There is a word missing from our modern vocabulary. It is in the dictionary, but it is hardly ever used anymore. The word is “polity,” and it carries with it a whole worldview that has been lost since the American founding. The word comes from Aristotle, who said there are six main types of government. Three of these are monarchy, aristocracy and … [Read more...]
Sowing the Seeds of Rebellion
July 5, 2013 by 2 Comments
What do these things have in common? Providing someone with raw milk. Collecting rainwater to water your garden. Saving seeds from your garden to grow next year’s crop. All of them may be illegal depending upon where you live. It is the nature of government to seek to gradually expand its control over our lives. Seatbelt laws, legal tender laws … [Read more...]
What is Freedom?
July 1, 2013 by 2 Comments
I frequently get asked something along the lines of, “Oliver, you talk a lot about freedom; but what, exactly, do you mean by the word ‘freedom?’ How do you define it?” It’s a very good question. To answer it, I first want to define “liberty.” After all, the Declaration of Independence boldly affirms that among our inalienable rights are “life, … [Read more...]
The Trout Fisherman in Hell: Lessons in Opposition
June 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A fisherman dies and believes he has gone to trout-fishing heaven as he catches one perfect two-pound trout after another. As he sets his fly and hooks into yet one more, he can’t fathom his good fortune. The sky is blue, the weather ideal, the fish biting like he’s never before experienced, and everything is absolutely perfect. It is not … [Read more...]
Spy On Me?! by Oliver DeMille
June 26, 2013 by 28 Comments
I am really angry. Upset. Surprised. Shocked. Mainly angry. I have been studying history, freedom, and current events for well over two decades now, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset. I’ve built several businesses, taught thousands of people the classics of liberty and free enterprise, written a number of books, researched and given … [Read more...]
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Big Government
June 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Local government is increasingly the place where things are getting done. As the party system has created gridlock in Washington, less is getting accomplished on Capitol Hill. In a funny way, this has created a situation that is more like the American Founding era than anything we’ve experienced in over a century -- the real place to get things … [Read more...]
Losing Faith in Washington?
June 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
President Obama’s fundamental argument since his campaign and through his first term and second campaign has been that our society can benefit more from government than it has in the past. This is an easy sell in Europe, but not so much in the United States. The framers mistrusted government, and felt that freedom can only last in a society … [Read more...]
Why the “Five Laws of Decline” are Behind the Recent Scandals
June 19, 2013 by 3 Comments
By Orrin Woodward & Oliver DeMille Americans are both outraged and energized over headlines highlighting scandals in Washington related to the Benghazi tragedy and the IRS targeting of conservative groups. But there is a bigger concern at play in these events. It's something very few people are talking about, although it underpins and links … [Read more...]
Summer Reading for YOU
June 14, 2013 by 1 Comment
“Dad, can you read to me more?” Meri asked me. Surprised, I looked up from my book and responded, “Oh, sure.” I took the book she was reading and read a chapter aloud to her. When I finished, I handed her the book. “Thanks, Dad,” she said. “I could have read it myself, but I just love it when you read. I mean, in the winter you read to us … [Read more...]
Another Federal Scandal?
June 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Obama trifecta of scandals including Benghazi, IRS targeting, and AP phone records is now joined by another potential scandal. The EPA is accused of ongoing “Sue and Settle” practices, which means that they work with left-leaning environmental groups who file suits against a federal agency and then the attorneys work out settlements that … [Read more...]
