No, I didn't listen to the state of the union address. I already know the state of the union. I have no desire to listen to Joe Biden spew forth a bunch of half-truths and promises. Fact is, I haven't listened to any state of the union address because they are all pretty much the same thing. Listen, they are all politicians regardless of party affiliation. You can anticipate what they are going to say. I get it. It's true, actions speak louder than words, and I have seen the actions of this administration. Joe is simply doing as he is told and being promised a legacy. It isn't like he has the cognitive ability to make any important decisions on any of this in the first place.
I was talking with my wife about all of this. I was telling her, she's a very patient person listening to my ramblings, about the state of the union. You know sometimes I think she isn't really listening at all, just humoring me, but then I realize how intelligent she really is and dismiss that notion. I feel like the state of the union is precarious at best. The division has never been greater. The division is between the people and the government, not so much between the people. The working people are united in their goals, in their expectations and dreams. It is the government that is disappointing them. And that applies regardless of the party in power. The long and short of it is simple enough. Trillions of dollars have been spent or just plain given away. Loans were taken out. The issue now? The payments are due! Like buying a new car it's all great until the payments are due. It is at that point we begin to question our choices.
Accountability. That is what the whole thing is all about. We are accountable for our choices, our decisions and our actions. Now it's true everyone is happy when there is plenty of money to go around. They say money can't buy happiness, but it sure can distract you. In some cases, make you forget all about things! But when that money is gone, sorrow returns with a vengeance. No matter how hard we try to remove the importance of money, it remains. It is the removal of accountability that we seek. You can see that happening every day in America under the guise of progress or enlightenment. That's what permissiveness is all about. By endorsing the distractions, we remove the concern of reality. We feel happy. What is happiness? In short, doing what you want to do. That's what makes you happy. Deciding what to do, is the accountable part in all that. Accountability may require self-denial. That's the rub, isn't it? I want to do what I want to do.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy."
This quote has been attributed to several people. I don't care who said it, it is the truth. The founding fathers were idealists. I don't think that can be debated, they were, after all just human beings. They composed what they felt was the defining document for governing the people. It was the people themselves that would govern! Trusting in the people to be moral and religious. That was plainly stated more than once by those writers. John Adams is most frequently quoted as saying just that. "Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
The issue is the people are not all moral and religious people. That is what the author of the above quote was saying. That is the fatal flaw in those documents, if a flaw exists. Remember these documents were written in a time when a man's word was his bond, reputation was everything, and honor was paramount. Yes, you were judged on those things! You didn't hear anyone saying, don't judge. That came about as an excuse to do whatever you wanted by blaming someone else. We are moving farther and farther away from being a moral and religious people. In fact, that is being taught in our schools today!
All religions require obedience. That's what they do. In order to receive whatever reward is being offered to the faithful the rules must be followed. That's how it works! It isn't how government should work though. Government isn't a religion! That's why it was separated in those documents, made clear, that government shall not establish a religion. It didn't mean the people shouldn't be religious. Are morals dependent upon a religious doctrine? The answer is no, they are not. Morals are natural law, inherent to mankind. We know what is right and wrong. Religion is instruction. There are some of us that require instructions and some that do not. You can be religious but not moral and moral but not religious. It is the combination of both, a moral and religious people, that our constitution was written for. The constitution isn't religious instruction.
Obedience is about self-denial. It is about doing the right thing. Yes, there are times when doing the right thing just isn't any fun. Obedience is self-control. Obedience is subjugating yourself to higher power. When I raised my hand, took the oath of enlistment I voluntarily subjugated myself to a higher power. In fact, I agreed to give my life, if necessary, in defense of the nation. I tried to be as obedient as possible. Not saying I was always successful at that, but the effort was made. It wasn't a religious thing; it was a moral thing. My religious beliefs had little to do with that decision. Citizenship is about obedience. A good citizen is obedient. A good citizen wants what is best for all. And that is what a good citizen will vote for. But unfortunately, not everyone is a good citizen. There are those that cannot remain obedient even to themselves! They sacrifice moral and religious practices for personal gain at the expense of others. They then attempt to establish those actions as the norm. All that is required is the removal of moral and religious values. When anything goes, everything goes. The first, being your freedom.
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