Dreams From My Forefathers » Dreams

The Principles Office

ROK — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:23:41 +0000

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There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.

Alexis de Tocqueville

Do we have a party of principle? What are the principles?

Do we even have men of principle? What are those principles?

Are you a Big Tent Republican? Does big tent preclude principle? Reagan’s big tent philosophy is often cited as reason to avoid getting bogged down in policy debates. Or for failing to excommunicate RINO’s. Did Reagan have no principles?

I have asked here before if there is even one principle to which conservatives can agree one must be bound to be accepted into the fold. I have not yet heard the response that was more than a vague exercise in goals.

Conservatives are for smaller [...]

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I know no way of judging the future but by the past. Patrick Henry

ROK — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:00:32 +0000

Engineers are continually adding to the body of knowledge and principles that comprise their particular art. Bridges get longer, buildings get higher, cars go faster and yet arrive with a higher degree of safety at their destinations. The medical profession uses techniques and knowledge acquired thousands of years ago. And yesterday. We live longer and healthier lives because of it. Mathematicians need not discover Pythagorean’s Theorem today any more than a carpenter need invent a hammer to build with. They are tools that have been given to us by our forefathers which when used properly allow us to do things the original inventors could never do. Pythagoras could never have built the moon lander. Without Pythagoras, neither could we.

It is on their shoulders we stand.

Anybody who [...]

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Will America always be free?

ROK — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:51:06 +0000

Seems like every time I turn around I hear or read somebody saying America will get through this current crisis. Or Obama’s socialist debauchery or Romney’s Progressive activities. That the American Spirit is indomitable. It will always shine through, waters will part, the sun will shine, liberty will prevail, Gawd will never let America fall no matter how far she um, er, falls?!!!

These are the people who in the 90’s said it was a new economy and the markets would now always go up.

I disagree with the premise that somehow as Americans we are immune to the march of history. I hear “We will never long surrender our freedoms!!!” Really?

If we compare America of 1809 with America of 2009, do we have freedom? What do [...]

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Where there is no vision

ROK — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:47:10 +0000

The people perish. Proverbs 29:18
Or
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace.” Yogi Berra

The foundation of where we are intending to go must be laid or we are going to wind up someplace.
As a group of people, as a party and as a nation.

Yet, as conservatives we cannot agree on what a conservative is.
30 years ago conservative meant eliminate the Dept of Ed. Today many seem to think it means No Child Left Behind. Conservatives opposed nation building in Vietnam. Today they support nation building in Iraq. These are not compatible or reconcilable vagaries.

What is a conservative?

What is conservative going to mean in 20 years?

Whatever else they may have; the top names in the Republican Party have no [...]

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Is this really what they had in mind?

ROK — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:53:48 +0000

A fresh look at what the founders themselves wanted for the new [...]

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