T H EL I B E R T A R I A N E N T E R P R I S E
I s s u e 34
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L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE
Number 34, December 25, 1997
[Editor's note: for sending us the following, we thank Yael Dragwyla,
Dale Seago, Edgar Suter, and Dr. Paul himself, who has also introduced
legislation to surgically remove the UN from America's jugular vein.]
A Federal Police Force Is Unconstitutional
A Speech by Rep. Ron Paul
(R-TX), House of Representatives
Special to The Libertarian Enterprise
September 17, 1997
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, another Member severely criticized
me on the House floor for declaring on C-SPAN that indeed many
Americans justifiably feared their own government. This fear has come
from the police state mentality that prompted Ruby Ridge, Waco and
many other episodes of an errant Federal Government.
Under the constitution, there was never meant to be a Federal
police force. Even an FBI limited only to investigations was not
accepted until this century. Yet today, fueled by the Federal
Government's misdirected war on drugs, radical environmentalism, and
the aggressive behavior of the nanny state, we have witnessed the
massive buildup of a virtual army of armed regulators prowling the
States where they have no legal authority. The sacrifice of
individual responsibility and the concept of local government by the
majority of American citizens has permitted the army of bureaucrats to
thrive.
We have depended on government for so much for so long that we as
people have become less vigilant of our liberties. As long as the
government provides largesse for the majority, the special interest
lobbyists will succeed in continuing the redistribution of welfare
programs that occupies most of Congress's legislative time.
Wealth is limited, yet demands are unlimited. A welfare system
inevitably diminishes production and shrinks the economic pie. As
this occurs, anger among the competing special interests grows. While
Congress and the people concentrate on material welfare and its equal
redistribution, the principals of liberty are ignored, and freedom is
undermined.
More immediate, the enforcement of the interventionist state
requires a growing army of bureaucrats. Since groups demanding
special favors from the Federal Government must abuse the rights and
property of those who produce wealth and cherish liberty, real
resentment is directed at the agents who come to eat out our
substance. The natural consequence is for the intruders to arm
themselves to protect against angry victims of government intrusion.
Thanks to a recent article by Joseph Farah, director of the
Western Journalism Center of Sacramento, CA, appearing in the Houston
Chronicle, the surge in the number of armed Federal bureaucrats has
been brought to our attention. Farah points out that in 1996 alone,
at least 2,439 new Federal cops were authorized to carry
firearms. That takes the total up to nearly 60,000. Farah points out
that these cops were not only in agencies like the FBI, but include
the EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the Army Corps of
Engineers. Even Bruce Babbitt, according to Farah, wants to arm the
Bureau of Land Management. Farah logically asks, 'When will the NEA
have its armed art cops?' This is a dangerous trend.
It is ironic that the proliferation of guns in the hands of the
bureaucrats is pushed by the antigun fanatics who hate the second
amendment and would disarm every law-abiding American citizen. Yes,
we need gun control. We need to disarm our bureaucrats, then abolish
the agencies. If government bureaucrats like guns that much, let them
seek work with the NRA.
Force and intimidation are the tools of tyrants. Intimidation
with government guns, the threat of imprisonment, and the fear of
harassment by government agents puts fear into the hearts of millions
of Americans. Four days after Paula Jones refused a settlement in her
celebrated suit, she received notice that she and her husband would be
audited for 1995 taxes. Since 1994 is the current audit year for the
IRS, the administration's denial that the audit is related to the suit
is suspect, to say the least.
Even if it is coincidental, do not try to convince the American
people. Most Americans, justifiably cynical and untrusting toward the
Federal Government, know the evidence exists that since the 1970's
both Republican and Democratic administrations have not hesitated to
intimidate their political enemies with IRS audits and regulatory
harassment.
Even though the average IRS agent does not carry a gun, the threat
of incarceration and seizure of property is backed up by many guns.
All government power is ultimately gun power and serves the interests
of those who despise or do not comprehend the principles of liberty.
The gun in the hands of law-abiding citizens serves to hold in check
arrogant and aggressive government. Guns in the hands of the
bureaucrats do the opposite. The founders of this country fully
understood this fact.
Published in the Sep. 22, 1997 issue of The Washington Weekly
Copyright © 1997 The Washington Weekly (http://www.federal.com)
Reposting permitted with this message intact.
It is moral weakness, rather than villainy, that accounts for most of
the evil in the universe -- and feeble-hearted allies, far rather than
your most powerful enemies, who are likeliest to do you an injury you
cannot recover from.
-- Bretta Martyn (http://www.lneilsmith.org//lnsbooks.html)
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