US Government and America covetously, presumptuously, arrogantly remains unaware, unmindful, unconcerned, uncaring, else unmoved, certainly unrepentant and unchanged, ergo critical lessons yet learned... My apologies.

 

The 1910 painting entitled The First Fight for Independence, Lexington Common, April 19, 1775 by English artist William Barnes Wollen (1857-1936), currently displayed at the National Army Museum in London, England.

At onset I shall declare quite clearly, ardently, historically, logically, consistently, ethically. All were avoidable whether the American Revolutionary War's first battles at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, or the War of 1812's first volley cannoned upon Captain John Rodgers' orders from deck of the frigate USS President off Long Island's coast in New York, else the Battle of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor of South Carolina, as well the Japanese aerial attack on Peal Harbor in Hawaii, the Gulf of Tonkin incident per initial shots fired by USS Maddox near North Vietnamese islands, the destruction and death per hijacked commercial passenger jets suicidally flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington County of Virginia, as well crashed in Somerset County of Pennsylvania, and most if not all those US wars and conflicts amid these tragedies and since 11 September 2001.

With that said, my sympathies and prayers for those who perished among the aforementioned events as well the surviving families then descendants, in some cases generations.

Still to this day as prior to 9/11 hence 21st century, US Government continues to maintain and expand foreign influence, intervention, interference, imposition, intrusion, infiltration, invasion politically, socially, militarily, economically, financially, monetarily therefore manipulatively even aggressively while covertly as well overtly, in the very same manner domestically, minimally since 1913, however arguably since summer of 1787 then 1788, 1791, 1794, 1795, 1801, 1803, 1812, 1823, to merely exemplify thus more... much more!

US Government and America covetously, presumptuously, arrogantly remains unaware, unmindful, unconcerned, uncaring, else unmoved, certainly unrepentant and unchanged, ergo critical lessons yet learned.

My apologies.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Every nation has the government it deserves... Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre (1753-1821), and two other quotes by James Madison and Francis Schaeffer...

 

As national, societal, communal, and personal morality continue to regularly, covetously decline towards widespread depravity, unavoidably so too the quality of candidates therefore the integrity of politicians proportionately, covetously decline towards widespread corruption, connivance, complicity, collaboration, collusion, chicanery, cronyism, conspiracy, coverup, and more.

"Toute nation a le gouvernement qu'elle mérite." Translation; "Every nation has the government it deserves."

Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre (1753-1821)
Lettres et Opuscules (1811)

"What is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections of human nature?"

James Madison (1751-1836)
Federalist Paper No. 51 (1788)

To note, Madison's quote and article first published in 1788 by the newspapers New York Independent Journal, New-York Packet, and The Daily Advertiser, later known as Federalist Paper No. 51 compiled along with articles by John Jay and Alexander Hamilton. Additionally, the rightly counter-arguments are worthy of study, known as the Anti-Federalist Papers, articles written by Patrick Henry, George Mason, Melancton Smith, Samuel Adams, and others who ardently objected the 2nd constitution schemed in Philadelphia the summer of 1787.

Lastly, the quote, book, thus reason I twice included the adverb "covetously"...

"The climax of the Ten Commandments is the Tenth Commandment – 'Thou shat not covet' – Actually we break this last commandment, not to covet, before we break any of the others. Any time that we break one of the other commandments of God, it means that we have already broken this commandment, in coveting."

Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984)
True Spirituality (1971)

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Scripture does not speak the language of science but that of daily experience... Herman Bavinck (1854-1921)

"Everyone agrees, after all, that Scripture does not speak the language of science but that of daily experience; that also in telling the story of creation it assumes a geocentric or anthropocentric viewpoint; and that in this connection it is not attempting to give a lesson in geology or any other science but, also in the story of the genesis of all creatures, remains the book of religion, revelation, and the knowledge of God. We do not read in the Gospel that the Lord said: 'I will send to you a Paraclete who will teach you about the course of the sun and moon!' For he wanted to make Christians, not mathematicians."

Herman Bavinck (1854-1921)
Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 2 (1895-1901)

It is true, Scripture can be categorized into two parts merely for sake of human consideration while remaining tightly intertwined, interrelated...

First, the text self-evident in regards to the human ability to reason as endowed initially by God's Divine Breath in the Garden, soon later prevented from Original Sin's total destruction by God's Common Grace, allowing for the usual deduction and induction (ratiocination) of such historical, insightful accounts.

Second, the text mysterious in regards to the human inability to reason further, necessitating Divine Revelation, however endowed initially by God's Divine Breath in the Garden, soon later prevented from Original Sin's total destruction by God's Common Grace, allowing for the usual deduction and induction (ratiocination), although the aforementioned sinful effects graciously mitigated, remaining still limited therefore flawed, erroneously inclined, excessively disposed, even quite depraved upon the constant presence of Covetousness, so to state again; necessitating Divine Revelation per the text mysterious thus Particular Grace as integrally apart.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

There is nonetheless one aspect of the Newtonian world that is not explained by Newton's theory, and that is Newton's theory itself... David Berlinski (1942-), and a quote by Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)...

