Samuel Adams, the Father of the American Revolution, specified four criteria (conditions) for citizens to determine when armed rebellion is justified to respond to a tyrannical and illegitimate government.
Adams and others of a special committee wrote to the governor of Massachusetts expressing their disapproval of the Shays Riots. Adams specified four criteria for the justification of armed rebellion, which were printed in a circular letter and reproduced by the Massachusetts Gazette on Sept. 12, 1786.
All four criteria are easily met today, in 2015 America:
1. When laws are no longer made by a legislature elected by the people.
Today, no Senator or Congressman writes the laws they claim to sponsor or vote for or against. Bills are written by lobbyists and staff members of companies, and sometimes legislators’ staff. However, the majority of laws enacted are through regulations created by unelected bureaucrats of federal and state agencies.
2. When our form of government exists without our consent.
For every law Congress enacts, 56 rules and regulations are enacted by unelected federal and state agency bureaucrats. In fact, in 2013, 65 bills were signed into law, but federal agencies enacted 3,659 rules and regulations. Unelected regulatory bureaucrats and/or lobbyists write America’s laws, without citizens’ consent and most often against the will of the people.
3. Taxation without representation.
Obamacare is one obvious example. Congress, against the will of the people, imposed a tax by mandating that individuals must purchase from a selection of government-classified health insurance policies. Congress intentionally substituted a mandate by imposing a penalty for anyone who fails to comply. In response, the U.S. Supreme Court denied due process to Americans.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is another obvious example. Its numerous scandals evidence egregious abuse of power committed by unelected bureaucrats. Unelected bureaucrats have been targeting and discriminating against citizens by selectively enforcing regulations Congress did not create.
In response to the IRS’ abuse of power, an outraged public submitted a record-setting number of comments expressing their opposition to IRS rules. A Center for Competitive Politics study found that 94 percent of public comments opposed some aspects of proposed IRS rules; 87 percent opposed them outright; and of all participants opponents outnumbered supporters by a 2:1 margin. Yet, their opposition has not prevented unelected bureaucrats from enforcing laws Congress did not create.
4. When authority is no longer derived from ourselves.
The 2014 $1.1 trillion quid pro quo omnibus spending bill is an obvious example. (It was not a budget; Congress has not submitted or passed a budget since 2009). The Washington Post calculated that each legislator who voted for the bill received approximately $322,000 from the finance/insurance/real estate industries PACs and employees of firms in those industries. It writes, “On average, members of Congress who voted yes received $322,000 from those industries. Those who voted no? $162,000. Here’s the split by party.” House Speaker John Boehner received the most money for ensuring the bill passed.
One provision of the bill, written by Citigroup, ZeroHedge reported could cost taxpayers nearly “$303 trillion in gross notional derivatives as a result of “siloing” swaps, and their associated risks, in FDIC-insured operating companies.” Taxpayers would again (as they were in 2008) be responsible for bailing out financial institutions for losses they incur from these contracts.
Its editors write:
“We now know with certainty that to a clear majority in Congress—one consisting of republicans and democrats—the future viability of Wall Street is far more important than the well-being of their constituents.“
The laws that Congress does pass are written by industry professionals to benefit those industries, not the people they represent in theory only. American citizens, according to Samuel Adams, are justified in rebelling against what the Founders considered an illegitimate, unconstitutional and tyrannical government ruled by evil men.
Abraham Lincoln warned Americans that they were responsible for losing their freedom. He stated, “America will never be destroyed from outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” The question remains: will Americans heed his warning before it’s too late?
Bethany Blankley hosts “America’s Betrayal” on Renegade Talk Radio Network, is a political analyst for “Fox News Radio,” and offers conservative commentary on various television news programs. She writes regular columns for The Washington Times (Axis Mundi) and Patheos (Hedgerow). News outlets including Western Journalism,Townhall, The Christian Post, Charisma News and RedState, among others regularly publish her commentary. Bethany previously worked as a communications strategist for four Senators, one Congressman, a former New York governor, and for several nonprofits. She earned her M.A. in Theology from New College at The University of Edinburgh, Scotland and her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland. She is a past fellow of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal and L’Abri Fellowship. Follow her bethanyblankley.com and @bethanyblankley.
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