We have become concerned over the past several years that our government has continued to drift from those founding principles that have made our nation great. It now seems that our country is at a crossroads and the future of our nation depends on the decisions being made by our elected representatives today. No time in history has been more critical than the present in determining how brightly the beacon of freedom will shine in the future.
In 1968 a great statesman by the name of Ezra Taft Benson, Secretary of Agriculture in the Eisenhower administration authored an explanation of how the founders envisioned government in a free rebuplic such as ours. His essay, entitled The Proper Role of Government has become a definitive explanation of the functions and restrictions of our American government.
We encourage you to follow the link below to view Secretary Benson's writings. http://www.laissez-fairerepublic.com/benson.htm
Or view the address delivered by Secretary Benson himself right here:
It is our goal to send a copy of this essay to each of the elected representatives serving in both houses of Congress to remind them of the proper role of government in our republic and of the responsibility they have to see this role is maintained.
A copy of Secretary Benson's essay will be accompanied by the letter of introduction presented below. If you believe in the principles outlined by Former Secretary Benson and feel our elected representatives need to be reminded of their duties to uphold such principles, please add your signature to the letter. The goal is to send the letter, and a printed copy of The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson, accompanied by a list of 1,000 signatures of American Citizens urging our representatives to read and return to the principles of limited government outlined in the essay.
Thank You
Richard and Natalie Parke
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LETTER OF INTRODUCTION FOR CONGRESS
As an elected representative of the people of the United States of America, you bear one of the most sacred, important, and enduring responsibilities of any member of our civil society. We recognize with gratitude that your decision to serve has come often times at great sacrifice to both yourself and those closest to you. To step forth as servant leaders in the greatest nation on earth is truly a noble undertaking, and we thank you for your willingness to heed the call.
As citizens of this great nation we are proud of the legacy of freedom that America has provided to the world. We are not a perfect nation, because we are a nation of imperfect people. Yet, despite all imperfections we believe that America is noble and good. It has been the mightiest vehicle for progress in all of history. In America, economic freedom has led to the greatest accumulation of wealth in the history of mankind. More has been done to ensure equal rights for all people in America than in all other lands in all other periods of time combined. Even the very poorest in our land enjoy greater prosperity than the vast majority of humankind in centuries past and present. As stated by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835, we believe “America is great because she is good.” There can be little contention that America has been, and continues to be a force for good in the world.
Yet, despite the gratitude and pride we feel as American citizens, we cannot help but be concerned as we continue to see a concerted move away from the fundamental principles upon which our nation was built. We believe the Constitution of the United States to represent the greatest form of government ever devised for man. The wise men who acted under the inspiration of God to establish a land of freedom and opportunity were very precise in the role government was to play in the lives of the governed. A thorough review of history clearly indicates that the role was intended to be a minor one. The ever-expanding role of government in America continues to present a divergence from the principles upon which this nation was founded.
In 1968 an essay was written by a distinguished statesman, which expounds the role of government in simple terms that point back to the original intent of our founding fathers. The author, Ezra Taft Benson, Secretary of Agriculture in the Eisenhower Administration, entitled his work The Proper Role of Government. We believe that the message contained in this work is as applicable today as when first written.
We, the undersigned, have provided you with a copy of this essay and respectfully request that you take the time to read and contemplate its contents. You occupy a unique position in our nation. As such you have the power to return us to the principles that have made us great. We cannot forget the second half of the famous saying by Tocqueville referenced above. “If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” Let us chart a course that will return us to these principles of goodness, so that the legacy of America will endure long after we have left it to our children.
Respectfully,
The Citizens of the United States of America
Signature pages to follow
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If you agree with the role of government as envisioned by our founding fathers and as outlined by Former Secretary Benson, IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION!!!
You are invited to add your signature to the letter. You can do this by going to the following link:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/properrole/
Let our elected representatives know that we want a return to role of government outlined in our Constitution.
