The Latest

Perverting the Plain Meaning

Dec 9, 2015 — by: Dennis Linthicum
Categories: Culture, Economy, Energy, Regulations, Natural Resources, Politics

Language is an important tool of political control. In our modern Twitter-pated world where sound bites rule, words or labels do not have to be accurate. They are easily thrown about and can be applied to anything. The Twitter-narrative does not have to be accurate to be seen by millions.

Our modern technology has made it easier to spread spurious ideas around the globe. There is nothing new here. Samuel Adams, noted the same thing in 1776. He said, “How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!”

This is why we see policies emanating from Federal agencies. i.e, BLM, EPA, USFS, Public Schools and Universities that appear confused, misaligned or contradictory. The words are being manipulated based upon their value as sound bites, not their adherence to truth.

The strategies employed by the federal government and its cadre of self-seeking crony-capitalists and bureaucrats is actually quite Machiavellian.

For some background, Machiavelli, was disillusioned with the myriad of struggles amongst smaller cities in Italy during the 1500’s. He viewed the small-townships and communities, with their independence, as detrimental to Italy’s potential for greatness. He defined several effective methods for seizing and maintaining power.

His formula for effective government asserted that good rulers sometimes have to learn “not to be good.” He, noted, they must be willing to set aside ethical concerns of justice, honesty, and kindness in order to maintain the stability of the state.

This is the essence of today’s statism – where the stability and power of the state matters more than your individual Life, Liberty or free pursuits.

Wikipedia notes some attributes of Machiavellian theory:

  •     Engage in both Blame and Forgiveness, as the situation dictates;
  •     Engage in both Lying and Truth-telling, as appropriate means to an end;
  •     Make alliances and break alliances to fit the circumstance;
  •     Make promises and break promises as the need arises;
  •     Make rules and break rules as necessary;
  •     Mislead and misdirect to deceive the citizens.

Notice that Machiavelli’s list simultaneously names both sides of each issue, i.e., lie and tell the truth. His advise was to use whichever one, at whichever moment, as a means for maintaining power and securing the stability of the state.

Our founder’s unanimously rejected the Machiavellian theory.  They would not be swayed by pragmatic circumstances to permit some deception on Monday followed by a small dose of truth on Tuesday. They knew that  powerful men could sway public opinion by deceptively promoting uncertainty and fear.

This is why America was conceived and developed as a constitutionally federated republic. Each of these three terms, together, are essential for conveying the basic ideas describing our form of government.*

First, the Constitution was a written document that pre-defined and limited the extent of government’s responsibilities. These limits are often referred to as the enumerated powers. Madison wrote,

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government, are few and defined.  Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. … The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people.” – Federalist #45.

Our Founder’s words had meaning. In their day, male meant male, terror meant terror, illegal meant illegal. These meanings were known and understood universally.  In this way, the Constitution was a document where there was no room for arbitrary changes in policy or authority.

The Constitution was based upon defined rules, not guidelines. These rules were the  well-understood principals for attaining Life, Liberty and personal fulfillment.

Second, the Constitution was discussed, amended, and ratified by a federation of free, independent and sovereign states. The same thirteen colonies who issued, “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America” in Congress on July 4, 1776.

Notice even in this declaration, “united” is lower-case and “States” was written with an initial capital.  There was no desire for an outside ruler, whether King George III, Parliament, Congress or the Office of the President. The State was recognized as the ultimate source for local governance, not the U.N., NATO, TPP, nor the federal leviathan.

Lastly, Republican government refers to two things: the origin of governmental powers, and the manner in which these powers are exercised. That is, they come from the consent of the governed and they are exercised by elected representatives.

James Madison said that “we may define a republic to be … a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.” – Federalist #39

In No. California and So. Oregon there are people who realize that they have been swindled by self-seeking politicians who are following Machiavelli’s rules.  They are promoting a movement for the State of Jefferson. (General informationLatest video)

They recognize that today’s political class are no longer serving the Constitution –  they no longer serve for limited periods; they have no fiscal integrity; they are waging war against the Bill of Rights; and they are no longer serving the general welfare. Today, the political elites work for Wall Street-financed crony-capitalists, self-interested public-sector unions, government-financed community service and public health agencies. Each of these entities employs scores pf lobbyists to ensure their access to America’s largess, the seed-corn of our future. The Machiavellian progressives are tearing at our Republic’s foundations.

