Our Threatened Freedom

Do We Make Too Much of Our Presidents

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Political Studies

Lesson: 24-169

Genre: Conversation

Track: 024

Dictation Name: Vol. C - Part 02 - Do We Make Too Much of Our Presidents

Location/Venue: Unknown

Year: 1980’s – 1990’s

[Dr. Rushdoony] Do we make too much of our Presidents? This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.

When Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated as President, it was a simple and brief fact before a few people. When it was over, Jefferson walked back to his boarding house. Dinner was already being served, every seat was taken, and the newly inaugurated President had to wait for a place at the table. The same thing happened to President John Quincy Adams some years later, on a coastal sailing vessel. Adams was slightly late and had to wait his turn to eat.

The simple fact is that in those days a President was no big deal. The federal government was small and insignificant, and the same was true of state, country, and city levels of civil government. Being President was not too important a position, and the same was true of Congressional offices.

In fact, the last thing Americans wanted in those days was an important and powerful federal government. Even as late as the early 1900s, when the federal government was much larger than in Jefferson’s day, it was still a minor factor in American life. Washington D.C. was still a small community with a handful of big buildings during William Howard Taft’s presidency. In fact, the Taft’s kept the family cows staked out in what is now the White House grounds. It was then an open pasture.

What was important in those days was the American people. The people were the power in the United States, and their faith and freedom made America great.

I submit that what you and I do, and what this station’s manager, and other men like him, do, is more important to the future of this country, than what the White House and Congress do.

In the days of Jefferson and Adams, the people were not controlled, but the federal government was. The whole point of the Constitution then was to handcuff the federal government, and keep the people free.

Today the courts have reversed that. They have reinterpreted the Constitution to handcuff the people, and free the federal government from controls. It is a serious mistake to look at the federal government or to the state governments for our freedom. After all, if we gain power and freedom, they lose it.

Many of our presidents, senators and congressmen, have been, and are, fine men. It is more important, however, for the people to be godly, and of a strong and sound character.

We cannot vote in men and expect them to make this country strong, when we refuse to be strong and self-reliant ourselves. Thus we do have a problem today, a much too strong federal government, and an all too weak a people. If this continues, we will be a slave people at home, and an oppressed people abroad.

Freedom begins in your life and mine, in our faith and character. We do make too much of our Presidents and far too little of ourselves. Most of all, we make too little of our sovereign Lord and God, and the result is that He is making little of us.

This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedoms.