Restoring Education Central to American Greatness http://davidanorris.posterous.com David A. Norris Blog posterous.com Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:46:47 -0700 Part I: Government/Chapter 2, P 36, 37 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-governmentchapter-2-p-36-37 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-governmentchapter-2-p-36-37

 

The Sovereignty Of Man

Under the Impartial God Of Creation Over Government

 

 

In 1772, Samuel Adams stated: "The right to freedom being a gift from God Almighty . . . the rights of Christians may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutions of the great Law Giver which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament."  Disrespect for Authority: Being under authority is not being under control.  It is being under God's protection.  The help provided by God-ordained authorities can be illustrated by the protective wall or "breakwater" that shields boats in a harbor from devastation.  Getting a boat into the harbor may be inconvenient, but the barrier tames the waves and keeps boats safe.  Similarly husbands, parents, employers, and police may be an inconvenience at times, but they play an important role in our progress.  God's benevolent instruction is evident at several levels of responsibility and authority for government (Romans 13:1-3).

 

The first level of government is individual self-government.  Lasting success comes by giving attention to God's standards, the laws of creation's nature that were the norm before man's rebellion opened the door for Satan's influence.  Big government, the abundance of police, prisons, and hospitals are the consequences of sinful life practices.  When man restrains his own selfish impulses and desires, the tyranny and exploitation of big government can be avoided.

 

The second level of government is the family.  From the beginning, it has been the holy commitment of one man and one woman in marriage that has defeated the will of Satan in his war against civilization.  God instituted marriage to facilitate companionship and the nurturing of children in the Truth.  The husband cares for his wife in a loving way, and she respects him (Eph. 5:22-33).  Parents are responsible for the education of their children.  By learning to honor and obey their parents, children also learn to honor the lordship of God and become responsible citizens (Eph. 6:1,4; Prov. 15:5).  The Bible makes it clear that property ownership and wealth come through labor, while laziness produces poverty (Prov. 10:4-5). Recognition of this aspect of the laws of creation's nature benefits families (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 31:13-27).

 

The third level of government is the voluntary union of people belonging to a church, churches of different denominations to evangelize and edify citizens through Biblical principles for faith and community (1 Tim. 5:17) and discipline (Matt. 18:16-19).  Churches also have the Bible mandate to be societal caregivers (1 John 3:17).  Families and churches are united in the promotion of citizen self-reliance and limited civil governments.

 

The fourth level of government is civil government on local, regional and national levels.  Its prime function is to protect the citizens from criminals inside and outside government and from external aggression (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:15:30 -0700 Part I: Government http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-84462 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-84462

American Principle Thirteen 

 

Government Power and Taxes

Must Be Limited For Liberty's Sake

 

"… imposing Taxes on us without our Consent…"

Declaration of Independence

 

 

Low taxes and limited government are indispensable supports for property ownership and liberty.  "He [the king] has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance" (Declaration of Independence).

 

"The public money of this country [citizens' bank, the public treasury] is the toil and labor of the people… reasonable frugality ought to be observed.  And we would recommend particularly, the strictest care and the utmost firmness to prevent all unconstitutional draughts upon the public treasury" (instructions of the town of Braintree, Massachusetts to their legislative representative, 1765).

 

"That Government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the right of acquiring and using property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety" (James Madison, during the first session of Congress, proposing Bill of Rights amendments to the U.S. Constitution).

 

John Dickinson, presentation to the Pennsylvania Provincial Convention, 1774, "Let these truths be indelibly impressed on our minds--that we cannot be happy, without being free--that we cannot be free, without being secure in our property--that we cannot be secure in our property [without representation that forcefully opposes confiscatory taxes]…  But if when we plow--sow--reap--gather--and thresh--we find, that we plow--sow--reap--gather--and thresh for others, whose pleasure is to be the sole limitation how much they shall take, and how much they shall leave, why should we repeat the unprofitable toil?  Let us [citizens of Pennsylvania and even other colony states be alert] take care of our rights, and we therein take care of our prosperity.  'Slavery is ever preceded by sleep.'" (John Dickinson served as a member of the Continental Congress, Governor of Pennsylvania, a member of the Constitutional Convention and the Delaware Constitutional Convention, 1792).

