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Year in Review

By Emily Burner

1787 Society Board Member

It’s been an honor to serve on the board of the 1787 Society, and a privilege to watch it grow like it has. When I mention the Society to people, they actually know what I’m talking about and have at least heard of it if not visited the monthly meetings. As the year comes to a close, I reflect on what I’ve learned.

Oklahoma has great leadership, and I’m so thankful many public servants have been able to speak at our monthly meetings. Each leader has a story, and we can learn a lot. 

From Attorney General Scott Pruitt, we learned what the future of the Healthcare Law may be and how it looks to play out in the courts. Right now, it’s in the hands of the states. From General Rita Aragon we learned what our veterans face when they return home. How can we serve them? What can we do to take care of those who put their lives on the line for our freedoms? We learned about how we can impact the future, and how it starts with the family (Congressman Lankford). 

There are so many more pearls of wisdom we received from leaders this year. Now, as we look forward to what the future holds for the 1787 Society, we look back on our success. I’m excited for the New Year and all the possibilities for the Society! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, everyone!

Have Central Banks Found an Answer to the Global Financial Crisis?

By Brandon McWaters

OCPA Intern

The same country that introduced the modern system of banking is now in the throes of a potential financial meltdown. Italy is currently faced with paying record interest rates on its growing national debt. Italy has been a member of the eurozone since the union's inception and claims that it will not have to leave due to recent economic setbacks. The EU is putting on a brave face and still holds that the euro will make it through this crisis and will not have to be dissolved.

While there are many reasons to be skeptical about this claim, recent moves by the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the central banks of Canada, Britain, Japan, and Switzerland led to a deal Wednesday, that made U.S. dollars cheaper in order to give cash-strapped banks an affordable outlet for taking on loanable funds. The rationale behind this move is simple: European banks were finding it difficult to make dollar loans and had switched to loans based on the euro which depressed its value and restricted how much could be loaned out by European banks. 

The move brought about praise by the international market as stocks skyrocketed yesterday in response with the lowest gain reported by the UK’s FTSE 100 at an astonishing 3%. Richard Hunter at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers said that if banks take advantage of the cheaper funding, "a great deal of tension will be removed from the system, both in terms of liquidity and market sentiment.”

In my earlier post, I talked about the potential effect that a eurozone meltdown could have on the U.S. economy and why Americans should actively watch the situation across the pond. With this move by the central banks of the world, and the resulting 400+ point increase by the Dow Jones Wednesday, it is clear that the two economies are tied together. While the move by the Fed to cheapen the dollar may seem to be an act of weakening our global position in the financial market, it actually is a positive move both for our dollar and our economy. Currently the U.S. dollar is the preferred currency for international transactions and by making it more affordable to European banks to buy and then loan out, we increase the attractiveness of our U.S. Treasury Bonds to be bought by foreign investors and we keep the dollar as the preferred currency rather than losing out to the now over-rated euro. What this means for us is that we keep our position as the world’s leading economy, and hopefully leave recessionary times in the past.

Links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15888752

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/30/us-eurozone-idUSTRE7AR0P320111130

http://www.cnbc.com/id/45492184

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15966753

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15429057

American What?

By Ashley Gill

OCPA Special Projects Coordinator

For the most part, as children we thought that the United States was the “best country” in the world. We stood up in class and recited the Pledge of Allegiance or memorized the words to The Star Spangled Banner with pride. Though we might not have understood the term “American exceptionalism,” we believed in it. 

Has our sense of pride and patriotism since been lost? The polls confirm that the Millennial generation is the least likely to say that the United States is the best country in the world. This loss of perspective is immanent when even our Commander in Chief claims that this great country has “gotten a little soft” and lost its “competitive edge.”  

Perhaps we have simply forgotten and neglected what truly makes America exceptional. The self-evident truth that all men are created equal and are given equal opportunity to succeed is what sets the United States apart from even its strongest allies. Freedom and personal responsibility are the traditional values that historically, have allowed any American to climb the ladder of success. 

