http://www.causeofliberty.com Restoring the American Republic Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:10:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Consumption is a deadly disease. We eat up and hoard those things that are supposed to bring us happiness and satisfaction, but never do. Economies of demand promote consumption. In the aftermath of 9/11 we were instructed by our President and the mayor of New York to be American and "go ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/06/death-by-consumption/ A few weeks ago I had the horror of going on vacation with my in-laws. My wife’s family is much bigger than mine, and I mean much bigger. We are talking twenty-five people. Out of these twenty-five, there are twelve children, most under the age of five. That is almost ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/06/lead-follow-or-do-both/ Read Part I Here The theoretical glue that binds seemingly antithetical opposites together is the concept of relativity. All truth is paradoxical; while we seek to create and perpetuate good and to destroy evil, good, by definition, does not exist without evil. We seek peace but it does not exist without ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/the-ideal-political-theory-structure-part-ii-pragmatic-objectivism/ I was recently privileged to participate in a panel discussion on Principle #7 in The 5,000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen. The principle is "The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things." You'll find the MP3 recording on Liberty Jukebox, a site created by Dave ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/listen-to-this-5000-year-leap-panel-discussion/ One of the best experiences of my life was attending George Wythe University, a school dedicated to building "men and women of virtue, wisdom, diplomacy, and courage, who inspire greatness in others and move the cause of liberty." My education at GWU unleashed things in me that I never knew were ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/does-your-education-equal-your-potential/ Read Part I Here Read Part II Here The potential for U.S. military conflict with China is centered on three main issues: Taiwan, competition for natural resources (specifically oil and natural gas), and how the U.S. should prepare for and deal with possible asymmetrical attacks from China. Taiwan To the Chinese, Taiwan symbolizes a ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/china-rising-part-iii-the-taiwan-dilemma/ The universal yearning for truth is synonymous with the search for happiness. Our quest for happiness is apparent on all levels of man’s existence: From the individual, to the family, to the local community, to the nation, and to the entire populace of the globe. Man has historically attempted to create ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/the-ideal-political-theory-structure-part-i/ Anarchism has been given a bad name. Most equate this simplest form of government with chaos, with insecurity, and with rampaging mobs. However, the word defined at its roots is nothing of the type. Indeed it may be something to aspire to. Anarchy, as defined from its Greek roots, means "The ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/reclaiming-anarchism-from-the-chaotists/ The critical nature of virtue, both public and private, for the preservation of freedom is fundamental for conservatives and those who venerate the founders and read their writings. I would like to ask the inverse question: Is it Freedom that is essential for attaining Virtue? Without the ability to choose and freely ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/the-relationship-between-freedom-virtue/ It's easy to identify enemies of liberty when they come in the form of murder, torture, imprisonment without trial, slavery, etc. But what if our enemy is much more subtle? What if our current enemy is actually the promise of a "pleasant" life? How can we identify, much less defeat, such ... http://www.causeofliberty.com/2009/05/the-battle-between-pleasantness-exceptionalism/