Tuesday
07Oct2008
I Beg Your Parden; I never promised you a Rose Garden
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 11:01PM
My forefathers did not promise me a rose garden. But, they did guarantee my right to try and grow one if I wish:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (from the Declaration of Independence, 1776)
In other words, the government of the United States was not formed to guarantee my happiness, to provide health care, or to ensure the "fair" distribution of wealth. The Government of the United States was formed to ensure that I may enjoy my God-given right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Bad decisions, misfortune? Solutions? Life's many pitfalls do not fall under the purview of "governmental concerns." Solutions? It is for an individual to find solutions, to change his luck, to pursue happiness as he sees fit. Self-reliance.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (from the Declaration of Independence, 1776)
and:
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,In other words, the government of the United States was not formed to guarantee my happiness, to provide health care, or to ensure the "fair" distribution of wealth. The Government of the United States was formed to ensure that I may enjoy my God-given right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Bad decisions, misfortune? Solutions? Life's many pitfalls do not fall under the purview of "governmental concerns." Solutions? It is for an individual to find solutions, to change his luck, to pursue happiness as he sees fit. Self-reliance.
in America
America 
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Reader Comments (40)
Are we live blogging the debate tonight?
Great idea... here's the thread if you like. I never promised you a rose garden seems appropriate, no?
Not sure how much I can post if I can't get wi-fi upstairs where the TV is.
Of course there is the school of thought which says the US constitution was drafted by elitists to preserve that which they held.
RS: The quote is from the Declaration of Independence. It was drafted to set out the reasons for the original thirteen colonies going to war against the British to gain their independence in 1776.
Freedom is a wonderful thing.
And here was me thinking it was cause the colonists weren't ivited to a tea party by the brits :)
Patty, may I just point out one thing that puzzles me: Many Americans such as yourself quote your constitution as if it were holy scripture, as if no-one and nothing could ever stand against it.
But that constitution was drafted and ratified by the people who happened to wield the power back in those days. Why was it so inviolable? Is it because the words written down on that piece of paper were so utterly and self-evidently true? NO, it is simply because those who wrote the words were in power at that time.
At the end of the day, it's just a bunch of words written down on a parchment of paper. Please do not imagine that they hold some sort of inviolable truth which will protect America against all sorts of unconstitutional governments. (Earthly) power is ultimately invested in, and expressed by means of superior guns and tanks and airforce. What is written down in your constitution is utterly meaningless unless backed up with superior military power. THAT is what you need to maintain, in order to hold on to your constitution; its truths are NOT inherent within the document itself. I really think that most Americans need to recognise that ugly fact.
What I mean is, so, let's say an "unconstitutional" government gets into the WhiteHouse and starts acting in violation of your constitution. OK, your constitution gives you the right to overthrow that government. Swell - what are you going to do? - can you simply say "hey, you guys have got to stand down, right now, or else we'll...er...em...quote the constitution at you"? Rubbish, they'll say, "OK, here are our tanks/planes/missiles coming right at ya, you go on and show us yours".
See what I'm getting at? Constitution bollocks. The guys with the military forces behind them ARE the constitution.
(I speak as an "EU citizen" who has had every historical UK document and so-called "Act of Parliament" swept away from under his feet by the EU, and who recognises there's NOTHING I or my fellow Brits can do about it, short of full-scale military action - but the military isn't in my hands, so those words written on 300-year old bits of paper aren't worth a dot without tanks and planes to enforce them).
Patty,
"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,"
You need your government to "secure" those rights and how exactly does it do this?
It does this by ensuring that you receive adequate access to health care, a fair day's pay for a fair day's work etc.
Or what do you believe is meant by "to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men".
Why are the governments instituted and what are they meant to secure?
PS: Since when were you a constitutional lawyer?
Tom Tyler -
Yes, true enough, which is why the only obligation of the President is to protect the Constitution. The American people will do the rest.
POTUS is the Commander in Chief for the same reason that the Queen is. They are obliged to use these forces when government endangers the freedoms of the people.
Yes Pete, but what if a US Pres decides NOT to honour that obligation? (just as, as you rightly say, our present Monarch has not done)?
It's no use just saying "but you are obliged to" - nothing OBLIGES people in power to do anything, except superior (military) power, at the end of the day.
Which is why, although I agree you are right, in principle, to put the case for the violation of our constitution against the Queen, in reality it's just howling at the wind, unless you've got more warplanes than the latest monarch/president/whatever.
patty
self-reliance is fine if its a perfect world.
There's inequality and something as simple as disability... what should we do with the sick?
We work/survive best when together and help one another.
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Garfield: I'm quoting the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.