Regrettably, the caustic policies of those who forgo such traditional values have empowered Washington at the expense of the people. Officials who are happy to add fuel to the entitlement fire strangle our economy. Equality of results, rather than equality of opportunity, is promoting favoritism. Personal responsibility has become a foreign concept to far too many Millennials. 

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said this to his audience at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs’ 2011 Citizenship Dinner: 

“All of the problems that we face can be turned around, but it should anger us that we are even having a conversation about America’s decline. Given our history and dynamic nature, we can turn this around.”

If we are to save what freedom we have left and regain the liberties that have been lost, we must remember the constitutional principles that both define and unite us as Americans. Let’s once again embrace American exceptionalism with the alacrity of our youth.

Brand New State. Gonna Treat You Great!

By Brian Bush

1787 Society Treasurer

To achieve lasting success, leaders must commit to two things simultaneously.  First, they must hold fast to their core values and the principles that ground and guide them.  Second, they must never stop dreaming.  This formula requires finding balance, and it requires dedication.  It is a key ingredient for success in leadership, in business, and in any organization.  And I believe Oklahoma is proof that the same formula is critical to the success of a state.  What makes Oklahoma the best place to live, work, and raise a family today is the same thing that made it a destination for so many pioneers in the days before statehood.  What made those brave men and women come here were their core values and a passion to chase their dreams against all odds.

We celebrate November 16 as Statehood Day and many know that we officially became a state on that day in 1907, but none of that would have been possible without the tireless efforts of people working for years prior.  In fact, a significant statement of who we are came from the Resolutions of the Joint Statehood Convention assembled at Oklahoma City, OK, July 12, 1905.  They outlined to the United States Congress the reasons Oklahoma should be admitted as a state “on equal footing with the other states.”  In that document, those Oklahoma leaders gave these reasons:

1.     “First, our area is sufficient.”  (Our geographic size in relation to other states.)

2.     “Second, our population is sufficient.”  (Our population size in relation to other states.)

3.     “Third, our resources are sufficient.”  (Our incredible natural resources including our coal mines, our “extensive oil fields,” our productive natural gas wells, our “mountains of granite,” our lead, our zinc, our forests, and our fertile farm land.)

4.     “The character of our population entitles us to immediate admission.” (In this section, they discussed the literacy of our citizens, and they focused on the fact that our population contained those “who have the pluck and energy to move.”)

One could not write a more fitting description of our state today, and in this description is the key to why Oklahoma is still the best place to live, work, and raise a family.  Our area is still sufficient.  Our population is still sufficient (and growing).  Our resources are still sufficient, and new technology has allowed us to utilize those resources in ways never before imagined.  But most importantly, the character of our population continues to be the standard by which others measure success.

Though we have been tested by natural disasters, economic hardship, and the tragedy of the Oklahoma City bombing, our people have not wavered.  The same frontier spirit that allowed our ancestors to carve a life for themselves out of this territory and the same spirit that allowed them to unabashedly declare to Congress that we were sufficient for equal footing is the same spirit that carries us today.  It allows us to be united and strengthened by our adversity rather than divided by it.  It is that spirit that builds the Devon Tower, puts an NBA team in the Chesapeake Arena, and builds an economy more stable and resilient than that of most of America and the world. 

The prevailing spirit in our state has held on to our core values and never stopped dreaming.  Our core values are grounded in our faith, and so are our dreams.  It is sometimes hard to describe a spirit like that, but there are two notable attempts.  In the preamble to our State Constitution, we said it this way:  Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty; to secure just and rightful government; to promote our mutual welfare and happiness, we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish this Constitution.  In our state song, we say it this way: Plenty of air and plenty of room.   Plenty of room to swing a rope.  Plenty of HEART and plenty of HOPE.