 

Alexander Hamilton, in The Federalist No. 17, emphasizes that taxes should not be imposed at the federal level that enable the government to do things that go beyond the enumerated powers of the federal government and thereby take money from the people that should be available for state and local government needs (in effect, enabling the enemies of citizen sovereignty to use federal government to overpower representative government of, by, and for the people).  The Tenth Amendment was ratified December 15, 1791.  It restates the Constitution's principle of federalism by providing that powers not granted to the national government or prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or to the people.

 

The Federalist No. 10, written by James Madison, condemned taxing the thrifty and financially independent citizens for purposes of leveling (destroying their incentive to prosper financially).  Old European secular controls are "improper" and "wicked."*

*http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=10&page=transcript

 

Government debt that exceeds income cripples nations in the same devastating way that it cripples individuals, families and corporations.  "Indeed, we cannot too often inculcate upon you our desires, that all extraordinary grants and expensive measures may, upon all occasions, as much as possible, be avoided.  The public money of this country is the toil and labor of the people…" (written by representatives of the town of Braintree, Massachusetts, to their legislative representative, Braintree Records 1765-1766).

 

A compact discussion of American principles vital to the family and education can be found in the book, Restoring Education Central to American Greatness.

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:59:00 -0700 Part I: Government http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-48165 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-48165

American Principle Twelve 

 

Vital to the American Work Ethic,

Property Ownership Must Be Secure

 

"… are entitled to life, liberty and property…"

Declaration, First Continental Congress, 1774

 

"All men… are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Declaration of Independence

 

 

"That all men… have certain inherent rights… namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property" (Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776).

 

"In the general course of human nature, a power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will [to work and be responsible]" (The Federalist No. 79, by Alexander Hamilton).

 

Karl Marx (1818-1883) helped turn Soviet Russia into a socialist state.  It collapsed after the death of hundreds of millions of people, some by starvation, others murdered by the government.  According to Marx, capitalism would never work because of the inequities between the rich and poor.  He achieved worldwide support of secular intellectuals for taxing the people and redistributing "each according to his ability, to each according to need" still common today.  The truth is that capitalism, man's ownership of the fruits of his labor, helps both the rich and poor get richer.  The promise of ownership encourages men to overcome the pain of labor and take personal responsibility.

 

Socialism was tried in the Plymouth Colony here in America following extensive food shortages.  Instead of the "rule of man," Governor Bradford turned to the Bible for wisdom and then announced that settlers would have a plot of land, and thereafter be responsible for and entitled to the fruits of their own labor (April, 1623).  Entire families went to work, and hard times changed to a plentiful supply of food.*

*http://www.sail1620.org/history/articles/122-plymouth-jamestown.html

 

"That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where arbitrary restrictions, exemptions, and monopolies deny to part of its citizens that free use of their faculties, and free choice of their occupations, which not only constitute their property in the general sense of the word; but are the means of acquiring property…" (Essay by James Madison, published in the National Gazette, March 29, 1792).

 

Linking the work ethic to the right of property ownership was a monumental break from the world's political history.  The incentive of property ownership is the engine that makes an economy flourish.  It is the increase in value of the products supplied by the worker that leads the buyer to spend his money to own the product.

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:18:00 -0800 Part I: Government http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-13277 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-13277

American Principle Eight

 

The Overriding Concern When Writing the Constitution

Was Imposing a Check On Man's Sin-Prone Behavior

 

"He has combined with others to subject us jurisdiction [control] foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation."

Declaration of Independence

 

 

A high priority when framing the Constitution was to expose government officials who persist in rejecting the message of their own conscience for the short-lived benefits of dishonesty and immoral conduct.

 

Upholding the responsibilities of civility is the necessary predicate for a liberty-friendly Constitution; liberty being the absence of authoritarian oppression.  This dictates the values that must be upheld by legislators, judges and administrators.  These values include sacredness of the family - one man and one woman in marriage; upholding the right to life and liberty, meaning citizen self-rule; equal treatment by law for all, leaders and non-leaders; protecting the labors of citizens' property rights, meaning to keep thieves out of the corn crib and taxes low; respect for God-honoring leaders.  And absolutely no government involvement in education and church except supporting unfettered competition among education and religion providers.  This protects the people's right as sovereigns to choose.  The people can be trusted (historic "rule of law"); government officials cannot be trusted (historic "rule of man").  The clear lesson from history is that government-established education, church authorities, and sanctioned monopoly unions empower tyrants who confuse, exploit and enslave.

