It’s About Liberty, Stupid!

It’s the Economy, Stupid,” a slogan coined by James Carville during Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign, will live long in the folklore of American politics. It was simple, powerful, concise, and drove the point of that political season home: stay away from other issues – Bill Clinton was all about the economy. Today, we seem to lack the level of leadership that can be simple, powerful, and concise. Our political rhetoric is full of double-tongued talk. Worse, it’s full of seemingly meaningless fights and debates compared to the issues we face. You may even think that partisan bickering is all there is to political engagement. This short book is intended to offer a basic challenge to that way of thinking. If you are anything like me, you were raised with some basic thoughts about public policy. You may have been raised “Republican” or “Democrat,” or you may have been raised with certain principles bred into who you are. Certainly our upbringing has much to do with how we think about public policy, but some never get past that point. Their political opinion or identity stops there – they feel largely how Mom and Dad felt, or some variation thereof. Others, like me, developed much deeper opinions than how I was raised. For almost fifteen years I pushed along, in and out of public office, with relatively solid convictions and well thought-out positions on most topics. But then it happened. I was asked to give a speech on energy policy, and while I reflected on what I needed to say, I re-read Patrick Henry’s famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech. All of a sudden, it hit me – It’s About Liberty, Stupid! The title of this book, of course plays on Carville’s infamous slogan. But the idea behind it has a lot more to do with the late Patrick Henry than with Carville. On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry, a young attorney and Delegate to the Second Virginia Convention, delivered his famous speech at St. John’s Church to the assembled delegation. In his speech, ending with the famous phrase, “Give me liberty, or give me death”, Henry laid out words which echo through the centuries: speaking over one year before independence was declared by the colonies, he spoke to the heart of the rising call for freedom. His short speech clearly defined the situation the colonies faced as nothing less than a choice between two paths – freedom or slavery. Yes, focusing on liberty may not be original, and doubtless some will dismiss it as “simplistic,” but have you thought about it? Have you thought about the question before us today, as Mr. Henry did? Could it be that still today, we face a question of “freedom or slavery”? A gift as great as America should not be allowed to disappear from our globe just because we are not paying attention, or because we can’t take a short few moments to understand the most basic framework of our Republic – liberty! It’s not that difficult, but it is that instrumental. In 1775 Henry was right, and in the 21st century he is no less right – all countries, the United States included, must ask themselves the same question: will it be freedom or slavery? How do you make decisions about how you feel regarding a political candidate, public policy issue, or even your own personal disciplines? Do you simply pick what is best in your mind for you, your family, or your business? Do you look at every issue through the “built-in” biases that come from your upbringing? Do you simply just not care? It’s not just how we think about issues; it is also how the politicians like to frame them. Notice how everything today is about the “ends justifying the means” and how everything has to be “pragmatic”? Notice how we are not allowed to challenge those in power because they are going to get “there” – they are just working at it and change takes time – or this is just not the “right” time? Mr. Henry hit these arguments too – in his speech he challenged the Virginia Delegation, questioning when they thought the “right” time would be to engage the British. He reminded the delegates that every action the British showed suggested not peace but war. Like theirs, our way of life today is under attack, largely because we are failing at preserving our freedom – our liberty. This book is designed to help you understand that the single principle holding all of our hopes together is liberty. Whether you’re are “liberal” or “conservative,” Republican or Democrat, Christian or Agnostic, I don’t care. Liberty is the foundational principle you must preserve, or you risk having your way of life and beliefs threatened or even destroyed through the force of government. In this book, we will first examine the foundational principles of liberty. Next, we will move into a discussion of today’s issues within the framework of liberty. By the end, you’ll be able to understand and apply this simple framework, to help you process complex and important issues. Like Patrick Henry, you will find that even now, if we care for America we must answer these issues through the lens of Liberty. To save and preserve America, It’s About Liberty, Stupid!