Wrong Road

By Jaeton Cary

OCPA Intern

Occupy Wall Street is a movement that we can all sympathize with from the standpoint that something is wrong with our country. Even House Speaker John Boehner said that he "understand(s) the people's frustrations." However, where many people diverge from “OWS” is over where the blame should go. They say corporate America; the other side says Congress and the White House. This is where the OWS argument breaks down. They blame big business and the “1%” for being “greedy” and not “doing their fair share.” They blame the system of Capitalism and Wall Street while they accept support in multiple forms from the very “1%” they are protesting against.

Even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a supporter of the movement, blames Washington for the source of the protesters’ frustrations. "The thought was that when we did that [passed TARP], there would be capital available and Main Street would benefit from the resources that went largely to Wall Street," said Pelosi. "That didn't happen. People are angry." Pelosi is right. It’s Washington that sets the rules for the game that Wall Street and the private sector have to play by. The best example of this is the housing crisis in 2008, a result of Congress forcing the banks to lend money to “risky” individuals. Occupiers complain about the bailouts and bonuses handed out to Wall Street, but it was the Federal Government that gave them out. It is big government, not big business that is damaging this country.

One of the staple points of emphasis for Occupy Wall Street is that “big business” is bad and the “1%” is evil. However upon taking a closer look, Occupy Wall Street is really benefiting from big businesses, and big business is benefiting from Occupy Wall Street. The best example of this is Ben & Jerry’s. They fed 600 Occupy protesters on October 11^th of this year. Of course the protesters embraced the support. However, it begs the questions, why was Ben and Jerry’s so willing, in this time of economic hardship, to give 600 people free ice cream? Is it simply out of the goodness of their heart? Or was the marketing opportunity provided by the protest just too sweet to pass up? Let’s look at a quote from Tom Zara, the Global Practice Leader of Corporate Citizenship at Interbrand. “Ben & Jerry's is about celebrating individuality, self expression, and the political process in its good, bad, and ugly forms...It's very much in its DNA to participate in what is a modern version of Woodstock.” So, by embracing this movement, Ben & Jerry’s enhances its brand. When Occupy Wall Street protesters praise Ben & Jerry’s for their “support” they are helping Ben & Jerry’s turn “endorsements of protests…into profit.” As a capitalist, I have no problem with what Ben & Jerry’s is doing. I am simply pointing out the hypocrisy in the Occupy argument.

Occupy Wall Street represents people who are upset with the current condition of this country but who isn’t upset? Their credibility is lost for me, when they fail to see that the very clothes on their backs and the shoes they wear on their feet were made by a big business. While the Occupy Wall Street protestors have a valid complaint, they are going down the wrong road. They should be marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, not Wall Street.

The Eurozone Crisis and What it Means to America

By Brandon McWaters

OCPA Intern

Recently many news outlets have been running multiple stories covering the financial issues facing Greece, and by extension, the rest of the European Union. At first, it may seem curious why this crisis has been headlining so many reports on both sides of the pond, particularly since America does not operate on the Euro as does much of the EU. However a closer look at the situation reveals why everyone, including Americans, should be concerned with what’s going on over in Europe.

This current bailout, slated for around $140 billion (109bn-euro), is actually the second of a two-part stimulus package from EU member nations to one of the worst economies in the western hemisphere, Greece. The Greek government has been failing economically for some time now, borrowing money it couldn’t pay back, spending funds it doesn’t have, living above its means, etc. All those poor financial practices hit Greece hard when, after years of experiencing tax evasion problems, the global market hit a severe downturn in 2008-2010.  It received its first bailout in May of 2010 because it could no longer afford to borrow money and needed some time to catch up on its debt. The EU agreed on a temporary bailout to give Greece time to fix its problems and get back on track. Instead, the worst economy in Europe went further down, experiencing a 2011 deficit of 8.5% of their GDP and received the title of worst credit of any country monitored by S&P.

What this means to Americas is quite simple: If this new round of bailouts fails and Greece defaults on its debt, confidence in a nation’s debt, any nation’s debt, and their ability to pay it back plummets and that means a reduction in lender confidence internationally. There are many countries that are “exposed” to Grecian debt, which means their national banks hold part of the sum of what Greece owes. If they are not able to pay that money back, then there are multiple nations who will be short that money, including the US, which holds approximately $7.3bn in both bank/private lending and government exposure in Greek debt.

