The Declaration of Independence

The preamble to the Declaration of Independence contains some of the most inspiring and beautifully written words in the English language:

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

The rest of the document goes on to list the "injuries and usurpations" that motivated the founders to alter their former system of government. The last paragraph reads:

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levey war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

• United States Declaration of Independence -- Wikipedia
• Full text (pdf)

The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers are a series of articles, written by several key founders under the pseudonym "publius", intended to persuade the colonies to ratify the Constitution. These articles tell us a great deal about what the founders were really thinking when they wrote the Constitution, and how to interpret it today.

Since the Constitution is still the official specification for the United States government, and is still the binding contract between the US government and We the People, it makes a great deal of sense to understand what the designers were thinking, and what the several states agreed to, when they ratified the Constitution. What they agreed to, except where later amended, is still the official law of the land today. We are justified in demanding that our government live up to that agreement in full.

• The Federalist Papers -- Wikipedia
• How to Read The Federalist Papers (pdf) -- The Heritage Foundation
• Full text

The United States Constitution

The Constitution is the official specification for the United States government. The Constitution is the binding contract between the US Government and We the People. Therefore, any regime that distorts or disregards the Constitution is untrustworthy and dangerous. Their oath of office is a lie.

There have been many attempts to subvert or distort the Constitution. For example, "progressives" like to use the "general welfare" clause as a blank check for every government entitlement program imaginable. This must have started very early in our history, because James Madison had this to say about it:

With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators.

The Constitution was intended to make it difficult for government to infringe on individual liberty, while providing enough strength and efficiency to protect the citizens from internal or external threats to their life, liberty and property. Madison believed that granting to the government only enumerated powers, would be sufficient to prevent government from trampling our liberty.

However the states thought differently, and they would not ratify the Constitution without the "Bill of Rights". Madison was concerned that people would then focus on the Bill of Rights (which only list a few rights that shall not be infringed) while ignoring the infinite remainder of rights that the Constitution already protects.

Madison's concerns were well founded, because that is in fact the situation in which we find ourselves today. Even the ninth and tenth amendments, which specifically state that all rights not granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved for the states, and the people -- are frequently ignored. Today, we find infringements on many of the specifically protected rights in the Bill of Rights, not to mention the ones that were supposed to be implicitly reserved for us by the Constitution.

The Constitution is not a long document (approximately 17 pages); you can read it in one evening. It isn't difficult to understand, particularly if you refer to the Federalist Papers when questions arise. The health care bill is 100 times larger by comparison.

• The United States Constitution -- Wikipedia
• Full text (pdf)

Founders Lives and Wisdom ...we stand on the shoulders of giants

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped. Born April 13, 1743, Thomas Jefferson...

• at age 5, began studying under his cousins' tutor
• at age 9, studied Latin, Greek and French
• at age 14, studied classical literature and additional languages
• at age 16, entered the College of William and Mary
• at age 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe
• at age 23, started his own law practice
• at age 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses
• at age 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America" and retired from his law practice
• at age 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress
• at age 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence
• at age 33, took three years to revise Virginia's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom
• at age 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry
• at age 40, served in Congress for two years
• at age 41, was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams
• at age 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington
• at age 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society
• at age 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and with James Madison, co-founded, and became the active head of Democratic-Republican Party
• at age 57, was elected the third president of the United States
• at age 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase doubling the nation's size
• at age 61, was elected to a second term as President
• at age 65, retired to Monticello
• at age 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine
• at age 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia and served as its first president
• at age 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson wisely said:

"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Thomas Jefferson extensively studied failed attempts at government, and applied the lessons of history throughout a life of research, reflection, and public service.

James Madison

Born March 16, 1751 at Port Conway in King George County, Virginia at the home of his maternal grandmother, James Madison...

