Someone emailed me with glowing commentary on former President Clinton’s speech at the DNC Tuesday night. He said that speech outlined very clearly the differences between the two parties.
My response follows:
The difference – which he said without being explicit – is this: If faced with a problem are you better off with or without government help?
- I believe that most of the time government is the problem.
- I believe, as Calvin Coolidge said, “If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.”
- I believe the nine scariest words in the English language are, “We’re from the government, we’re here to help you.”
- I believe the American people have proved over and over again they can do anything if left to their own devices but, like people everywhere, will sit back in the recliner and be babied if the opportunity arises.
- I believe the Federal government’s duties are as follows, “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
- You can not form a more perfect Union when you divide the citizenry into victims groups: haves vs. have nots, blacks vs. whites, capital vs. labor.
- You can not establish Justice when criminals are treated as if their crimes are somehow society’s fault, or when you support the annual murder of millions of human beings by doctors bound to use their arts only to heal.
- You can not insure domestic Tranquility when proclaiming class war, or stifiling dissenting voices.
- You can not provide for the common defence when you slash military budgets, or ignore prescient warnings.
- You can not promote the general Welfare by promoting the specific Welfare, or restricting the freedom to choose a school or choose a job.
- You can not secure the Blessings of Liberty when you can’t smoke in a bar, or bear arms in accordance with the Second Amendment.
That, pally, is the difference.