The main issue to consider isn’t even the large numbers associated with a Greek default, but rather the confidence issue that goes along with the possibility of the default. This is already affecting the US economy, particularly the banking industry, as Goldman Sachs has reported a $393 million loss for the third quarter of 2011, partially based on the uncertainty in the European markets. Analyst Todd Schoenberger, a managing director at Landcolt Trading said, "The underlying cancer on all these reports is Europe, all these banks have risk from Europe and that region will continue to have a negative impact."

The 1787 Society and the United States Constitution

By Garrett King

1787 Society President

It is October. The leaves are falling, deer hunting has commenced in Oklahoma, and, on the first Monday of this tenth month of the year, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, created by Article III of the Constitution, began its term.

The decisions that emanate from the high court are always a matter of intense public interest. And they should be—after all, since the establishment of the principle of judicial review those decisions directly impact the laws of one republic of over three-hundred million citizens as well as the laws of fifty states of various respective populations. The power wielded by this third and, at times, enigmatic branch of the federal governmental edifice is truly formidable. Our society and system of government now looks to the Supreme Court for guidance when enacting new laws, when questioning old ones, and ultimately when the Constitution appears to be threatened. Whether these dangers are foreign or domestic, unjust laws enacted by Congress or intolerable actions taken by the President or even contentions between state governments that are seemingly insoluble we look to the nine Justices of the court to find resolution, and justice. The men and women who are named to this body must be above reproach, for their duty is that of serving as a final arbiter of the Constitutional framework of this great democracy.

At the 1787 Society we work in our own way to defend and promote fidelity to the Constitution of the United States, seeking to remind ourselves and our peers of the uniqueness of the founding charter and of its uncanny ability to be so many things to so many different people. The Constitution is at once a guarantor of governance by the majority and an unmatched protector of the rights of the minority. The Constitution followed a rebellion against the British Crown yet contained within it are many of the same beneficial provisions that have helped preserve “the ancient rights of Englishmen.” It failed to eliminate the scourge of slavery but when abolition became a national battle-cry it was the principles of the Constitution that was raised, along with the Declaration of Independence, as banner and standard of that movement. Suffice it to say, the Constitution is worth upholding—at the Society it is our honor and privilege to do so.

We will end 2011’s regular meetings with a visit from the 17^th Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma, the Honorable Scott Pruitt. I do hope you will join us at Noon on 28-October at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) in Oklahoma City for this exciting conclusion to yet another productive, educational year at the 1787 Society.  As always, we are grateful to our special guests, our hosts at OCPA, and, most importantly, to our members from across the state and nation—we are building the next generation of Constitutional warriors!

- Garrett King of Weatherford is the President of the 1787 Society of Oklahoma, an initiative of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA). The Society works to promote Constitutional fidelity amongst young people in Oklahoma.

Liberty Gala an Awe-Inspiring Event

By Justin Wilmeth

1787 Society Vice President

One of the best things about being involved with the 1787 Society is the opportunity to be in the same room with some very important political figures.

At our monthly meetings, we’ve been lucky to host elected leaders including Congressman James Lankford and Congressman Tom Cole as well as other influential government and business leaders. I’m very much looking forward to Attorney General Scott Pruitt joining us at the next meeting of the Society on October 28^th at noon. I hope you’ll be there!

Our Society is blessed to have great support from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Their ability to draw national figures into the state to speak to Oklahomans is nothing short of astounding. Some of their most recent guest have included Sarah Palin and Jeb Bush. They both visited the state within the past year.

This month, at OCPA’s Liberty Gala in Tulsa, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was the star of the evening, bringing his no-frills, common-sense recommendations to the Sooner State. I have an aunt that lives in Indianapolis and she has raved about what Governor Daniels has done for the land of the Indy 500, so I was very much looking forward to hearing from him.

