About James Morris A descendant of one of US Constitution's
Framers, Gouverneur Morris, James Morris has been a public
school educator and private business owner in South Florida for
over twenty years. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in
History and Social Studies Education from West Virginia
University and is currently finishing a Master's Degree in
Strategic Intelligence from American Military University. He
maintains a blog accessible
here.
James Morris
The American Crisis: Turning Full Circle April 8, 2009
In December
1776, Thomas Paine released
The American Crisis, the first of a series
of pamphlets outlining the dire straits the American
independence movement was in. Paine wrote in the
first paragraph, “These are times that try men’s
souls.” American independence was jeopardized by
the poor morale and state of the Continental Army, a
lack of food, supplies and ordinance, disease and
the waning spirit of a significant portion of
American leadership. Britain felt confident at this
time that they could crush the rebellion with a
single blow that could be delivered at a time of
General Howe’s choosing. As one of the coldest
winters on record set in, Howe was in no hurry to
route the “ragamuffin mob” of an army that was no
doubt suffering from the travails of the immoderate
weather and would wait until spring to begin their
final offensive. Hunkering down in winter quarters
was the custom for European militaries for
centuries. General Howe, British Commander in Chief
was certain that that his American counterpart
(General Washington) was doing the same. In other
words, conventional military wisdom would rule the
day.
Paine knew Washington’s dilemma. He hurriedly produced The American
Crisis with the hopes of bolstering the American soldier’s morale in
order to keep the cause alive. Also in the first paragraph he states,
“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered….What we obtain too
cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything
itsvalue”
Paine was aware that he was talking to men who had seen a great deal of
death and hardship: men who had lived their lives by preparing for the
worst. This struggle would be monumental and would require tremendous
fortitude and perseverance in order to prevail. No doubt these Americans
were physically up to the challenge. Yet despite this, both he and
Washington knew that having that experience and durability might not be
enough to keep the movement together.
The American people needed to know the consequences of failure and where
the power of any American government truly lies. In no uncertain terms
Paine’s inspiring words in that first paragraph provide the answer:
“Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she
has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER,"
and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not
such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for
so unlimited a power can belong only to God.”
Paine explains that the price of failure would be slavery and that the
British government and its king by imposing unrepresented and unlimited
taxation had already assumed the powers of the Almighty in levying
arbitrary judgment upon its colonies. Paine suggests, as did other
thinkers sympathetic to the cause, that the rights of man are bestowed
by God and it is the American citizens who lend the power of
governance to its representatives in order to secure and safeguard these
blessings so that no man may take them away. The contract between God
and man and that between citizens and their representatives are sacred
trusts that must be upheld on all sides. Since God is perfect, there is
no debate on that end. However when the sacred trust between the
citizens and those who govern them is fractured, it is the right and
might I say duty of the citizenry to shed those chains of bondage and
construct a new covenant that reestablishes liberty and freedom from
tyranny.
General Washington constantly interacted with his troops during that
difficult time as Paine’s words were read to the troops bivouacked in
their winter quarters. Many of them wanted to go home yet many stayed
despite the adversity because they realized the price of failure. As
Washington pondered his next move which could also be his last, he
realized that emerging victorious was not negotiable. While dining with
Dr. Benjamin Rush, he kept notating on dozens of small bits of paper,
“Victory or Death” His decision to attack the Hessians who were
garrisoned at
Trenton on Christmas Eve could determine America’s Destiny. There
would be one chance for the cause of liberty and no other. It was now or
never.
Washington employed unconventional tactics in defeating the Hessians at
Trenton on Christmas Day and as a result paved the way toward restoring
the Continental Army’s confidence and delivering a morale shattering
blow to the British. It was at this time when Washington n came to the
realization that he did not have to defeat the British head to head in
large pitched battles but rather keep his Army intact, alive and out of
the British juggernauts reach. In other words, the British had to win
and Washington simply had to not lose and remain a thorn in the side of
the British. The longer Washington and his army stayed alive, the
stronger the resistance grew to the point where the British saw that
their efforts were acts of futility.
On October 19, 1781 the world officially witnessed the power of
America’s desire to be free as the British General Cornwallis
surrendered at
Yorktown, Virginia. Since then for over 220 years, Americans have
enjoyed the blessings of liberty that had been brought about and
documented by a series of trials and errors that eventually led to the
US Constitution and the US Bill of Rights. As a Constitutional Republic,
the United States, although not perfect, set about a path travelled by
no other nation on earth and brought forth a civilization that even
might Rome could not match. The United States became a Nation of
Nations, Primus Inter Pares (first among peers).
Coming About Full Circle
Fast forward to 2009, where the American Federal Government has
undergone the most radical transfer of power in its history, threatening
to rob its citizenry from the very liberty the Founding Fathers fought
so hard to obtain. Its citizenry has fallen victim to the condition
described by Thomas Paine in the first paragraph of The American
Crisis;
“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only
that gives everything its value.”
Affluencein the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s brought about complacency in the
1980’s and 90’s.Complacency then brought apathy by the turn of the
century. This procession of events is commonly referred to as the Cycle
of the Body Politic that was believed to be promoted by noted Scottish
Historian
Alexander Tyler in the mid 1780’s. The election of Barack Obama in
2008 ushered in the Age of Dependency whereas a significant portion of
the population had voluntarily gave up their liberties for government
security. Although one can blame the Far Left for engineering the
current state of affairs, it the American people that allowed this
“political fungus” to grow beneath their feet. In other words, US
citizens have forgotten the price of freedom and have allowed nefarious
forces seeded in the far left to take control and permanently alter the
very fabric of American social, political and economic foundational
principles.
