Friday, April 3, 2009

So, who is right?

In the weeks leading up to the G20 summit, held in London yesterday, I have been extremely worried about the world-changing policies that could come out of it. I blatantly disagree with the entire premise of this type of organization. The United States is a sovereign Nation, and generations before us have sacrificed many of their finest to ensure that sovereignty. What would they say to us as we willingly give up that which is so precious that they gave their lives for it?

Let's compare some statements of current world leaders to those of our Founding Fathers.

President Barack Obama hailed agreements at the emergency meeting of world powers Thursday as a "turning point in our pursuit of global economic recovery."

Obama said the heads of industrial countries that met in London agreed on "unprecedented steps to restore growth and prevent a crisis like this from happening again."

"I do not buy into the notion that America can't lead in the world," Obama said, but he added that it is "very important for us to be able to forge partnerships as opposed to dictating solutions." [Our founders would not agree to either. America should lead by example and equal friendship, not partnership, to all]

"Today the largest countries of the world have agreed on a global plan for economic recovery and reform," - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

"We wanted to make sure we had a strong, coordinated response to growth" and "we thought it was important we had a strong, coordinated regulatory response," - President Obama

"I think a new world order is emerging and with it the foundations of a new and progressive era of international cooperation." - PM Brown

"Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale," - PM Brown

"We will implement new rules on pay and bonuses at a global level that reflect actual performance with no more rewards for failure. We want to encourage corporate responsibility in every part of the world." - PM Brown

And now for the rebutal.

"Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations – entangling alliances with none." - Thomas Jefferson

"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible." - George Washington

"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. But that jealousy to be useful must be impartial." - George Washington

"It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." - George Washington

Simply put, either our founders are right or today's leaders are right. It can't go both ways. By following the ideals of the founders as laid out in our Constitution, this country has become the most successful in the history of the world. This country's citizens have enjoyed freedoms few have ever enjoyed; and that freedom fueled the innovation that we enjoy today.

Our leaders today are willing to turn away from the rights, liberties and prosperity that the ideas of our founders produced. Either they think our days are different, or that the founders were wrong. Either way, by choosing to abandon those proven principles, our elected officials are handing over our sovereignty to an international body that not one single American citizen voted for. That is stealing our freedom of choice. That is tyranny.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

"The Most Popular Politician On Earth"

It's frustrating to me that racism is only called racism if it's directed at the correct race. While demeaning statements aimed at a black person can easily end an individual's political or professional career, turn that same statement the other way and apparently you score huge points.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil recently made the following statement during a recent visit by PM Brown:

"This crisis was caused by the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who before the crisis appeared to know everything and now demonstrate that they know nothing."

So did Brazil's president suffer any consequences of this statement when he arrived at the G20 summit? Did anybody stand up against him, or threaten to boycott the summit if such a blatant racist were allowed to participate? I don't know if any other country's leader was willing to take a stand against this form of racism, but ours certainly was not. Instead, President Obama had this to say to President da Silva:

"Here’s my man, right here," Mr. Obama said. "I love this guy. He’s the most popular politician on earth."

Racism is racism, regardless of its direction. The lack of conviction to stand against President da Silva's comment is one thing. To praise him is deplorable.