Despite his shorter stature, Daniels towered over the attendees with his plain speaking style. Working without a teleprompter and only occasionally glancing at notes, Governor Daniels kept the attention of the attendees with stories about how he shaved down state government in Indiana and reversed the state’s budget from deep red and back into black. He had a dry sense of humor that I greatly enjoyed.

My favorite story was about “a penny on a tire.” The classic story shows how bloated Indiana’s state government was at one time. Upon Daniels' arrival in office, Indiana had one vehicle for every 2.8 state employees- an insane ratio for such a small state. So what did Governor Daniels do? Rather than announce the problem and give the agencies a chance to defend all the cars littered to and fro, he assembled a team that undertook a simple task. They placed a penny on each car's rear driver’s side tire and came back in a month. If the penny was still there when they came back, they took the keys to that vehicle and sent it to auction. It goes without saying there were a lot of pennies left on tires when the workers returned. That plan brought lots of cash into state coffers and cut unneeded overhead.

That is just one example of things Daniels did to turn Indiana’s budget problems around.

This simple approach is why Governor Daniels is so popular and had a loud crowd of supporters urging him to run for president. He ended up declining (this time around, anyway) but his legacy as Indiana’s governor is being noticed across the nation. The fact that OCPA brought him to Oklahoma for us to enjoy ties us back to my original point – that this group makes it possible for the average citizen to be exposed to the best minds out there – both in our state and our nation.

If you missed this year’s event, I hope you’ll consider coming out next time around. Each spring OCPA has its Citizenship Dinner in Oklahoma City with the Liberty Gala in Tulsa following in the fall. I am sure that there will be an upcoming keynote speaker you just won’t want to miss. 

Constitution Day, an Important Event for Remembering Our Freedoms

By Justin Wilmeth
1787 Society Vice President

To some, the United States Constitution might seem outdated or stale.

In this country they are free to think that as their right to free speech is protected by that same outdated and stale document – which is, by the way, still valid and fresh to this very day.

On September 19^th Oklahoma Christian University, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and the 1787 Society partnered together to celebrate Constitution Day with students and those truly interested in what the Constitution means to us in 2011.

The event was an opportunity to hear from some credible authorities on the topic. Three different scholars focused in on different aspects of the Constitution and what it means in present times. Hopefully you were able to catch all three. But in case you didn’t, here’s a small rundown on what each speaker focused on.

Kicking things off was Andrew Spiropoulos, the Professor of Law and Director of the Center for the Study of State Constitutional Law and Government at Oklahoma City University, addressing the topic of Constitutional Principles.

After that, Joel Kintsel, OCPA Executive Vice President and Director of the Center for Constitutional Freedom, spoke to the OC campus about the issue of Federalism and if it still matters today.

Wrapping up the event was Dr. J. Rufus Fears of the University of Oklahoma. The David Ross Boyd Professor of Classics focused on the Magna Carta and how it laid the groundwork for our Constitution centuries later.

The entire event was rewarding. Like any good nerd of government and history, I do a fair amount of reading on the subjects. However, being able to hear deeply educated professionals speak on some of the most important aspects of this country’s ideology and how it came to be was simply outstanding. All of the stories were intriguing and added a lot of color to a topic that is often seen as outdated or stale.

I was reminded of just how lucky I am to have been born in this great country. Human history is basically thousands of years of dark tyranny, with the only bright spots being the liberty provided by the United States of America over the past 235 years. Listening to these men speak about why our country’s framework is unique, special, and important was refreshing and enlightening. I truly hope you enjoyed the speakers.

A Republic If You Can Keep It

By Kendra Lizama
OCPA Intern

After the Constitution was signed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin the following question: "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" Franklin’s reply: “A republic, if you can keep it.” It is important to note that Franklin did not say democracy. The word “democracy” does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. The Founders established a republic. However, current leaders are abundantly using “democracy” to describe our government. The Founders feared a democracy.

