Bringing LIBERTY to Capitol Hill -- 2008
OZARKS VIRTUAL TOWN HALL
Saturday Morning, August 16, 2008, 10:30am
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A Discussion of The President's Saturday Morning Radio Address
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Click here to listen to a replay of the August 16, 2008 Ozarks Virtual Town Hall |
Notes and Summary of the President's Address -- Georgia On My Mind
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Some Americans listening today may wonder why events taking place in a small country halfway around the world matter to the United States. (continued below)
How the President Differs from the American vision of "Liberty Under God":
- "No entangling alliances" was our original foreign policy.
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The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible."
— Washington, Farewell Address (1796) [Washington’s emphasis]
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I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one] which ought to shape its administration,…peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.
— Jefferson, First Inaugural Address (1801)
- Global hegemony is our current foreign policy
- In 1776, The United States was "a breakaway republic." Americans did not "respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Great Britain.
- If Ossetians want to break away from Georgia, why should the United States repress the effort? If Russia wants to help the Ossentians, like France helped the U.S., should the U.S. nuke Russia?
- A pipeline runs through Georgia
- America was founded on the philosophy of "Liberty Under God."
"Liberty" means freedom from government suppression of ideas and confiscation of wealth
"Under God" means we have a personal responsibility to love God and neighbor.
President Bush's
Saturday Morning Radio Address
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Another Perspective:
"Liberty Under God"
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| THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For more than a week, the people of the nation of Georgia have withstood assault from the Russian military. The world has watched with alarm as Russia invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatened a democratic government elected by its people. This act is completely unacceptable to the free nations of the world. |
Are U.S. citizens involved in military repression of the people of Ossetia
Does "the world" have the same opinion of events in the "former" Soviet Union as the Bush Administration?
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| The United States and our allies stand with the people of Georgia and their democratically elected government. We insist that Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity be respected. And Moscow must honor its pledge to withdraw its invading forces from all Georgian territory. |
In 1776, The United States was "a breakaway republic." If the U.S. supported self-determination for Kosovo, then why not for Georgia's breakaway regions? Why should Georgia's "sovereignty and territorial integrity be respected" but not Ossetia's?
What about the Ossetians?
Has the U.S. been respecting the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Russia by agitating for Ukraine and Georgian membership in NATO, and plans for installing U.S. "missile defense" installations in Poland and the Czech Republic? What if Russia was trying to get Canada to join a Russian-led federation and was building "missile defense" installations in Mexico?
Did the United States respect the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Iraq? Interventionist Hypocrisy |
| Earlier this week I directed a series of steps to demonstrate America's solidarity with the Georgian people and to help bring about a peaceful resolution of the conflict. On Thursday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in France, where she conferred with President Sarkozy about the diplomatic effort that the French government is leading on behalf of the European Union. |
The "Georgian people," or the Georgian government?
Are the people of Ossetia "Georgian people?" Is the U.S. in solidarity with them?
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| Yesterday, she was in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, where she conveyed America's support for Georgia's democratic government. |
It's the government, here described as "democratic," because the number of Georgia's government is larger than the number of Ossetia's government.
"Democracy is two wolves and one lamb voting on what to have for lunch."
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| And next week, Secretary Rice will travel to Brussels, where she will meet with the foreign ministers of our NATO allies and EU officials to continue our efforts to rally the free world in defense of a free Georgia. |
To what extent does NATO obligate the United States to send combat troops to defend another NATO member? Pat Buchanan says Ukraine and Georgia membership in NATO means a U.S. commitment to treat any Russian attack on Kiev or Tbilisi like an attack on Kansas or Texas. (See Article V.) |
| Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is overseeing a mission by the United States military to provide humanitarian aid for the people of Georgia. In recent days, U.S. cargo planes carrying humanitarian supplies have arrived in Georgia. In the days ahead, we will continue using U.S. aircraft and other assets as needed to deliver more humanitarian and medical supplies. Russia has agreed to let in all forms of humanitarian assistance, and Russia must keep open all lines of communication and transport, including seaports, airports, roads, and airspace for civilian transit and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. |
If Georgia had been a member of NATO, would the U.S. be sending combat troops instead of humanitarian aid? |
| Some Americans listening today may wonder why events taking place in a small country halfway around the world matter to the United States. In the years since it gained independence after the Soviet Union's collapse, Georgia has become a courageous democracy whose people are making the tough choices that are required of free societies. |
repressing Ossetia? This is a "tough choice?" |
| Since the Rose Revolution in 2003, the Georgian people have held free elections, opened up their economy, and built the foundations of a successful democracy. Georgia has sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq to help others achieve the liberty that they struggled so hard to attain. To further strengthen their democracy, Georgia has sought to join the free institutions of the West. The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside. |
Is this why the U.S. is helping Georgia militarily conquer the people of Ossetia?
