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Brett's Blog Archive - Monday, October 25, 2021: Trick or Treat!! (Just kidding. They’re all tricks.)

Published in Blog on October 26, 2021 by Brett Sterley, State Director, Convention of States Missouri

It’s that time of year again, when kids of all ages dress up to be people and things they’re not any other day of the year. Popular choices include superheroes, villains, ghosts, demons, and often tongue-in-cheek references. Kids go house to house or trunk to trunk collecting all kinds of goodies people are kind enough to provide. 

I always enjoyed Halloween when I was a child. My neighborhood group of about ten kids would head out and visit every house with a beckoning porch light. Often, this would be the only time of the year we’d frequent these homes.

In fact, we had no idea who actually lived there. Yet, we did know which house always made popcorn balls. And the one across the street to the south had caramel apples for us. There was one family a couple blocks to the west that made homemade candy. They even had homemade peanut butter cups. I always tried to hit that house twice, and the lady who lived there would oblige with a smile.

Well, things have changed drastically since then. We mainly take our kids to the homes of family members or those of close friends. Taking homemade items is virtually out of the question. Even if we trick or treat homes we know well, most of us have a passing thought of having the candy x-rayed before our kids start eating any of it.

It’s sad that my son never had the experiences that I did as a child. I am sure my parents said the same thing when I was growing up. I can’t say I would have missed getting up at 4:00 a.m. to milk the cows before walking to school in waist-deep snow. Oh, uphill too…..both ways.

Today, our elected officials are debating another massive spending bill to “help people.” They frame it in a way that this is being done in the spirit of kindness and charity. You know, just like the family’s homes we trick or treat on Halloween. We’ve even been told it “costs $0.” How stupid do they think we really are? As it turns out, pretty stupid. 

There’s a major difference between what D.C. considers to be charity and actual charity. The homes we trick or treat on Halloween provide candy by choice. This is true charity: individuals making the conscious decision to use their personal property and provide for others.

Government, on the other hand, generates nothing. The only money they have is what they take from private citizens, borrow, or print. The federal government borrows from itself, purchasing our debt with promises to pay at a later date (with other money that is likely borrowed or printed.) This is not charity. It’s forced redistribution.

Constitutionalists are not “anti-government” as some chose to portray us. We have no issue with funding the legitimate, enumerated powers the Constitution gives the federal government. The remaining responsibilities belong to the people or the states.

The federal government’s responsibilities are specific and limited. The states' are numerous and indefinite. We are so far afield from that currently and have been so for decades. This is true whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress or the White House.  

The Framers called upon their contemporaries and future generations to be educated, self-governing citizens. That is our duty. 

So, are we winning? Well, maybe not currently but the tide is turning. The victories for liberty are beginning to roll in. Southwest Airlines backed off placing employees on unpaid leave under their mandatory vaccination policy. Dan Bongino issued an ultimatum to the broadcaster of his radio show saying, “You can have me or you can have the mandate.” 

Liberty and freedom will win in the end. I 100% believe that. It takes active self-governing citizens to make that happen. Check out www.conventionofstates.com/take_action to see ways you can be involved and make a difference. The Founders pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to each other. Let’s renew that commitment and take our country back.

In liberty,

Brett

The Missouri Information Page has the tools to help you get to work restoring our freedoms and our Constitution. Article V is the solution as big as the problem.

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