 

The testimony of the Constitutional Fathers reminds us that government must be continually restored to the control of law-abiding citizens.

 

"But there is a Degree of Watchfulness over all Men possessed of Power or influence upon which the liberties of mankind much depend.  It is necessary to guard against the Infirmities of the best as well as the Wickedness of the worst of Men.  Such is the Weakness of human Nature that Tyranny has oftener sprang from than any other Source.  It is this that unravels the Mystery of Millions being enslaved by a few" (Samuel Adams, Letter to Elbridge Gerry, 1784, emphasis by Adams, Samuel Adams was a Delegate to the First Continental Congress, 1774; signed the Declaration of Independence, 1776: member of Massachusetts State Constitutional Convention, 1781).

 

"Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty!  I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt" (Patrick Henry, Virginia Convention for accepting or rejecting the Federal Constitution, 1788).

 

James Madison wrote, "The only distinction between freedom and slavery consists of this: in the former state, man is governed by laws to which he has given his consent, either in person or, by his representative.  In the latter he is governed by the will of another…  If men were angels, no government would be necessary" (cited by Forrest McDonald, The Intellectual Origins of the Constitution, Lawrence, Kansas, University of Kansas Press, 1985, 160 and 205 respectively).

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:16:00 -0800 Part I: Government http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-99555 http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-i-government-99555

American Principle Seven (Part I)

 

The Moral Duties Of Civility Are Also a Predicate

For Interpreting Constitutional Meaning

 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident ..."

Declaration of Independence

 

"Tis substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.  Who that is a sincere friend to it, can look with Indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?"

George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796

 

 

"Laws of Nature and of Nature's God"* morality fits into the behavioral envelope that supports life, truthfulness and the Golden Rule, meaning treating others in ways that one would like to be treated and would like loved ones to be treated.  Immorality includes those traits called sin that fall outside the envelope of life.

 

Together, morality and work ethic is the engine that liberates mankind from the tyranny of aggressive government employees.  Liberty from intrusive government makes it possible for the people to market their skills to own property essential for maintaining independence and happiness.

 

"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains on their own appetites.  Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere… men of intemperate minds cannot be free.  Their passions forget their fetters" (Edmund Burke, British supporter of the American Revolution, November 3, 1774, speech to the electors of Bristol, England, quoted by HIllsdale College, Imprimis, Vol. 20, No. 9).

 

The atheistic-secular philosophy for law identifies with what Solon of Athens described as "government by incalculable and changeable decrees" (Will and Ariel Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol. II, The Life of Greece, Simon and Schuster, 1939, 118).  Secularism is an evil repudiation of the solid basis for prosperity and citizen self-government intended by Constitutional law.

 

Government potential for power as well as the lucrative public treasury attract politicians who are intent on self-aggrandizement and conquest.  Expressed by President Ronald Reagan: "Government is not the solution to our problems, it is the problem" (Inaugural Address, 1981).  "A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position.  The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositaries, and constituting each the guardian of the public weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes.  To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them" (George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796).

 

*The phrase "Nature's God" used in the Declaration of Independence did not originate with Americans.  The Laws of Nature's God include the Biblical standards of morality.  When the bond between God and man was broken in the Garden of Eden, the forces of evil that seek to defy creation's nature were unleashed.  "The law of nature was a common term used by historic legal writers such as Grotius, Burlamaqui, Blackstone and others.  The law of nature's God, a lesser used term, was more commonly called the divine law, or the revealed law" (Lonang Historical Reference Works).

http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/index.html

 

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

 

 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:31:00 -0800 Introduction IV: Truth or Consequences Applies to Nations http://davidanorris.posterous.com/introduction-iv-truth-or-consequences-applies http://davidanorris.posterous.com/introduction-iv-truth-or-consequences-applies

What are the consequences that befall nations when partisan authoritarians take God, with moral accountability, out of education?  Typical of empires that have cluttered cemeteries throughout human history, the Soviets had flooded their empire with propaganda.  Darwin's theory for human origins had become the basis for education.  The consequences included growing alcoholism, youthful insolence and irresponsible attitudes toward work and self-support.

