All of these Czars should worry freedom-loving Americans.  At best, their meddling and incompetence will bottleneck an already paralyzed Washington.  At worst, they’ll form a shadow government of radical policy makers that will usurp the voice and will of the people.  Don’t take my word for it either.  Ageless Democrat Senator Robert Byrd has taken exception to Barack’s army of Czars.  He sent a letter to the White House expressing concern that these new positions: “can threaten the Constitutional system of checks and balances.  At the worst, White House staff have taken direction and control of programmatic areas that are the statutory responsibility of Senate-confirmed officials. As presidential assistants and advisers, these White House staffers are not accountable for their actions to the Congress, to cabinet officials, and to virtually anyone but the president.  They rarely testify before congressional committees, and often shield the information and decision-making process behind the assertion of executive privilege."

We can debate whether appointing these Czars merely represents Barack's vision for an over-bearing, over-reaching federal government or something more sinister like Senator Byrd suggests.  Only time will tell.

For now just thinking about this rapid growth of government makes me long for the days when America valued substance over style, preferred silence over tele-prompted demagoguery, and chose leaders that honored their pledge to uphold the Constitution, leaders like Calvin Coolidge.

Calvin Coolidge served as President of the United States from 1923-1929.  He believed in limited government, low taxes, state’s rights, free markets, little regulation, limited federal spending, low government debt and American Sovereignty.  Not surprisingly, the American economy experienced the rapid economic growth that became known as the Roaring Twenties during his administration. Let's take a closer look at our 30^th President:

“You cannot divorce government control from political control”

President Coolidge understood that when you increase the size and scope of government, you increase the political corruption that naturally follows.  Government expansion equals government control over our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.  When you consider that politicians seek fame and fortune from this control, you see just how dangerous the expansion of government can be.

“Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery”

More government means more taxes. A tax is a direct assault on our freedom. You've heard the expression: “Time is Money”.  Well, “Money is Time” in that we trade a large percentage of our precious time on this earth for money by working. We work to earn money to secure freedom.  A tax confiscates that money and in essence our time.  There are certainly things we need the government to provide and gladly exchange our time and money for.  But, when government becomes merely a vote-buying machine for ambitious and corrupt politicians and our money and time fund expansive, failed and corrupt programs, time is stolen from us.

“Duty is not collective, it is personal”

We've heard the empty platitudes: “Yes, We Can”, “Together, We Can”, “It takes a Village.”  They are complete and utter non-sense.  America was built by rugged, freedom-loving individuals.  Self-Reliance secured that freedom.  Over the years, greedy politicians have convinced some of us that we can't do it by ourselves, that we need them to survive.  They convinced us to trade freedom for government security.  President Coolidge understood that this kind of government security amounts to government slavery.

“Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong”

President Obama wants to manufacture equality.  He intends to do this by forcefully dragging down the Haves to the level of the Have-Nots.  President Coolidge understood that its better to create an environment that enables the Have-Nots to pull themselves up to the Haves.  He promised equal opportunity not equal results.

“Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business.”

President Coolidge believed that the States had the right to govern their people by creating their own laws and regulations.  He allowed the individual States to govern their citizens without usurping their authority with blanket federal regulation.  By doing this, he gave American citizens the ability to move from State to State to find the system of laws and governance that they preferred most.

“The man who builds a factory builds a temple, that the man who works there worships there, and to each is due, not scorn and blame, but reverence and praise.”

President Coolidge did not demonize business or free-market success. He did not seek government control of free markets.  He understood that without opportunity, risk-takers, entrepreneurs and workers America would fail.

“To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.”

President Coolidge did not seek to circumvent the Constitution or appoint policy makers that rationalize the radical interpretation of the Constitution.  He revered it, understood its uniqueness and protected it.  For example, he personally did not support the 18^th Amendment to the Constitution establishing Prohibition but vetoed legislation that would have undermined it, saying “opinions and instructions do not outmatch the Constitution; against it they are void.”

Conclusion:

Calvin Coolidge was affectionately know as Silent Cal.  His actions or lack there of spoke much louder than his words.  In 1928, Coolidge chose not to run for President again.  Unlike today's career politicians, he believed that 5 years in Washington was enough.  America needs a man like Calvin Coolidge right now: all substance, little style and the will to run America the way our Founding Fathers intended.


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