How did we do it before?

Thursday – September 2, 2010

How did we do it before?

How do we get back our standing, our pride, our Independence and the freedoms that we fought and died for?

It was a simple formula, it was called a revolution. It was a philosophy and not an ideology. It was a philosophy of creating wealth and securing Independence for our posterity’s freedom.

On today’s date, in 1789, the Department of the Treasury was established by Congress. At the inauguration of the constitutional government, in 1789, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington’s former military aide and a renowned financier, was appointed the first Secretary of the Treasury and thus, he became the architect of the structure of the Department. Desirous of a strong, centrally controlled Treasury, Hamilton did constant battle with Thomas Jefferson, then Secretary of State, and Albert Gallatin, then a Congressman, over the amount of power the Department of the Treasury should be allowed to wield. He designed a Treasury Department for the collection and disbursing of public revenue, but also for the promotion of the economic development of the country.

It was simple formula. It was managed by men of honesty and by men who conducted themselves beyond reproach. This was also part of the simple formula. Our founding fathers new the importance of wealth and the importance of Americans creating and retaining their wealth. The Census department just released its report on spending. In 2009, the rise in spending went up by 16% to 3.2 trillion dollars. The President and the Treasury have spent more money than anytime in recorded history. The deficit will rise to 1.3 trillion. Before the Obama administration, the deficit was in the low billions.

It was estimated that 70% of the Wall Street Bankers voted for this president and donated heavily to his campaign. Most of the funds that have been released by the treasury went to the Unions and went to private industry in the form of bailouts. The question of the bailouts will be debated for many years. True capitalism and free market principals would have had the companies go through bankruptcy, under normal procedures. The Constitution also has something to say about government involvement in the matters of Congress and the treasury when it comes to the disbursement of the funds. That is another discussion and another debate.

Today, we have too much government intervention and not enough free markets. Today, the government has spent more money in the market place and has destroyed the markets they said would be helped. We need a wealth generating community, instead of a community that is propped up by the Treasury. Today, we have too much regulation that strips the market from being free. In Oregon, a family had a lemonade stand for a fund raising event. The city fined them for not having a permit. A church was fined, because the bake sale items were not cooked in an approved kitchen. These events are small, but they are indicative of what big government does and they are indicative of what the Treasury can do when they are given unbridled authority. I began the FORUM today with two words: Philosophy and Ideology. A Philosophy, in general, will set you free. An Ideology, in general, will confine you.

In Ohio, a poll was taken. The question was: who would you rather have as President, Bush or Obama? 50% of the respondents said Bush and 42% said Obama. Obama won Ohio two years ago. I believe the respondents who said Bush knew the difference between Philosophy and Ideology.

I brought up these examples to illustrate the difference between the philosophy of earning wealth in a free market and the Ideology of controlling a free market.

Thomas Jefferson said: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property – until their children wake up – homeless on the continent their fathers conquered”.

Jefferson lived by a philosophy. If he were alive today, he would be protesting the ideology of the man in the White House and the man at the Treasury. He would be applauding those who start a lemonade stand and those who support a Church fundraiser. I can assure you of this, because I believe I, too, know the difference between Philosophy and Ideology!

When we organize, remember the difference. It is the key to success, because the philosophy will free you!

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: Day 61 is here it is a philosophy of liberty, freedom and knowing that men like Jefferson were right.