Reposting yesterday's text with an emphasis on the second quote by mathematician and philosopher David Berlinski, the first quote by theologian and polymath Abraham Kuyper and as follows...

"The distinction must clearly be maintained. What God Himself does not bear witness to in your soul personally (not mystic-absolutely, but through the Scriptures) can never be known and confessed by you as Divine. Finite reasoning can never obtain the infinite as its result. If God then withdraws Himself, if in the soul of men He bear no more witness to the truth of His Word, men can no longer believe, and no apologetics, however brilliant, will ever be able to restore the blessing of faith in the Scripture. Faith, quickened by God Himself, is invincible; pseudo-faith, which rests merely upon reasoning, is devoid of all spiritual reality, so that it bursts like a soap-bubble as soon as the thread of your reasoning breaks."

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)
Encyclopedia of Sacred Theology (1894)

I am not sure any more can be added to this quote and commentary by Kuyper, yet here I go, humbly. The rot-at-root is human covetousness, the innate sin in us all, always ready to incite our psychology thus propensities and prerogatives then preferences to apply our truly unique and peculiar ability to reason as the final arbiter even upon those things obviously beyond mysterious and divine.

So we tempt ourselves while rightly, necessarily pursuing knowledge to theorize causal, logical possibilities, however also to imagine, to conjure what lies beyond the mysterious and divine "other" side of the Law of Gravity, beyond the mysterious and divine "other" side of laws governing atoms ergo protons, neutrons, electrons, and other small particles, and more.

In so doing, we covetously, presumptuously, arrogantly arrive to something that equally, exceedingly, even excessively requiring belief per grave lack of material evidence, yet claiming then insisting the same over time as foregone conclusions while dissing, ridiculing, as well slandering anything contrary. I must momentarily suspend my rambling in favor of the following excerpt from a book by mathematician and philosopher David Berlinski that I highly recommend, in addition to Isaac Newton's magnum opus and thesis Principia (1687)...

"If Newton's Principia has given the future of mathematical physics its characteristic shape, it has given the future its characteristic question as well. The Newtonian universe is a closed physical system. Whatever happens takes place as the result of casual interactions between material objects. There is nonetheless one aspect of the Newtonian world that is not explained by Newton's theory, and that is Newton's theory itself. The law of universal gravitation binds the world's far-flung particles into a coherent whole; but the law is itself transcendent. It cannot be given an explanation in material terms.

This is true as well for the equations governing electromagnetic field, Einstein's field equation for general relativity, and Schrödinger's wave equation in quantum mechanics. The laws of nature by which nature is explained are not themselves a part of nature. No physical theory predicts their existence nor explains their power. They exist beyond space and time; they gain purchase by an act of the imagination and not observation, they are the tantalizing traces in matter of an intelligence that has so far hidden itself in symbols. Efforts to explain the laws of nature in terms of still further laws of nature that explain themselves have been unavailing. They are what they are."

David Berlinski (1942-)
Newton's Gift (2000)

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

Finite reasoning can never obtain the infinite as its result... Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), and a quote by David Berlinski (1942-)...

"The distinction must clearly be maintained. What God Himself does not bear witness to in your soul personally (not mystic-absolutely, but through the Scriptures) can never be known and confessed by you as Divine. Finite reasoning can never obtain the infinite as its result. If God then withdraws Himself, if in the soul of men He bear no more witness to the truth of His Word, men can no longer believe, and no apologetics, however brilliant, will ever be able to restore the blessing of faith in the Scripture. Faith, quickened by God Himself, is invincible; pseudo-faith, which rests merely upon reasoning, is devoid of all spiritual reality, so that it bursts like a soap-bubble as soon as the thread of your reasoning breaks."

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)
Encyclopedia of Sacred Theology (1894)

I am not sure any more can be added to this quote and commentary by Kuyper, yet here I go, humbly. The rot-at-root is human covetousness, the innate sin in us all, always ready to incite our psychology thus propensities and prerogatives then preferences to apply our truly unique and peculiar ability to reason as the final arbiter even upon those things obviously beyond mysterious and divine.

So we tempt ourselves while rightly, necessarily pursuing knowledge to theorize causal, logical possibilities, however also to imagine, to conjure what lies beyond the mysterious and divine "other" side of the Law of Gravity, beyond the mysterious and divine "other" side of laws governing atoms ergo protons, neutrons, electrons, and other small particles, and more.

In so doing, we covetously, presumptuously, arrogantly arrive to something that equally, exceedingly, even excessively requiring belief per grave lack of material evidence, yet claiming then insisting the same over time as foregone conclusions while dissing, ridiculing, as well slandering anything contrary. I must momentarily suspend my rambling in favor of the following excerpt from a book by mathematician and philosopher David Berlinski that I highly recommend, in addition to Isaac Newton's magnum opus and thesis Principia (1687)...

