Freedom to Bondage - A-M Systems

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Freedom to Bondage

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The following is a chapter from a self-published book that I first published in 2011 - "Operation Believe". This particular chapter seems to "foresee" the termination of the cycle that is described herein. Sadly, events of today are beginning to bring the message into focus.
Eddie Barnett
Political/freedom to bondage
 
Chapter 3—Country’s Direction
 
Pay no attention to what they say,
 
but watch very closely what they do! (ecb)
 
 
I want to examine our current Federal Government from a layman’s standpoint. In America I am still allowed to do this. The fact is that I am deeply concerned about the direction of our country. I do not believe that I am alone. I believe that the level of corruption  is beyond what a typical citizen can comprehend. But that may be another story. As for now, it is a personal belief that the country can not continue on the current spending spree and the growth of debt. This is not a new concern, but rather it has only been hastened within the past few years...I have serious doubts that those politicians that we vote for and send to congress could manage a business of any size. Of course there are exceptions, but those ‘exceptions’ are in the minority and often overruled and over voted and may even eventually 'join the good ole boys'. "Throw the bums out!" is commonly heard, but of course not an action that can produce different results in the short term. This is a generational action.
 
 
Many of us came from farm and rural backgrounds that were very independent and readily took responsibility for our own families and our own actions. But the facts are that as we have 'urbanized' we have become more dependent on others for much of our everyday actions. The young people of today have not had to experience an independent way of life. Trucks bring our food and all the roads are hard surface! (young folks may not pick up on that statement.)
 
 
When I was in school - elementary, secondary, college, etc. I did not like English nor history – my rational was “I can talk it and who cares about dead people and how they lived?!” Boy was that a mistake! I would guess that many young folks today share that same feeling that I had in my school days. We are lead to believe by 'the smart people' that we should focus on mathematics and science, but I rarely hear of the importance of English and History. But again, perhaps that is another story. (I majored in mathematics)
 
 
If you are a student of history, then you surely know that when governments destroy the incentives of creating personal wealth with the idea that you can take from the “haves” and give to the “have-nots”, then eventually collapse is assured. Maybe another way to make the same statement is that "...when you rob Peter to pay Paul, you can expect to get support from Paul!"  
 
 
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.                                                Thomas Jefferson
 
Consider this quote:
 
A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up  until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years.
 
 
This quote is attributed to "Alexander Fraser Tytler" 1747-1813, although that fact can not be substantiated. But regardless of the source, it is forth analyzing. In the early days of our great nation, 90% of the working class owned their land or owned their own company and they were largely responsible for their own families and their community. Today that number is reversed - 10% own their own business and 90% are employed. A large percentage of “the 90%” that are employed are actually employed in the "public" sector, i.e. The Government (at all levels).
 
 
There is a second quote that has been added to the original quote that says:
 
During those 200+ years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
 
· From bondage to spiritual faith;
 
· From spiritual faith to great courage;
 
· From courage to liberty;
 
· From liberty to abundance;
 
· From abundance to complacency;
 
· From complacency to apathy;
 
· From apathy to dependence;
 
· From dependence back into bondage.
 
 
WOW!.. where are we now?.. as I noted initially, “…everything cycles!”
 
Professor to inattentive student; “Young man, can you describe ‘Complacency and Apathy’ to the class?
 
Student: “I don’t know and I don’t care!”
 
[Definitions:
 
Complacency - A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy.
 
Apathy - Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.]
 
 
Let’s review;
 
1. From bondage to spiritual faith; 1500s—The issue of religious freedom has played a significant role in the history of our Country. Europeans came to America to escape religious oppression and forced beliefs by such state-affiliated Christian churches such as the Church of England. That civil unrest fueled the desire of America’s forefathers to establish the organization of a country in which the separation of church and state, and the freedom to practice one’s faith without fear of persecution, was guaranteed. That guarantee should be recognized as the First Amendment to the Constitution; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”
 
2. From spiritual faith to great courage; 1600s—It took a great deal of faith, courage and resolve for those people to setup a whole new way of life. Great was the sacrifice of those early settlers.
 
3. From courage to liberty; 1700s—Although the early settlers were now experiencing a religious freedom, they still reported to the British Crown. And while there was a great deal of self-government in the colonies, now their political freedoms were being infringed upon by the British Government. Of course what resulted was "The American Revolution", and what followed was “The Constitution”.
 
4. From liberty to abundance; 1800s—Our Country grew rapidly during the 1800s with the westward land expansion. Steam Power created major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, etc.
 
5. From abundance to complacency; 1900s—Our Country continue to grow and after the second of two World Wars, America was then recognized as the most powerful country in the world, and was model for all other countries to follow.
 
6. From complacency to apathy; 1900s into 2000s—Our Country was experiencing unparalleled prosperity and our citizens began to take thinks for granted. They have forgotten the price of Freedom and Liberty… some will live to regret….
 
7. From apathy to dependence; today, most Americans are financially dependent on government in some form - welfare, food stamps, unemployment, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public sector retirement pensions, etc. Many of these programs are ‘vilified’ as the reason for our debt problem (to be analyzed later). The fact is Social Security was understood by the masses that their payments was investment programs by the government that would assure the working citizen that upon their retirement, they would be able to start withdrawing those funds. (...don’t get ahead of me) The truth is that never happened and the practice that exists to this day is that the revenues that current workers contribute today are being used to pay the Social Security benefits of those that are now retired. By any other definition that practice could easily be labeled as a “Ponzi” and countless individuals have been imprisoned for similar actions. The government didn’t invest or save your monies, they spent it!* A Ponzi scheme may describe the Social Security and Medicare programs. Likewise pubic sector pensions that unions have negotiated and the government has “guaranteed” (can you say, ‘Bailout?’) could also be defined as a “Ponzi” scheme. Regardless, the taxpayers will cover the cost.
 
8. From dependence back into bondage.  ??????
 
 

The social fabric of a well-established nation is tough stuff. It can be pulled around and stretched a considerable distance before it breaks. But when the final rupture comes, the damage done is beyond repair.”            H. W. Prentis, Jr.
 
 
 

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”           Thomas Jefferson
 
 
 
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