[2/22/10] What Price Liberty?

Here is Paul Jacob, recounting the acts of a few students at Munich University in 1942 against the evil tyranny of Hitler.  It as moving a piece as I've read in years.  Please read it as soon as you have time.  Jacob writes

Tomorrow, February 22, at 5:00 PM, I'll close my office door and take five minutes to quietly reflect upon heroism, honor, courage and fealty to truth.

And I'll grieve about the sometimes tragic consequences of correctly answering Patrick Henry's historic question: "Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?"

Knowing the dearness of life and the sweetness of peace, Mr. Henry's answer was: "Forbid it, Almighty God!" He then concluded, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Today we face the question again, though we are not to the point where we need risk our lives for our liberty.  In the 2008 elections, the American electorate -- we, our friends, and our associates, really -- in a fit of pique, of economic fear, and of imagined guilt for slavery empowered those who seek to control by force of law what ought to be controlled by the free choice of individuals.

Bismarck's mild-mannered socialism led to Mussolini's corporatism, thence to his fascism, and finally to Hitler's National Socialism.  Where will be on that path if we don't stop the left's progressivism in the elections this fall?

As a nation, we have allied ourselves with dark forces, and now, to save what is left of our liberty, we may have to pledge some sacrifice, if not our lives, then at least some portion of our fortunes, and certainly our sacred honor.

I encourage you to get involved.  At the very least, tell everyone you know that it is no less than theft for someone to vote to spend other people's money on their favorites among the deserving. Tell them that it is evil to vote to enslave fellow citizens for a few dollars for someone else, no matter how deserving they may be.  Those who wish to help the deserving poor will do so and should do so voluntarily.  They shouldn't send tax men out to steal for that purpose and rely on government arms to enforce their desire that we all be generous to others.

Your congressman or senator may be a Democrat.  Then you must oppose him. If he was elected in 2006 or 2008 he may seem almost conservative.  The only vote you need to know about to oppose him is the one he made at the start of this Congress that helped elect the Democrat House and Senate leaderships.  With that vote, your Democrat member of Congress aligned himself with the worst of his party's members and adds his impetus to their progressivist agenda.  Unless they are removed from power, his party won't stop until we all are equal and in poverty.

Republicans aren't saints, and the Republican Party isn't right often enough, but they are on the side of the angels whenever they oppose the progressive evil that Democrats seek to impose.  If your congressman or senator is Republican, consider his record carefully, and, if you aren't happy with his votes, consider supporting his opponent in the primary if he has one.  Too many Republicans still believe in working across the aisle with Democrats to bring home the pork.  That pork is infected and infectious; we should all oppose it given the opportunity.  Always remember that the true taxation is government spending: every dollar of spending makes some resource unavailable to the private sector.  Only if we reduce spending can we reduce taxation.  If your Republican Congressman is not sharply opposed to spending, explain this to him.  Make sure he knows you oppose his government spending habit.

And there are opportunities.  Google can help you seek out your County Republican meeting; then go.  They typically happen once a month.  Candidates for office start there, and so should you.  Contribute something there, no matter how little, as they operate on almost nothing.  Volunteer to help.  I recommend you consider contributing to your state party, too, though I can not in good conscience recommend that you contribute to the national party or either of its Congressional or Senatorial campaigns.  They have, over the years become devoid of all principles and will support any candidate that declares himself a Republican.  For years they supported Arlen Specter, George Voinovich, and many other Republicans in name only.

If your Republican congressman or Senator is a solid economic conservative, contribute to his campaign and be an advocate for him.  If he doesn't need your contribution to be reelected -- you can read the paper, the web, and the polls -- you can give to any congressional campaign in the country.  You contributions can oppose Harry Reid himself by supporting his opponent, a worthwhile effort, even though Reid seems to be toast already.

You can check the Club for Growth web site now and then to find out where you can make contributions to key races.  I encourage you to join the Club; it's free.  They are the political tip of economic freedom's spear.  Contributions can be made to their political action committee or, through the Club, directly to candidates in amounts small or large.

It's now or never.  If we don't pitch in to roll back these Congressional and Senatorial Democrat majorities, we stand to lose much more than our children's inheritance.  We will lose our own moral way.