetime welfare and food stamps are detrimental to our society. In my job, I see a lot of wasted food stamp money, and it really makes me furious. Here’s an example: birthday cakes. In the state of Kentucky a person can buy a beautifully decorated sheet cake for their child’s birthday. The cost $25 and up. A box of mix and supplies can be purchased for $5 or so, and is made with love. People buy $200 worth of groceries, at taxpayer expense, and then turn around and use cash for luxury items like CDS, DVDs, alcohol, and cigarettes. Something is wrong with this. If the government left the money in my pocket so that I could pursue happiness, I might be willing to share with a family in need. Government handouts make people more dependent on the government, and therefore less free.
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