The pioneers were the men and women of the 18th and 19th century who settled the American frontier in search of a better life. Independent, resourceful, and determined, they rose to the challenge of a free people in a new nation founded on liberty: They ran their own lives and controlled their own destiny.
They and the generations that followed them turned America into the most prosperous nation the world had ever seen. Their dream-big, work-hard, can-do “pioneer spirit” became the proud symbol of America. Their boundless personal initiative to improve their lives—unencumbered by a controlling state—became the coveted American Dream.
Fast-forward to today, and we see a different country. We see an ever-growing government with a myriad of welfare-state programs that claim to take care of us. We see Americans conditioned to look to the government to provide for their needs. We see decades of paternalism changing the character of the people—from “can-do” to “we’re owed,” from “I built it myself” to “You didn’t build that,” from “Let’s get rich” to “Let’s tax the rich.” We see a growing passivity, insecurity, and dependency—so antithetical to the pioneer spirit.
The pioneer and the welfare state represent two opposite views of life and government. The conflict between them is the most important battle of our age. It is the struggle of the individualists, who cherish liberty and want to run their own lives their own way, and the statists, who want big government programs to look after them and provide for their welfare. Which side enhances human life and which imperils it?
The goal of this book is to answer this question through engaging essays containing profound ideas—and thereby influence the outcome of this historic struggle for the soul of America.
Author Gen LaGreca is a longtime advocate of individual rights and capitalism. She writes social and political commentaries, which have appeared in Forbes, The Orange County Register, The Daily Caller, Real Clear Markets, Mises Daily, and other publications. She has also written two award-winning, liberty-themed novels: NOBLE VISION and A DREAM OF DARING.
Gen’s fiction-writing talents combined with her philosophical training (a graduate degree in philosophy from Columbia University) result in articles that are both entertaining and incisive. Gen brings colorful composition, ideological depth, and an outside-the-box approach to her essays. Their easy-to-read style makes them suitable for introducing new readers to the urgent issues of the day. Their sweeping themes of the dignity and glory of the individual and the importance of limited government attract and inspire thoughtful readers who are deeply concerned with the future of freedom in America.
The essays contained in this book are selected from Gen’s best commentaries. One of the pieces, “The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society,” was featured on The Glenn Beck Show on national television.
THE ESSAYS YOU’LL READ IN THIS COLLECTION ARE:
The Pioneer vs. the Welfare State
My Dog Loves Socialist Policies
The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society
Thomas Jefferson and Individual Rights
James Madison was Right About Property Rights
150 Years After the Emancipation Proclamation: Are We Free?
Why I Love America
The NEW Declaration of Independence
They and the generations that followed them turned America into the most prosperous nation the world had ever seen. Their dream-big, work-hard, can-do “pioneer spirit” became the proud symbol of America. Their boundless personal initiative to improve their lives—unencumbered by a controlling state—became the coveted American Dream.
Fast-forward to today, and we see a different country. We see an ever-growing government with a myriad of welfare-state programs that claim to take care of us. We see Americans conditioned to look to the government to provide for their needs. We see decades of paternalism changing the character of the people—from “can-do” to “we’re owed,” from “I built it myself” to “You didn’t build that,” from “Let’s get rich” to “Let’s tax the rich.” We see a growing passivity, insecurity, and dependency—so antithetical to the pioneer spirit.
The pioneer and the welfare state represent two opposite views of life and government. The conflict between them is the most important battle of our age. It is the struggle of the individualists, who cherish liberty and want to run their own lives their own way, and the statists, who want big government programs to look after them and provide for their welfare. Which side enhances human life and which imperils it?
The goal of this book is to answer this question through engaging essays containing profound ideas—and thereby influence the outcome of this historic struggle for the soul of America.
Author Gen LaGreca is a longtime advocate of individual rights and capitalism. She writes social and political commentaries, which have appeared in Forbes, The Orange County Register, The Daily Caller, Real Clear Markets, Mises Daily, and other publications. She has also written two award-winning, liberty-themed novels: NOBLE VISION and A DREAM OF DARING.
Gen’s fiction-writing talents combined with her philosophical training (a graduate degree in philosophy from Columbia University) result in articles that are both entertaining and incisive. Gen brings colorful composition, ideological depth, and an outside-the-box approach to her essays. Their easy-to-read style makes them suitable for introducing new readers to the urgent issues of the day. Their sweeping themes of the dignity and glory of the individual and the importance of limited government attract and inspire thoughtful readers who are deeply concerned with the future of freedom in America.
The essays contained in this book are selected from Gen’s best commentaries. One of the pieces, “The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society,” was featured on The Glenn Beck Show on national television.
THE ESSAYS YOU’LL READ IN THIS COLLECTION ARE:
The Pioneer vs. the Welfare State
My Dog Loves Socialist Policies
The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society
Thomas Jefferson and Individual Rights
James Madison was Right About Property Rights
150 Years After the Emancipation Proclamation: Are We Free?
Why I Love America
The NEW Declaration of Independence