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| Georgia's emergence as a young democracy has been part of an inspiring and hopeful new chapter in Europe's history. Europe has moved beyond the world wars that killed millions of people and the Cold War that divided its citizens between two superpowers. For the first time in memory, Europe is becoming a continent that is whole, free, and at peace. And it is essential that America and other free nations ensure that an embattled democracy seeking to stand with us remains sovereign, secure, and undivided. |
who is "us"? |
| Russia's actions in Georgia raise serious questions about its role and its intentions in the Europe of the 21st century. In recent years, Russia has sought to integrate into the diplomatic, political, economic, and security structures of the West. The United States has supported those efforts. Now Russia has put its aspirations at risk by taking actions in Georgia that are inconsistent with the principles of those institutions. |
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| To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe, and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must act to end this crisis. |
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| Thank you for listening. |
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Kevin Craig's Platform:
Additional Libertarian Resources
Audio Interviews
Viewpoints
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Anti-War.com
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Foreign Resources
Revolution Won't Come in a Day
John Adams once wrote that the American Revolution began in 1761, when Massachusetts attorney James Otis began legal challenges to the Writs of Assistance. He lost the case, but "American independence," Adams wrote, "was then and there born." Now do the math. That means it took 15 years to convince the rest of America to declare Independence (1776). Then another seven years of war was required before a Peace Treaty was signed (1783), and then six
years before the Constitution was finally ratified (1789). That's almost 30 years. (And Jefferson said we shouldn't go 20 years without another rebellion!) How can we hope to convince Americans to fight for principles they were never taught in government schools? We need to be in this battle for the long term. "Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty."
The Internet Can Speed up the Revolution
Here are ways you can help.
Communicating with Government and Media
- Contact Congress -- this is from the JBS website, powered by "CapWiz," from Capitol Advantage. Lots of organizations use capwiz. If you don't want to go through the JBS, search for capwiz on Google and find another organization that uses it.
Notice that you can also contact media through this webpage.
- Action E-List
Sign up for the JBS Action E-List and be notified when you can make a critical difference on important issues.
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Support an Iraq Referendum
Americans keep debating when, how, or if to leave Iraq. Maybe we should ask the Iraqi people what they want. After all, it's their country. Tell Congress to request that the Iraqi government hold a public referendum on the U.S. occupation. Learn more »
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"Cap and Trade" is not the way
The politicians seem to be unifying around "cap and trade" as a way to cut CO2 emissions. If they take this step it may be the largest increase in the size, scope, and intrusiveness of government since the creation of Medicare. Worse still, it may not even achieve its purpose. Please tell Congress to oppose "cap and trade." Learn more »
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Iraq Waste
Big government prospers through failure. Each new failure is used to justify more spending and new powers. Wasteful spending in Iraq is the latest example. One way to change this is to hold government accountable. A new bill in Congress seeks to provide some of the needed accountability. Please support it. Learn more »
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Stop the War for Terror
U.S. policy has inflamed the Middle East. It has made terrorism more likely rather than less. We seem to be fighting a war for terror, rather than on terror. This policy must stop. The place to start stopping is with Iran. We must not attack Iran. War with Iran would devastate our economy, disrupt world oil supplies, and recruit more terrorists. Click here to stop this war before it starts.
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The Democrat Party Radio Address:
The The Democratic Radio Address was delivered by Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said America needs "energy independence," which turns out to be energy dependence on government planning.
Click here for a replay of this edition of the Ozarks Virtual Town Hall
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