I believe in America— Conceived in liberty, Born at war, Founded on the promise that we are all created equal. Endowed by our Creator with the gifts of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We pledged to each other Our lives, Our fortunes, Our honor. From the beginning, the Almighty declared, “In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread.” By the work of our hands, we shape the means To warm our homes, To fill our tables, To keep the promise of plenty. And though— If we were angels, We’d need no government, We are not angels. We need governance that holds justice close, That shields the weak, And serves the people it protects. Joel K. Douglas
What an emotional week for the country—and not just because of the election. This week, I talked with some fired-up cattle producers who believe federal agencies overstepped their authority. May we all be gracious in our interactions.
Many Americans fear for their ability to forge the means to achieve heat in the house and food on the table. There’s no quick fix for this systemic problem. Systemic problems require systemic solutions. Over the last year, we spent almost half of our effort thinking about how to improve the economy for families across America. This was the decisive effort of the year. We need governance to serve the people and set conditions that enable individual Americans to work and succeed.
Some fear for the security of our borders. At the same time, we recognize the benefit and talents legal immigrants bring to America. Even if we disagree with the premise that drastic changes are necessary to secure our borders, the perception of doing nothing leaves a foul taste in the mouths of Americans. We spent an entire month posing a multi-pronged approach to address border security in an efficient and respectful manner.
Some fear for their liberty or the liberty of others. If we give the government the power to take individual liberty away from any group, we give the government the power to take away our liberty. Inherent in the inalienable right to life is the right to make decisions about ourselves. We may have opinions and personally disagree with others’ choices, but government interference with individual choice violates liberty. No legislative body can support liberty better than stating that men and women of able mind have the right to make their own healthcare decisions. We must protect each other’s rights to ensure our own.
Some fear for the integrity of the institution that is our democratic republic. Few attain the privilege of swearing an oath to the Constitution, and we need to hold those who violate their oath for personal gain accountable. Government exists to serve the people. Any leader who serves themselves is a disgrace to the nation. Too many serve proudly and take this oath as almost a condition of their lives to allow us to water down the commitment of others.
If we were angels, we would need no government
These challenges are not new. Principal framer of the Constitution and later President James Madison outlined the inherent difficulties of governance in Federalist 51.
He addressed setting conditions for governance to secure liberty and justice for Americans.
He helped establish a system of separated powers, ensuring each branch holds the others accountable. The premise is that individual Americans must have the liberty and justice to succeed on their own merits. Government has two aims: securing liberty and justice for individuals and then controlling itself.
Liberty is the freedom to choose how you will live and act, within a framework that respects the same rights for others.
Justice is fairness, ensuring that social and economic structures benefit everyone, even the least advantaged, while correcting wrongs under the law.
Madison famously wrote, ‘If men were angels, no government would be necessary.’ He emphasized our duty to prevent one group from oppressing another. Stated another way, we need to set conditions enabling individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to have the same opportunity to achieve prosperity as those from privileged ones. This is the essence of justice. Madison verbatim states we must “guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other.”
Our fears today reflect the same fundamental concern: how to preserve liberty and justice when human nature is flawed.
The fundamental bedrock of America is that we are conceived in liberty. No matter our group, we must protect each other’s rights to ensure our own. America demonstrates she will go to war for liberty.
The ambitious promise of America is justice for all. No matter our upbringing or whether we live in urban or rural America, we need to have heat in the house and food on the table. Individuals need to be able to achieve these necessities through the effort of their work.
In sum, the government exists to ensure liberty and justice for all.
I believe in America. Some are worried about our future, but I am not.
The “Father of the Constitution,” James Madison, expressly stated the primary purpose of the document was first individual liberty and justice, and then control of the government. America bows to no king.
The system Madison and others put in place is resilient.
America will continue to strive for liberty and justice. Just as America was born at war, fighting for liberty, Americans will rise against any group that threatens their inherent rights.
Our challenges today are of liberty and justice, but again, I don’t fear for our future—I know we will overcome them.
May God bless the United States of America.
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