• at age 18 (1769-72), attended the College of New Jersey (now Princeton)
• at age 24 (1775), became colonel in the Orange County Militia
• at age 25 (1776), elected delegate to the Virginia Convention and the General Assembly
• at age 29 (1780), served as a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress
• at age 36 (1787), served as a Virginia delegate to the Constitutional Convention. After four months of private debate (essays known as "The Federalist Papers"), the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, and was signed on September 17.
• at age 36 (1787), James Madison's essay "The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection" exemplifies the brilliance and startling originality of the Federalist. Published on November 23, 1787, it challenges the assumption that individual rights can be secured only in small countries with homogeneous populations.
• at age 37 (1788), the US Constitution, largely based on the "Virginia Plan", authored by James Madison, was ratified. The three branches of government, judicial, legislative and executive, were primarily Madison's invention. The bicameral legislature grew out of a compromise between the large states, wanting representation by population (Congress), and the small states, wanting representation by state (Senate).
• at age 38 (1789), elected to the House of Representatives; sponsors Bill of Rights; works with Thomas Jefferson to form the Democratic Republican Party
• at age 43 (1794), Married Dolley Payne Todd, September 15
• at age 50 (1801), his father, James Madison Sr. dies; as eldest son, inherits Montpelier
• at age 50 (1801-09), served as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State
• at age 58 (1809), inaugurated Fourth President of the United States
• at age 61 (1812), delivered war message to Congress (War of 1812, with Great Britain)
• at age 62 (1813), began second term as President
• at age 63 (1814), British burned Washington and the White House. First lady Dolly Madison remains to salvage important papers and valuable memorabilia, such as the large painting of George Washington.
• at age 64 (1815), treaty of Ghent officially ended the War of 1812
• at age 66 (1817), retired from the presidency, to Montpelier
• at age 75 (1826), succeeded Jefferson as Rector of the University of Virginia
• at age 78 (1829), Serves as delegate to Virginia's second constitutional convention; only member present from the first convention in 1776
• at age 85 (1836), died June 28, at Montpelier

James Madison wisely said:

"Every word [of the Constitution] decides a question between power and liberty. "

"All power in human hands is liable to be abused."

"Conscience is the most sacred of all property...."

"I go on the principle that a public debt is a public curse."

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary."

"America united with a handful of troops, or without a single soldier, exhibits a more forbidding posture to foreign ambition than America disunited, with a hundred thousand veterans ready for combat."

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

"With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators."

A good friend of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison was passionate about religious freedom and individual liberty. James Madison is widely acknowledged to be the "father of the US Constitution".

The American Form of Government

This video describes The American Form of Government and the founding principles in straightforward terms that you rarely hear today.

Instead of focusing on "left" or "right", our founders were more concerned about "how much". How much government is enough to protect our life, liberty and property from internal and external threats, without being oppressive? They envisioned the political spectrum as a continuous line from zero government on one end, to total government on the other. The "right" amount was somewhere in between -- maybe 25% to 30%.

The Washington State Constitution

ARTICLE XXII – LEGISLATIVE APPORTIONMENT

SECTION 1 SENATORIAL APPORTIONMENT. ... ; the county of Whatcom shall constitute the twenty-fourth district, and be entitled to one senator.

ARTICLE II

SECTION 15 VACANCIES IN LEGISLATURE AND IN PARTISAN COUNTY ELECTIVE OFFICE. Such vacancies as may occur in either house of the legislature or in any partisan county elective office shall be filled by appointment by the county legislative authority of the county in which the vacancy occurs: Provided, That the person appointed to fill the vacancy must be from the same legislative district, county, or county commissioner or council district and the same political party as the legislator or partisan county elective officer whose office has been vacated,and shall be one of three persons who shall be nominated by the county central committee of that party, and in case a majority of the members of the county legislative authority do not agree upon the appointment within sixty days after the vacancy occurs, the governor shall within thirty days thereafter, and from the list of nominees provided for herein, appoint a person who shall be from the same legislative district, county, or county commissioner or council district and of the same political party as the legislator or partisan county elective officer whose office has been vacated, and the person so appointed shall hold office until his or her successor is elected at the next general election, and has qualified: Provided, That in case of a vacancy occurring after the general election in a year that the office appears on the ballot and before the start of the next term, the term of the successor who is of the same party as the incumbent may commence once he or she has qualified and shall continue through the term for which he or she was elected: ...

