National Interest Adrift

For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. – Old Proverb

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The question should arise often in the American discourse, “What are the National Interests of the United States of America?” This question should arise, but in my view, it has not. The media has not asked for one from the Obama Administration. Neither has the Obama Administration articulated a broad vision of the continuing National Interest. Perhaps most importantly, Americans seem to have only a vague notional understanding of the term “National Interest,” and even less interest. As it says in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained; but happy is he who keeps the law.” The National Interest is our American national vision. Are Americans acting unconstrained, or are they happy? Is there growing unrest or is there peace. So kind reader, tell me, where have you heard, seen, or read a statement of National Interest and Purpose from the Obama Administration or President Obama? Read some statements of purpose and direction I have excerpted from Mr. Obama’s Inaugural Address. [The entire speech is available here] What vision, what National Interests, does Obama define?

“… On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. …” “ … Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. …” “ … The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth. “We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. “We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality ... and lower its costs. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. ...” “What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply …” “As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals… Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.” “Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.” “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers.” Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. ... What is demanded then is a return to these truths.”

I looked for themes in this speech. The ones that leaped out at me seemed foreign. For instance, Mr. Obama presumes to speak for the nation when he speaks of hope over fear and unity of purpose over conflict and discord. Have these things vanished since the election or have they become worse? What are the petty grievances, recriminations, false promises and worn-out dogmas to which he refers? Obama proclaims science, technology and controlling costs as a cure all for Health Care. Where is Faith in this mixture? Is political argumentation, in fact, stale and outmoded? In what manner does he suggest that we transform our schools? Did our forefathers write a Charter or a Constitution? There is a difference; and, the Constitution has been amended, not expanded. Sturdy alliances and firm convictions did not defeat Fascism and Communism. No, it was the American Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who stood tall and did their duty that defeated those enemies. Obama extols multiple religions in the speech, and has since clarified that we are not a Christian nation. He declares that we are going to use old values while wielding new instruments. What does this mean? Obama suggests that the Bush Administration, motivated by fear of enemies and fear of progress created a false wartime atmosphere to support the so-called Bush Doctrine. This “doctrine” was assembled by pundits from an accumulation of policy decisions that evolved during the course of the Iraq and Afghan Wars. The war against Islamic extremism, the concept of preventive wars to protect America, and the concept of democratization in the Middle East are part and parcel. Sarah Palin was correct in replying to Charlie Gibson’s snotty question with a question about whether she agreed with the “Bush Doctrine”, “In what respect Charlie?” I truly wonder from his speech whether Mr. Obama knows what comprises a Foreign Policy Doctrine. His speech only offers mushy sentiment and vague threats. I will confess that I am not at all sympathetic to Obama’s goals in Health Care, nor am I sympathetic to his Progressive and Socialist Philosophies, Agendae or Associates. I question whether a true Constitutional Republic can exist long within such a clearly foreign, collectivist vision. I do not believe that American individualism will long tolerate such a vision. I also do not believe right-thinking people will long tolerate a Socialist Community vision that penalizes their industry, yet rewards others for their indolence Are American Interests becoming more like Abraham Maslow’s oft quoted hierarchy of human needs: Physiological, Physical Safety, Social, Self-Esteem and ultimately Self-actualization needs? Do we have a comprehensive duty to ourselves and to our posterity to provide for every citizen’s particular needs at a particular time and uniquely to each person in order to fulfill the American dream for every citizen? Certainly many citizens would see this as the prime aim and duty of our Federal and State Governments in order to secure the blessings of freedom for all Americans. This would seem to be a utopian goal of society and largely unachievable even if it were affordable. Those who believe that ours is a strictly covenantal form of government, fear that implementing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a National Raison d’être, would ultimately strip us of the very freedoms we seek and make us slaves to the cause and of the State. I side with the latter group. I believe that our current view of National Interest has become more a Community Interest intent on fulfilling a psychological vision of mental wellness. An Inaugural Speech is an event where a President should reassure the country that our basic National Interests, articulated in Founding Documents, remain intact. It is not an event from which to announce a Progressive-Socialist Manifesto. Anyone who reads and seriously consider the entire text of this Inauguration Address in light of Obama’s other writings and declarations will see that Obama desires to remake America while cherry-picking certain values and truths that he deems “worthy” of retention. How he and his associates intend to translate and apply these cherished values are becoming manifest. Americans do not like or agree with this vision. Hence the New Tea Party Rebellion. Consider what Thomas Jefferson penned in the Declaration of Independence, “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.” Four self-evident truths: First that all men are created equal by their Creator; Second, that we have a natural Right to Life; Third, that we are naturally created to be free men, Fourth, that we may pursue freely within society those goals for happiness that we share with our family, friends and society at large. Further, the Preamble to the US Constitution states: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, 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 United States of America.”

America has never been, nor was it ever intended to be a progressive, utilitarian, and socialist-collectivist nation

America is better when we hold to this timeless and uncomplicated philosophy: Where a more perfect union exists where states within that union are respected partners; Where the establishment of equal justice under the law applies to all citizens without political correctness; Where a commonly agreed to covenantal condition of civility exists in a boisterous and lively political discourse from the top down and the bottom up; Where there is an inherent responsibility of all citizens to defend the United States when called upon; Where we teach and train future generations what it means to be an American; and, Where we guard jealously those pre-conditions of freedom for future generations. America has never been, nor was it ever intended to be a progressive, utilitarian, and socialist-collectivist nation. So what are the National Interests of America? [That is the subject of another essay on another day.] What is certain in my mind is that we are fast losing the Founders’ Vision of American Exceptionalism that predominated for 229 years. Indeed, for want of a nail, the kingdom is lost. Anybody out there have a nail?