Are You Presuming ... ?

Are you presuming that your life in America will go on forever as it always has? Do you just take it for granted that the freedoms you enjoy and the relative prosperity that has accompanied life here in this wonderful country just happen by themselves?

Following the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin stepped out of the meeting hall and on to the street. A woman's voice immediately caught his ear.

"So, Dr. Franklin, what have you given us?"

"A republic, if you can keep it," came his reply.

IF YOU CAN KEEP IT. Five simple words that describe the reasons behind our nation's current troubles about as well as anything that could be said.

You see, freedom is not forever automatic. It is contingent upon us doing certain things.

And we have failed to do them. We have not maintained our republic. We have not kept it in good working order. We've become lazy, self-absorbed creatures bumping along life's road with minimal thought given to the idea of self-government.

Self-government is not a spectator sport, you know. It is not something for someone else to do.

Over the past couple of weeks our Congress has become gummed up with a host of questions and doubts about our president's "Health Care Reform" legislation (oh wait ... I forgot ... it's now "Health Insurance Reform"). A bill he hoped would skate right through has suddenly become bogged down.

Why?

Because there is a small minority of Americans who are raising their voices in opposition.

After digging a bit into the bill (which most in Congress have not read ... even the president acknowledged his unfamiliarity with certain provisions) we find that it is more of a machine for "big brother" to manage minute details of our lives than it is a program to provide us with insurance coverage. And after familiarizing myself with pieces of it, I guarantee that you do not want this monster on your back.

But it's THE FEW who see self-government as a responsibility who are to be credited with derailing (for now) both health care reform and the cap and trade debacle. And if by some miracle THE FEW are successful in stopping this runaway government behemoth, THE MANY will still reap the benefits.

Self-government is not a spectator sport.

Do not presume that the wonderful life you enjoy today will be here tomorrow. And although much has already been destroyed, we still have somewhat of a republic left. But what's left will only remain IF WE CAN KEEP IT.

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