I was looking for some information on George Washington the other day, because I wanted to collect something about him for his birthday. During my research I stumbled across the very recent Mount Vernon statement. I had a look at it, and although I generally don’t see eye to eye with the right wing of the Republican Party, I thought it was interesting that the point they put forward are things I can support. Just look at how I read their bullet points:
- It applies the principle of limited government based on the rule of law to every proposal.
- I agree. We should limit the government based on law. We should never allow the government or its agencies to commit crimes like whole sale wire tapping, torture and illegal support to corrupt regimes abroad.
- It honors the central place of individual liberty in American politics and life.
- Individual liberty is essential. We should all be free to make decisions that are about our life, bar some protection to avoid infringements on other people’s rights and their property. For example, if it doesn’t harm you or your property I should be allowed to marry somebody of the same sex, or decide whether I want to take a pregnancy to terms or have a doctor help me to end my life if I feel that is the best thing. To be allowed to do what I want with my life as long as it doesn’t infringe on somebody else’s right to live their life.
- It encourages free enterprise, the individual entrepreneur, and economic reforms grounded in market solutions.
- I think that far to much of our corporate world are getting welfare. I look at farmers producing super crops with subsidies only to have their crops unfairly undercut another farmer. Banks that are allowed to continue to exist, although they have neither the means nor the knowledge to stay competitive on their own. Fighter planes being produced because members of congress have some of the manufacturing in their state, not because the plane is needed. I can go on, but I think you get my drift when it comes to corporate welfare.
We also have the support for the individual entrepreneur. Free health care and education to make sure that he or she can focus on doing what he or she is good at, without having to worry how to get enough money to buy health insurance for the family and save for college for their kids. - It supports America’s national interest in advancing freedom and opposing tyranny in the world and prudently considers what we can and should do to that end.
- Most tyranny is based on keeping people suppressed and uneducated. Make sure that you help support education and transparency. Call out corrupt governments and fine the corporations that support them.
- It informs conservatism’s firm defense of family, neighborhood, community, and faith.
- Allow me to choose how I define my family, neighborhood and community, and allow me to have whatever faith I want. Or none at all if that is what I want.
As you can see there are more than one way to skin a cat, although my cat would disagree. She thinks there is no way to skin a cat. The two points I’m trying to make are, firstly, that if you are unspecific of what you mean it’s easy to read into it what you want, and, secondly, that if we could take off our red/blue polarizing glasses I believe that there are a lot of things we could do. Together. For a better and more vital United States of America. But it’s going to take a lot of listening and thinking.
