“What benefit a man if he gain the entire world, and lose his very soul?”
“Render unto Caesar, what is Caesar’s, and unto G-d what is G-d’s.”
These two quotes say the same thing. There is a line of demarcation between this world, the world of power, wealth, emotion, pleasure and pain and the eternal world. As individuals, we face the eternal, as we must, at inevitable death. However, we can contemplate the eternal while living in the temporal. This is the way of the philosopher.
Our Founding Fathers were profound philosophers of life, and human nature. They begat a system of laws that would last past a single lifetime. It is called the Constitution and it is the Rule of Law. It declares that government should be controlled, limited to very restrictive and well-defined powers, and no more. The Founders knew that human nature tends to excess, as would the power of government.
Do we really care if a Republican or Democrat government takes away our individual freedom? Of course we care, we don’t want a central government deciding our freedom, regardless of party. The differentiating criteria: The sanctity of the individual, preservation of the individual’s right to choose, free of his government.
Trump staged an incredible victory. Pray he remembers the source of that victory: millions of private citizens, individuals all, who united against a common enemy: the Elite, a global cabal of Socialism, Communism, and Government-control. He did not win because he is the anointed one. Trump won because the Left went too far. The lesson is to never allow the right to go too far, either.
Contemplating human nature, its failure mode, is excess. Hence the fourth cardinal virtue, Temperance. “Nothing in excess.” Including our candidate and theirs. Herein lies the meaning of representative government. It means that every citizen has a duty to advise and direct his elected person to adhere to the Rule of Law. If politicians go astray, we are to blame and we are to correct it. Not some nebulous “they”.
Transition from this life to the next is inevitable. Contemplating and directing our actions in this life, toward that life, will guide our decisions.
Jay Davidson is founder and CEO of a commercial bank. He is a student of the Austrian School of Economics and a dedicated capitalist. He believes there is a direct connection between individual right and responsibility, our Constitution, capitalism, and the intent of our Creator.