By Tim Aalders, U.S. Senate Candidate

Many ask me what my views on freedom are, what I would like to see if elected, and what I will work towards. This will give a brief answer to that.

The Origins of Freedom

Condensed from Tim Aalders' unpublished writings The History of Freedom.

Before the Founders of our nation could seek separation from England they had to answer one defining question. Where does freedom originate? Since the beginning of civilized man, there have been those who, because of their situation of birth, education, or charisma, could gather enough followers and then convince others they should lead either by force or coercion. So the question asked by many of the founders was: Does freedom exist based on what a forceful leader grants us, or does it reside from within every individual granted by a god or nature’s creator?

In the end it is simple to see the final decision of our founders. Where the origins of freedom originated is clearly written in the Declaration of Independence.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Declaration of Independence

Our Founding Fathers risked everything they had to create a new nation, the United States of America. They didn’t rebel against England for personal enrichment; they rebelled because they truly believed that the loss of freedom was worse than death.

“Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.”

- Benjamin Franklin

 

Creation of Government

The second concern, once independence was won, was how to establish a government that left control with the people while protecting Freedom? A huge debate arose among the representatives of the original thirteen colonies. There are three reasons for a central government:

  • to avoid tyranny
  • to allow more participation in politics
  • to use the states as "laboratories" for new ideas and programs.

As James Madison pointed out in The Federalist, No. 10, If "factious leaders kindle a flame within their particular states," national leaders can check the spread of the "conflagration through the other states." So federalism prevents a person in control of a state from easily taking control of the federal government.

Electing both state and national OFFICIALS also increases the input of citizens into their government. If a state adopts a disastrous new policy, it would not be a catastrophe for everyone. On the other hand, if a state's new programs work well, other states can adopt their ideas and adjust them to their own needs.

The rules of implementation were placed within our Constitution, defining the roles of the people. the states, and finally the new Federal government. How much power the Federal government is granted and how much is to reside within the States and the people is also enumerated.

Article 1, Section 8

1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
4: To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
13: To provide and maintain a Navy;
14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And
18: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Anything outside of these listed should not be allowed by a free people or a sovereign state. Thus the job of our elected officials on the Federal level should be easy. They have a roadmap. The problem is two parties that ignore the rules and seek power. We were warned to keep it simple..

“It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be tomorrow.”

- James Madison

“Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, because if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world.”

- Daniel Webster

“The Constitution is the guide which I will never abandon.”

- George Washington

Getting our country back on track will not be easy but we do have the proper foundation and roadmap to follow. Getting those that seized power to give up that power will be difficult. States could play a major role in this. According to the 10th Amendment to the Constitution; all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the states in the
Constitution are retained by the states and the people.

Today we are left a choice; break the chains the two party system has placde upon us or accept the loss of freedom and any consequences that may bring. I, for one, choose freedom.

“Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant, and a fearful master.”

- George Washington

“The Constitution is the guide which I will never abandon.”

- George Washington

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms.”

- Samuel Adams