The genius of the Founding Fathers was to establish a nation and government that would be as free as possible from Corruption and Corrupting Influences. On May 24th, 2009, syndicated columnist George Will wrote concerning, “END RUN ON FREE SPEECH.” His opening paragraphs state: “For several decades, most of the ingenuity that liberal academics have invested in First Amendment analysis has aimed to justify limiting the core activity that the amendment was written to protect — political speech. These analyses treat free speech as not an inherent good but as a merely instrumental good, something justified by serving other ends — therefore something to be balanced against, and abridged to advance, other goods. The good for which Zephyr Teachout would regulate speech is combating corruption, which, as she understands it, encompasses most of contemporary politics. A visiting law professor at Duke, writing in the Cornell Law Review ("The Anti-Corruption Principle"), she makes an astonishingly far-reaching argument for emancipating government from First Amendment restrictions on its powers to regulate political speech — speech about the government's composition and conduct.”
Will goes on to note, “Teachout's capacious definition of corruption includes even an unseemly "attitude" of citizens as well as officeholders "toward public service." She says that the Framers thought limiting corruption was their "primary task." Therefore the "anti-corruption principle" should have "as much weight" as the First Amendment, giving Congress considerable "leeway" to regulate the political "process," which is mostly speech….The word "corruption" or some permutation of it occurs 58 times in the 85 essays that are the FEDERALIST PAPERS. James Madison wrote not only many of the papers but also this: "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech." He saw no conflict between that proscription and efforts to minimize corruption. He and other Framers considered corruption a vice requiring constant vigilance precisely because it is inextricably entwined with a virtue, America's vast scope — constitutionally protected scope — for self-interested behavior, including political speech.” Meanwhile, the following news item appeared in the San Diego News on May 25th, 2009: “COUPLE: COUNTY TRYING TO STOP HOME BIBLE STUDIES.” The article states: ”…A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold Bible studies in their home…The county employee notified the couple that the small Bible study, with an average of 15 people attending, was in violation of County regulations…a few days later the couple received a written warning that listed "unlawful use of land" and told them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit" -- a process that could cost tens of thousands of dollars…”
Is the US Constitution being abridged and altered today? Is the Freedom of Speech and Right to Assemble being violated? If so, wherein is the feared “corruption” taking place – in the citizenry or the government? Corruption is defined as: “The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle…the loss of purity or integrity; The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct…” In II PETER 2:12-19, “…these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant…They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions...They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed…Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray…For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice…those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption…” Are we observing “corruption” unfolding to a greater degree than ever before as Government over-reaches into businesses and lives? Are we witnessing the transition from free enterprise into socialism? Is REVELATION 13:16-17 emerging as a reality: “it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark…the name of the beast or the number of its name.”? Freedom from secular tyranny and/or spiritual enslavement is a right that should not be easily revoked or removed from any individual. Think about these things with me.
Will goes on to note, “Teachout's capacious definition of corruption includes even an unseemly "attitude" of citizens as well as officeholders "toward public service." She says that the Framers thought limiting corruption was their "primary task." Therefore the "anti-corruption principle" should have "as much weight" as the First Amendment, giving Congress considerable "leeway" to regulate the political "process," which is mostly speech….The word "corruption" or some permutation of it occurs 58 times in the 85 essays that are the FEDERALIST PAPERS. James Madison wrote not only many of the papers but also this: "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech." He saw no conflict between that proscription and efforts to minimize corruption. He and other Framers considered corruption a vice requiring constant vigilance precisely because it is inextricably entwined with a virtue, America's vast scope — constitutionally protected scope — for self-interested behavior, including political speech.” Meanwhile, the following news item appeared in the San Diego News on May 25th, 2009: “COUPLE: COUNTY TRYING TO STOP HOME BIBLE STUDIES.” The article states: ”…A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold Bible studies in their home…The county employee notified the couple that the small Bible study, with an average of 15 people attending, was in violation of County regulations…a few days later the couple received a written warning that listed "unlawful use of land" and told them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit" -- a process that could cost tens of thousands of dollars…”
Is the US Constitution being abridged and altered today? Is the Freedom of Speech and Right to Assemble being violated? If so, wherein is the feared “corruption” taking place – in the citizenry or the government? Corruption is defined as: “The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle…the loss of purity or integrity; The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct…” In II PETER 2:12-19, “…these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant…They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions...They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed…Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray…For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice…those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption…” Are we observing “corruption” unfolding to a greater degree than ever before as Government over-reaches into businesses and lives? Are we witnessing the transition from free enterprise into socialism? Is REVELATION 13:16-17 emerging as a reality: “it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark…the name of the beast or the number of its name.”? Freedom from secular tyranny and/or spiritual enslavement is a right that should not be easily revoked or removed from any individual. Think about these things with me.
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