In 1776, another name that could have been given to our fledgling country other than the United States of America could have been the United States of Cooperative Individualism. That was then....

The early settlers of America did not come to this new land to have it easy. They did not come for free food, free housing, free education, free jobs or job training, free medical care, or any other entitlement or welfare resource. They came to be free, not to get anything free. They understood that whatever they sought to achieve they would have to work for it; and they were willing to work for it, asking only that they be given the opportunity to work for it.  

Early settlers also knew that they needed to help each other out to survive. They all faced common dangers and hardships, be it harsh weather, failing food supplies, starvation, disease, attacks from native tribes or soldiers or mercenaries of invading foreign countries, or just plain thieves and murderers. They all had common goals, such as to be able to build homes, and towns and roads, to have basic education and literacy, to produce crops, meats, dairy, goods or services, and to live free. It was to the benefit of all to contribute resources from each, equally, to create greater opportunities for prosperity for each than what any single person could accomplish alone.

It was this driving need for respectful cooperative individualism that fed the American Spirit and ultimately led to the creation of the USA and the US Constitution, founding a unified country of separate people working together under a limited government that served to protect their individuality while expanding opportunities for all.  

The Founding Fathers wouldn't even recognize the USA today.

Did we found the greatest country on earth or not? Is the role of the Government as envisioned by the Founding Fathers still what we want and need today? Are the political principles of 1776 still viable today? Has Government become the "King" our Founding Fathers worked so deliberately to guard against? Are we leveling the playing field of wealth and opportunity, or are we degenerating the American way of life and the individual resourcefulness that enabled us to become the greatest, most powerful country on earth?

The debate over the answer to these questions is at the heart of the turmoil and partisanship polarizing the USA.           

Just as it is important to be informed of the facts involved in a controversial issue, it is important to understand the people who are impacted by it, why they see things as they do, what they seek to accomplish, how their goals impact others, and what role, if any, the Government should play in addressing the issue. 

This website is intended to present ideas for discussion to enhance the overall understanding of the issues--not to shut down opposition, but to understand it so that you may better understand your own position and better persuade others to see your point of view (or, perhaps, come to reevaluate your own). 

There can be no truly useful debate without a thorough understanding of each side of the issue. No matter how solid you believe your position is on a debate, it cannot be sound if you don't know, or refuse to listen to, the opinions and concerns of your opposition. You don't have to agree, but you should understand the opposition if you want your position to be taken seriously. Ignoring or drowning out the opposition only suggests that you lack sufficient faith in your position to allow it to be challenged. If you come to the discussion with an open mind, you may re-evaluate your ideas as you come to discover things you never knew about the issue and the people involved, or, having considered all opinions, you may gain even greater faith in the soundness of your position.  

Before there can be a meaningful discussion, however, there must be a basic understanding of the principles and facts that are the foundation of the discussion. To that end, this site features a few pages dedicated to providing a launch pad for an informed, reasonable discussion of issues and ideas: 

The US Constitution Condensed is where you can find a summary of the key elements of the US Government's design and the protections created to restrict Government intrusion.  

The American Golden Rule is an examination into the true spirit and philosophy at the heart of what the USA is meant to stand for and which should guide us in the crafting of any solutions. 

People Have Rights, Not the Government provides a reminder of the ways in which the people still retain power and control over the Government, even if we have forgotten that we do, and that the federal and state governments exist at our pleasure, made for us, by us, with the power and authority we gave to it, and that we can take away.  

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to tell the world to Back Off My Rights!