Political column by Larry Wiwi, Franklin County resident
The “general welfare” clause in the Constitution has been used and I would argue abused, to vastly increase the size and scope of the federal government far beyond the wise intent of the Founders. The modern Democrat party, more appropriately called the Socialist party has morphed the “common good” meaning of the general welfare clause into the “collective good.” So what is the difference between the common good versus collective good? Let’s begin with the Pre-Amble of the Constitution:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Common good is the minimal subjugation of individual rights in favor of common good benefits for the whole of the population, and it is impossible to have an orderly society without some level of this. We all for example, give up some of our earnings in the form of taxes to pay for our defense, roads, schools, police, etc., which are all vital to an organized society. Note however that the Founders state these common goods are put in place to secure the “Blessing of Liberty for ourselves and our Posterity,” not to promote equal outcomes or equity among citizens.
Socialism is all about the collective good which is the total subjugation of individual rights for the collective good of society and the best global examples of that right now are Cuba, North Korea and China. Individuals in these societies have no value and no rights and are persecuted and in some cases tortured and executed if they try to assert their individual rights for even simple things we take for granted like free speech, religious beliefs and private property.
Collective good societies do generally deliver on their promise of equity since everyone but the ruling party elite are equally oppressed, equally impoverished, equally at the mercy of their government and equally unhappy.
The common good by contrast frees people to pursue their dreams and their own happiness and the outcomes are vastly different – a few are billionaires and millionaires and some still lead difficult, sometimes desperate lives, but the vast majority in between enjoy opportunities and prosperity the world envies, which is why for over 200 years many more people try to come to this country than leave it.
Simply stated, the collective good and Socialism are evil and must be defeated, so if you are a Democrat, reform you party or leave it.
Larry Wiwi
“The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring a mark of everlasting infamy on the present generation — enlightened as it is — if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of designing men.” ~ Samuel Adams