NO MORE BS: What can I Do?

The most commonly asked question comes with the most straightforward answers.  This article focuses on providing practical actions anyone can do to help move any democratic society into more freedom, smaller government, and increased liberty for all.  It cannot be stressed enough, act!  Take purposeful action, repeat, and then do it all over again.

1. The most powerful action you can personally take, get informed! The news is biased; the news has always been biased and will continue to be biased.  Corporate news exists to sell advertising, not report the news!  Hence, getting informed means more than simply reading a newspaper, watching the news, listening to talking heads, the radio, etc.  Getting informed requires asking questions and demanding answers!  Getting informed is not passive but active and requires your full attention.
2. Read! Pick up a book.  Use the library, eBooks, Kindle, Nook, iBooks, etc. but read.  Heck, you can even get books on tape, CD, and an application on a smartphone.  The idea is to increase your literacy levels.  Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
   • • Herman Wouk – Winds of War, and War and Remembrance – Excellent reads both books, discussing WWII, families, and provides a solid historical setting for the story. As a point of fact, I recommend Herman Wouk as an incredible author, and all of his books have been electrifying and inspiring.
     • Alexis de Tocqueville – Democracy in America – Incredible book, well worth investigating to understand the underpinnings between democracy and a Republic.
     • Albert Camus – The Plague – You will not like this book about a pandemic. Still, it is an essential read and discusses issues regarding government in society, leadership, stress, and much more—a great read, but not a pleasant trip through roses and lollipops.
     • The US Constitution and US Bill of Rights – Both are easily read, easily understood, and should be read by everyone.
     • Edward Gibson – History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire – Feeling like a powerful reader, want to know more about the only other long-lasting Republic in the world, desiring to understand why Rome died, this is the book you need. You might not like all of the book, but it is a pattern that we can observe occurring right now in front of our eyes in America and every democratic society across the globe.
     • Henry Ketcham – The Life of Abraham Lincoln. I love this book!
     • Thomas Paine – Common Sense – Want to know why America is in such dangerous waters? This book has a lot of answers.  Common sense is what is needed now.
     • Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison – The Federalist Papers – Writings on America’s founding. Excellent source for how the people should control the government.

These suggestions, many were free or very low cost, when I went exploring looking for books for my first iPad (Gen 1).  The principal point, read!  Discover literature!  Write about what you discover, and then discuss what you discover.  The world needs literate citizens voting smarter.

3. Vote! Yes, I want you to vote!  I do not care who is running, like/dislike, political party, criminal records, etc. if you have the legal ability to vote, use that power, even if all you do is look at the candidates and leave the ballot empty, you showed up, you exercised your rights, and you were part of the process.  VOTE!
   • • My wife hates it when I vote for Donald Duck, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Mighty Mouse, Bullwinkle, Rocky J. Squirrel, or even myself as a write-in candidate. She thinks I have wasted my vote.  We have this discussion every single time a chance to vote occurs.  I do not mind!
     • I refuse to leave a ballot blank, for I know not what hooligan will mark the ballot. Hence, I vote.  Many times not for the candidates running for I have weighed them, measured them, and found them wanting!
     • When Romney ran against Obama, I am proud to say I wrote myself in and voted for me! Neither candidate had won my vote.  Winning my vote and winning your vote should be hard work, not purchased with government goodies, not tied to a political lie regarding reduced healthcare costs, and certainly not tied to illegal actions like DREAMERS.
4. Look locally. Who is your mayor?  What is the state of your city/town budget?  How well is your community prepared for a natural disaster?  Who is on the city/town council?  Who is on the County Board of directors?  How well prepared for a disaster is your county?  Does your county budget the tax money they collect?  Who runs the election office?  How well are they doing their jobs?  What about unfunded liabilities at the city/town and county levels?
5. School board! While looking locally, do not forget the school board!  These politicians skate too often and take zero responsibility for their failures, blaming teachers in the classroom for policies set at the school board level.  Who is on your school board?  How well do they budget?  How many unfunded liabilities do they have?
6. State government. Know it, learn it, and fix it!

A quick government hierarchy lesson.  The city/town government is supposed to protect you from the government overreach of the county.  The county government is expected to protect you and your rights from the government overreach of the state.  The state has expectations, rights, and powers specific to protect you, the individual citizen, from the Federal Government’s abuses.  The problem is, local politicians have been negligent in their duties, taking the example of the Federal Government, and made your life a living disaster!

In this, the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America, you, me, the individual citizens of this Republic hold all the rights and privileges not expressly set apart for the use of government.  What can you do to help change this paradigm; everything!  Simply realize you are in charge and deny your consent to those abusing your rights, liberties, and freedoms.  That is what the “consent of the governed” is all about.  The government abuses you; stop consenting to the powers of the government.  There are processes and laws that support you and your right to refuse your consent.

I am not talking about sedition, treason, or lawlessness.  I am talking about standing up and telling the government they do not have your consent to govern!  Your responsibility is to learn and then act.  You have been intentionally led to believe a falsehood and purposefully programmed by K-12 Education to be an illiterate drone, good for nothing but taking orders and doing what you are told.  You have been abused; I have been abused by the government and its functionaries, the media, and the other groups working in conjunction to oppress Americans’ heart and soul!

Seize a “Liberty First” mentality, and let’s rebuild the government in fear of “We the People!”

© 2021 M. Dave Salisbury
All Rights Reserved
The images used herein were obtained in the public domain; this author holds no copyright to the images displayed.