In Chapter 20 of The New Founders, the father of our country, George Washington, under the alias Frank Walters in the 21s century, takes on Obamacare, government regulation and defends liberty on the Josh Anders radio talk show…
“Welcome back to the best show on the radio. My, we have quite a guest here and the switchboard is starting to smoke from all the calls. Before we take the first call, I want to clarify something you said Mr. Walters, before the break.”
“Yes?”
“Have you just announced your intention to run for President of the United States?”
“Yes, Mr. Anders and to your audience, I did. I plan to run for president and quite directly, I expect to win.”
“You heard it here, ladies and gentleman. Mr. Frank Walters has announced on the Josh Anders Show that he is running for President of the United States!”
The first call came from Fred in Lynchburg, Virginia regarding the effect of regulation and PresidentCare on the businesses in the area.
Walters began his answer to Fred on the PresidentCare issue by first explaining that while it would certainly destroy private healthcare in this country, PresidentCare law was not about health at all. It was about the Federal Government dictating to the people what they could and could not purchase and could and could not do. It was a power grab directed at the rights and lives of the people.
The new candidate described his frustration that the PresidentCare mandate was one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in our history and was pushed through a lame duck session of congress and House of Representatives even though most if not all had not even read it.
Frank was outraged that that those who defended the legislation were falsely relying on the Commerce Clause in the Constitution.
“Had the founders intended for a government to attain the power to compel citizens to buy or sell goods, they certainly would have clearly defined so. However, it is abundantly clear that our government never intended to have that kind of power. That was the whole point. As Mr. Madison so clearly documented in the 10th Amendment, ‘Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.’”
Walters kept his train of thought by explaining that the government had already unconstitutionally mandated that citizens buy only certain items—for example, light bulbs, showers, and toilets. The federal C.A.F.E. standards had already compelled auto makers to build only cars meeting certain government standards.
Anders jumped in and told a story relayed to him by a friend in the financial services industry where his bank recently refurbished a new office. In order to receive financial favors from the government under a green certification, the federal government mandated the size and height of the desks, cubicles, and even the pantry.
“Can you imagine? Government bureaucrat regulators in Washington DC dictate at this level to private industry under threat of penalty?”
Anders relayed another story from that same friend about a recent regulation compelling financial institutions to record and transmit cost basis information from investor to investor and to the IRS. The law makers had little or no concern about the incompatibility of their new mandates, or the stresses and millions of dollars in financial impact these rules had on investors and the industries compelled to implement them.
Anders considered adding that the founders must be rolling in their graves, but after a quick glance at his guest, thought better of it.
As Anders explained these financial intricacies, Walters politely listened.
Like Madison, Walters understood that men were not perfect and because of that, there was a certain need for laws and regulation. He deduced correctly that reasonable men understood that if people were angels, no government would be necessary. And if angels were to govern them, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.
“We must understand when it comes to regulation that it is the regulators who gain from the regulation, not their fellow citizens who suffer to live by them. Seems the old adage is true, that laws are made for the few, not for the many.”
Walters shot up out of his seat once again. Anders followed suit and rose with the now official candidate for president. Walters wrapped up the point.
“A founding father once said, ‘I own myself the friend to a very free system of commerce, and hold it as a truth, that commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive and impolitic—it is also a truth, that if industry and labor are left to take their own course, they will generally be directed to those objects which are the most productive, and this in a more certain and direct manner than the wisdom of the most enlightened legislature could point out.’”
Murray frowned from behind the glass, a bit perturbed that James Madison was not referred to by name. As he peered into the studio, Walters translated this passage into modern language, saying that while bureaucrats in government who pretend to be all knowing impose regulation on industry and people under some fantasy of fairness, the constraints of regulation were generally unjust and oppressive because they hit the most productive people the hardest.
The next call came from Jerry in California.
“Mr. Walters, do you have any original thoughts of your own or are you going to sit there and quote a bunch of dead guys all day? I mean come on, this is the twenty-first century, not the seventeen hundreds.”
