My take on the news

A fiscally conservative, socially libertarian voice bids farewell

Lonnie Barham
Posted 11/5/14

THIS COLUMN’S FINAL EDITION: Several months ago, after more than three years writing this column, I told the Beacon’s publisher, John Howell, that after the November elections I intended to move …

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My take on the news

A fiscally conservative, socially libertarian voice bids farewell

Posted

THIS COLUMN’S FINAL EDITION: Several months ago, after more than three years writing this column, I told the Beacon’s publisher, John Howell, that after the November elections I intended to move on and engage more actively in the many other joys of retirement, such as traveling, spending more time with family – especially our granddaughter – and pursuing more personal literary accomplishments. John grudgingly accepted my decision.

Warwick, Cranston and Johnston are hotbeds of political and civic discourse. Our citizens have never shied away from making their opinions known in the Warwick Beacon, the Cranston Herald and the Johnston Sun Rise. There are plenty of voices in these cities who can extol the generally conservative opinions that have populated this column since August of 2011.

My thanks go out to the many loyal readers of this column. Frankly, I did not expect the column to be so well received in an area that is dominated by Democrats who, by and large, tend to be far more liberal than this military retiree. I guess a voice that is fiscally conservative but socially libertarian was needed. That need continues to exist. I am confident that John will find another columnist or group of writers whose contributions will keep the balance of discourse from falling off the left side of the ledger.

THE BIG LOSER IN THIS ELECTION: Regardless who won the governor’s race or the many other races for national, state and local offices, there was one big loser. That was the public’s confidence in our government. What little existed before is now almost entirely gone!

When all candidates for government office tell lies about their opponents, stretch the truth way beyond its breaking point, mislead, deceive or skirt the truth on every issue, the only conclusion the public can reach is that – no matter who is elected – our government will be run by liars, deceivers and officials whose sole objective is self-aggrandizement instead of promoting the public good.

It’s no wonder that most citizens stay away from the polls every election. Watching the ridiculous mudslinging that all candidates engaged in during this campaign, the most attack-oriented in recent memory, fuels voter apathy. When voters think there are no honest, open, civic-minded candidates, then they believe there are no honest, open, civic-minded government officials.

The campaigns run by Rhode Island candidates this year, especially those run by Gina Raimondo, Allan Fung and the Providence mayoral candidates, have proven to the people that no matter who is elected, our government will be run by self-entered egotists who don’t give a (w)hit about the public good.

Until a major party candidate comes along who will eschew mudslinging, lies and deception, confidence in our government will remain in the toilet. It’s the sad truth!

REASONABLE RESPONSE TO THE EBOLA CRISIS: This column has always argued vehemently that government should never deprive a citizen of life, liberty or property without overwhelming justification.

It has also railed against government’s suppression of free speech through political campaign laws, against government’s taking of private property through the misuse of eminent domain and giving it to other private parties in the name of “community development,” and against the imprisonment of so many Americans for minor or victimless crimes in the name of the so-called war on drugs that has served more to support drug cartels and gangs than to protect society.

The most recent attempt by government to deprive citizens of liberty comes in response to the Ebola crisis. Is the government justified in imposing a reasonable quarantine on those who return to the U.S. after being exposed to the bodily fluids of Ebola victims in West Africa?

Justification should be based on whether or not the risk to the American population outweighs the temporary deprivation of some liberty to a few volunteers and military members who return from the disease-ravaged area.

Ebola cascaded from a few infected individuals in Liberia to a massive, three-country pandemic in West Africa in only a few months. Could such a rapid spread occur here? It’s less likely because of our superior medical treatment system but, without proper precautions, experts say it could happen here.

Does the public risk justify reasonable quarantine? We really don’t know for sure. Some doctors say quarantine isn’t necessary until symptoms are present. Of course, doctors in Liberia probably said the same thing when the disease was in its infancy there. Had reasonable quarantines been imposed early on in Liberia, the disease would not now be out of control and would not have already spread to other countries.

The key word in the whole quarantine argument is “reasonable.”

Should government quarantine non-symptomatic people in jail-like government facilities? No. That’s not reasonable.

Should government restrict folks returning from Ebola contact to their homes during the 21-day incubation period while providing comfort amenities and compensation for lost wages? Yes. That’s reasonable.

Should volunteers who travel to West Africa to help fight the disease expect that their freedom might be restricted temporarily when they return after exposure? Yes. That’s reasonable.

IS 9/11 AFTERMATH LEADING TO SELF-DESTRUCTION? The Providence Journal’s editorial on Monday reported the most recent rankings for economic freedom around the world. The U.S. has dropped to 12th most free of 152 countries, a dramatic drop from 2nd in 2000.

According to the report, the reason for the drop is disturbing! The U.S. “has experienced a significant move away from rule of law and toward a highly regulated, politicized, and heavily policed state.” Further, there has been “an increased use of eminent domain to transfer property to powerful political interests.”

The U.S. decline began the same year as the 9/11 terrorists attacks on our country. Apparently, Americans’ fear of terrorism has led them to put their heads in the sand or just look the other way as government and special interests have worked tirelessly to obliterate our economic freedoms – and, in many instances, our individual freedoms.

George W. Bush started it and Barrack Obama cranked it up several notches. From spying on our citizens, to misuse of eminent domain, to restricting free speech, to implementing anti-business regulations, to issuance of unconstitutional executive orders, these two presidents – especially Obama – have pushed policies that ensure we will ultimately destroy ourselves from within.

Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State, want to destroy freedom around the world and replace it with forced adherence to radical Islamic religious law. Our Constitution’s Bill of Rights is anathema to them and would be eliminated immediately upon their success. The problem is that American citizens have allowed their government to begin the destruction of those freedoms to promote “security” and “economic justice.”

With “friends” like our government leaders, who needs enemies like al-Qaida and the Islamic State? As cartoonist Walt Kelly’s character Pogo said long ago, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If the people will lead, the leaders will follow.” That was Robert Healey, Moderate Party candidate for governor of Rhode Island. His point is well taken. If the people actually take an interest in their government and demand action on important issues – or throw the scalawags out of office if they don’t listen – the leaders will follow the people; exactly as they should in a representative democracy.

POST SCRIPT: As I submitted my final column on Monday, I noticed the appropriateness of my Scorpio horoscope for that day: “You’re not striving for perfection. The pride of knowing you’ve done a job to the best of your ability is the greatest reward.” I’ve never come even close to perfection, but I’ve been rewarded greatly by the privilege of writing this column.

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  • jfraser

    I hope the beacon replaces him with someone who is far less right wing than he was. Enjoy your taxpayer funded pension Lonnie.

    Wednesday, November 26, 2014 Report this