In 1850 French economist Frederick Bastiat wrote a book entitled ” The Law”. This book was written during the time of the French Revolution when France was transforming from a Monarchy to a Democracy. As we are now transitioning from an elected representative government to a dictatorship it might be wise to revisit the message and warnings contained in Bastiat’s book “The Law’.
Frederick Bastiat suggested that France simply copy the American playbook (Constitution) without implementing tariffs or permitting slavery. Along with guidelines for justice and economic principles for prosperity Bastiat also issued some strident and catastrophic warnings about the enemies of democracy.
The enemy of democracy is tyranny, and Bastiat wrote that the tree of tyranny has three branches: communism, socialism, and PROTECTIONISM. Our collective hair has been on fire because of communism and socialism for over 100 years but Bastiat stated and was very clear that PROTECTIONISM was the greatest threat to freedom.
What in the hell is PROTECTIONISM and how does it threaten or harm me, you probably ask. PROTECTIONISM is a platform or formula for tyranny and misery to destroy a country and enslave free citizens. PROTECTIONISM is a moral cancer that robs intelligent people of the ability to tell the truth from the false. PROTECTIONISM has three stages or steps that lead to capitulation, surrender, and slavery and they are as follows.
1. Lie loudly and longly to invent a threat or create a crisis i.e. FEARMONGER
2. Obsessively pursue and acquire power to solve this Non-Existent Problem
3.Enormously profit and cruelly punish with this bastardly power
The moral cancer of protectionism has poisoned our values and inflicted great damage to our nation. The following disparate events were caused by protectionism and are evidence of its pervasiveness and toxicity to a free society.
1. Prohibition was enacted in 1920 to PROTECT our citizens from demon alcohol and enforce morality. The result was 10yrs. of corruption, bloodshed, and misery. For nothing
2. Marijuana was criminalized in the 1930’s because it was demonized as a devil drug and gateway to hell. The result is over 80yrs. of costs for investigation, arrests, prosecution, and prison. Millions of ordinary citizens have been imprisoned and had their lives and families torn apart. For nothing.
3.The Mcarthy hearings on communism exemplified Fearmongering at its finest. Numerous lives, reputations, and careers were destroyed. For nothing.
4. The assassination of JFK and more importantly the cover-up have gone unsolved and unpunished for 61yrs. Our country has endured the shame and spiritual guilt of never administering justice for the murder of our beloved President.
5. Vietnam a country with no air force, no navy, and no military industry was declared to be a threat to our nation and our way of life by LBJ. 50,000 brave young men died because of this PROTECTIONISM lie.
6. Gerald Ford “protected” America when he determined that we were too emotionally weak and intellectually frail to be able to endure the legal and moral prosecution of Richard Nixon. Gerald Ford decided to subvert the Constitution and undermined the principle of equal justice for all by pardoning Richard Nixon.
7. George Bush lied to the world about Iraq having yellow cake uranium. He “protected” the U.S. by attacking and invading Iraq to destroy this threat to our way of life. After 10yrs. of warfare, hundreds of billions spent, and horrible injuries and death; there was NO uranium.
8. Hitler attempted to eradicate the Jewish people because he judged them to be responsible for Germany’s misery and they were declared to be a threat to the German people’s way of life. Tens of millions of people suffered and died worldwide. For nothing
9. The American public can no longer tell the truth from the false. Trump has mastered the manipulation of people and opinions thru fearmongering and greed. Mexico did not pay for our protectionist wall.
We must grasp the sword of justice, shield ourselves with the truth, and shoulder the burden that history will bestow upon us if we fail to fight for our freedom and our children’s future.