2. What's the Big Idea?! (The Freedom Papers) - what is actually unique about the American idea?

This article is one in a series titled, "The Freedom Papers," a work dedicated to sanity. Therefore, may it be a thumb in the eye of mainstream media, subjective science, lazy religion, agenda philosophy, lobbied politics, elitism, and those that would abuse mankind with them.

“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force! Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.”
-A quote accredited to George Washington; Our 1^st President

I am calling the American people out. I am not calling ‘America’ out per se, which seems a strange thing. But perhaps when apples turn sour or turn into papayas, we should have a hard time continuing to call the end product apple pie. It is either rotten or something else entirely. We have a problem folks! It is not hard to see that in the last century— especially in the last fifty years— the government of the United States has backslid. And although we cannot claim it is the first time, we can certainly see that what we have now can hardly be compared to the government which was begun by our founding fathers. Sure, it still sits in the same borders of its pie plate, but if the founders made apple pie, what are we being forced to eat these days? One could argue it is so different we may not be able to define what we now have as FOOD. But I digress, let’s move on before we all have to take a snack break.

I would be remiss not to begin a commentary on American politics without first gaining the perspective of that government’s first politicians. And I wish that I could pull out of the rich bank of extraordinary men who formed this country a single politician… but I cannot. Sure, they were politically minded. Sure they stuck together on things that they agreed upon. And yes they fought vehemently about that which they were opposed. But to compare a modern politician’s banter and action to those of a founding father would be a graver insult than I care to attempt to justify. Throughout the history of American politics, we have experienced many people who gave politicians a bad name. Most were nameless men here and there in industry, finance, and economics who have steered policies and politics into corruption and deceit. But they were always surrounded by decent men, whistleblowers, and voices of reason that would stop them, amend their wrongs, and steer us back to center. Morality and integrity were once traits of politicians, and only a few were crooked and in bed with corporations. But this is not so in our day and age. Cronyism is the norm, and it is accepted as ‘just the way you get things done.’ It would be easier to count the pieces of legislation that aren’t biased, lobbied, and dripping with ulterior motives. Somewhere along the way, the greed and corruption took up residence and instead of taking place in the dark, it is taking place in the front office. Somewhere along the way, corruption became a qualification of the job of ‘politician.’ Somewhere along the way, it became impossible to check a broken system who traded in ‘catch me if you can’ for ‘just try and stop me.’ What in the world are we supposed to do about that?!

But that’s the big idea. The founders weren’t politicians, the government of America was not built on compromise, and the people of America once MADE things happen rather than let them go sour. We are a far cry from the rugged free men of a brave new world who forged a government that was unlike any other. The big idea that we seem to have lost is that it is our charge to preserve our freedom from men who seek to take it from us. (And yes, that includes all enemies, foreign and domestic!) The founders were nothing more than common men who picked up the banner when asked and did something extraordinary. The time is coming when that will be asked of us again. But instead of defeating the British or any far off force, we will have to unseat a much more familiar tyrant.

America is an idea pure and simple. It is not a regime, monarch, or seat of power. This idea defied all political convention up to this time and all political ‘wisdom’ since. The idea of political freedom in the American sense stewed for two centuries in the wilderness, in the light of free enterprise, founded in the truths of philosophy and theology. Conventional wisdom has always said that these wise and well-intentioned ideas will always be with us, and hypothetical utopias will always exist just beyond our grasp. These truths are not denied; nor is it denied that in truth lies true freedom. But it was always assumed that humanity could never manage to practice true freedom… freely. The American idea challenged that. These eternal truths were injected into political discussion like never before with true fervor and belief. This is why the formation of such an amazing country ran contrary to convention and had little hope of success. Yet these ideas did become practice, and that practice became unimaginable success which defied the world’s greatest hopes and dreams. It so shocked the world that no one has been able to re-create it, or rival the amazing accomplishment of the idea. The American idea is not democracy, popular opinion’s latest fashion, nor convention. The American idea is something far more bold, fulfilling, and convicting than any of those. It is the amazing idea that a free people who understand the truth about freedom and it’s true source could take on the responsibility of governing themselves. That is what America promises. Notice I did not say the American promise was that a bunch of hippies with the right amount of weed can live in peaceful commune. Nor did I say that with the right amount of economy and free enterprise controlled by government regulation, we can manufacture a free society. And I definitely didn’t mean that following one’s heart and doing whatever one wants to do will make them free. These are all misguided conceptions. These are all examples of human weakness that derail the beautiful and timeless nature of principle and discipline from creating lasting freedom. These are all perfect examples of conventional wisdom, and if we continue to pretend that this is what America is or that this is what America exists for, we will eventually prove right the pundits of the day who said that the pipedream of America will never last.