The State of Jefferson movement has a slogan, “The Time Has Come For 51,” meaning they would like to split from their respective state governments and become the 51st state in the Union. It’s been done before (think, Virginia and West Virginia), and with popular momentum it can happen again.

But, I contend, its more than just time for 51. It’s time for all fifty states to secure our individual liberty and unalienable rights. Its time for voters to reject statism and return to local governance and sound Constitutional principles. If their state’s Representatives and Senators won’t serve these constitutional principles then its time to cut those Machiavellian cohorts free from their positions of power.


* Please refer to Carson, Clarence B., The American Tradition, (The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc., New York, 1964) for a thorough exploration of these ideas.

6 Comments

  1. Creating a new administrative subdivision within the Federal Empire will not secure our freedom, peace or prosperity. We will still live under the rule of crooked government, and nothing of importance will change. We will still be serfs, and the politically-connected will still rule over us. At the end of all the speeches, the people calling themselves conservatives and the people calling themselves liberals are no different from each other – they are united on everything that matters. They break bread with one another, they do business with each other, and they intermarry their children to cement dynastic power. They may disagree on minor things, which then serve as the talking points for meaningless debate. But they control the discussion, so nothing that matters is ever brought forth. None of them bothers to mention that both teams are the same, and neither team is what it claims. The poser-liberals are not really liberals, and the poser-conservatives are not really conservatives. They are all progressives, which is the name they both embraced in the 19th century. Today, they are better described as socialists. President Wilson called it Christian-Socialism, and Roosevelt called it War-Socialism. Even Eisenhower referred to it as something else, decrying it as the military-industrial complex. But each has the same underlying philosophy – dissolution of the individual to better serve The State. Provided, of course, that they are the ones in control of that State. And they’ll do anything necessary to remain in control – counterfeiting our money, entering foreign wars, murdering citizens, destroying industries, redistributing our wealth, poisoning our land, and giving aid to our enemies. This is the very definition of treason, and it is how our government openly operates. The structure of the system is deceptive. The individuals who truly exercise this power are hidden, existing as myriad special-interest groups bureaucratic agencies; the politicians are merely their front-men. The people who truly direct policy are not subject to public scrutiny. They make decisions behind closed doors, and their political puppets read those decrees off a teleprompter. This relationship has been kept private for decades, owing to their legislatively-enforced control of the media and schools. But the truth has a way of making itself free, and the structure of this relationship is becoming visible to more people. I see it and recognize it for what it is, as does any informed patriot. Our leadership has betrayed the spirit of the 1775 Revolution, and we have forgotten our loyalty to the Law. When I speak of Law I am not referring to “law”, which is merely the mouthings of earthly potentates. The legislation created by lords and kings is not the same as natural Law, which originates from a different Lord. It is this natural Law that the Constitution is meant to protect, codifying into law the things that originate in Law. The distinction is subtle, but critically important. It is wrong to hurt people, and it is wrong to take their stuff. Life, liberty, and property – this is Law. People tell me that they agree with these principles, but they all recant when they realize that their piece of the pie is at risk. Good men desire liberty and will fight to defend it, for themselves and for others. Other men want a license to steal, obtaining more loot for themselves and their accomplices. But we now live in a world where most men fight to preserve this license, not to preserve liberty. These are not good men, and they should not be allowed to identify themselves as such. Ignorance of the Law is not an excuse for ongoing bad behavior. They are criminals, posing as patriots. These criminals have corrupted the institutions upon which good people depend. They have subjugated our schools and universities, our banks and finances, our newspapers and media, our laws and courts, our police and military, our industry and commerce; subsuming every level of association available to us. They have turned us all into accessories, forcing us to cooperate with them for our survival. We have been convinced that we need them, that we are dependent upon them for our safety and survival. But that is also a lie. We do not need them. We do not need their institutions, their welfare, or their protection. The only thing honest people need is other honest people, for such an association can peacefully secure for itself the other necessities of life. To secure our freedom, we need to stop giving our loyalty to dishonest government. We need to stop adhering to its regulations, and stop using its institutions. This is the only peaceful option remaining to us. “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them to one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation.” Our government does not exist within the confines of the Law which created it. The individuals in government abuse their Unconstitutional powers to enrich themselves and further extend this power, all in direct violation of the Law. These agents use coercion to secure obedience and use fraud to secure funding. They are racketeers and gangsters. Their influence is pervasive and corrupting, requiring the obedience of all beneath them, and destroying dissent wherever it is found. These individuals thrive in the private service of hidden potentates, granting their obeisance in exchange for the security of their position. They have no respect for the rights or freedoms of others, creating slaves from the descendants of free people. Their crimes are open and notorious, and they are all guilty.