The "rights" secured are the rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Not Happiness, per se...or interpret that as health care, equal pay etc. if you wish.... but the PURSUIT of happiness.
My government is set out to guarantee my right to the pursuit of happiness. My. Right. to. PURSUE. Happiness.
Why do you think everyone works so hard in America? We are pursuing happiness. And you know what? Most of us are pretty happy. Nothing like the hope of a successful happiness pursuit to make a person happy.
Being free, I have the hope that I might succeed. No one can stop me.
Tom: America's 3 founding documents -- the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights -- all set out First Principles on which America was founded. The first and foremost principle is my right (I speak here as Every Citizen) to be free; this is a God-given right, and, as such, is inviolable.
And you are absolutely correct -- my rights - my God-given rights depend on a strong military, and defense against enemies who wish to enslave me - enemies within, as well as without.
"Freedom isn't free" goes the saying. While I have the God-given right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, there are many evil forces in this world who do not agree -- and that is why I, and so many in the United States, back a strong military.
Those who don't back a strong military and support the fight for freedom against freedom's enemies are fools, and tend to be on the Left. They feel that appeasement, or economic bribery is the answer.
Or, they just don't care - and would willingly give up the freedom they take for granted because they have a deep-seated hatred for America, or they just don't know any better.
Percy: Why do you assume that "self reliance" means "don't help your neighbor?"
In the US, there are thousands, millions, of non-governmental organizations helping people in need.
The US Govt. was not formed by the people to provide volunteer aid to those in need.
Except for aid provided by the US military, private charities do a far superior job at providing needed services to those in need.
Patty,
"In other words, the government of the United States was not formed to guarantee my happiness, to provide health care,"
So if you're a 3 year old in need of medical care and your parents are poor, then too bad about your 'right' to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Because the self-evident truth is really that the founding fathers were wrong: people are not created equal.
"or to ensure the "fair" distribution of wealth"
Fair allocation of costs is preventing theft, it is not 'redistribution of wealth'.
Not that you mind that, since you're about to vote for it so that McCain can give your wealth to the rich.
PS: Since when were you a constitutional lawyer?
Also ignoring the fact that consent is provided by the votes on the day. So if more people vote for the guy promising expanded heath care, then consent for expanded health care has been given. Democratically and constitutionally. The reverse is also equally valid of course.
Why do you think everyone works so hard in America?
Probably more to do with the dollar sliding towards the fiat currency grave yard.
Frank: "people are not created equal."
You misunderstand the founding documents. The Declaration of Independence sets out that people are equal in the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness....it does not set out that people are, or should be, equal in intelligence, wealth, luck etc.
The US is arguably the wealthiest, and one of the happiest, countries on the planet. Not because Uncle Sam dolls out the same amount of money to everyone, but because individuals are free to do what they like - want to be a slackard? fine. Want to work 7 days a week, save and create wealth? fine. And noone is allowed to take that option away.
A wealthy, happy country like America is also a generous country and through numerous charities, churches and the like take care of the least advantaged. It's not a perfect world. But it works better than any other system on earth.
Patty,
"You misunderstand the founding documents. The Declaration of Independence sets out that people are equal in the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happines"
You misunderstand reality. A child born in poverty and with health problems doesn't have any such rights unless you make it so. And that costs money.
"A wealthy, happy country like America is also a generous country and through numerous charities, churches and the like take care of the least advantaged."
If charity works so well why don't you fund the military the same way?
" It's not a perfect world. But it works better than any other system on earth."
There's little evidence for that and if anything the evidence is that other countries get better health care for less money.
Patty
"You misunderstand reality. A child born in poverty and with health problems doesn't have any such rights unless you make it so. And that costs money"
Correct Frank.
Patty,
The French have the best healthcare in Europe, they're prepared to pay for it.
And guess what that good healthcare is mentally good for us too:
ie everything Chirac warned would happen in Iraq, happened, and he was considered as one of those "who just doesn't get it", by Bush Blair 2003
We should all be French really ;)
With all due respect TOM TYLER
Alright already! Stop with the Limey lecture about how "unjust" America is.
I think your acerbic remarks are motivated by Jealously. Studies, at Disney World, show that there really is a Yank inside every Brit waiting to get out.
Sorry TOM TYLER the Americans would rather suffer the Se Habla Español por favor, illegal Mexicans than any more Cambridge or Oxford educated Anglo snobs!
Since when does economic prosperity equal happiness?
GosH: It's the freedom to pursue economic prosperity, or not, that makes people happy.
How does that make you happy? Why is happiness equated with wealth? Were the generations who came before and who worked hard not happy, or the little guy who works in the fields in a third world country, is he not happy because he lives outside the US?
