The Forgotten Right: John Locke and The Right of Resistance

The Forgotten Right: John Locke and The Right of Resistance.

American politicians today seem to think themselves invincible sovereigns who can toy with the fates of three hundred million people and there is nothing the latter can do about it. They blow the taxpayers’ money with no regard for the country’s future, endlessly meddle with the economy, and brazenly flaunt The Constitution that grants them any power to begin with. The same hubris that causes politicians to ignore the laws of economics leads them to ignore political history. This is not just to the nation’s peril, but to their own.

While reading an academic article on Karl Popper constructively criticizing “The Open Society and Its Enemies,” I encountered an extended section on John Locke and his contributions to solving problems of sovereignty, political order, and legitimacy. The implications of the passage are worth noting because Locke’s principles are foundational in their influence on The American Constitution. (Along with Montesquieu’s principles of divided powers.) . . . CONTINUE READING

LIBERALS: Give every man a fish ~ CONSERVATIVES: Teach every man to fish

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. ~ Chinese Proverb

In short, this Chinese Proverb illustrates the philosophical difference between the political Left and the political Right.

The Left wants to give every man a fish … every day … at the expense of those who know how to fish, with no motivation for that man to learn how to fish. The Left believes this to be compassion, lest the starving man fail to feed himself.

The Right wants to allow every man, woman, and child to fish, point them toward the water, and free them to do so at their convenience. The Right believes this to be compassion, so every individual will then be free to feed himself, as needed, and will not require the assistance of others. Even young children, after all, can be taught to fish.

The Left wants to take 25 – 50% of what is caught by those individuals who know how to fish, and give that to those who don’t have time to learn, or aren’t interested in learning how to fish.

How long will the Right continue to fish for the Left?

Make Holidays Happy for Your Toddler

The busyness of the holiday season has claimed your attention as you search the stores to find those items that will, you hope, fulfill the dreams of your toddler. From the routine of daycare drop-off to mall-browsing, your toddler senses the increased stress you carry. Funny thing is, these little people beside you also feel your stress. Perhaps, you pick them up from daycare a little later than usual. Maybe you’re a little more irritable or less patient with their childish behavior. Perhaps, financial stress is cramping your style this year. It is up to you, as parents (or grandparents), to plan your holiday celebration with your small people in mind.

For those of us with small children in our homes, try to remember their presence. Explain the significance of the decorations and activities that are important to you. If something is important to you, it is only reasonable that you take the time and effort to “share” it with your child. They want to know. They want to be a part of it, so do what you can to let them.

Important developmental concepts include the understanding of fantasy vs reality. (Family is real!) Decide if comparisons are needed to help with this concept. Is Santa as real as Jesus? Are Rudolf or Frosty as important as the history of the holidays you celebrate and the historical figures associated with them?

Plan activities in which they can participate.

Do not under estimate the ability of your toddler to pick up on your stress, but also on your joy! It is pretty much your choice, as parents, whether your holiday season is stress-filled or fun. If you have small children, you may want to keep things simple. Remember how often they prefer the boxes to the expensive toy!

Examine the focus of your celebration. For most of us, family is the single most important ingredient in the recipe for a happy holiday. Are gifts the center of your celebration, or are there family traditions you wish to establish?

There are stress signs to watch for in your toddler as the holidays unfold: READ MORE

Remember, toddlers are … TODDLERS! They are not adults. They are not toys or pets. They are toddlers and want to please their parents, so help them learn what is important in your family.