Freedom-isnt-Free

=**Freedom Isn't Free**=

= = 1934 NFL Championship- Chicago Bears (undefeated) vs. New York Giants; it had been freezing for the last two weeks and the ground was frozen; 9 degrees; halftime Bears up 10-3; Giants Steve Owen remembered a college game under similar circumstances and had his players bring basketball sneakers t run on the ice and won; Owen sent manager to get sneakers; scored 4 TDs to win first championship for the Giants. **-Point: Owen had a piece of information = Power > success = information + action.**

Success is freedom – what is freedom? Success requires action to do something. David had several brothers… Israelis were fighting the Palestinians (believe it or not); his father said his brothers were fighting the Palestinians; Goliath had a 6 foot sword… like fighting 3rd graders; David shows up with his slingshot and says no… we shouldn’t allow him to do this… don’t we have a cause? They’re going to kill us… I don’t care how tall and size… the cause is what matters… REASON FOR ACTION – purpose or dream… so many had more talent than David but didn’t realize their cause. David won. Sometimes we don’t realize our cause in life. Superior people are willing to do the thing unsuccessful people won’t do – recognize their cause.

Freedom is political, financial and spiritual peace. Financial freedom is having enough money to handle things – money isn’t an issue – don’t have to worry about money – need money for survival… Some people are smart with their money, most wastes theirs – money is needed to spend time with friends and family and for causes (church or charities) – it takes action. Political freedom is about those who are willing to put themselves out there for freedom > in 1942, Doug Monroe from Idaho just out of high school was to take 5 Higgins boats to rescue 500 Marines who were pinned down by Japanese on an island. He told 4 boats to begin evacuating Marines. He took his boat and placed it between him and the Marines. He ran back and forth taking fire instead of the Marines. Finally, he was hit. His last words were //“did we get them all off?”// his partner said //“yes Doug.”//Monroe smiled and then died. His gravestone is the only one of a member of the U.S. Coast Guard bears the Congressional Medal of Honor and says //“At great risk to his life for his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and doubtless devotion to duty, he saved the lives of many who undoubtedly would have perished, he gallantly gave his life for his country.”// We may not be called to place out lives on the line for political freedom. When there’s a fire most run away but some run to it (firemen), when crime people run away, but some run to it (police), in the world most run from danger, but some go after it (military).

All freedoms have to work together… you’re not in debt, love the lord, but in jail – not politically free. You could have a passport, love the lord and have no money to do anything – not financially free. Like when a 5 year old says they’re running away – mom watches out the window because they’re not getting far – not financially free. There’s also spiritually free – seen many times in Hollywood (lives of drugs and destruction). Need all three to truly be free.

