Why the Founding Fathers Matter

By Tom DeWeese, President of the American Policy Center

It has become typical in school text books, in public discussions, and in the smug wisdom of Progressives, to diminish the words and actions of those who led the founding of the United States. However, now that the nation has gone through what Al Gore called a “wrenching transformation” away from limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty (all major ingredients to making the US the freest and most prosperous nation in history) it’s time to listen again to their wisdom.

In Historical Context: The Ongoing and Increasing Peril of Islamic Terrorism

By Alan Sexton

It is not the purpose of this article to instigate fear of Muslim’s generally, as all Muslims are not radicals. We are assured of this reality simply by observing that even peaceful Muslims are murdered by Islamic terrorists even as they attempt to pray in their mosques.

Rather, the purpose herein is to raise awareness

The Morality of Capitalism

By Audrey Pietrucha

Audrey Pietrucha

For some time now capitalism has served as the world’s favorite piñata. The blame is misplaced since most of our economic troubles are not the result of laissez-faire economics but the antithesis: market intervention and manipulation. In reality, capitalism and free markets are responsible for and supportive of much of what we value in our lives, our relationships and our society. For those who love

The Importance of Critical Thinking

By Alan Sexton/Green Mountain Scribes

In his August 10, 1787 letter written to Peter Carr, Thomas Jefferson advised his nephew to “Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion.”. Jefferson, if not introducing his young nephew to the practice of critical thinking, he was certainly reinforcing it’s essentiality. And, critical thinking skills are just as important to perfect and utilize now as these were then.

Thomas Jefferson, Legislators, Laws, and Natural Rights

Our legislators are not sufficiently apprised of the rightful limits of their power;  that their true office is to declare and enforce only our natural rights and duties, and to take none of them from us.  No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another;  and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him;

~Thomas Jefferson, Letter To Francis W. Gilmer, at Monticello, June 7, 1816.

Celebrating and Defending the Constitution of the United States

The Federal, or as now more commonly known, Constitutional, Convention of 1787 was held in the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia from May 14 to September 17, 1787.

Thomas Jefferson on States Rights

Resolved, that the several states composing the United States of America, are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their General Government; but that by compact under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States and of amendments thereto, they constituted a General Government for special purposes, delegated to that Government certain definite powers, reserving each state to itself, the residuary mass of right to their own self Government; and that whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force:

~ From the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, authored by Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson Letter to George Washington Concerning Establishing a National Bank

I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground: That “all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States or to the people.” [XIIth amendment.] To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power, no longer susceptible of any definition.

 

~Thomas Jefferson, Letter to George Washington, February 15, 1791, Opinion on Bill for Establishing a National Bank

Madison, Paine, and Franklin Talk Liberty and Courage

From James Madison:

Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations;

Thomas Jefferson’s Thoughts On Public Debt And More

And to preserve their independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.