Most of us are familiar with the second paragraph of the US Declaration of Independence:

 We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…[1]

Among these [rights] are life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness--that to secure these rights…These words, penned by Thomas Jefferson two hundred and thirty-five years ago help to explain what we can and should expect of our government…our government all levels.

Securing our rights--protecting but not controlling our lives, guaranteeing but not limiting our liberty, securing our right to pursue happiness but not defining what happiness should be.  This is the promise of good government as envisioned by our founding fathers. It is that promise that insures our greatest opportunity for success.  It is a promise we should expect to be kept.  

[1] http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quality of Life

A few weeks ago, I posted my priorities as I began my campaign for a seat on the Barstow City Council.   These priorities include Quality of Life, Economic Security, Public Safety, and Economic Development .   In this essay, I will touch upon Quality of Life issues.   Quality of Life has to do with the livability and appearance of our community, how we feel about Barstow, and the amenities that make life enjoyable.   Safety also plays a role in Quality of Life issues, but I will address safety later.   Over the years, we have seen many of our community amenities close and sit idle, buildings and land became vacant.   Paint peeled, weeds grew, and our community spirit declined. Many will point to the good days.   The days when we had an indoor swim center, a golf course, a bowling alley, and a skating rink.   Some became too costly to maintain, others were privately owned and did not make a profit.   Regardless of the reason, with each lo...
Read more

About Buying in Barstow

As printed in the Desert Dispatch January 6, 2010 About buying in Barstow I just returned from my Christmas vacation and read "The Big 'Buy in Barstow' Distraction" (Dec. 28) and I have a few concerns with your information and analysis. In your typical libertarian/anti-government rant you have thrown a number of issues together that can easily confuse the reader about the issue and obscure the facts while trying to say local government is evil. You seem to be complaining that there is a "Buy in Barstow" program that the city is supporting. You suggest that this is somehow sinister and that the local government misuses the money it receives so adding to the local tax coffers is unimportant, so buying in Barstow is unimportant. But doesn't your salary benefit from buying in Barstow? When I spend my money at Soutar's, Barstow Tire and Brake, Rosita's, Los Domingo's, and Quigley's, isn't that good for the local economy? S...
Read more

The Debate About Marijuana

This piece was published in the Desest Dispatch on June 12, 2012 and can be viewed at this link:  http://www.desertdispatch.com/opinion/marijuana-13097-use-laws.html There is a lot of emotion surrounding the issue of marijuana, but unfortunately too few facts.   Many people believe marijuana is legal in California.   Some believe marijuana is harmless or it is not as bad as some other substances.   Others believe marijuana is a gateway drug, leading many to lives of ruin, or it could be the savior of the California economy if we would just tax it. I voted against the Compassionate Use Act because I have not been convinced science supports the use of marijuana as medicine.   I understand some people claim it provides them relief, and I do not seek to argue or attack them.   I simple am not convinced.   Having said that, the voters approved the Compassionate Use Act and I respect the will of the voters. However, possession, use, cultivation a...
Read more