Political Freedom: For awhile I didn’t know how to make coffee – had to have someone else make or I bought some until I learned how to make it myself. That little bit of information empowered me to do whatever I wanted to with making coffee. Politicians like to make you think things are complicated so you vote for them, the expert, but it’s simple. Politics = integrity + economics… economics always trumps integrity.
 * Integrity is important though > something solid or trustworthy and can be relied upon – it is morality, or not doing what’s wrong (not stealing, not lying…) and America has this moral character since when we give our word we honor it (some countries make contracts, they don’t always keep it… this is why other countries invest in the United States. We won’t steal their money) and character (doing what is right) – parents hears everyone picking on Sally… child says //“I didn’t.”// Yeah, but did you step in to helped? Not picking too was morality (not doing what was wrong) but not necessarily character (did you do what was right?)
 * We have to live our lives with integrity.
 * Economics- let’s suppose you make $100 dollars. If I take some away from you, however much you’re left with you have fewer choices after I took some. If you have fewer choices, you have a lower standard of living. On a bigger scale type of house and car – less when money is taken from you. Only 2 people can take money from your paycheck – a criminal and the government. As a result, less free, losing some political freedom, and losing some freedom.
 * Degree to which the government takes money is the degree to which you have fewer choices and a lower standard of living. Politicians tell you that you will be better off if they take and spend your money. This takes skill to convince people of this – helps to speak well and have movie stars around you!
 * All politicians has become is whether government will take more tax money to spend on your behalf. What’s wrong with that? Consequence is povertyincreases. Government wastes money. If you’re going to spend your own money you care about rice and quality. You spend the money at its peak value. You are best equipped to make that decision. When you give a person your money to buy something for you, you care about price but person buying is much more flexible on the quality. Then there’s this scenario: boss says anytime someone is late they put $5 in the pot. End of the month there’ll be a raffle. End of the month comes and there’s $150. You’re sent to buy something to raffle. Its Easter season so you buy a big stuffed rabbit for $150. What is that? A third party purchase – spending money that’s not yours, to buy something you will not personally consume – you don’t care about price or quality > THE GOVERNMENT! All government purchases are third party purchases – not concerned about price or quality. Every nation on Earth does more of this than we do (actually) and that’s why the United States is the wealthiest nation. The greater the government, the greater the poverty in the nation. This isn’t open for debate… this is fact. Every January the Wall Street Journal lists the wealthiest nations and lists the wealthiest nations and lists how much money goes into the government. The nations that spends the most on government are the poorest and the less spent on government – should be a concern. If you know this principle, you can be an educated economic voter.
 * If this is clear – like Detroit has a higher tax code than suburbs… if I work in Detroit I’ll pay more, so I’ll live here. So people move, and Detroit raises taxes to pay for things… more people move out.
 * Cold War > East Germany and free stuff – housing – communist while West Germany did not – capitalist; standard of living in west was 10 times higher than in east. Same heritage, same culture, same language, same climate, but east was poor and west was rich. What was the difference? Economic systems – east was socialist and west was capitalist.
 * Korea Divided – North communist, south capitalist/republic. North got 75% of the arable land, all the natural resources, and all the industrial might + communism; South got 25% of the arable land, all the mountains, all the refugees + freedom. South Korea ranks in the top 20 in the wealthiest nations while North Korea has millions starving. Same heritage, same culture, same language, same climate – different economic systems. Greater freedom means greater wealth.
 * Politicians are nice… people say he’s trying. Take in your car and comes out without an engine, well he’s TRYING!!! Why do politicians do this… are they trying to hurt their nation? In the late 1970s, Margaret Thatcher became P.M. and cut taxes to get private enterprise to produce… Britain turned around and was producing. So why doesn’t this happen more? Some view wealth differently – those who don’t make money don’t know how it’s made so they kill the goose who lays the golden egg. To create jobs you need savings, and risk taker isn’t going to try. In India $5,000 they had a 95% tax rate… on richest… less incentive so less working. Indians come here and are some of the wealthiest ethnic groups. Did they get smart when they came here? No, they become freer when come here. Some don’t realize what creates wealth – they think there’s a certain amount of money in a pot and their mission in life is to distribute that pot of money evenly as best as possible telling people they’re entitled to this money and it’s their fair share. But if you take from the guy pulling the wagon he’s going to stop pulling the wagon… if you do this you get labeled as against the poor or elderly or some group… politics is working that way now unfortunately. Elect because I’ll take care of you.
 * In 1977, President Carter said the nation was running out of energy… running out of natural gas… we’re going to have an energy department (more government and more taxes needed to fund it). Limited selling of natural gas… money went out of business (many businesses used natural gas). We now know we have over a 100 year supply of natural gas. They aren’t worried about that now, now they say we’re going to burn up due to global warming… these types of people want more government… so more taxes… ALWAYS!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Thomas Edison was sent home from school as a boy – too stupid. Mother home schooled him. He went on to invent light bulb, motion picture, phonograph, and other things. Why did he do this? He wanted to be rich. He was rewarded with wealth for what he did. If he was taxed heavily he wouldn’t do it… without incentive.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Thomas Jefferson said freedom is having more choices.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Conservatives want more military – wouldn’t that be more government? Strong defenses protects our freedom. Strategic defense initiative was plan to shoot down a missile before it hits you… we don’t have it because liberals wrote a law that we can’t test a system that has a missile that enters the atmosphere (has to happen to work). Our defense is weaker if we can’t do this.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">If a person believes man made himself from science than man is his own standard and therefore man is good. If you believe man was designed by god than you believe man is in need of a savior and is not necessarily good. The first group believes that if man does something wrong then it’s not their fault because man is good and therefore it’s the environment… such as shooting… it’s the gun’s fault, not the man because man is good (if you believe man was its own design). Those who believe man was designed by god the man must take responsibility. Unwed pregnancy… not enough condoms handed out in the classroom… more taxes, because not man’s fault… it’s the environment (from those who don’t believe god designed man).

