WSJ 9.16 The left should reclaim Freedom, Thomas Frank

Phillips wrote:
The left should Reclaim Freedom an article by Thomas Frank in the Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2009
If this isn't an oxy-moronic title then few words will ever qualify for such a designation. How can the left reclaim something they are against in most any form? In the opinion of the left, government needs more not less control and supervision of all in society. Most on the left feel we need large bureaucracies to tell, our farmers what to plant, teachers what to teach, builders what to build, farmers what to plant, industries what to manufacture, banks what they can loan, news organizations which stories they may report, buyers what colors to choose, consumers what foods they can eat, doctors whom they may treat, the public, which prayer can be prayed, and on the restrictions proceed infinitum. How can the left possibly convince any voter they stand for freedom? Who among us would entrust this most precious commodity to these people?

Freedom is not a gift from government or the left. Freedom comes from limiting the power of government. Freedom to speak, pursue happiness, start a business, defend yourself, come from the clearly stipulated constitutional values our founders placed in a document for all generations of Americans. Today, we are confronted by many in Washington who are demonstrating their expertise in developing new ways of destroying individual freedoms. Place a tax on a soft drinks, grade people as obese or non obese, limit the carbon dioxide being consumed in keeping one's house warm through cap and trade policies. Restrict our military's ability to defend the nation by defining terrorism as a legal problem rather than war against the nation.

The paramount issue of today is far more important than healthcare reform. The most important task before the nation has become the preservation of liberty. Patrick Henry knew the stakes well when he spoke to present and future generations years ago, GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH. Voters are beginning to realize the importance of protecting our constitution and the American way of life. I predict that voters will stream in overwhelming numbers to the polling places in 2012 to preserve and reclaim freedom's permanence, Americans know better than to wait until the left reclaims freedom, that will never happen, they are too busily engaged in trying to destroy it.