Forms of Government / Overview of America
Let's learn about the Forms of Government!! This video goes along with your Forms of Government assignment!
The Political Spectrum!
"Left Wing" (powerful central government) to "Right Wing" (limited central government)
"Left Wing" (powerful central government) to "Right Wing" (limited central government)
To understand a REPUBLIC, which is "rule by law," one must understand the difference between Natural Law and Political Law.
- Natural Law refers to fixed standards of right and wrong that transcend all time periods and places. They are universal standards of right and wrong that are generally agreed upon by all sane people. These are laws of right and wrong found in the Ten Commandments. To a Christian, these would be seen as the laws of God that He has written on our hearts. They can be boiled down to the two following fundamental laws: (1) Do all you have agreed to do. (2) Do not encroach on other people or their property (Richard Maybury, Whatever Happened to Justice, 35-40).
- Political Law is legislation passed by legislators or decreed by rulers. It may or may not be based on principles of right or wrong. Political Law often violates Natural Law.
The Founders knew:
The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government!
The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government!
What We Believe Part 4 - Natural Law
"A right is something the government can't do to you." (Senator Mike Lee)
Redefinition of Rights - FDR's Second Bill of Rights
Assignment - View FDR’s Second Bill of Rights video clip and identify the new “rights” that he lists.
- List each "right" that FDR discusses.
- To the best of your ability at this point in the class, consider this: How does FDR’s view toward rights contradict the principle of Natural Rights upon which American is based?
FDR's Second Bill of Rights
Near the end of World War II, FDR proposed a "Second Bill of Rights" that would fundamentally transform the nature of rights. He believed that people should have rights to have certain things provided to them by the State! (A right to get something from the government is a "positive right." It means that others have a duty to provide something to you.) This signaled a 180 turn from the Constitutional view of rights as articulated in the Bill of Rights. According the founding principles, people have natural, inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, and the Bill of Rights was designed to protect people from the government encroaching upon these pre-existing, inherent rights. (A right to be protected from encroachment is a "negative right." It means that others have a duty to refrain from infringing on your life, liberty, or property.)
FDR was proposing a new definition of rights that placed a duty on some to provide something to others. Thus, FDR's approach involved a perspective toward rights that would deny some people their natural rights while providing nice things to others in exchange for votes.
Near the end of World War II, FDR proposed a "Second Bill of Rights" that would fundamentally transform the nature of rights. He believed that people should have rights to have certain things provided to them by the State! (A right to get something from the government is a "positive right." It means that others have a duty to provide something to you.) This signaled a 180 turn from the Constitutional view of rights as articulated in the Bill of Rights. According the founding principles, people have natural, inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, and the Bill of Rights was designed to protect people from the government encroaching upon these pre-existing, inherent rights. (A right to be protected from encroachment is a "negative right." It means that others have a duty to refrain from infringing on your life, liberty, or property.)
FDR was proposing a new definition of rights that placed a duty on some to provide something to others. Thus, FDR's approach involved a perspective toward rights that would deny some people their natural rights while providing nice things to others in exchange for votes.
Negative Rights and Positive Rights
Because politicians have expanded the definition of the word "right," a distinction between the traditional view and the new view was needed.
A newly defined "right" to get something from the government is now known a "positive right." It means that others have a duty to provide something TO you. All forms of Leftism including Progressivism, Socialism, Marxism, Communism, and the Social Justice movement, are based on this view of rights.
A right to be protected from encroachment is a "negative right." It means that others have a duty to refrain from infringing on your life, liberty, or property. America's Constitution was based on this view of rights.
A newly defined "right" to get something from the government is now known a "positive right." It means that others have a duty to provide something TO you. All forms of Leftism including Progressivism, Socialism, Marxism, Communism, and the Social Justice movement, are based on this view of rights.
A right to be protected from encroachment is a "negative right." It means that others have a duty to refrain from infringing on your life, liberty, or property. America's Constitution was based on this view of rights.
There are two ways to understand what a right actually is. Negative rights provide citizens “freedom from” governmental intrusion. They prohibit government from acting. Positive rights, on the other hand, require government to act in order to provide “freedom to” do or enjoy certain things. Can these two types of rights coexist within the same regime?
| 01_2019_socialism_ebooklet.pdf |
Was Jesus a Socialist?
Genealogy of the Constitution
The Secrets of the Magna Carta - Part One
Our American system has strong roots in the British system!
A More Perfect Union
Principles of the Constitution video
| 04_principles_of_the_constitution_video_assignment.pdf |
Mike Lee
Senator Mike Lee explains the Federal system, separation of powers, and how legislation actually gets created.
| 06_senator_mike_lee_in_class.pdf |
"A right is something the government can't do to you." (Senator Mike Lee)
The Electoral College Videos
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Who Are the Most Powerful People in America?
Why We're Losing Liberty - the Judicial Branch
The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-4!)
Bill of Rights Amendment 1
Bill of Rights Amendments 2-3
The Swiss Militia System and the Second Amendment article
| 09_ww_i_maybury_swiss_militia_readings_rev_2020.pdf |
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A quick note on
the Second Amendment |
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Bill of Rights Amendment 4
The Bill of Rights (Amendments 5-8, 9, 10, plus the 17th!)
Bill of Rights Amendments 5, 6, 7, and 8
Bill of Rights Amendments 9, 10, and 17
Lawrence Reed: Does Liberty Need Heroes?
Reed shows us that liberty is not possible without heroes who are willing to defend it!
Reed shows us that liberty is not possible without heroes who are willing to defend it!
Allie Stuckey
Critical Race Theory article for Week 13
| 13_critical_race_theory_2021-03_imprimis.pdf |
| 13_critical_race_theory_assignment.pdf |
Walter Williams next semester!
For enrichment and extra credit!
| 09_constitution_debate_jefferson_vs_henry.pdf |
