Notable Quote – Steve MacDonald

And that is a notable quote — more like an invented philosophical concept — with which I disagree. Yes, citizens must always be on the alert about their government, but government is the “collective ‘we’” and together we find ways to give freedoms and liberty to one another. In America, we did it by our Declaration of Independence, followed up by our Constitution and our Bill Of Rights.
We also do it frequently in the creation of laws. What is “pro-liberty is interpretative. Just because those of one philosophy say that something is pro-liberty doesn’t make it so. Just because one group says they advocate liberty and another group opposes it doesn’t make that so.
In the past few weeks the New Hampshire Legislature voted on repealing marriage equality — that effort was defeated, which I could consider was a successful pro-liberty vote, but I know others who would differ. We voted on limiting smoking in places where people must work, another pro-liberty vote that I know others thought was anti liberty. We also fought back attempts to limit a woman’s choice over her own body, another successful pro-liberty vote opposed by some who would claim the mantle of liberty.
And a strong case can be made that President Obama’s health insurance reform legislation is pro-liberty because it protects Americans from being ripped off by insurance company CEOs and stockholders, who make their margin of profit by denying health care for the dollars they collect from their “subscribers.” Insurance companies have “death panels” which often deny coverage for treatment, in favor of the mighty dollar for the bosses.
So my adaptation of Steve’s quote would be: Governments of the people, by the people, and for the people can enhance liberty, choice, and freedom for all. That is a lesson we can learn from history — that when people who participate in government are caring of one another, the government they share can do good things.