So what is it in the American idea that is different and unique? The answer lies within the Declaration of Independence. It is, more than a political document, the unanimous declaration by all colonies of their theistically ordained human rights. It was this document that founded the United States and united every American in freedom years before we ever had a government. Of course the Constitution is the political action plan, but the Constitution is not the American idea; the Declaration is. Perhaps you might know the Declaration as a simple list of grievances, merited or unmerited against the British crown. But contrary to popular belief, the Declaration is perhaps the most peculiar political declaration of all time, mainly because its content relies solely on non-political truths about life and human fulfillment. It is brimming with theological concepts of liberty and equality, it spills over with decrees and claims contrary to conventional governmental regimes of fear and domination. The whole page vibrates with the notion that true freedom can only exist by connecting us to the highest model of humanity, which is the undeniable organic law that governs all men’s actions. It was known to the Founding Fathers as the Natural Law not because it extends from nature, but because it is rooted in the extraordinary natural and supernatural nature of man. This law demands integrity from all people and thus demands that same high standard in return for its own success. We must be exceptional people if America is to survive. It is when our government turns toward personal gain and collusion and away from the responsibility that true freedom demands, we find ourselves on the brink.

There is no room for partisan platforms in the American Idea; there is only room for liberty and justice for all. There is no room for corporate scandal and legislative collusion; only life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We are the only country in the world that says all men are created equal. We are the only country in the world that can honestly tell our children they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. We are the only country in the world that demands of its people that we become who we were meant to be! The fulfilled and best version of our self!! Other countries share with us democracy, diplomacy, economy, free trade, or many other first world accomplishments. But no other country shares with us the height of our success, and that to me is the most telling sign that America truly IS the greatest idea that ever came into political existence. It is the most telling sign that politics is a philosophy that is most successful when it works for the people.

How and where the American idea came to be and how it grew into the greatest country of all time is no small accident, no band of suggs rabble-rousing in a pub, and certainly no small act of providence. Its story is highly complicated but unlike other democracies, its outcome was simply fantastic. There has always been corruption in American politics. There is no shortage of political black eyes in every age especially our own. Mistakes have been made, and mistakes have been corrected. But what weaves the success of this country together is one simple concept: truth wins. The American idea is true; it is true to the American, and it is true to the world. When we have embraced the American idea with all of its sacrifices and challenges, we have achieved greatness. Conversely when we have neglected it, we have seen equal unrest and destruction. Because government is not eloquence, it is not reason or truth, and it is not morality or goodness. IT IS A FORCE! And like any such power it can be used to great ends for good or evil. And that my friend is the Big Idea and why it is so important. Because the American idea rejects domination and control, and embraces liberty and justice for all. The American idea rejects elitism, racism, and sexism, and declares that all men are created equal. The American idea institutes the concept of human dignity and the universality of man’s God-given freedom into the very essence of his being, and it says that by God, no man can take it away from him. Most importantly, it takes that solemn demand, that great gift, and places it in the hands of “We the People.” That is the American idea, and why our idea can beat up your government’s model. But the fact that our current government falls so drastically short of that mark is why your government is beat up my government.

Change will not come from young and flashy politicians or seasoned veterans of the trade of deceit. Effective results will not come from corporate endeavors or conventional wisdom. The Founding Fathers knew that, and made sure that Americans would never be too trapped by pomp and circumstance to do anything about it. Which is why I am calling you out, Americans. We are not held back by anything! We are only bound by our sacred duty and honor to uphold the truths found in the Declaration if we hope to keep our freedom. I am asking you to be a light to the world, the hope of nations. We will not do that by accepting our parts as pawns in a corrupt scheme that is currently destroying our freedom. The founders did something so captivating that the rest of the world is still trying to catch up. Do not let the light go out before it is given the chance to be passed on. Something extraordinary is now being asked of you. Will you choose goodness and truth, or will you choose convention and corruption? You must choose to do something, for your failure to choose is also a choice in which you will find that you no longer have the freedom to hold onto your apathy. The American idea is not just a good idea worth embracing; it is the only idea worth having. It is the truth that can make us free. It is the greatest political model because it has everything to do with doing the right thing and nothing to do with politics. It is the one demand that is not an imposition, the only decree that is liberating, and the only promise that ever made good. And that’s the big idea.

Look for next week's installment: What if the Founders got it right... Even if they were wrong?