Life, liberty, and common sense economics

By Oscar Y. Harward

There seems to be representation or perhaps, misrepresentation of President Obama and the majority Democrats on Capitol Hill and their political philosophy and values, or lack thereof, based on our Constitutional values.

Here is what Thomas Jefferson said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.”

Now, may I present to President Obama and the liberal majority Democrat Party members on Capitol Hill a Cato quote by John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon. It exemplifies a short lesson on life, liberty, and common sense economics?

Cato Quote: "By Liberty I understand the Power which every Man has over his own Actions, and his Right to enjoy the Fruits of his Labour, Art, and Industry, as far as by it he hurts not the Society, or any Members of it, by taking from any Member, or by hindering him from enjoying what he himself enjoys. The Fruits of a Man's honest Industry are the just Rewards of it, ascertained to him by natural and eternal Equity, as is his Title to use them in the Manner which he thinks fit: And thus, with the above Limitations, every Man is sole Lord and Arbitrer of his own private Actions and Property."

By: John Trenchard (1662-1723) & Thomas Gordon (169?-1750)

Source: Letter 62 (1722) of Cato's Letters (1720-1723), quoted by Ronald Hamowy, "Cato's Letters, John Locke, and the Republican Paradigm", in Edward J. Harpham (Ed.), John Locke's Two Treatises of Government: New Interpretations (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1992), p. 157. http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Cato.Quote.5EED

In summary, is it that President Obama and the majority Democrat Party members on Capitol Hill just do not know, do not care, or are they just ignoring our American History and our founding fathers?

Life, liberty, and common sense economics is what America, Judeo-Christian values, and our Constitution is all about.