Introduction to Common Sense...

I decided to start blogging because I felt I was making too many political posts on my Facebook page.  I was starting to look more like a political activist than anything else.  I have no political aspirations, but have a strong core of conservative beliefs that have been burning to get out of my head for many years.  At the end of the day, I’m just a normal, hard working American dad who is tired of the status quo.  I am very tired of slanted and spun messages bombarding our senses without any chance for real, independent critical thinking.  This blog is dedicated to those, who like me, are tired of just accepting the headlines, accepting the rhetoric, being fed the spin, and tolerating one sided debates.

This blog is titled Common Sense Revisited after an incendiary work by Thomas Paine called Common Sense.  In this pamphlet, Paine incited people against the British crown and its attempt at controlling the American colonies.  In the beginning of the work, Paine says:

Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer.

Note he says it is a necessary evil.  Evil.  He did not see the government as something that would benefit the people.  He saw it as something that had to the potential to be an intolerable evil.  We are a blessed society, a blessed nation.  As I look around our country today, I am not satisfied that our present government is anywhere near tolerable.  This blog will take time to expose many different topics and some in great detail. 

First up – my beliefs!

1.        I am a Spirit-filled Christian who attends a large non-denominational church that actually walks out the principals of the New Testament.  My church actively ministers both locally and globally in several spiritual and physical capacities.  We feed the hungry, build homes, educate children, and support widows and orphans both here in South Carolina and around the world. 

2.       Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ – just in case you missed the first point!  Yes, I know that one sentence is not exactly politically correct to say in public places – but I will not deny my Savior in word nor deed, nor in this blog.  

3.       I believe the government has little to no place attempting to run people’s lives.  Our government has specific duties that can only be done by a government – the national defense, insuring the rights of property owners, providing for a free commerce, the protection of the people from criminals and other such sovereign obligations.  It is not obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to its people.  It is supposed to make sure it’s citizens have a place to work safely so they can acquire these things for themselves.  This government has taken upon itself to find its way into what we should eat, what we should say, what we should here and see, what our children should learn, and recently is now even trying to find its way into running private businesses.  

4.       I believe our biggest problem as a nation right now is we spend way too much money.  As a dad, I work very hard to bring home a paycheck to make sure my children have a home to live in, clothes to wear and food to eat.  When that paycheck is gone, it’s gone.  Yes, I have taken economics classes and understand there is some need for governments to spend at a deficit to maintain credit markets – bla bla bla.  Thank you Ben Stein.  However, our nation needs to learn some self restraint in the spending department – especially in entitlements and discretionary spending!

5.       I am a capitalist!  I believe in the American Way.  I believe anyone who has the moxy to build their dream should be able to without having to share their success just because special interests, unions and the government feel they are successful enough to do so. 

That’s probably enough for now.  I am hoping to set this blog up into categories, offering editorials on major new articles and current events.  I also welcome comments and hope to build dialog.  I see this blog as more than just a rant.  I see it as an opportunity for education and good debate.

Thanks for reading! Please look for my next post!

Mike