Since the
Age of Affluence starting in the 1950’s, Americans became
politically complacent, economically unaccountable and socially
irresponsible. By the 1960’s in many respects the US citizenry as a
whole felt that it had “finally arrived” at a place to where it no
longer had to worry about the same concerns our ancestors had. By the
1970’s cracks in the shining armor had begun to show and we began to
ignore the very political and economic principles that made America a
great country. By the 1980’s a short revival of sorts had undergone
during the Reagan years that had shown great contrast to the Carter and
Nixon terms. However, it was short lived largely due to its dependence
on the dynamic leadership of the charismatic Reagan. His successor,
George H.W. Bush was just another out of touch politician while his
successor, Bill Clinton represented many of the elements that were wrong
with US politics; narcissism, hubris, greed and moral cretinism. Bush
the Younger proved no more in touch than his father and continued to
expand upon the trend to increase the size and scope of government.
Barack Obama & The New Radical (and More Dangerous) Left
Outside of President Reagan, we have basically been dealing with
arrogant, out of touch and corrupt politicians. The election of Barack
Obama in November 2008 brought in a whole new era of American
politician. Obama’s personal history indicates radical Muslim and
Marxist influences that primarily guide his political and economic
philosophy. There is no evidence that proves otherwise. A lifetime of
alliances, friendships and partnerships with the most radical elements
in the United States clearly point to his philosophical framework. Obama
is enabled by a equally radical Democratic Congress that rejects
traditional American principles and values and has set a new political
and economic course that will make this country unrecognizable to our
fathers and grandfathers.
Many traditional Americans have seen the writing on the wall. Those who
have read history with an objective lens know that Marxists, once in
power, never relinquish it by electoral fiat but rather by force. The
Marxist mantra is “diplomacy is delivered from the barrel of a gun”
Marxists only believe in one sided debate and will never admit they are
wrong on any issue. Marxism, Socialism and Communism are interchangeable
terms and are based on principles that defy human nature, economic
principle and broad political compatibility. Winston Churchill once
stated that one cannot argue with a Communist but rather that one has to
be ready to employ the use of deadly force should they threaten to
impose or compromise one’s sovereignty, national security and interests.
Socialism in the US has taken a unique form in that it incorporates
elements fused from a variety of past sources including National
Socialism, Maoism, and French Socialism and blended with the political
correctness that is promoting Muslim fundamentalist influence within the
government fabric. If anyone doubts that this exists, try publicly
expressing negative views about China or Islamic terrorism and see how
far your career in the US Federal Government goes.
The last one hundred years of human history has, without a doubt, proven
(to any reasonable and logical thinking human) that the philosophy of
Marxism in any form is not successful in promoting economic engine of
prosperity or the general welfare of the people. However, Constitutional
Republics embracing representative democracy, limited government, and
free market economics have always worked. Yet American politicians,
especially Democrats continue to bring out these old tired ideas that
are not worth the paper they are printed on. In a debate with Governor
Jimmy carter about nationalized healthcare, Republican Candidate Ronald
Reagan turned to Carter and said, “Governor,
there you go again” In the 1970’s, people in general still “got it”
and understood the ills of socialism, however two generations later, a
poorly educated and complacent American public is more inclined to
accept government assistance than ever.
In the last few years, complacency has been replaced in large part by
apathy, as US Congressional approval ratings hover around ten percent
yet the same people get reelected. America as a whole has either
forgotten its way or simply does not care. Ignorance and apathy are the
two most powerful weapons in the Radical Left’s arsenal. Obama and his
minions are attacking American liberties, values, principles, and
traditions on multiples fronts. Threats to the First, Second, Fourth and
Tenth Amendments have been launched by the White House and Congress in
the form of anti gun legislation, the “Fairness Doctrine”, nationalized
healthcare, nationalized banking, taking power away from the states and
private businesses and playing God by ignoring the rights of life to the
unborn. The “Card Check” legislation proposed, the leveling of arbitrary
punitive taxes, and “cap and trade” legislation will serve to enslave
the American people and crush American entrepreneurial spirit. A forty
five year assault on the American public schools and colleges, have
taken a serious toll on our youth who have been brainwashed by the
liberal tripe that has eroded their sense of national identity (1). And,
the “generational theft” that will be the result of unbridled spending
that both parties are guilty of, will serve to relinquish our national
sovereignty to dictatorships like China and Saudi Arabia who own
trillions of dollars of our debt.
America’s only hope to retrieve its greatness as a nation is for a
leader based in traditional American principles and values to step up,
stand tall, rally the American people from the grass roots and fight for
America’s soul. The American people have to come to realize that the
only alternative to victory is slavery for us, our children and
grandchildren. Countering this radical transformation must come quickly
because time is running out. A reformed Republican Party must make
substantial gains against the Democrats in 2010 and take back the
Presidency in 2012 if the United States as we know is to make a
recovery.
The loyal opposition must be genuine in making reforms and understand
that they work for US, We the People, and not the lobbyists and
foreign interests. A large segment of the American electorate will not
take this lying down and watch their country go down like Western Europe
or some banana republic. US citizens are making a statement as Tea
Parties are cropping up all over the country, illustrating how angry
traditional Americans are about the conduct of the national government
(2). The White House and Congress have been enhancing their power at our
expense. People like Sarah Palin, who are true reformers must be
embraced by her party and not held in contempt by those who feel
threatened by reform and fiscal responsibility. How else will the
Republican Party create separation between themselves and the radical,
spend happy democrats?
In Summary
For George Washington, adversity was the canvas from which his
masterpiece of greatness emerged. Perhaps the Civil War and the Second
World War are proof that America is at its best when its back is against
the wall. Let us certainly hope so. This effort will take great courage
from millions of informed and committed citizens who understand the
consequences of failure. But I believe time is short and as John Adams
once said; “Liberty, once lost, is lost forever”
