by Peter Brock Ii

Created on: October 22, 2008   Last Updated: October 28, 2008

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have."-Thomas Jefferson.

When the American colonists fought for, lost their lives, sacrificed their homes, jepordizes the future of their families, their most basic liberties, it wasn't so the people could give it back over the next two hundred years. Forget all the shock words like "socialism," "communism," and all the other vulgar forms of government and economics. This is about people having the power. It took centuries for common merchants, blacksmiths, and farmers to obtain this much power. Here we are today, looking for any opportunity to give it back the the rulers.

A professor, Will Harris, taught me a valuable lesson that needs to repeated and spread around the entire world. I hope my explanations on his views does them justice. There are three principles on which citizens should never bend. One, economic freedom. Two, personal freedom. Three, political freedom. Those three concepts, written by Dr. Harris, are the foundation for the common man to have power. My explanation on them stem from his writing but contain my style and twist.

The possesion of economic freedom is mandatory for citizens. Money is the instrument of power and if the people have the freedom to obtain as much as possible, within the parameters of the law, then it is a permanent check on government. If however, citizens are regulated, taxed, and limited in their freedom of commerce, then the government always has the upper hand.

Personal freedom is essential to happiness. That is why we are guaranteed a right to the pursuit of it. With the liberty of personal freedom people have the joy of learning, understanding, and expressing themselves to fulfill and greater purpose in the eyes of their Maker. This will eventually lead us, as a society, to a greater understanding of our role in the world.

Political freedom is vital. If the people do not have the power to petition their government, speak against it, for it, about it, then it is posterity that will suffer. Some people claim they don't vote because their opinion doesn't matter. The bottom line is, the action does. Every time a person votes against a politician it lets him or her know that he or she is doing something wrong. When a person gets voted out of office he or she has been asked politely to leave because he or she is not working in the best interest of the people. Voting, speaking, writing, and debating all help keep government in check.

When the people take care of themselves, they create a better world for everyone.

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