Americans have short memories when it comes to our historical and intellectual legacy. Of course, many politicians today, whether Republican or Democrat; it does not seem make a difference, encourage the opposite of what our Founding Fathers advocated. Today, politicians encourage international political “engagement” and “spreading democracy,” either peacefully or by force; it does not matter to them.
But the neoconservative Empire Republicans of today have close ties to the 20th century liberal Democrats like Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton when it comes to interfering in other nations’ affairs. Or worse, creating conditions to invade, conquer and rule them and their natural resources. This caveman mentality is neither fitting, nor morally defensible to a Nation like ours that was founded on freedom and liberty.
Our foreign policy today is diametrically opposed to what our Founding Fathers both wanted and advocated. What have America’s past leaders said concerning the strength of nonintervention and the defense of our nation? Here are some examples.
George Washington’s rather long Farewell address in 1796 should be read in its entirety. Here are a few excerpts from it:
The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government. But the Constitution which at any time exists, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people, is sacredly obligatory upon all. The very idea of the power and the right of the people to establish government presupposes the duty of every individual to obey the established government.
Washington encouraged world trade, but cautioned against political involvement with other nations.
Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it. It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and at no distant period, a great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that, in the course of time and things, the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it?
And Washington went on to say:
As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public councils? Such an attachment of a small or weak towards a great and powerful nation dooms the former to be the satellite of the latter.
George Washington articulated the following goal for future Americans, “The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible.”
In his December 2, 1823, address to Congress, President James Monroe articulated United States' policy on the new political order developing in the rest of the Americas and the role of Europe in the Western Hemisphere. The statement, known as the Monroe Doctrine, was little noted by the Great Powers of Europe, but eventually became a longstanding tenet of U.S. foreign policy. Monroe stated that, "The American continents … are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers."
President Woodrow Wilson addressed the U.S. Senate on January 22, 1917, saying:
I am proposing, as it were, that the nations should with one accord adopt the doctrine of President Monroe as the doctrine of the world: that no nation should seek to extend its polity over any other nation or people, but that every people should be left free to determine its own polity, its own way of development, unhindered, unthreatened, unafraid, the little along with the great and powerful.
I am proposing that all nations henceforth avoid entangling alliances which would draw them into competitions of power; catch them in a net of intrigue and selfish rivalry, and disturb their own affairs with influences intruded from without. There is no entangling alliance in a concert of power.
We should remember our historical legacy and demand that our politicians follow this legacy, as well as the U.S. Constitution that they all swear to uphold.
We should demand nothing less. Politicians work for the American People. They are our employees. If they cannot or will not follow the Constitution or our historical legacy, then we must terminate their employment and replace them with those who will.
Noel Gibeson
Republican National Committee member