LIfe Before Liberty

America's Declaration of Independence asserts:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Note that Life comes before Liberty. Life is more fundamental than Liberty. You cannot have Liberty if you do not have Life.

The Declaration of Independence further asserts that this "new Government" must lay its foundation and organize its powers "in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

So Life comes before Liberty, and now we see that Safety comes before Happiness.

America's Constitution begins with this sentence:

"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."

Again we see that the purpose of government is to defend the citizens and to promote the "general Welfare."

At those times when we are under attack, the purpose of government is to defend us. At all times, the purpose of government is to promote the general Welfare of the people.

What is the "general Welfare"? What does that mean?

Congress has said, "Historically, the 'general Welfare' has meant improving transportation, promoting agriculture and industry, protecting health and the environment, and seeking ways to solve social and economic problems."

Note that one of the ways to promote the general welfare is by "protecting health."

In other words, the founding documents of the United States of America charge Congress with the responsibility to defend citizens and to promote the general welfare by performing certain responsibilities, among which is the task of protecting the health of our citizens.

There are many people on the "far right" today who would have you believe that those protections that can prevent the transmission of a deadly virus are taking away our Liberty, our right to choose what to do. 

In reality, and according to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, mandating masks and vaccines is exactly what Congress is supposed to be doing now. That advice is coming from doctors and medical scientists and organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control. Members of Congress are not expected to be endowed with medical knowledge, but it is reasonable to expect Congress to consult medical experts and use their knowledge to "protect health," to "promote the general Welfare," and to ensure that we citizens have Life, so that we may then enjoy Liberty and thereby have the freedom to pursue Happiness.

Congress needs to do its job, which is to implement the rules that medical science is telling us are necessary to protect us and promote the "general Welfare." Many Americans are dying because Congress has failed to perform its Constitutional responsibility.