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Our creator gave us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our founding fathers confirmed this with the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. Neither the government nor anyone else can legally take them from us. If someone tries to, it is our duty to prevent it.
Freedom is really an enigmatic philosophical concept. Our creator gave it to us, then gave us rules to live by. Freedom without the rules can never work in society. Freedom and equality can never coexist. It is impossible to be free and equal to others. Freedom requires one to be responsible for oneself and accountable to others for one's actions. In America, the only equality we should have is opportunity.
If our government takes from one to give to another in an attempt to provide equality in outcome, it takes freedom from both. The freedom from one to use one's resources as they wish, and the freedom from the other to be independent. Dependence on others to provide your needs nullifies your freedom.
The long-term result is to engender laziness in more and more of us as we receive our fair share, in exchange for our vote to keep our fair share coming. Thus, making everyone equal with less and less. Why should I work, and work hard, to end up with the same resources as those who don't? There are many among us who wish an income, but not have to work for it.
Once this result is achieved, it's back to work, as the government will make you work on its terms. This type of society will never result in prosperity. A prosperous U.S. depends on each individual. Each of us, individually, and all of us as free Americans.
We cannot depend on the government; the government depends on us, but wants to rule us. Our prosperity and the defeat of poverty can only be achieved with a real, disciplined education, and a return to a real free market.
At present, the government allows two or three major competitors who then set pricing with government collusion or subsidization. Competition is becoming a facade. When was the last time a startup business became a major corporation by outcompeting the big guys? Microsoft? Apple? Intel? Southwest Airlines? The '70s. Only on the Internet, which has thus far escaped governmental control.
The dilemma is we no longer live in a free market society, nor do we possess excellence in education. How much longer will it take for the reality of our freedom disappearing bit by bit, to awaken us, before being irretrievably lost? Time is running out.
As for me, I choose liberty.
Al Malm
Dahlonega