 

At a United Nations forum on December 7, 1988, Mikhail Gorbachev, atheist leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, acknowledged that the God-rejecting dogma of Karl Marx and Charles Darwin was an utter failure (evil).  Reflecting upon the disintegration under the secular progressive government, Gorbachev said: “The compelling necessity of the principle of freedom of choice is … clear to us.  The failure to recognize this … is fraught with very dire consequences …  Freedom of choice is a universal principle to which there should be no exceptions.  We have not come to the conclusion of the immutability of this principle simply through good motives.  We have been led to it through impartial analysis of the objective processes of our time.  This objective fact presupposes respect for other people’s views“ (George P. Schultz, Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan, Turmoil and Triumph, New York: Macmillan, 1993, p. 1107.  This book traces the moral and economic collapse of the Soviet Socialist Empire).

 

Gorbachev tried to prevent the collapse of truth-trashing socialistic rule.  To do this, he adopted Perestroika, which allowed the people to be informed and free to communicate.  He also legalized property rights, but socialism had gone too far.  Beginning in 1989, the puppet Communist governments in captive countries controlled by the Soviets were overthrown by the people.  The Soviet Union fell apart when captive countries quit contributing the revenue required to keep the socialist economy going. 

 

Whether or not Gorbachev realized it, the Soviet empire was being forced to acknowledge that those who reject the sovereignty of man under God over government run into the immutable laws of creation’s nature.  Those laws support life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  In contrast, the vacillating laws of man lead to exploitation, cultural decay, poverty and tyranny.

 

Writing of Perestroika, Gorbachev’s wife Raisa said:  “Our society has set out on the path of renewal and of demolishing totalitarianism and the obsolete command system of administering the country” (Raisa Gorbachev, Reminiscences and Reflections, Harper Collins, 1991, p. 174).  (See Appendix C, "How Socialism Exploits Mankind," Part IV--Supplemental Material, in this book.)

 

Both the Webster and Random House dictionaries identify socialism as a “Marxist theory.”  Winston Churchill stated: “Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state.”  He also said, “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/winstonchu164131.html

 

When majorities on the Supreme Court force changes in our laws that reject the moral and God-honoring predicate of the United States Constitution, they have, in effect, empowered truth-trashing by radicals in government schools.  Separation of the right of church clergy to dictate (separation of church and state) does not justify the removal of "In God We Trust" as a publicly held standard.  "Liberty and life are the gratuitous gifts of heaven.  I shall certainly be excused from adducing any formal arguments to evince, that life, and whatever is necessary for the safest of life, are the natural rights of man.  Some things are so difficult; others are so plain, that they cannot be proved" (Supreme Court Justice James Wilson, Lectures, delivered in the College of Philadelphia 1790-1791.  Volume II, Part II, Chapter 1, Lorenzo Press, 1804).

 

 

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:55:00 -0800 State of Iowa Bill of Rights II http://davidanorris.posterous.com/state-of-iowa-bill-of-rights-ii http://davidanorris.posterous.com/state-of-iowa-bill-of-rights-ii

This law follows the right to life and liberty from government oppression, principles of the Declaration of Independence.

 

Protection of the citizens from authoritarian judges depends upon preserving the intent of the law in the matter of unalienable citizen rights.  This depends upon discontinuation of fascistic tenure guarantees that empower leftist law professors to prevent the school administrators from controlling what is taught to those who may later become judges.

 

Twice tried--bail. SECTION 12. No person shall after acquittal, be tried for the same offense.  All persons shall, before conviction, be bailable, by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses where the proof is evident, or the presumption great.

Habeas corpus. SECTION 13. The writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, or refused when application is made as required by law, unless in case of rebellion, or invasion the public safety may require it.

Military. SECTION 14. The military shall be subordinate to the civil power.  No standing army shall be kept up by the state in time of peace; and in time of war, no appropriation for a standing army shall be for a longer time than two years.

Quartering soldiers. SECTION 15. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war except in the manner prescribed by law.

Treason. SECTION 16. Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort.  No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the evidence of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in an open court.

Bail--punishments. SECTION 17. Excessive bail shall not be required; excessive fines shall not be imposed, and cruel and unusual punishment shall not be inflicted.

Eminent domain--drainage ditches and levees. SECTION 18. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation first being made, or secured to be made to the owner thereof, as soon as the damages shall be assessed by a jury, who shall not take into consideration any advantages that may result to said owner on account of the improvement for which it is taken.

