“There once was an island called Liberty, where people lived happy and free.”
– An Island Called Liberty
“There once was a tune, and everyone knew how it went. But as time went by, people began to forget. Until at last no one could remember.” Those were the opening lyrics from the 1983 Larry Norman song, “The Tune”. And so, it is, with America. There once was a free land called America…until there wasn’t. This is the story of how good intentions took a great country and made it poorer.
Following the end of the great revolution, America was dubbed “the land of the free, and home of the brave”. For the first time in history, there would be no kings, the people would rule. And so, began the Great Experiment, which would form the foundation of the American republic. That all men were created equal. America would not mimic the aristocracy of Britain. All Americans would have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our Constitution would grant every individual the opportunity to go as far as this intellect, ambition, and labor could take him.
Times were good. It wasn’t utopia, but hard work helped families prevail. This largely voluntary society was built upon the rule of law, self-responsibility, limited government, and free trade. There was a diversity of thought and opinion, and where people disagreed, they respected each other’s God-given rights. Citizens toiled from morning till night creating products and services and enjoyed what little leisure they had. And they lived by the libertarian creed: don’t hurt other people and don’t take their stuff. Rights were considered negative since they did not impose any obligations on another person.
To mitigate risk, our early countrymen formed fraternal organizations and mutual aid societies which provided everything from health benefits to life insurance, and funeral coverage. These associations were run by their members and completely voluntary. Additional support came primarily from families, churches, and private businesses. To fill in the gaps, private charity and philanthropy helped those in need. Regardless of where the assistance was provided, all were cared for.
Until that first fateful day. When someone decided that things were not fair, and all were not equal. So, a law was passed to fix what seemed wrong. It even appeared reasonable at the time, so most went along. Then more faults were found, and more regulations were needed. The schools were not uniform, and the distribution of housing was uneven. Some had too much, and some too little. Then, additional rules were imposed for medical services, retirement plans, and even education. Many laws began to be driven by envy. Then, the negative rights that had previously prevailed were replaced with positive rights, imposing taxes, requirements, and other obligations on people involuntarily.
As the government grew, bureaucrats became more powerful, and taxes continued to rise. Individuals became more and more dependent upon the benevolence of the state until the majority received one handout after another. Increased taxes created less prosperity for all. Eventually, businesses could no longer afford to operate. People went broke. There was no longer enough money to pay the bureaucracies or the bureaucrats or to support those dependent on the system.
To make matters worse, the government bought printing machines and started counterfeiting the currency. Every dollar printed was another dollar added to the debt. For every dollar forged, the price of goods and services rose. Printing money paid for wars, subsidized one preferred group over another and made unproductive, politically connected people wealthy. Debt exploded to over 170 trillion.
In Joseph Specht’s 2005 children’s book, “An Island Called Liberty”, Specht tells the story of a free nation on an island where everyone was happy. Until it wasn’t, Specht details the slippery slope from mutual cooperation and freedom to burdensome taxes and regulations. After the loss of their businesses and livelihoods, the people vowed never to forget.
“There once was a tune, and everyone knew how it went. But as time went by, people began to forget. Until at last no one could remember.” America is on the precipice of becoming Specht’s island nation. Yet America, in the beginning, was the best the world had ever seen. Freedom requires responsibility. Will Americans tell their children?
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