American Maggie

In 1828 while serving in the House of Representatives, Colonel Davy Crockett prepared to vote on a bill which allocated money to the widow of a heroic naval officer suffering from financial difficulties. As the bill was brought forth to vote, Davy Crockett stood and expressed his deepest sympathy and compassion for this widow, but challenged the legislation; citing it unconstitutional.

Today, Davy Crockett would be bombarded with hurling accusations of his disdain for his fellowman; behind the guise of social justice. The social justice liberals’ desire bears a hefty price tag; paid for with money not their own. Crockett argued that Congress did not have the power to appropriate tax-payer money for charitable endeavors. He challenged the Congress further by pledging a weeks pay and urging each member to do the same and the needs of the widow would be met in excess; not one met the challenge.

What happened to social justice? Where was the outrage? The bill was brought carrying but a few votes and defeated. Crockett explained, “We must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for a part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living…we have the right as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money.”[i]

Unfortunately, Colonel Crockett is not present for the healthcare debate on Capital Hill. Republicans and Democrats alike agree the healthcare system desperately needs reform, however, the Democrats are forcing this charity of healthcare down the throats of the American people; leaving them with the tab. The accusations continue to fly in the face of opponents to the current bill; painting them as antagonists of healthcare reform.

Social justice is synonymous with socialism and it is the beginning of a slippery slope of government control; one need only look to Great Britain to see how slippery that slope can become. Margaret Thatcher fought long and hard to pull Great Britain out from the pit of socialism; understanding fully the dangers of such political philosophies. Regrettably, others came up behind her that gave up that fight. In Claire Berlinski’s There Is No Alternative: Why Margret Thatcher Matters, Prime Minister Thatcher, faced a Congolese communist at 10 Downing Street, glared at him and declared “I hate communists.” Berlinski makes clear the core of Thatchersim; a hatred of communism, a hatred of Marxism, a hatred of socialism-an unflinching willingness to express that hatred in the clearest imaginable terms.[ii]

For America the slippery slope will begin with socialized medicine. This healthcare agenda is a direct threat to the free market system in the strong-armed push for government control. It will not stop with healthcare it will only be the beginning; the beginning of a socialized America.

Where are the voices fighting for the founder’s view of government? Where are the voices standing up against the threat of socialism? The Tea Parties have fueled liberty’s flames and Glenn and Rush lead the resistance to tyranny; they must not be the sole voices defending liberty. Americans’ must learn the lessons Davy Crockett and Margaret Thatcher illustrated; pick up the baton to fight these dangerous philosophies and defend the liberty our founding fathers fought hard to secure.

[ii] Claire Berlinski, There Is no Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters, New York: Basic Books, 2008

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Piper Green is studying government at Regent University and resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She  shares her expositional writings about the Bible at piperspen.blogspot.com

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