Dakota Beacon

Today’s political scene is not the traditional tussle between Democrats and Republicans. Those days are gone. Today we witness a struggle between the America we once knew and a new transformed society of “communitarianism,” a term coined by self-proclaimed communist Anthony Van Jones, President Obama’s former Green Jobs Czar. When used to describe Obama’s speech, “communitarianism” does not carry the baggage as do terms like communism and socialism.

Obama’s inaugural argument is collectivist at heart designed to tear down our old beliefs of limited government as we’ve known it. Quoting Obama: “Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way.” This stands on its head the Declaration of Independence that he earlier quoted.

The founders disagreed on many things, but they understood and agreed on the meaning of liberty. It meant to live as an individual without central government planning. It meant respect for property rights, economic opportunity and religious freedom. The founders certainly did not understand liberty to be some form of “communitarianism” as outlined by Obama.

During his first campaign, Obama promised to usher in a new age of liberalism. Specifically, he promised to “...fundamentally transform America.” Beginning with his second inauguration, knowing he would never again face American voters, the transformation proceeded.

In his January 21, 2013, inaugural address (http://www.npr.org/2013/01/21/) Obama set the tone by redefining “liberty,” “freedom” and “tyranny.” In doing so, he advanced his goal of radically transforming America.

Obama easily reversed the meanings of words defining our founding principles because he speaks to an already polarized nation. In true Alinskyite fashion Obama twisted America’s founding principles to represent collectivist central planning, heavy economic regulation and broadening of the welfare state. In other words, he equated America’s “founding creed” with leftist principles.

Ben Shapiro with Breitbart News shared some succinct observations of Obama’s speech. “They [our founders] gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed. After the eradication of slavery “...we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.

“Together, we determine that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.

“Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.

“Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.

Obama moved directly to his point. Liberty is not timeless. Times change and so must we. “...[F]idelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges...preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.” Individual freedom receives new meaning through regulation and redistribution. Equating freedom with government control is as perverse as it gets.

Obama has never approved of our system of government. A year ago he stated “[I]t turns out our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change that I would like sometimes.” (http://hotair.com/archives/2012/02/08/obamatureism)

By all indications Obama intends to carry out his agenda separate from congress and the courts. “Fast and Furious” gun running by the Justice Department is one example. Gun control through executive actions is another. This past week the District of Columbia federal appeals court ruled Obama’s three National Labor Relations Board “recess” appointees from last year were unconstitutional. That could nullify 300 of the NLRB decisions. But who will enforce the court’s ruling? Eric Holder’s Justice Department under Obama’s guidance?

To accomplish his goals Obama still has his 32 czars, unconfirmed by the Senate, carrying out his bidding. Every federal agency is at Obama’s disposal to implement his vision without waiting for congress. He can use the Federal Communications Commission to restrict radio and TV content. He can use the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate energy and manufacturing. He can use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to thwart free enterprise. He can use the Justice Department to intimidate the election process and, above all, he can use the IRS to harass anyone or any business resisting implementation of his vision for America.

The US Constitution was written with the understanding that human nature does not change. People are neither angels nor animals and they certainly are not perfectible. People are capable of good or evil and must be checked against each other.

Today’s progressive liberals assume mankind’s behavior can be molded, changed and perfected. It is government’s role to change behavior and usher in utopia. Limited government has no future.

As Shapiro points out, if liberty is defined in Obama’s terms, there is nothing left to talk about. My liberty is your tyranny, and visa versa.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).