Home of Today's Common Sense

Published Brownsville Herald 9/13/2010

Freedom is a word that is in the media with regularity. We use it in many contexts usually describing something we either claim we have or hope we recover from some lost place.
My associates and I recently sponsored an essay competition related to freedoms and rights and Glen Beck led a Rally on the National Mall to “recover freedom” that attracted perhaps 500,000 or more attendees. We Libertarians claim that Freedom is the foundation on which our party stands.
What is this concept that is credited with being the moving force that is responsible for the birth of the United States?
How often have we heard, “I got my rights” Or “We are free people in the United States”. Where do our rights and freedoms come from and how are they assured to us year after year; has the nations concept changed over the last two hundred fifty plus years?
The first thirteen colonies were first settled primarily by people from England that wanted to be able to practice their religion without interference from the national religion “The Church of England”. As time went on the colonists established profitable businesses that sometimes became competitive with those in England or other enterprises owned by prominent friends of the Royalty. This resulted in extraordinary taxes and business concessions to benefit the friends of the politically powerful. We have similar circumstances today that Thomas Jefferson foresaw. He gave us an ominous warning in the form of suggestions which our politicians have ignored and for that we are now paying, More »