Josh’s first instinct was to protect his guest and move on to the next call. But Walters would have none of that. He sat back down in his seat and, taking a more serious tone, pulled the microphone toward his face. “Jerry, you have a point. This is the twenty-first century and times have changed. But a good idea then is a good idea now. Just as a bad idea then is a bad idea now. I quote the founders because they built a great country out of nothing. They put laws in place and put a Constitution in place that has stood the test of time and remains the cornerstone of the greatest country on earth.”
Josh Anders reclined in his chair as the man to his right let loose.
“How about bad ideas, Jerry? Encouraging illegal aliens to come into our country and appeasing them, is that a good idea?
“Is pressing one for Spanish and two for English on your phone a good or bad idea?
“Is socialism a good idea, Jerry? Redistribution of wealth and the political policies of the current administration? How did that turn out in the Soviet Union?
“I quote the founders because they were men of character, men of dignity, who put their country before their own individual well being. Wouldn’t you like to see a politician with those qualities in the twenty-first century Jerry?”
The caller had hung up during Walters’ lecture. Anders said there was always at least one of them every day.
“We have time for one last call.”
Kathleen in New Jersey wanted to know what Walters thought about recent demeaning remarks about women in our country. Frank cleared his throat and got ready to answer. But Kathleen added that in 1776, Abigail Adams wrote, in her most famous letter to her husband, John, in Philadelphia, the new code of laws (which the founders were in the process of creating), to remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than their ancestors.
Frank knew of the letter and said that he hoped Jerry was still listening since he had not quoted a founder. His caller actually had. This elicited laughter behind the glass. He answered the caller by noting that he was troubled by recent events.
“I think you ladies are in the number of the best patriots America can boast. I will not allow such treatment of American Patriots. And by the way, I am very impressed by your knowledge of one of our founding women. Abigail Adams was a pioneer of her generation, much like the many patriotic women of today.”
Walters smiled and offered a slight giggle, subconsciously, but openly flirting with the caller. He mouthed to Josh that she sounded attractive.
“At the risk of putting the entire male population in an unfavorable light, I’ll add that I would never put such unlimited power in the hands of only husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. And we cannot let that happen, now can we?”
At that point, both Frank and the lady caller laughed together.
Gail Anders quietly applauded to herself, listening to Walters use the words of her heroine, Abigail Adams.
Anders was mesmerized by Walters’ mastery of history, policy and connection to the people as they went to another commercial break. While he was pleased with the show to that point, the General was not. He felt as if the last forty five minutes was a one on one conversation with Josh and he needed to talk to the people. Anders respectfully disagreed, but to no avail.
The remainder of the show would involve interaction between the father of the country and the populace which went by in a flash. Frank Walters was in his element and at his best in direct dialogue with the people. He loved every minute of it, even though Josh seemed uncomfortable ceding his show to the candidate. But Anders knew his audience had just been schooled by the most powerful figure in American history and sensed the excitement was building.
Knowing the interview was ending, Walters asked Josh if he could sum up his interview with a quote from a fellow Bostonian, President John Adams. The guest mentioned that it had been forty minutes since he last quoted a founder, so he thought it was as good a time as any.
“The safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of Almighty God; and the national acknowledgement of this truth is not only an indispensable duty, which the people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence is favorable to the promotion of that morality and piety, without which social happiness cannot exist, nor the blessings of a free government be enjoyed.”
Anders announced that they were out of time and thanked Walters for his truly amazing interview and his blockbuster presidential announcement.
Mr. Walters asked for a few more seconds. Josh agreed and the candidate once again rose to his feet as if before a multitude of onlookers. “I love this country. And understand by loving the country, by definition, I love its people. After all, what is a country if not the sum of its people? Americans have the same genetics as all other humans. So what has caused our country to become such a success while other countries failed?
Walters closed his eyes as if visualizing his words.
“The answer is that the civil society we established allows and expects the best from each of us. Each of us in turn offers our best, knowing that we as individuals and society as a whole will benefit. I see a current in America today that punishes, derides and deflates our tide of greatness; lowering our expectations and leaving the ship of our society stuck in a quagmire of rocks and mud.
“When we release the anchor of this current presidency, like a great ship, our society will once again elevate on the tide of our individual achievement. Individual achievement leads to societal greatness. That, my friends, is my American Message. Thank you and God bless.”
Anders leaned in while reaching for the control panel.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I can add nothing more. Thanks for listening folks. Good day.”
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