Listening to Jefferson
Summer for many is a time to unwind, vacation, and hit the beach, especially here along the Gulf Coast - surf, sand, and a big glass of ice tea. The party starts Memorial Day weekend, kicks into high gear around the 4th of July, and dwindles off around Labor Day. Fun in the sun is the name of the game.
For me, summer brings reflection. Oh, believe me, I could use a vacation as much as anyone, but ever since I was a young boy, this time of year has filled my spirit with a certain sense of poignancy and reverence. I read and engross myself into the writings of the American giants - Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, Truman, Reagan. I watch documentaries and period epics surrounding these figures and the events of their day. Summer beckons my inner patriot and calls me to action. It ignites a fire within me to hearken back to the founding fathers and listen once again to their wisdom. I am moved by their sacrifice and astounded by their foresight and vision.
One such American giant is Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and arguably one of, if not the most influential of the founding fathers. His handiwork in drafting the Declaration of Independence is still marveled by scholars today. Each of us learned the basic ideal of Jefferson in school. We know of Jefferson in theory. But if you study Jefferson and read his writings, if you delve deeper into his reasoning I trust you will find a great deal to your interest, much of which is extremely applicable to our day in practice, not simply in theory. I challenge you to listen to Jefferson in the quotes below and as I offer some relevance for today. It is surprising how prophetic words written over 200 years ago can be.
"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows us that as a government grows, liberty decreases." - Thomas Jefferson
I have said many times that it is not the government's responsibility to ensure people succeed, but that every person has an equal opportunity for success through hard work, personal commitment and individual responsibility. When government at any level, whether locally or nationally, seeks to usurp the individual responsibility of its citizens and replace it with a centralized, equitable program or body of work, then government has indeed grown past the point of its original intent. Equality for all through government mandate and oversight was not the rallying cry of our founders nor should it be today. Opportunity for all through individual responsibility should be shouted and supported.
"If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson
Today, this very debate is raging in our national Capitol. I believe this quote speaks well to the issue of nationalized healthcare. Involving the government in the intricate parts of people's lives is the last thing I want to see happen. Government needs no role in deciding doctors, hospitals, insurance and the like for citizens. But yet, that is exactly what will happen when the current Congress and Presidential administration have their way with healthcare. I only wish they would heed the words of Jefferson, for the bodies of so many will soon be wrecked by the political agenda of a few.
"That government is best which is closest to the people." - Thomas Jefferson
I love this quote, especially as a local elected official on the City Council. Day in and day out I see where the federal government is growing by leaps and bounds, which essentially makes local City boards nothing more than rubber-stamping bodies that must enforce and take the heat for what those in D.C. and even in Jackson decide. Admittedly, I get very frustrated with the bureaucratic red-tape and the ever moving targets we as a local Council have to overcome to simply help our city and our people. This has never been more evident than after Hurricane Katrina. Those in D.C. and even in Jackson for the most part are insulated from such constant local struggles; they often times miss the boat and put politics before people. I emphatically agree with Jefferson that the best government is the government nearest the people.
"That government which governs best, governs least." - Thomas Jefferson
Oh, how I wish the current Mississippi House of Representatives, the national Congress (both houses) and the President would truly let this fact sink in. You want to see America succeed, then get the government out of our way. Cities would rebound, jobs would return, homes would rebuild, and a new sense of individual responsibility would rule the day. It's time we cut the lifeline a bit. As long as the government continues to interfere and encourages citizens to rely so heavily on its purse strings, America will not be the strong, healthy nation we all want it to be. Ronald Reagan, another American giant, was exactly right when he said, "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them."
Those are only a few quotes of so many more as I listened to Jefferson. As with anyone other than myself (and even then I am often conflicted), I do not agree with every ideal or thought put forth by the third President, however, I stand in awe at his immense knowledge and foresight of the issues our republic would be faced with even in his day. Reading Jefferson and others like him brings me great comfort proving I am not alone in how I feel both about my country and about my convictions. I trust these words will help to strengthen and enliven you this summer as you reflect on our Independence and those who have given so much for the freedoms we enjoy. May we never forget the principles on which we were founded and on which we have built the greatest nation ever to inhabit this planet.
Shhhh..can you hear it? Jefferson and the other American giants are speaking to us today. Are you listening?
May God Bless Pascagoula, Mississippi, America, and You.
As always, Think Pascagoula First,
Frank Corder,
Pascagoula City Councilman - Ward 4