The general assembly, however, may pass laws permitting the owners of lands to construct drains, ditches, and levees for agricultural, sanitary or mining purposes across the lands of others, and provide for the organization of drainage districts, vest the proper authorities with power to construct and maintain levees, drains and ditches and to keep in repair all drains, ditches, and levees heretofore constructed under the laws of the state, by special assessments upon the property benefited thereby.   The general assembly may provide by law for the condemnation of such real estate as shall be necessary for the construction and maintenance of such drains, ditches and levees, and prescribe the method of making such condemnation.  Paragraph 2 added 1908, Amendment [13].

Imprisonment for debt. SECTION 19.  No person shall be imprisoned for debt in any civil action, on mesne or final process, unless in case of fraud; and no person shall be imprisoned for a militia fine in time of peace.

Right of assemblage--petition. SECTION 20.  The people have the right freely to assemble together to counsel for the common good; to make known their opinions to their representatives and to petition for a redress of grievances.

Attainder--ex post facto law--obligation of contract. SECTION 21.  No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall ever be passed.  Referred to in S12E.11, 16.2 of the Code.

Resident aliens. SECTION 22.  Foreigners who are, or may hereafter become residents of this state, shall enjoy the same rights in respect to the possession, enjoyment and descent of property, as native born citizens.

Slavery--penal servitude. SECTION 23.  There shall be no slavery in this state; nor shall there be involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment of crime.

Agricultural leases. SECTION 24.  No lease or grant of agricultural lands, reserving any rent, or service of any kind, shall be valid for a longer period than twenty years.  Referred to in S461A.25 of the Code.

Rights reserved. SECTION 25.  This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others, retained by the people.

 

Iowa-state-flag

Image from http://www.elcivics.com/state-lessons/iowa-lesson-1.html

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/restoringeducationcentraltoamericangreatness

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:30:00 -0700 Part Two: Grand Jury Presentment of "Problems in Higher Education" http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-two-grand-jury-presentment-of-problems-i http://davidanorris.posterous.com/part-two-grand-jury-presentment-of-problems-i

 

Portions of the Presentment of the Grand Jury for the Eleventh Judicial District of Iowa follow, with words added for clarification in brackets.  Supplemental ideas are italicized.

 

The American Ideal Reflected in 

the Constitutions of the States

 

Control over the use of government power has always been a test of wills.  The Judeo-Christian approach to government was vehemently opposed by atheists during the writing of the Iowa Constitution.  The following quotations are from the Constitution of the State of Iowa, which is similar to many other state constitutions.

 

1. Preamble:  "We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the STATE OF IOWA."

 

2.  Article I, Section 2:  "Government is instituted [by the people] for the protection, security and benefit of the people."

 

3.  Article I, Section 1:  "All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights--among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness."

 

4.  Article I, Section 2:  "All political power is inherent in the people."

 

5.  Article I, Section 2:  "They [the people] have the right at all times, to alter or reform the government, whenever the public good may require it."

 

6.  Provision for unrestricted exchange of ideas for education and government policy, no matter how radical, is provided through frequent elections:  candidates for office must go before the public and be chosen by mature citizens at the ballot box.

 

7.  Article IX, Section 3:  "The General Assembly shall encourage by all suitable means the intellectual, scientific, moral and agricultural improvement."

 

2168fcca8f15853c5f_zbm6i2jnc

 

Image from http://www.brennancenter.org/blog/category/voter_registration/P16/

 

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restoring-Education-Central-to-American-Greatne...

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:49:00 -0700 Ban the Ten Commandments? What For? http://davidanorris.posterous.com/ban-the-ten-commandments-what-for http://davidanorris.posterous.com/ban-the-ten-commandments-what-for

The laws of creation's nature include the perimeters for civil behavior provided by the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5).  Because of the universal benefits that come from applying the Commandments, they are a common part of the moral religions throughout the world.  Prior to the time that supremacist judges embraced the intolerance of a tiny minority (the laws of man), the rest of us had the benefits that come when the Commandments were emphasized in the schools and on public properties throughout the nation.