The Founding Fathers expressed their opinions of democracies:

“Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security and the rights of property, and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. “ James Madison, Federalist Paper No. 10

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”  John Adams

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.” Benjamin Franklin

“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.” Thomas Jefferson

Despite the Founders’ criticisms, we constantly hear “democracy” used to describe our government. Recently, President Obama speaking at the University of Michigan said that “the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship. It is essential for our democracy.” Former Governor of Oklahoma, Brad Henry said “reading builds the educated and informed electorate so vital to our democracy.” It is obvious that current leaders are confused about what type of government the Founders wanted us to have.  Not only is this confusion of terms dangerous to the liberties of American citizens, but it is also perilous to those who look at America as a model as a fair and free society.

The Founders chose a republic because it guarantees to protect individual rights from tyranny, regardless of whether the tyrant was a king, a monarchy, a congress, or an unelected mob. A republic protects every individual not just a group. A republic does not allow any law that does not apply to all citizens equally. I am concerned that we will lose freedoms if we continue to let “democracy” and “republic” become interchangeable terms. The Founders were clear about the perils of democracy, and gave us a republic to protect us from one.

Compromise? Looking at the Debt Deal

By Todd Shaw

OCPA Intern

The various public reactions to Obama & Boehner’s recent debt ceiling fix come as no surprise. Despite no program or agency terminations being identified, critics brood over a deal that will allegedly cut entitlement programs and higher-education subsidies. In addition, assorted media continue to fulfill their role as sentinels for Washington, lauding the “historic” deal that will “cut” and “slash” federal spending by over $2 trillion in ten years.

But as Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute indicates, federal spending won’t be cut at all:

Spending isn’t being cut at all.  The “cuts” in the deal are only cuts from the [Congressional Budget Office] “baseline,” which is a Washington construct of ever-rising spending. And even these “cuts” from the baseline include $156 billion of interest savings, which are imaginary because the underlying cuts are imaginary.

As Boehner commends a deal that cuts discretionary spending (government spending via appropriation) by $917 billion over 10 years, he seems to have looked past an important figure. The actual discretionary spending cap will rise by $191 billion within the next decade, at an average increase of $21.2 billion/year. Despite a sizable discretionary cap of $1,234 billion by 2021, the restrictions won’t apply to “program integrity initiatives,” “overseas contingency operations,” and other federal programs (see the Director of the CBO’s comments here). Congressional approval of these new bipartisan discretionary spending benchmarks will result in a net result that will increase discretionary spending.

It seems as though the journalists, pundits, and politicians have also missed the $1 trillion of new deficits that will materialize next year alone. As Washington calls the deal a compromise, supporters of free markets and limited government will continue to see resources shift from the private sector to the public sector. This week’s deal distorts the reality that the state will continue to extend itself well into the private sphere.

Aragon’s Stories Insightful, Inspiring

By Justin Wilmeth

1787 Society Vice President

 

The July meeting of the 1787 Society has come and gone. Were you able to join us? Hopefully so! But if not, here’s a recap of what you missed.

First, you should save the date for September 19^th. That’s when the 1787 Society will be celebrating Constitution Day with the Oklahoma Christian University Academy of Leadership & Liberty. The event begins at 10 a.m. Keep an eye out for more information on this event.

Now, on to our featured speaker at the July meeting. We were honored to have none other than Rita Aragon in our midst, sharing her life story with us and filling us in on the newest chapter in life, serving as the Veterans Affairs Secretary for Gov. Mary Fallin. She has quite the resume to back up that nomination. Sec. Aragon is a retired Major General in the Air National Guard, serving our nation from 1979-2006. She first enlisted before gaining her commission through the Academy of Military Science in 1981. Over the years, she rose in the ranks up to her two-star status, an impressive feat considering she didn’t start her military career until her 30s. She was the first female Brigadier General ever in the history of the Air National Guard and she was named to command of the Oklahoma Air National Guard before retirement.