The Washington State Constitution is the official specification for our state government. It is the "supreme law of the state." It defines the rights of the people, and specifies the plan for the operation of Washington State government, describing the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial).

The Preamble and Declaration of Rights (PDF) sections of the Washington State Constitution specifically address the rights of citizens.

The official WA Secretary of State history of the state constitution can be found here; and the official complete version of the State Constitution that includes its original text plus all edits since can be found at this site.

Because the interpretation of a state's constitution is subject to no higher legal authority than the state's supreme court, it is hard to overstate the importance of that function. At the same time, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the application of the Federal Constitution from the application of the state constitution. Of course, Washington Supreme Court justices must uphold both constitutions, and in some cases the Court has turned to the Federal Constitution to decide cases before examining how the state constitution might apply. The Federalist Society has prepared a white paper entitled The Washington Supreme Court and the State Constitution: A 2010 Assessment (PDF).

The Washington Attorney General's office provides "guidance" to local jurisdictions about a number of legal issues like property rights. Our State Attorney General has prepared an Advisory Memorandum: Avoiding Unconstitutional Takings of Private Property (PDF).

The 5000 Year Leap

!! 5000 Year Leap Study Group Forming Now !!

• This DVD course will be shown every Tuesday for nine weeks beginning October 11 Through December 6th
• Where: Just Off 19th Street, Lynden
• Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Cost: $25 includes the book "The 5,000 Year Leap"

Space is limited so act today!

To enroll: email 5000YearLeap@BhamTeaParty.org or call (360) 671-9210 with your name, address and telephone number.

What Are the 5000 Year Leap Study Groups?

• Time Commitment Required: One night a week for 9 weeks
• Monetary Contribution Requested: $25.00
• What you will receive:
  • A Copy of the book, The 5000 Year Leap
  • A Place to Learn the principles and concepts that inspired our U. S. Constitution
  • A Place to Discover greater reasons and needs to stand up for and defend our Constitution
  • A Place to Understand the difference between constitutional principles and current popular beliefs
  • A Place to Create new friendships
  • A Place to Share thoughts and ideas about government
  • A Place to Meet a modern day Patriot
• Contact: email 5000YearLeap@BhamTeaParty.org to register, or to receive more information
• Come One, Come All, Bring a Friend!

This is a study of the United States Constitution from a principle-based approach. You will learn where the founding Fathers got their ideas for sound government and how a return to these ideas can solve our nation's problems today.

Discover the 28 principles of freedom that our Founding Fathers believed must be understood. Learn how adherence to these beliefs during the past 200 years has brought about more progress than was made in the previous 5,000 years.

This is an outstanding study course that is appropriate for high school students and up.

The course is based on the book The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen. To see a preview of the course go to the National Center for Constitutional Studies website.

Taxing and Spending

Taxation -- the big picture

Who picks-up the tax tab? See for yourself.

Where "health care" funding will come from...

When politicians say the proposed health care reform bill will "pay for itself," this is what they really mean. The chart above was prepared by the Tax Foundation to demonstrate the reality of "the Senate Bill." Of course, We The People ultimately pick up the tab.

SOI Tax Stats - Individual Statistical Tables by Size of Adjusted Gross Income

How the Pelosi and Baucus Health Care Reform Bills Are Financed

Debt -- the forecast

How can we spend, spend, and spend more?

Current spending plans promise nothing but more national debt, far into the future. This current projection, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office compares its estimates to those prepared in the White House.

CBO: Preliminary Analysis of the President's 2011 Budget

How quickly things have changed - CBO forecast

More than a year ago, the Washington Post published the chart above to illustrate - to provide a comparison -- of the current administration's deficit spending plans to deficits during the prior administration. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one says "trillions."