"If Newton's Principia has given the future of mathematical physics its characteristic shape, it has given the future its characteristic question as well. The Newtonian universe is a closed physical system. Whatever happens takes place as the result of casual interactions between material objects. There is nonetheless one aspect of the Newtonian world that is not explained by Newton's theory, and that is Newton's theory itself. The law of universal gravitation binds the world's far-flung particles into a coherent whole; but the law is itself transcendent. It cannot be given an explanation in material terms.

This is true as well for the equations governing electromagnetic field, Einstein's field equation for general relativity, and Schrödinger's wave equation in quantum mechanics. The laws of nature by which nature is explained are not themselves a part of nature. No physical theory predicts their existence nor explains their power. They exist beyond space and time; they gain purchase by an act of the imagination and not observation, they are the tantalizing traces in matter of an intelligence that has so far hidden itself in symbols. Efforts to explain the laws of nature in terms of still further laws of nature that explain themselves have been unavailing. They are what they are."

David Berlinski (1942-)
Newton's Gift (2000)

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

If the economy privately does not demand enough interest or rally enough resource for a given project or program, then why should government then act contrary to such lack of demand and/or investment?

 

"Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all. We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain."

Claude-Frédéric Bastiat (1801-1850)
The Law (La Loi, 1850)

Among the many concepts and thoughts regarding free trade, free market, free economy, this (quote) perhaps the most difficult to understand, else the most difficult to embrace. For most if not nearly all have their sacred cows, that is, their pet projects or programs they deem absolutely necessary for government involvement, regulation, taxation, management, even for government total control (monopoly) thereof.

Whether it is healthcare, welfare, Social Security, education, transportation, water projects, libraries, and more, enough of the population will cry "Foul!" if to counter and suggest privatization, adding that the matter in question will be done poorly, or left undone, if not for government.

I would recommend asking oneself the following. If the economy privately does not demand enough interest or rally enough resource for a given project or program, then why should government then act contrary to such lack of demand and/or investment? If the economy privately cannot afford a given project or program, then what enables government to afford since revenue (taxation) comes first from the people, and second, from printing fiat that imposes inflation later upon the people?

Per such considerations, perhaps the project or program should not be done at all, in the same way a company will cease to offer a product or service that the consumers no longer demand. And would it be not be immoral if the same company hired gunmen to force consumers to buy the unwanted product or service? So it is with government.

To note, I highly recommend reading the book mentioned above per quote by the early 19th century French economist Claude-Frédéric Bastiat. The link below is a free online copy, thus the opening paragraph...

"The law perverted! The law — and, in its wake, all the collective forces of the nation — the law, I say, not only diverted from its proper direction, but made to pursue one entirely contrary! The law become the tool of every kind of avarice, instead of being its check! The law guilty of that very iniquity which it was its mission to punish! Truly, this is a serious fact, if it exists, and one to which I feel bound to call the attention of my fellow citizens."

Free online copy provided by Mises Institute...
https://mises.org/online-book/law/law-stirling-translation-1874

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23

f you put a ten dollar bill under the rug instead of spending it, that is capital formation... Garet Garrett (1878-1954)

 

If you put a ten dollar bill under the rug instead of spending it, that is capital formation. It represents ten dollars' worth of something that might have been immediately consumed, but wasn't.

Garet Garrett (1878-1954)
The People's Pottage (1953)

Yet, government covets to tax (confiscate, rob) partially the ten dollars, even seize (confiscate, rob) entirely the ten dollars on behalf of equally covetous voters and supporters so to corruptively, collaboratively, collusively, conspiratorially redistribute the stolen ten dollars in forms of governmental programs, projects, services, subsidies, loans, contracts, wars, and more. Yet, it is the laborer, earner, thus saver of the ten dollars, who was then and still is now condemned and slandered as greedy or worse.

It was certainly so in 1953 and long prior, exponentially so in 2026 and long (or not so long) thereafter until economic ruination and monetary devastation.

Furthermore, do not speak to me about charity before addressing the aforementioned. For charity quite impossible, regardless the heart's oft misguided intent, without first economy, that is to say, where anyone and everyone free to labor, earn, and save according to his/her knowledge, skill, resource, necessity, motivation, preference, cognition (reasoning) while fully bearing their responsibility and risk.

Lastly, how can one charitably give without first laboriously earning then prudently saving, so another may graciously receive? Are we to abandon all natural laws hence causalities well subset'ed within God's Common Grace, so to conjure and pursue covetously presumptuous fantasies? Apparently the Communistic Socialist, Fascistic Socialist, and Cronyistic Socialist (i.e. Americans) think we should.

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Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.
Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath.

Is 1:18 / Mt 5:9 / 2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23