As said before, Gov. Fallin named her to the post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and she is the first woman to ever hold the position. Sec. Aragon’s role in the Governor’s cabinet is to oversee and administer the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. During the 1787 meeting, Aragon elaborated on some of the challenges she’s seeing in the state as Secretary. She shared the plight of our brave Oklahoma veterans and what she’s trying to do to improve the living conditions for all of our retired vets. She also told us about her struggles as a single mom transitioning from a career in teaching to a career in the military.

Sec. Aragon was an absolute delight to have at our monthly meeting. Her stories were insightful and funny, but also poignant. She wrapped up the meeting talking about what we can do to help our vets and ensure they are comfortable and taken care of properly. The video she showed at the end was emotional and made me even more proud of all those who have volunteered to serve our great land and defend our wonderful freedoms.

Thanks again to Sec. Aragon for sharing part of her Friday with us!

Independence Day

By Emily Burner

1787 Board Member

“God bless America, land that I love.” Words cannot describe the feeling of hearing this song sung by a multitude of people at our nation’s Capitol on the Fourth of July. This year, our country turned 235 years old. How neat to be able to go to America’s birthday party in Washington, D.C. Yet another item checked off my bucket list. And this year, I got to hear some of my favorite performers sing at the annual A Capitol Fourth concert! For me, this was an especially momentous occasion because I grew up watching this concert on TV almost every year we were home on the Fourth. To be there in-person…Wow!

The most poignant moment was hearing Oklahoma’s own Kelli O’Hara sing God Bless America. What a beautiful voice for such a meaningful song. I was reminded of the popular phrase in The Declaration of Independence - the document that gave us the Fourth of July: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

“Pursuit of Happiness” - this can mean different things to different people. However, we must have freedom to pursue. Freedom to worship, freedom to choose what is best for our families, freedom in how we use our talents, freedom to enjoy blessings. But how do we ensure these freedoms?

It would be 11 years after The Declaration of Independence was written when we would have the framework for ensuring these freedoms - The Constitution. It’s the structure for how the government of the United States of America should work - “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” (Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address)

Yet as with many things, there can be too much. Today, we certainly see too much government. We must consider: In what areas are our freedoms being taken away? Where does someone else dictate our lives? This growth of government can be hard to see in our normal way of living - it’s a gradual change from generation to generation. We must think outside the box. Look to history: in what ways have we improved? Where do we need to change and move forward? Where do we need to back-track? How do we get back to the basics? However, we must be careful…ironically it will take government to solve the problem of ‘too much government.’ It will need to strip itself of some of its power and let go. It will not be easy.

“No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth!” - Ronald Reagan

And so, a week after celebrating our nation’s birthday, where do we go from here in order to ensure we can continue to celebrate from year to year? We can’t take our freedoms for granted. We must remain vigilant…take an active role in stopping this progression of too much government. This nation was fought for…let’s make sure it wasn’t fought for in vain. “The rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air.” The sight of fireworks at the Washington monument brought so many thoughts and emotions of what the Lord has blessed us with. I leave you with a picture, and I encourage everyone to go to D.C. at least once on the Fourth of July. Soak up the experience. It’s incredible.

The June 1787 Meeting: What You Missed

By Justin Wilmeth

1787 Society Vice President

If you were unable to make it to the June meeting of the 1787 Society, then shame on you!

Kidding. We know you’re a busy, young professional and sometimes joining us just isn’t possible. But fear not, the 1787 Society blog will keep you updated on our monthly meetings and other events as we move forward. Make sure you bookmark this page and keep up with the 1787 Society online.

Now, for the June meeting. We were honored to have Representative Jason Nelson as our guest speaker. He serves District 87, which covers a small piece of Northwest Oklahoma City just south of Lake Hefner. He has served in the state House of Representatives since 2008.

