Monday, August 31, 2009

We Must Understand History

To achieve real progress, I think it is imperative that we understand history. Our ideas must be born on the understanding of what has worked or not worked in the past. Our own personal philosophies and experiences alone cannot be relied upon to guide progress.

I think progress should be an expansion of freedom, opportunity, understanding and success for everyone.

Here's what I don't understand: Today's progressives want to take away the successes and freedoms of the rich to ensure opportunity and success for the poor. Can this really happen?

It seems to defy logic that by taxing success, we can encourage people to succeed.

Of course, by not being a true "progressive" (in today's progressive sense of the word), I don't fully understand the agenda and what is meant to be accomplished by it. I do know that the more we rely on government to provide for our needs, the less we will be able to provide for ourselves if the need ever arises.

Does reliance really ever benefit anyone? The only benefit I can see might be that those relied upon have more power, control and influence.

My view of history shows me that our founding fathers understood how to achieve true progress. In turn, they created a system that would ensure everyone had the same opportunities, the same rights, the same freedoms and the same responsibilities.

Today's progressives seem to think they know better than history, yet none can explain to me how their ideas and philosophies have ever succeeded. We need to challenge these ideas...if they really work, our challenges will only make them better and stronger.

3 comments:

  1. Andrew,

    I like this post a lot and agree with it. We definitely cannot come up with good ideas or plans without looking to the past for guidance. The problem with the government today is that they really do not have a lot of evidence to say that these new plans will really work! How can we trust them?

    ~Lindsey (your cousin)

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  2. You are right, there is no evidence that these policies will really work. Many of the policies that are being proposed are clearly socialist in nature, and there is much evidence over the course of history that socialism has failed over and over again. That is what I am constantly curious about, what historical evidence has shown policies like this to work? None that I can see.

    Heck, they want to model the healthcare system after Medicaid...which is nearly bankrupt and full of fraud.

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  3. Absolutely. And Obama's speech this week didn't really make me feel any better about his plans!

    ~Lindsey

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