Tenth Amendment Center: The American Tradition Is Anti-War

From Tenth Amendment Center

...from Tenth Amendment Center

North Korea could kill 90% of the American population within one year by launching an EMP according to recent testimony before Congress.

Buried in this report is the real problem: American saber rattling. We can’t ignore the recklessness of the North Korean regime, but that has been their M.O. for nearly 70 years.

Americans can do better.

You see, the anthem protests, our worship of the military industrial complex, and making every event from the local civics meeting to an NFL game a setting for “patriotism” has provided the kindling for a massive military bonfire.

All it takes is a little spark.

For most of American history, the “conservatives” avoided war. They rallied against it, denounced it, and insisted that it would produce a host of horrors. And they were right.

Not only does it produce economic and social dislocation, it allows the general government to expand its powers exponentially. That alone makes it dangerous. It is no coincidence that American liberty has suffered most during periods of war.

The neo-cons will tell you that Americans have been warlike from the beginning, that almost unanimous support for World War II was the rule rather than the exception. That is a lie.

This doesn’t mean Americans should not defend our borders and protect our homes. That is a just war. But we should not be engaging in foreign adventurism either. Donald Trump was elected in part because of this message. He seems to have forgotten his earlier positions.

I thought it would be instructive to provide some historical context for the American anti-war tradition. I do so in Episode 119 of The Brion McClanahan Show.

Of course, I can’t let Hamilton off the hook in ushering in this mess. He provided the blueprint for the modern imperial presidency, the same presidency that can now send American troops into combat without congressional authorization. Blame Hamilton. If you haven’t picked up a copy of my new book, please do so, read it, and review it. You can buy an autographed copy from me here if you like.

Brion McClanahan
October 16, 2017 at 10:24AM