The 2011 legislative session was busy and Rep. Nelson was kind enough to give us a full report on the happenings under the dome this past spring. There were many issues addressed in the last session, but the subject of education and education reform seemed to make the most progress. Rep. Nelson shared with us his take on the reforms made this year, including such revolutionary measures as Senate Bill 969, which will create an equal opportunity scholarship to enhance competition between public and private schools. He also mentioned the abolition of Trial de Novo, which made it hard for schools to get rid of poor-performing teachers. Rep. Nelson addressed other measures related to education, including the grading of our schools (House Bill 1456) and giving more control to our state school superintendent (HB 2139). All of those measures have already been signed into law by Governor Mary Fallin.

The meeting was very informative and insightful. We are thankful that Rep. Nelson shared part of his Friday talking to us about education reform and state legislative matters. The topic of education is one that impacts each segment of society, whether you’re in school or not, or have a child in school or not. The next generation of great Americans are scattered across elementary schools all over this nation. It’s up to us to ensure that their education is the best in the world so that when it’s their time to run the country they are capable of doing so.

Thanks again to Rep. Nelson for a great luncheon and the informative talk.

Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny: The Ultimate Guide on Today’s Issues

By Justin Wilmeth

1787 Society Vice President

“We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some, the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name – liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names – liberty and tyranny.”

 – Abraham Lincoln, 1864

Those words, uttered by arguably America’s greatest president, are found on the back of the book Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, by Mark Levin, a firebrand radio host and stalwart of limited government. And that quote sets the table for Levin’s argument – that America is straying further and further from its historical governing roots and that we must, as a people, stand up and fight to return to the true nature of the United States government.

Before I start breaking down the book, I want to say right off the top that this is a fantastic read. Levin addresses problems and considers real solutions to 10 of our nation’s greatest current challenges. I consider it the second-most important book for any person new to the Conservative cause to read behind the 1960 classic, Conscience of a Conservative, by Barry Goldwater. Levin’s book is patterned very similar to Goldwater’s, in that each chapter deals with a specific issue of the day and what must be done to correct problems at the time. And, just like Goldwater’s book before it, Liberty and Tyranny addresses today’s landscape in a way that is just as effective, commanding and thoughtful.

The bottom-line premise of the book is simple: Statists, those who wish for the federal government to have total control over our lives at the expense of state government and individual liberty, have worked hard the past 80 years to kill the original intent of our Founding Fathers and fostered the growth of a hulking, sprawling leviathan of centralized government so sweeping that it threatens what this country is really all about.

With that focus, Levin hops from subject to subject, writing about what the Statists are pushing for and what Constitutional Conservatives need to be aware of in order to fight back. In chapter four, Levin talks about matters related to the Constitution itself and how Statists view it as a living, breathing document, instead of a binding contract as was originally intended. This snippet from the book shows you what to expect from Levin’s arguments:

If the Constitution’s meaning can be erased or rewritten, and the Framers’ intentions ignored, it ceases to be a constitution but is instead a concoction of political expedients that serve the contemporary policy agendas of the few who are entrusted with public authority to preserve it. … To say that the Constitution is a “living and breathing document” is to give license to arbitrary and lawless activism. It is a mantra that gained purchase in the early twentieth century and is paraded around by the Statist as if to legitimate that which is illegitimate.

That’s just one passage in a book full of great, insightful takes on the issues impacting us all today. This book is easy to read, chiming in at only 205 pages and light in structure, especially considering the subject matter. Plus, there are only four chapters over 20 pages. And since it is broken down by topic, it is also a handy reference after reading in case you need some ammunition to deal with your Statist liberal friends. I still reference it today, in fact, though I read it two years ago.

This is a book, I believe, that will guide Conservatism moving forward in the 21^st Century. Young conservatives like us will see it as a guide to proper governance in the future. In short, Levin gets it. He sees the problems in our system at the moment and has solutions to pull us out of the slide into Statism we’ve seen in American since the days of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. If anything, his final chapter is a must-read to consider what we need to do now to turn this country around economically, socially and in areas of immigration, faith and the welfare state.

On a scale of one star to five stars, I give this book six stars. I feel it’s one of the most important books out there and can really help 1787 members see what we’re fighting for in the battle of liberty versus tyranny in our government.