Boy oh boy this has caused quite a ruckus. What does it say, who said it, who embraces it as a
policy mandate? All good questions but what we have mostly seen are snippets pasted on social
media whose purpose is to alarm or motivate.
BIG DOCUMENT. Not going to read the whole thing but will share some thoughts on the
highlights. So, let’s start with the Foreword. They identify four basic principles that guide the
entire project. I have removed a banned tribal word from the lead in. Our purpose is to explore if
these ideas are sensible, not to vilify or celebrate a particular tribe. Here we go,
“this book is the work of the entire . . . movement. As such, the authors express consensus
recommendations already forged, especially along four broad fronts that will decide America’s
future:”
NUMBER ONE
“Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children.”
Who can argue with that. My question, who gets to define what a family is and what are we
protecting our children from?
NUMBER TWO
“Dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to the American people.”
We will get to the administrative state but correct me if I am wrong the last two presidents this
movement elected won their elections with a minority of the American People’s approval. Our
last former president was defeated by 7 million votes. He refused to acknowledge the will of the
American People, who chose to be self-governed by someone else. He was widely joined by
authors of this document who seem less inclined to let the American People choose their own
leaders than they profess.
NUMBER THREE
“Defend our nation’s sovereignty, borders, and bounty against global threats.”
The movement which idolizes Ronald Reagan forgets that in his last speech as President he
embraced immigration as a source of America’s strength, that constantly refreshes America with
new energy and new ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R8QxCD6ir8&t=264s
The Statue of Liberty which stands at the entrance to New York Harbor is inscribed as follows,
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched
refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp
beside the golden door!”
I guess we want to protect our bounty for fear that immigrants will steal the golden door, rather
than embrace it, polish it, clean it. Finally, do we not all agree that the Russia’s invasion of the
Ukraine is a global threat.
NUMBER FOUR
“Secure our God-given individual rights to live freely—what our Constitution
calls “the Blessings of Liberty.”
First, whose God. The Declaration of Independence wisely chose the words “Endowed by our
Creator” and the word “God” is nowhere to be found in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.
They are correct our Constitution refers to “The Blessings of Liberty” in the Preamble. They
refer to these blessings, but they skip over the words that precede it. Those words are the formula
for what a Perfect Union does so we can ALL enjoy those blessings. They read “establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility” and most importantly “promote the general welfare.” You can’t
jump over that part and go right to Blessings. You must cook the turkey if you want to eat it.
Those Blessings are a byproduct of those actions laid out in the preamble. Those actions do not
impede “God Given individual rights’ they insure them, provide them, protect them, promote
them. If you want those blessings, you must embrace and endorse that process. How we do that
is what politics and Sensible Governance ought to be about.