Walk the Walk

Jefferson often spoke of Liberty and Freedom and how it is secured by good republican government. He touched on this more profoundly in his first state of the union address that as been called the "Creed of our Political Faith." In this speech he lays out his philosophy as to how good republican government should function to secure liberty. I think actions speak louder than words and clearly Jefferson put into practice these principles of freedom. Lets take a look at what his administration accomplished in his first term as President which limited government and kept it within it's constitutional scope.

• Did without the land tax, excise tax, stamp tax and other internal taxes.
• Applied $7,300,000 a year to the public debt.
• Discontinued a great portion of expenses on the army and navy, but continued to protect our country and its commerce.
• Purchased a country as large and more fertile than the one we possessed before (Louisiana Purchase), without adding either a new tax or another solider.
• Preserved peace with all nations and created an equal friendship with two great rival powers, France and England.
• Maintained the credit and character of our nation in the highest degree it had ever enjoyed.
  

These are some of the major highlights that lead Jefferson to a sweeping victory to serve as President for a second term.

Wouldn't it be nice if today we could have a President that could say the same of their first term, that they: Reduced taxes, payed down the debt, cut unnecessary spending, secured our national interests in an honest and ethical manner, increased and maintained our credit and character on the world stage.

Thomas Jefferson should serve as a example to us all and to those in office that their first and foremost interests should be the constitution and the freedoms which it protects. No more special interests! No more out of control spending! No more abuses against the constitution! We will not stand for it!

Today we hear a lot of talk about reducing the deficit, downsizing government, etc., but that is all it seems to amount to is talk. We need public officials that will walk the walk and do as Jefferson did. They need to follow the constitution and the principles of freedom as Jefferson did or it will only lead to liberties being restricted and the loss of basic freedoms.

Agency & Moral Laws are Vital Parts to Our Freedom & Progression

Below are some excerpt's from a Fireside address given by Elder Todd D. Christofferson on the importance of law, agency, and divine potential. I found these to be enlightening and agree that we should advocate for morality and agency in our laws. Reading these excerpt's also brought to mind a few points I would like to share.

John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." For our constitutional system to survive as designed with our inherent unalienable equal rights, we must preserve God's laws (moral absolutes) in our nation were moral relativism is becoming more acceptable. I believe that one of the best places to strengthen morals in society is in the home-it starts with family. Then by example and through participation in the community, we will start to see a difference.

Elder Christofferson also said that as we strive for morality in our laws that we should "focus on protecting and defending individual agency and accountability." This is what Thomas Jefferson had to say about accountability. "It should be remembered, as an axiom of eternal truth in politics, that whatever power in any government is independent is absolute also; in theory only at first, while the spirit of the people is up, but in practice as fast as that relaxes. Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law." If we lose or freedoms and rights it is due to our lack or morality which grants the government the power to grow and take away our liberties. We are a system of self-government and are therefore all accountable. Let this be a reminder to us all that we should be actively engaged in a good cause.


Excerpt's

"Vitally important to the role of law in our progression is our use of agency. “Our own choices will always be critical to what we become,” “And the capacity and power to choose are . . . dependent on laws instituted by or under the authority of God.” These laws “link particular actions to fixed outcomes,” which gives meaning to the power to choose.

Elder Christofferson said that “while differing laws may apply in different parts of God’s creation, the laws that do apply do not themselves vary.” For us, this means that the pertinent laws do not change from person to person but apply equally to each of us. These laws are those that should be referenced as we “establish laws and legal systems to govern human relations and conducts.”

Elder Christofferson clarified that he did not mean to force on anyone a particular application of what the divine principles we understand to be true. Instead, he said, we should advocate moral laws by participating in the ongoing legislative discussion. He used as an example the story of William Wilberforce, who was highly influential in the abolishment of slavery in Great Britain at the beginning of the 19th century. Wilberforce worked for eighteen years as a Member of Parliament before his Abolition Bill was carried through both Houses, using legal means to bring Great Britain’s laws to “a higher moral standard of equity and justice.”

As we strive to bring our legal system in line with moral standards, we should focus on protecting and defending individual agency and accountability, he said, “because agency is so basic to realizing our God-given potential.”