Source: The Washington Post

Debt -- the reality

The National Debt Tops $14 Trillion. Today, the US national debt is increasing at a rate of $50,000.00 per second. That is equivalent to burning a nice new four-bedroom house to the ground every five seconds. This is even worse than redistribution of wealth; it's destruction of wealth. Your wealth, your kids wealth, and their kids -- wealth that would otherwise mean greater health and prosperity for everyone, including the needy.

Visit DefeatTheDebt.com to learn more. Or, you can see more detail from The US Debt Clock.org. Find out how much your share costs. Hover your mouse over any parameter and find more information. Also visit The State of Washington Debt Clock.

We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds...[we will] have no time to think, no means of calling our miss-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers... And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for [another]... till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery... And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.

~ Thomas Jefferson

How Much is $1 Trillion?

A billion here, a trillion there ... after a while you're talking about some real money! Let's see how much, shall we? Let's shall!

A while back, the president announced some budget cuts. That sounds good until you see how they compare to what's actually needed.

"Smart Growth" – Planning a New World Order

With euphemisms such as "Smart Growth" and "Sustainability", Whatcom County and City of Bellingham have both joined ICLEI, which is an international organization committed to the goals of the United Nations' climate protection policies and Agenda 21. ICLEI requires member governments to commit to global "milestones" through resolutions and other ordinances. Our taxes have been paying for this "membership" for years.

ICLEI asks local governments to change the behavior and consumption habits of the citizens in their jurisdictions. Bellingham and Whatcom County have been following through on this commitment. The departments of both governments have been planning and developing regulations without our knowledge or consent to meet these international goals.

Is this the first you've heard about it? Here's an important article from The Freedom Foundation that describes what's going on in communities across America – the same thing is going on right here, right now:

Americans that read Agenda 21 are outraged—and rightfully so. Even a quick glimpse of Agenda 21 and the most casual observer will recognize it as socialist engineering. Its strongest critics call it planned genocide.

Agenda 21 was unveiled at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in Rio de Janeiro on June 13, 1992. The Rio conference was known as the Earth Summit. Since then the United Nations convened in Johannesburg at the 2002 Earth Summit. And they plan to gather again in Rio for the 2012 Earth Summit.

The purpose of Agenda 21 is to create policy that protects the global environment.

It's stunning, however, how broad Agenda 21 is—and how it aims to control all aspects of society—using the excuse of protecting the environment. If Karl Marx was asked to author a global planning document, it very may well have looked like Agenda 21.

How broad is Agenda 21? There are 40 chapters and they are divided into 4 main sections. (Continue reading...)

Whatcom County joined in 2006, and has paid $7,750.00 in dues since 6/30/06. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Whatcom County has poured at least three quarters of a million dollars into non-profits and non-government organizations (NGOs) in support of ICLEI milestones.

In 2007 Whatcom County committed the public to generating 10% less greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 than what we generated in 2001. There is no question that the county government knew what they were doing: (Read the 2007 resolution that adopted the 2020 emissions goals...) (Read the complete 64-page plan...).

In 2007, the City of Bellingham made the same commitment – it's on the same mission to engineer the behavior of city residents by a variety of public works projects, regulations, building codes, fees, ordinances, mandates and inducements.

The only way ICLEI milestones can be met are to "encourage" people, through planning and regulations, to work near where they live, promote public transit and to walk as much as possible. Our local government is already promoting and supporting some businesses over others. A large amount of local tax money is being funneled into organizations to bring businesses into line with these goals.

It all sounds warm and fuzzy, but truth be told this governance is taking away our individual rights one by one – and quickly. In essence, our local, state and national governments are ceding authority to an unelected external body. Do we really want to abandon 230 years of self-determination?

The Bellingham Tea Party supports the conservation and preservation of our environmental resources. However, we are very concerned about this constitutional end-run, deliberately hidden in plain view, being implemented without the fully informed consent of the governed. Isn't it preferable to protect our natural resources without forfeiting our natural rights?

Copyright © 2012 Whatcom County Citizens for Freedom d/b/a The Bellingham Tea Party, Bellingham WA