 

 

Americans recognize that the promotion of life-building attitudes is important, but that it is not right to punish harmful attitudes that have not been expressed by criminal actions.  "We, The People" places the consequences of attitudes, good or bad, in the hands of God.  He sees and hears all.  Over time, the failure to police one's own thoughts renders severe punishments in direct proportion to the evil committed.  These six commandments pertain directly to such matters of the heart:


You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself a graven image.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Honor your father and mother.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey,  nor anything that is your neighbor's.

 

Four of the commandments provide the foundation for civil and criminal law in America:


You shall not murder (the right to life).

You shall not commit adultery (the sanctity of marriage).

You shall not steal (the right to own property).

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (the right to be truthfully represented).

 

It is citizen support for moral absolutes reflected in the Ten Commandments that promotes the passage of good laws by elected representatives.  It is, exclusively, this moral climate within our society and government that can prevail over the curse of moral relativism practiced by the masters of political deception.

 

 

To justify taxpayer support, educators must teach the truth about the God-honoring Declaration of Independence and Ten Commandments that have enabled Americans to change a wilderness into the greatest nation on earth.

 

Tencom07

For more information or to purchase Restoring Education Central to American Greatness:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

For previous blog entries on similar topics, simply go to this site and scroll down:

http://davidanorris.posterous.com/

 

Like on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restoring-Education-Central-to-American-Greatne...

 

Image from http://www.byteland.org/godslaw/fixtencommonumentquitman.html

 

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:06:00 -0800 American Principle Thirteen: Government Power and Taxes Must Be Limited For Liberty's Sake http://davidanorris.posterous.com/american-principle-thirteen-government-power http://davidanorris.posterous.com/american-principle-thirteen-government-power

 

"… imposing Taxes on us without our Consent …"

Declaration of Independence

 

Low taxes and limited government are indispensable supports for property ownership and liberty.  "He [the King] has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance" (Declaration of Independence).

 

Alexander Hamilton, in the Federalist No. 17* emphasizes that taxes should not be imposed at the federal level that enable the federal government to do things that go beyond their enumerated powers. That would take money from the people that should be available for state and local government needs (in effect, enabling federal usurpers to prevent the function of government that is closest to the people). 

 

Government debt that exceeds income cripples nations in the same devastating way that it cripples individuals, families and corporations.  "Indeed, we cannot too often inculcate upon you our desires, that all extraordinary grants and expensive measures may, upon all occasions, as much as possible, be avoided.  The public money of this country is the toil and labor of the people …" (written by representatives of the town of Braintree, Massachusetts, to their legislative representative, Braintree Records, 1765-66).

Image_tax_revenue

A full discussion of these vital American Principles can be found in my book, Restoring Education Central to American Greatness.

 

For more information or to purchase the book:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000185969/Restoring-Education-Cen...

http://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Education-Greatness-Principles-Liberated/dp/1...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restoring-education-david-a-norris/1103308053...

 

Like on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restoring-Education-Central-to-American-Greatne...

 

*http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/fed/blfed17.htm

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris
Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:55:00 -0800 American Principle Twelve: Vital to the American Work Ethic, Property Ownership Must Be Secure http://davidanorris.posterous.com/american-principle-twelve-vital-to-the-americ http://davidanorris.posterous.com/american-principle-twelve-vital-to-the-americ

"… are entitled to life, liberty and property ..."

Declaration, First Continental Congress, 1774

 

"All men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Declaration of Independence

 

"That all men … have certain inherent rights … namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property."

Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776

 

The emotionally charged appeal for the redistribution of the fruits of man's labor was attempted in our own historical Plymouth Colony.  Following extensive food shortages, Governor Bradford turned to the Bible for wisdom and then announced that settlers would have a plot of land, and thereafter be entitled to the fruits of their own labor (April, 1623).  Entire families went to work, and hard times changed to a plentiful supply of food.  "It made all hands very industrious so that much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been..." *

 

This redistribution philosophy was later identified and popularized by Karl Marx (1818-1883) as "each according to his ability, to each according to need." 

 

Linking the work ethic to property ownership is a monumental break from the world's political history.  The incentive of property ownership is the engine that makes an economy flourish.  It is the value created in the usefulness of products provided by the suppliers that leads the buyer to spend his money to own the product.

 

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies" (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11).

 

 
Image_redistribution

*http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch16s1.html

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1297223/author.jpg http://posterous.com/users/hcGCjfx1z9wx4 David A. Norris davidanorris David A. Norris