God save our states

August 1 being Colorado statehood day, I got to thinking about the role of the states in our federal union. Joanna Barton, who teaches government at a London prep school, told me last week on the Glenwood train that she's spending a month here trying to figure that out. Bottom-up diversity from state to state in politics, economics, and culture is one of the glories of America. One trait that is remarkably similar across all 50 states, however, is the grounding of their form of government on spiritual reliance, not on the secularism so fashionable today.

Colorado joined the Union on Aug. 1, 1876, with a state constitution whose preamble reads:

We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, in order to form a more independent and perfect government; establish justice; insure tranquillity; provide for the common defense; promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the "State of Colorado".

The drafters met by authority of an Enabling Act of the US Congress, which stipulated that the new state's

constitution shall be republican in form... and not be repugnant to the constitution of the United States and the principles of the declaration of independence; and... that perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of said state shall ever be molested in person or property, on account of his or her mode of religious worship.

The Declaration of Independence, in turn, reverently invokes God not once but four times: as lawgiver, "Creator," "Supreme Judge of the World," and "Divine Providence." Its principles, to which Colorado's constitution-makers were obligated to adhere, can hardly be called secularist.

As researcher William J. Federer has shown, every single state also reverently invokes God in its constitutional preamble or bill of rights. All fifty; no exceptions. Specifically looking at some of our neighboring western states, here's what we find:

* Arizona, 1911... "grateful to Almighty God for our liberties" * Idaho, 1889... "grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings" * Montana, 1889... "grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty" * Nevada, 1864... "grateful to Almighty God for our freedom" * New Mexico, 1911... "grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty" * Utah, 1896... "grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of life and liberty" * Wyoming, 1890... "grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties"

Returning to the Centennial State as we mark our 131st birthday today, Colorado's motto bears remembering by all who compete politically here, and by all who await what state government may do to or for them. "Nil Sine Numine," it says in Latin; "Nothing without the Spirit."

Kiddie license plate? Gag me

Here we go again. Another initiative that's 'for the children.' And how you be against that, unless you're a cold, cruel heartless SOB? I'll do something really daring here... I'll inject logic and common sense into this discussion and risk being called all of the previous names. Here's what this is about: Starting August 1st, Colorado drivers around the state can purchase license plates for their vehicle that say ''Colorado Kids First.” A portion of the price of these plates can be directed to the non-profit or charity of the owner's choice. Sounds good at first, but here are some reasons why I don't like this slogan. And why for a healthy society, you shouldn't put 'Kids First.'

As a kid, you're not (or shouldn't be considered) 'first.' If your parents put you on a pedestal from early on (or cater to your every whim and wish), you'll probably be an egotistical idiot when you're an adult. Cases in point: Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsey Lohan.

You should learn a good work ethic by doing jobs you don't necessarily want to do. Such as – taking out the trash, cleaning the shop, and scooping manure. It keeps you humble, and makes you appreciate better jobs and situations when you get older. You should also learn to respect and get along with others, and your family members. Eventually you'll figure out (or should know) that life isn't about 'you first.'

If you get too self-absorbed, you'll miss out on the joys, curiosities, pleasures (and yes, pains) that life can bring. There's also a God in heaven (who is much bigger than you or I) who cares and wants the best for you and your life – no matter how complicated or difficult it may seem at times.

'Kids First' is a nice, feel-good, yuppie slogan that will lead to more Coloradoans buying these license plates. Which in turn will put more money in the coffers of the state and non-profit groups (which for the latter is fine).

Children are important in families, and should be protected and provided for. But this phrase seems to reflect a society that's forgotten common sense, wisdom and the real priorities in life.

'Go to the ant, thou sluggard'

(Title: Proverbs 6:6) How do ants build vast underground cities without a chief engineer? How do bees build a hive and make honey without a leader? How do swarms of migrating birds or schools of fish seem to move as one organism? An article in the current National Geographic, “Swarm Behavior”, offers insights into the question of how the simple actions of individuals add up to the complex behavior of a group -- but this 2007 author reveals an economic blind spot about what Adam Smith understood as early as 1776.

According to this article, what appears to be intelligent, coordinated behavior is actually the culmination of individuals’ actions. A school of silvery jacks appears to be one organization. No one, however, is in charge; each fish fulfilling his responsibility to stay together, go the same direction and not run into another fish. Individual locusts by instinct align their direction with others creating an army of insects systematically mowing down acre after acre of crops.

