FEBRUARY 18, 2009 --

Didn’t we hear that suggestion a lot during the time of another president, not so very long ago?

Maybe this is an appropriate time to take a couple of deep breaths – if only to try to get the stimulus proponents to slow down and give us a chance to learn what is going on – if the proponents know, of course.

LPR hears a lot of warning that the sky will fall if the stimulus money-throwing plan is not approved. LPR means no disrespect but wonders if throwing money at problems is a typical reflex of the left.

LPR is still concerned that, stimulus notwithstanding, we have heard – so far as LPR is aware – no reference to the learning, research and wisdom of Milton Friedman. LPR understands that this Nobel Prize laureate argued that the Great Depression was cause by lowering the money supply, not by the stock market crash, October 1929.

It is LPR’s sense that Professor Friedman was speaking in an economic context, not a political one.

Is there anyone in the Washington press corp, in the national media, among Republicans in Congressional who would inquire of Fed Chairman Bernanke: “Having praised Professor Friedman’s findings as to the cause of the Great Depression, what course do you believe he would recommend we take to solve current financial problems.

Do you believe Professor Friedman would approve of this stimulus package?” It is either stupidity or ignorance with an agenda LPR believes, that omits the work of Dr. Friedman from current discussion. LPR is not certain, as U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell contends, that we are being Europeanized. It does seem, however, that Democrats, now controlling the federal government, are interested in increasing national control over our lives.

This is, LPR argues, contrary to the federal principles on which the national government was constructed. Would the left now dismiss all reference to the concept of limited national government as nothing more than “original intent” hogwash?

The proponents offer no explanation of their plan, so far as LPR can tell, just exploitation by way of fear-mongering: if we don’t do as they say, the sky will fall. Perhaps a better way of looking up is to understand that the sky has a limit, a limit that is reachable by nickel and dime-ing the general population.

And isn’t there a law professor in the land to write an op-ed piece reminding us that, in Gibbons v. Ogden, Chief Justice Marshall warned us not to let clever argument confuse our common understanding. Marshall warned that if we do fall for the clever argument the Constitution will become useless. The stimulus proponents warn that we face some unspecified catastrophe if their views are not accepted. I would tend to go with the observation of the chief justice.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously declared, in his first inaugural, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It seems the stimulus proponents is telling us that the only things we have to fear is courage, confidence, optimism, independence, liberty, our right to question government.

The stimulus proponents perhaps have forgotten Lincoln’s observation that all the people cannot be fooled all of the time. LPR believes what we most have to fear, today, are officials who are confident they can fool us all of the time.

Well, read the first half of Federalist 57 and the Bill of Rights and we will not lose courage. As Frank Capra remarked in the opening scene to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” being discouraged is worse than being ill.

LPR prays that we will never become so discouraged that we permit the few to take advantage of the many. LPR prays that we will not allow the left to intimidate us into silence, shouting “catastrophe.”

LPR prays that perhaps we will understand that greed does not necessarily promote the common good, leviathan government does not promote the common good and however well-intentioned the New Deal was, it did not end the Great Depression.

For the common good to prevail, LPR believes, the wisdom of the Founding Fathers should not be dismissed as “original intent” hooey. “Original intent” may well conflict with the ambitious intent of the New Aristocrats, who are confident they have all the answers. Why, then, can’t we ask the questions?

The Founding Fathers established the remarkable concept that in the United States of America sovereign power rests with the people, not government. And it is the responsibility of our government officials to serve us, not fool us.

Just what precisely is the stimulus plan? How will it work?. Why is it the most effective way to deal with our economic/financial situation. What catastrophe will befall us if we do not act rapidly?

Are we permitted to ask questions and make suggestions?

If the spirit of liberty still glows in our country, these are just a few of the questions the proponents must answer – and with facts, not conclusions. LPR continues to believe the people can tell the difference.