  2. I just shared your article at a conservative forum — you may pick up a few readers!

  3. Creating a new administrative subdivision within the Federal Empire will not secure our freedom, peace or prosperity. We will still live under the rule of crooked government, and nothing of importance will change. We will still be serfs, and the politically-connected will still rule over us. At the end of all the speeches, the people calling themselves conservatives and the people calling themselves liberals are no different from each other – they are united on everything that matters. They break bread with one another, they do business with each other, and they intermarry their children to cement dynastic power. They may disagree on minor things, which then serve as the talking points for meaningless debate. But they control the discussion, so nothing that matters is ever brought forth. None of them bothers to mention that both teams are the same, and neither team is what it claims. The poser-liberals are not really liberals, and the poser-conservatives are not really conservatives. They are all progressives, which is the name they both embraced in the 19th century. Today, they are better described as socialists. President Wilson called it Christian-Socialism, and Roosevelt called it War-Socialism. Even Eisenhower referred to it as something else, decrying it as the military-industrial complex. But each has the same underlying philosophy – dissolution of the individual to better serve The State. Provided, of course, that they are the ones in control of that State. And they’ll do anything necessary to remain in control – counterfeiting our money, entering foreign wars, murdering citizens, destroying industries, redistributing our wealth, poisoning our land, and giving aid to our enemies. This is the very definition of treason, and it is how our government openly operates. The structure of the system is deceptive. The individuals who truly exercise this power are hidden, existing as myriad special-interest groups bureaucratic agencies; the politicians are merely their front-men. The people who truly direct policy are not subject to public scrutiny. They make decisions behind closed doors, and their political puppets read those decrees off a teleprompter. This relationship has been kept private for decades, owing to their legislatively-enforced control of the media and schools. But the truth has a way of making itself free, and the structure of this relationship is becoming visible to more people. I see it and recognize it for what it is, as does any informed patriot. Our leadership has betrayed the spirit of the 1775 Revolution, and we have forgotten our loyalty to the Law. When I speak of Law I am not referring to “law”, which is merely the mouthings of earthly potentates. The legislation created by lords and kings is not the same as natural Law, which originates from a different Lord. It is this natural Law that the Constitution is meant to protect, codifying into law the things that originate in Law. The distinction is subtle, but critically important. It is wrong to hurt people, and it is wrong to take their stuff. Life, liberty, and property – this is Law. People tell me that they agree with these principles, but they all recant when they realize that their piece of the pie is at risk. Good men desire liberty and will fight to defend it, for themselves and for others. Other men want a license to steal, obtaining more loot for themselves and their accomplices. But we now live in a world where most men fight to preserve this license, not to preserve liberty. These are not good men, and they should not be allowed to identify themselves as such. Ignorance of the Law is not an excuse for ongoing bad behavior. They are criminals, posing as patriots. These criminals have corrupted the institutions upon which good people depend. They have subjugated our schools and universities, our banks and finances, our newspapers and media, our laws and courts, our police and military, our industry and commerce; subsuming every level of association available to us. They have turned us all into accessories, forcing us to cooperate with them for our survival. We have been convinced that we need them, that we are dependent upon them for our safety and survival. But that is also a lie. We do not need them. We do not need their institutions, their welfare, or their protection. The only thing honest people need is other honest people, for such an association can peacefully secure for itself the other necessities of life. To secure our freedom, we need to stop giving our loyalty to dishonest government. We need to stop adhering to its regulations, and stop using its institutions. This is the only peaceful option remaining to us. “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them to one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation.” Our government does not exist within the confines of the Law which created it. The individuals in government abuse their Unconstitutional powers to enrich themselves and further extend this power, all in direct violation of the Law. These agents use coercion to secure obedience and use fraud to secure funding. They are racketeers and gangsters. Their influence is pervasive and corrupting, requiring the obedience of all beneath them, and destroying dissent wherever it is found. These individuals thrive in the private service of hidden potentates, granting their obeisance in exchange for the security of their position. They have no respect for the rights or freedoms of others, creating slaves from the descendants of free people. Their crimes are open and notorious, and they are all guilty.