Patty in a word 'materialism'.
The importance of working together makes the fruits of self-reliance possible. And mere wealth is not the goal, and certainly wasn't the main intent of the founders.
Like Tom, I also find it funny when the opinions of the American Founding Fathers are taken as a standard for judging today's issues. Those documents are certainly impressive, as were their authors, but it's a bit silly to give an 18th C take on things the status of Holy Writ, just as many on the Left used to do with the writings of Marx.
Those gents were for a start wrong to state that certain rights are God-given or "inalienable". There is no such thing as an apriori right. Rights are denied, granted, dispute, fought for, won and lost in the dynamic of social and political interaction. A natural or divine authority doesn't come into it.
The "pursuit of happiness" also always struck me as a vain idea. I'm sure there are many like me who never considered "happiness" as a particular goal or an end in itself. Besides, those who "pursue it" are probably the ones least likely to find it. Some things - happiness, love, inspiration (or even falling asleep at night :) - generally come at their own sweet will or not at all!
>>The US is arguably ... one of the happiest, countries on the planet.<<
I also used to think that until I started reading ATW!
In fact, some of the more conservative Americans on this blog are not only very frustrated but even seem to be quite desparate in their frustration.
Gosh: Freedom makes people happy. Freedom. I'm not talking about wealth, I'm talking about freedom.
Freedom to create wealth, or grow a rose garden. Freedom.
Noel: Please understand....it's sometimes frustrating leading a horse to water, and then seeing that he won't drink. ;)
I agree with you totally. Through out the west people are very much better off and yet appear to be very much unhappy. Look at the rates of breakdowns, depression and the demand for psyicatric care.
Patty as I told you before I read a book by a British prison doctor and according to him many people don't know what to do with liberty. Infact when many inmates get out a lot, a significant proportion re-offend just to get back inside where they are looked after completely. Many of them on entering prison are ill nourished and only get properly nourished when on the inside!
Liberty is something I used to consider as you do until I read a little more.
Noel - take out the God part if it suits you, I think what they were driving at is that there are certain basic rights that people are entitled to, fundamental ones that are so basic they can be universally recognized.
Of course since the Founding Fathers we have evolved on their idea of what constituted a person, as cotton fields presented more of a challenge to freedom than rose gardens.
Gosh: Well, that might be true that many prisoners get used to living with prison routines and miss the predictability of prison upon release. I have read this as well and it certainly makes sense.
Many kids never want to leave home because of the insecurities and difficulties of dealing with the world. They don't want to "grow up."
Many people cannot deal with the world. We are not all born with the same talents, intelligence, luck, nutrition. And many are abused in childhood and do not have much hope because of this.
Have you read by chance Viktor Frankl's book: Man's Search for Meaning?
He spend years in one of the Nazi death camps and wrote a book about those who survived mentally (and physically) He posits that man's primary motivational force - the force which keeps man going against all odds - is his search for meaning.
I haven't read that Patty, but I'll certainly get to it. At present I'm reading 'Not with a bang but a wimper', the politics of culture and decline', by Theodore Dalrymple (a pseudonym). I recommend all his books, particularly 'life at the bottom'.
I've heard of him, but have not read any. Will be looking up the one you mention.
Theodore Dalrymple is well worth reading. Some of the stuff he wrote whilst he was still a prison doctor was so well observed and despite the grim subject matter very funny, for example quoting a patient who murdered his girlfriend as explaining "I had to kill her, doctor, or I don’t know what I would have done.".
Unlike most pundits of right and left who write about the underclass, he actually spent a lot of time with them.
A lot his writing is published in City Journal, including his latest.
Eddie, I think you might have misinterpreted the gist of my argument there. I love America, and my only jealousy is that I'm envious that I was not born (nor live) in America.
What I wrote was not a jibe at America or its system, but merely me honing in on one particular point: Don't rely on words written on parchments of paper several hundred years ago. The same point equally applies to the UK (Act of Settlement, Magna Carta etc). All fine and noble sentiments, but at the end of the day, just words. In the real world, rely on tanks and planes for your freedom. That was my point.
Patty
How do you know what Rights God gave you ?. Did he tell anyone ?
Tom, has anyone told you lately that you are a pure joy to read?
I miss your wonderful posts.
Thank you,Daphne, very kind of you. I'm sure I'll start posting again sometime, but unlike David (I don't know where he gets the continual energy from!) the urge to blog sorta comes and goes, and right now I'm in hibernation mode.
Never mind, Andrew McC has said that he plans to start writing again on here soon, his posts are sure to kickstart some very lively debates!
Andrew is searching for his crayons.
How do you know what Rights God gave you
Colm, we hold these truths to be self evident!