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">When people run for office one believes we need more government and more taxes and the other believes we need less if both. Liberals think conservatives are evil; conservatives think liberals are stupid.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">In congress all Dems vote for their leaders and all Reps vote for theirs. Leaders form the committees and chairmen. No bill can get out of committee if the chairman doesn’t start it – lots if power – usually only hears a bill from their own party. Chairman decides what bills will be heard in committee. Bills have to pass both chambers and signed by the president – all 3 have to agree. It’s easy – Dems want more government and more taxes. Reps want less government and less taxes. You the voter decide which you think will make your life better.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Spiritual truth – said by William Tyler over 150 years ago and repeated by Benjamin Disraeli (Great Britain P.M. at the turn of the century) – applies to U.S. today – Great nations rise and fall – the people go from bondage to spiritual truth to great courage if they know why god made them – go to liberty then go to abundance (the greater the freedom the greater the wealth) but 150n years ago they said the greater the liberty the greater the abundance – but gets passed on to theur children and the abundance goes to selfishness (don’t know how the abundance was made and think it’s always been there) then to complacency (yeah bad things are happening but I have enough – don’t want to get involved) – then to apathy (don’t care) – to dependence (government reliance) – then to bondage.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">What drives this? Spiritual truth – when you have spiritual truth you have courage – the great awakening gave birth to the U.S. and to restore America there has to be an awakening of spiritual truth.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">On Flight 93 passengers called their loved ones and found out they were part of a larger terror attack – those men knew what was right – they prayed (integrity and spiritual truth) and had courage and said “let’s roll.” They saved countless number of lives and our Capitol building. We may not be called to defend political liberty but we’re called daily to protect our families economic and spiritual freedom.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Spiritual truth is what built America – in 1814 Dolly Madison was getting dinner ready for president Madison and the commanders who were out in the field in the war of 1812 – word came he wasn’t coming and to get out of the white housesince the British were coming – she grabbed a portrait of G. Washington and herself. The British came in and burned the white house and all we have today is the portraits of G.W. and Dolly Madison. They burned the city including the Capitol. The British then headed to Baltimore. They took a doctor – Dr. Bean from upper Marlboro. Community leaders went to Georgetown where there was a lawyer Francis Scott Key who was hired to get Dr. Bean back – got approval from the President and got Col. John skinner an official officer for prisoner exchanges. Sept. 10 they get a schooner and find the British fleet and Admiral Cochran and agreement to get him back. English prisoner letters we taken to show that America treated the prisoners good and especially mentioned Dr. Bean – see how you treat people well it can benefit you – Dr. Bean will be allowed back – but they have to wait since they were there long enough to know the British are going to attack. Sept. 13 7A.M. the British bombard Baltimore and Fort McHenry – Major Amristead knew the British were coming and knew that the British took ships and soldiers to fight (over a year they were fighting the French and they did that) and he knew the U.S. wouldn’t allow the British to do this to our soldiers. He found a lady to sew a big flag so the British can see where I am because when the time comes they’ll know right where to find me – years later the British are there. Bombarded all day long – many bombs exploded in the air not getting to their targets. Why did the British bomb from so far away? Regular people sunk their own boats in the harbor so the British couldn’t get close – regular people like those on Flight 93. Key, Skinner, and Dr. Bean watched from the British ships and as long as the shelling continued that means they didn’t take the fort. The next morning the shelling stopped and they weren’t sure what had happened. They knew the British couldn’t get in from the sunken boats they’d go by land. They had seen the flag was still there – Star Spangled Banner. [|Click here to see a video that explains].

Back to the Leadership and Liberty main page