  4. Nick – Thanks for your comments! Your points are fantastic! You stated, “Our government does not exist within the confines of the Law which created it.” I’ve made this point on many occasions. We need to stop thinking about “judicial precedence” and start thinking about “constitutional intent.” The Founder’s original intentions should dictate the meaning and limits of the constitution, not some progressive judge’s warped understanding about what it might mean. We, as a thoroughly progressive, modern nation, don’t actually understand the “original design,” any longer. Our culture has lost touch with the most basic tradition and principles of our founder’s blueprints for self-governance. Their ideas for Life, Liberty and the freedom to pursue your own ends as an individual (who is willing to accept responsibility) is a foreign notion to more than half the US population. Politicians love it that way! This is the most powerful tool they have for draining, or redistributing, wealth to “solve” problems that are created via their own usurpation of the original Constitutional intentions. This, in turn, is a self-feeding loop that requires evermore resources to further malign and corrupt the beauty of the original design. Thanks for your thoughts!

  5. “It is in the Interest of Tyrants to reduce people to Ignorance and Vice. For tyrants cannot prosper in any country where Virtue and Knowledge prevail.” –Boston Gazette, Oct. 5, 1772

  6. Agreed and thus I fear that if our nation does not awaken this could be its epitaph: The point arrived where our society no longer valued strength, morality, honesty, endurance and independence. Instead, the goal in life was too often seen to be the ease which arises from real or imagined victimization, inability and weakness. Before we knew it the attainment of those prized rewards which come from the fruits of labor were replaced by lazy and consciousless dependence upon the production of others. That spelled trouble ahead since there must be a tremendous amount of hard thought and fought success in order to produce the prosperity needed to pay the way for those who had become weak, disenfranchised and/or dependent. Unfortunately the arrival at the required state of affluence was impossibly complicated by an ever increasing societal and governmental distain for the very people and processes which actually and sustainably bring about wealth and abundance. As private sector success became increasingly frustrated that very same unsettling government then moved to make up for lost legitimate economic revenue by printing baseless currency. All the while the distain for the productive continuously and defiantly increased simultaneously with the mainstream adoption of the fundamental ideals of Karl Marx. After all, things seemed to be working fine now without the influence of the allegedly self absorbed private sector. Along the way it was somehow forgotten that in the pyramid of humankind existence all possess different levels of abilities, inabilities, ambition, health and strength. Thus it proved easier to leave reality behind and suppose that we are really just all the same and anyone who has dared to excel got there by somehow cheating, oppressing or exploiting others. That trend waxed until there developed a full scale parasitic relationship wherein society began committing suicide by hatefully, delightfully and fatally draining the lifeblood which came from the very host of their carnal existence. That destructive condition was framed by what our Nation’s enemies have always proudly embraced as anti-corporatism and anti-capitalism. When the various and competing Marxisms morphed into the radical environmental movement civilization’s mortality was finally sealed. Then mere suicidal tendencies turned into a cancer as there was finally something called Sustainability which could be used to literally destroy all that sustained humanity from inside – while at the same time believing they were saving themselves by saving the earth. Even the fundamentals of food and medical care became so radicalized that people greatly feared the essence of what fed and healed them. It was already too late when it was realized that all of life’s necessities and the living wage jobs are brought into being by the development and production of things that come from the earth, its ground and waters. By then their doom was already self sealed. Those who had become disruptive and destructive yet never productive because of perceived injustice then burned, sacked and looted all, even their own nests. They gained their power through the same force that caused our nation to loose theirs; Political Correctness. This was all made possible by an increasingly progressive body of governance which decided to look the other way out of fear etc. Instead of standing for what is right they decided to merely go along to get along. It is almost as if somewhere in the history of humankind there was a loss of the ability to discern good from evil. Finnious

Comments are closed.