Foraging ants “know” when to leave the nest in the morning when they have encountered a sufficient number of patrolling ants returning from the night guard. If the patrollers are detained by some threat to the nest, they don’t return and foragers don’t go out. Neither patrollers nor foragers know the “big picture” yet their individual actions create an orderly and beneficial system.

In humans, swarm behavior is something like wisdom of the crowd. Take for example, horse-racing odds are calculated from the all bets before a race. They are usually correct. Stock-market prices reflect the individual decisions of a lot of people and are usually a good indicator of value.

The article goes on to provide examples of applications of swarm behavior such as Google, which relies on the accumulation of web site hits to rank pages, and Wikipedia, which contains the cumulative knowledge of thousands of writers.

The article, however, misses the greatest example of beneficial swarm behavior or crowd wisdom in humans – the free market. In the free market, the culmination of individual choices determines the price and quantity of goods and services. Nobody is in charge, yet the market works to create jobs, goods, and unprecedented wealth for the greatest number of people.

Where the market is freest, the most people enjoy the greatest wealth. Where it is most constrained, people are poorest. Desired goods grow scarce while undesirable goods pile up and gather dust. Suppressing economic freedom is like throwing a net on a school of fish; individuals can no longer act and the group is tangled in confusion. Hillary, Barack, Sen. Edwards, Mr. Gore, Speaker Pelosi... call your office.

Don't let it become Dependence Day

By Brian Ochsner (baochsner@aol.com) As we again celebrated Independence Day this week, I've thought about where America is as a country, and how the spirit of 21st-century America compares to the spirit of '76. There are some good traits that have remained intact, but there's also some other characteristics that have gone away from the original intent of the Founders. In some respects America is more independent than ever. But it's also more dependent on government and American companies to provide them happiness, instead of enjoying the freedom to pursue their happiness.

Americans have always been for the most part rugged individualists. Through the first century and a half of our country's existence, our ancestors were God-fearing, hard-working people who thought (and usually worked) for themselves. They didn't look to the government or a company for their security. They generally knew the risks involved with exploration and new ventures, accepted them, and stepped out on faith for the possibility of a better life.

Today it's vastly different. More than a few Americans are looking to government or a company to make them safe and secure now and in retirement. Roosevelt's New Deal started and Johnson's Great Society reinforced dependence on government to fight poverty and increase American prosperity. Social Security, defined-benefit pensions, and farm subsidies have dulled the entrepreneurial spirit and industriousness that Americans were famous for in the early 20th Century.

If I could time travel, I'd love to be transported back to the offices of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, and get a taste of what they did, how they struggled, and ended up victorious in business.

Nowadays, children are educated through our public and private schools to be what I call 'Dilbert drones.' They're told: “Don't make mistakes, do as you're told, don't think outside the box. Look for that safe, secure job with generous benefits and you'll do fine.”

Unfortunately, today's education system is preparing students for a world that no longer exists. Blue- and white-collar jobs are being outsourced to China, India and Latin America. But too many Americans still believe it's their birthright – even their entitlement - to have that safe, secure high-paying job with good bennies. As a result, we're not as competitive or sharp on average as we used to be. The free market and competition are not just good, but still great things. They keep you on your toes and force you to make the most of your abilities.

And because we're in the Information Age, the rate of change is accelerating at warp speed. Even as a 30-something, it's difficult for me to keep up sometimes. But I know that my business and life will be easier if I can see, accept and adapt to these changes instead of ignoring or fighting them. Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-seller Rich Dad, Poor Dad, goes into more detail on these ideas in his Yahoo column.

The life cycle of some companies and industries is now measured in years, not decades. You can't be certain that a company or your job will be the same five years from now. If you want to get and stay competitive, you'll need to stay on top of things – or work with a team to help you stay up-to-speed. I've learned the hard way that doing it all on your own is a tough, slow lonely road.

The free-market, capitalistic system we're blessed to have in America isn't the easiest road to travel. Trust me, I've hit my share of speed bumps and potholes along the way. And it's still a struggle even today. But from taking this road less traveled, I've gained wisdom and confidence tempered with humility. That's a pretty good combination to be successful and happy in business and life.

