Preserving Liberty – A Monumental Task

Bob Dylan was right in 1964 and he’s right today. “The times they are a-changin’.”

Donald Trump has realized that our country faces incomprehensible challenges from outside, and sadly even from within our own borders. We need fundamental change from the top-down. It takes great insight and skill to make sense of today's problems and greater courage to suggest solutions.

That is what we find in Josh Bernstein’s new book, “Preserving Liberty, Bold and Brave Solutions to Save America and Create Permanent Freedom.” He thoughtfully addresses the critical issues of voting integrity, big government, borders, Washington bureaucracy, government spending, gun rights, the origins of COVID, the threat from China, class warfare and censorship – all issues that our president, and his team, are working on right now.

Bernstein begins with the well-known story of Elizabeth Willing Powel asking Ben Franklin, “Well, Doctor Franklin, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin’s reply, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

What we don’t often hear is what was said next. “Dr. Franklin, why would we not be able to keep it?” His response, “Because the people, on tasting the dish, are always disposed to eat more of it then does them good.”

This is how self-serving politicians in both parties became the problem; the incentives to serve their donors became greater than their duty to represent their voters.

Bernstein sees the problem as “the two-party duopoly, which has ruled Washington, DC for many decades, as well as the military industrial complex and the entrenched administrative state.”

He quotes Alexander Fraser Tytler, “A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits.”

Sound familiar? Recent elections have been overwhelmed with promises from the candidates for student loans relief, bailouts, and endless benefit programs.

Voter confidence and integrity is his first target.

Bernstein cites the landmark 2023 Heartland/Rasmussen poll, which shockingly revealed “one out of five voters who voted in the 2020 general election admitted to committing voter fraud through mail-in voting. … That’s a potential thirty-one million fraudulent votes at a minimum that could have been cast in the last election!”

Bernstein points out that election laws were changed without the consent of their legislatures, which is a direct violation of the Constitution and advocates for mandatory voter ID, paper ballots, eliminating ballot harvesting, same-day registration and most mail-in voting, and would require all ballots to be counted on election night with results reported simultaneously.

He then turns his attention to “Big Government” and discusses the consequences of the 2001 Patriot Act, the Help America Vote Act, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The latter developed an unusual focus on policing social media - something that Bernstein is unfortunately quite aware of. As an investigative reporter he was banned simultaneously from five different social media sites for speaking out about the real story behind Squad member Ilhan Omar.

Next he addresses our wide-open borders. He points out “65 percent or 2.06 million of 2023’s 3.2 million encounters were single adults traveling with no children!” This is not families seeking a better life, but an invasion.

He suggests we finish the border wall and start another on the northern side, no amnesty, “rounding up and deporting en masse every illegal alien with a criminal record” and reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy.

To remove the enticements to come here in the first place “We must eliminate the visa lottery, chain migration and birthright citizenship for illegal aliens.” Issues President Trump is considering right now.

In Chapter 4, “Dismantling Washington, DC,” he discusses how to stop the endless leaks, end the Administrative State, and, once a President Elect's transition team is established, require that every former official reapply for their jobs within thirty days.

In subsequent chapters he supports term limits for the House, Senate and even the Supreme Court, and proposes an end to lobbyists. He says Congress needs to go back to being a part-time job, insisting that all 535 members should work from home in their respective states. He supports major reductions in government spending and ending “no gun zones” in schools and elsewhere.

In chapter 7, Bernstein does a deep dive into the origins of COVID. He starts with the May 16, 2024, New York Post article titled, “We now know the likely truth about Covid, and how scientists lied.” He explains “Event 201,” and how it was instrumental in starting the pandemic and the N.I.H. link to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and then roundly roasts Dr. Fauci…

“I believe when the history books are written, Dr. Anthony Fauci will go down as one of the world’s most prolific mass murderers in history. He deserves to be stripped of his pensions, retirement, and license to practice medicine, and face prosecution.” Too bad Biden pardoned him.

Chapter 8 focuses on China which “presents the most complicated and multi-faceted set of dangers that puts them in a class all by themselves. From their sophisticated spying networks to their highly organized cyber warfare practices, they present a clear and present danger to our national security and our infrastructure.”

He discusses their Belt and Road Initiative, military buildups, improper trade policies, TikTok, and human rights abuses against the Uyghurs.

Regarding “The Class Warfare Argument and Universal Basic Income” he says “If you take from the rich, you give the rich less incentive. If you give what you have taken from the rich to the poor, you make the poor more dependent, nobody wins.”

He proposes a single 22% consumption tax for everyone, replacing income taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, estate taxes, and capital gains taxes

He ends by addressing “Censorship and Fake News,” and has a viable solution on how to end it permanently. Freedom of Speech is obviously something he is deservedly passionate about.

Bernstein argues, “Censorship is a tool people use when they can’t win an argument. It is designed for simple and weak-minded individuals who can’t stand criticism or can’t counter a narrative. So, if they disagree with something you say or believe, they immediately look for ways to silence you, rather than challenge you in a peaceful debate.”

In addition to interfering with our elections, crushing our First Amendment rights, and targeting individuals our government does not like, he claims the “FBI was paying, or reimbursing social media platforms that censored or removed content the FBI did not like.”

As I said at the start, “talk is cheap.” Bernstein offers concrete solutions. Hopefully our new president will take heed.

Bernstein explains “we the people” have the power - we just don't know how to use it. He suggests we get involved with politics at the local level, as candidates, election officials or volunteers.

“Start petitions and get them on your state ballot. Start networking groups so you can teach others the importance of civic engagement.”

“Volunteer to be a poll watcher. Keep an eye on the parking lots. If you see something strange, report it. America won’t survive with more ballots under tables, fictitious water leaks, and after midnight backdoor deliveries.”

You can find out more about Josh Bernstein by visiting his website jbushow.com, and on social media platforms such as Rumble and BitChute, where he continues to share his daily political commentary through podcasts. His book is called “Preserving Liberty.”