Some, Clinton and Obama, say that we should negotiate with Iran to keep peace in the middle east. That amounts to a very far out dream that would never work. Iran's intentions have been plain and clear for decades: subvert and destroy. Why put our future in their hands? Every ounce of uranium they enrich brings them closer to having the bomb. We must stop them. Peaceful coexistence with a bomb-equipped Iran is a fools dresm with deadly consequences. They follow the teachings of Islam to the extent that they will take over the world if we allow them. There is no particular radical Islam, I see all of Islam as radical. I report,U decide.

In November 2008 we could possibly have two HillaryBillies from the hills of Arkansas as our new presidents. One in charge of the country and the other in charge of vice. Who will get to use the oral room? Ain't that wunnerful?
I report,U decide.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of principled governance
CRAIG WESTOVER

Article Last Updated: 01/29/2008 06:20:32 PM CST

"We can talk all we want about freedom and opportunity, about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but what does all that mean to a mother or father who can't take a sick child to the doctor?"

- Hillary Clinton speaking about health care at an Iowa rally

Dear Hillary:

What do freedom and opportunity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness mean to Americans? That a candidate for the highest office in the land could ask that question is perplexing, to say the least. You've heard the expression "character counts." Character does count, but it is trumped by principle. Americans have shown we can survive a president of dubious character, but a president who in pursuit of policy minimizes the principled foundation of the nation would surely test "whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."

Parents with a sick child live in the moment. Every parent has been there at one time or another. Your child is hurting and very little else means anything at the time. But a leader isn't afforded the luxury of living in the moment. Yes, Hillary, a president ought to be compassionate. But frustrated compassion is a cost of leadership. Governing is not about giving hugs. Government is about policy, and policy without principle is like a court system without the rule of law - it renders justice only by accident.

I'm not going to go all religious on you, Hillary, but recall the Biblical story of Job. Job really got the

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
smelly end of the stick. He lost his family and his wealth and was inflicted with running sores and boils.
His friends (who may have been his greatest curse) tried to convince him that his woes were of his own doing. Obviously, he had ticked God off something fierce, and was paying the karmic cost. But Job, even in his suffering, would have none of their rationalization. Even while cursing the day of his birth, he held firm to the principles that guided his life.

In the little morality play you've concocted, Hillary, America is Job, infected with all manner of running sores. You, Hillary, are one of Job's friends. Your message to America is, "You've sinned." Don't insist, America, on keeping faithful to your founding principles. Your ideological faith in freedom is the problem, not the solution. Opportunity nurtures self-interest - a virus in the village. America must repent before it can progress into the future.

And what a glittering future you promise us, Hillary! From the perspective of an exceedingly high mountaintop you show us a land where everyone has health insurance; everyone has equal access to low-cost, high-quality medical care. And you will give all that to us; all we need do is limit freedom and opportunity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and put our trust and our futures in your hands.

Putting the whole world in your hands, Hillary, is a sweet song to sing to people caught in a moment of personal crisis - but luring a person into selling the soul of freedom and opportunity for the frail security of a government handout is a deal with the devil, and a needless deal at that. Your premise is flawed - any parent can take his or her sick child to a doctor, regardless of economic status. And the trip likely will not be in vain.

Freedom and opportunity and millions of individuals with diverse ambitions created the miraculous medical advances we take for granted. Not government. Freedom and opportunity in pursuit of self-interest created the wealth that enables medical care to be available to anyone. Not government. Health care decisions ought to be made by patients and doctors, not government. It's only when you're out to create a health care system in your own image, Hillary, that individual freedom and opportunity get in the way.

You are running for president of the United States, Hillary, not building a SimCity society of Clintonesque avatars. America is a country founded on principles - the classically liberal principles of individual sovereignty, personal property, the rule of law and, yes, freedom and opportunity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is not your policies that scare some of us, Hillary, it is your core disregard for those fundamental principles.

Freedom and opportunity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - that is what the definition of "America is ..." is.

Craig Westover is a contributing columnist to the Pioneer Press Opinion page and a senior policy fellow at the Minnesota Free Market Institute (www.mnfmi.org). His e-mail address is westover4@yahoo.com.

Return to Top

Comments
The Pioneer Press is happy to host community conversations about news and life in the Twin Cities. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means

There is but one truth, as individuals we of course have the right to believe what we will, but what we believe has no bearing on the truth.

"Trust to the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

We will all face the same truth the moment we die. I freely admit that I may be wrong in my understanding of that truth, we may just cease to exist-- we may all face a God that accepts us just as we are, maybe there is something to reincarnation. But the fact is that we all face the same truth.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The truth, if you believe the bible, is that the moment we die we face Christ [no longer the lamb but the judge], He will ask but one question, "Do I know you?" No second cfhances, no appeals, YES or NO.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through."

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Christ not only brought us the gospel, he is the gospel. God gave us the scriptures, Christ and the gospel. The Word and Chrst are one, beleiving in Christ and not scripture is foolishness.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,"

Without scipture we are left with a build your own truth religion, in other words relativism. I have my truth and you have yours; a clearly untenble position.

Without a standard, Christ own words, "we are left with our own beliefs, not trusting in God but leaning on our own understanding."

Regarding US businesses that move overseas to save money on taxes and cost of labor so they can stay in business. They are moving to countries with lower tax rates as did Wells Fargo when moving from Minnesota to South Dakota. Barack Obama sez on commercial "They (the govt) give tax breaks to corporations that move overseas to do business." I see nowhere on form 1040 or on schedule C that would indicate such a tax break is given. He also sez that "those that stay should get a tax break." That would make him the first Democrat to favor lowering or eliminating corporate taxes. The fact is that when a corporation is taxed it's the consumer that pays the bill, not the CEO or the stock holders.

There was a time, probably 1n the "70s, when people were encouraged to "buy American." This is when the garment makers started to move away and at that time, we the consumers, still had the opportunity to buy American but decided in order to buy cheaper garments bought from overseas. We are to blame, not the corporations, and we are the only ones that can correct this.

I report,U decide.