Contrary to what the media tells you, most businesspeople I've met are the most generous folks around – not the most selfish. Before someone will part with their hard-earned money, you have to give them what they want and treat them well. For every self-serving Joe Nacchio you hear about, there are dozens of down-to-earth business owners who are good people to deal and be with.

Having said all this, I believe you should stay true to your morals and principles. My preference is the Judeo-Christian ones. It's some of the best wisdom around, and they transcend time; in other words, they apply to daily life no matter whether you lived in the 1st century, or you're alive in the 21st.

That's my Independence Day 2007 wish for Backbone America readers and all Americans: To discover and make the most of your talents; for confidence and wisdom tempered with humility; and for the company of good friends and family to help you enjoy the journey.

The unique, and now endangered, Spirit of '76

By Krista Kafer (krista555@msn.com) In my youth, a mischievous friend asked if other countries have 4th of July. I can’t remember how I answered the trick question. Perhaps I was fooled. Of course other countries have a 4th of July, they just don’t celebrate it. Only in America is the 4th of July Independence Day.

Quite a few countries have a national day of celebration. Mexico has Cinco De Mayo. The French have Bastille Day, Canadians have Canada Day. The English have Guy Fawkes Day, to name a few. On these days, citizens enjoy food, parades, flags, fireworks and revelry in the name of their country. What makes Independence Day any different?

Independence Day isn’t just about independence from Great Britain. Other countrys’ patriotic days celebrate independence from a colonial power. Independence Day isn’t just about celebrating American culture – apple pie, rock’n’roll, baseball, and all that. Flag-waving, parades, festivities, and traditional foods are common expressions of national pride everywhere. What makes Independence Day special?

On this day, Americans celebrate the unique proposition on which our nation was founded. This proposition, articulated in the Declaration of Independence 231 years ago, states 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. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

In simple terms, our nation was founded on the revolutionary principle that everyone has an equal right to life and liberty given by God not the government. The purpose of government is to protect these rights. When a government fails to protect its citizens’ rights, the people have a right to change or abolish it and institute a new government founded on just principles.

That is exactly what our forefathers did. They severed ties with the old order and established a new government based on the protection of natural rights and self-government. For their efforts, we enjoy a level of freedom and prosperity unprecedented in history.

Americans enjoy freedom in every aspect of their lives. Americans have access to an uncensored press and can openly criticize their government. They can practice their religion without going to prison or being beaten while the government stands idly by. Americans can pack up and move to another part of the country without permission from the government bureaucracy. They can open a business without having to bribe officials. Americans can choose their own doctor and don’t have to wait in line for months to get surgery.

Americans can choose their careers and set their financial priorities with little restriction. They can even choose not to participate in the culture. "Freegans," profiled recently in the Rocky Mountain News, are Americans who choose to eat out of dumpsters to protest American materialism. Try eating out of the dumpster in the developing world. America is so prosperous that people can choose to eat out of dumpsters without getting dysentery.

The sheer span of choices open to Americans defies imagination. In the words of Dinesh D’Souza, “In most of the world, even today, your identity and your fate are largely handed to you. In America, by contrast, you get to write the script of your own life.” When the government protects our God-given rights to life, liberty, and property, the result is that individuals enjoy a “self-directed life,” to use D’Souza’s phrase.

Unfortunately, freedom is easily taken for granted and when no longer valued, easily given away. Consider the freedoms eroded in the past year of legislative activity here in Colorado. Teachers, parents, and elected school board members are forbidden from instituting abstinence programs in schools. Restaurant owners cannot choose to allow smoking. Increased property taxes mean politicians will have more choices on spending your money while you have fewer. This is just the short list.

Consider what’s on the horizon. Politicians on both sides of the aisle are talking about censoring the press. Politicians on the left want to socialize medicine, a prescription for medical rationing, long lines, and a loss of personal choice. They also want to foist heavy taxes and regulations on businesses thereby limiting the choices of consumers, business owners, and workers.

And there's more: Radical environmentalists want to restrict public use of public land and private use of private lands. Teachers' unions want to roll back laws providing parents and students choice in education.

Basic liberties are at stake. The government, rather than protector of life, liberty, and property, is slowing becoming that which takes away the rights of some while conferring privileges upon others.

When that happens, the 4th of July becomes just another day to eat hotdogs, drink beer, and be entertained. Heaven forbid.