Make the pledge

From the Center for Small Government comes a new pledge to make this coming 4th of July, a new Declaration of Independence: the Small Government PledgeSM. I did. How about you?

THIS 4TH OF JULY, WHY NOT SIGN THE NEW DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?

By Carla Howell and Michael Cloud

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56 Individuals signed the original Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence was NOT simply a strong expression of political opinion.

It was NOT an attempt to influence, persuade or lobby the King or Government of Great Britain.

It was NOT a mere petition. It said, "We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury."

The Declaration of Independence "published and declared" that the "United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved…"

Then the 56 Signers backed up the declaration with their personal commitments. They wrote, "And for the support of this Declaration…we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

To the British government, it was an Act of Treason.

They risked everything. Their homes could be confiscated or burned. Their families might be arrested and imprisoned. They faced the gallows. IF they failed.

Yet their bold declaration and pledge set in motion the events that led to Independence, Liberty, and the United States of America.

If you were alive then, if you had the opportunity, would you have taken the risks those 56 Signers took? Would YOU have signed the Declaration of Independence?

We hope you would have. We hope we would have, too.

But now you have the opportunity to sign the NEW Declaration of Independence: the Small Government Pledge*.

The NEW Declaration of Independence does NOT require you to risk your life, liberty, or property.

It does NOT demand that you sacrifice your life or earnings for the cause of liberty.

It does NOT require you to suffer to advance or achieve liberty.

The only way to expand liberty is to shrink government. The only way to restore liberty is make government small.

The only way you can get small government is to vote small government. And that begins with taking - and living by - the Small Government Pledge*:

The Small Government Pledge* makes sure that every choice you make, every vote you cast moves toward small government and liberty.

The Small Government Pledge* is an ACTION pledge, not just a statement of belief, principles, or positions.

It's simple and direct.

Do you sincerely want to make government small? If so, take the Small Government Pledge*!

The Small Government Pledge*

"I vote small government. Every issue. Every time. No exceptions. No excuses.

"Here's what the Small Government Pledge* means:

1. I will vote for and support only those candidates who consistently vote for small government; who work to make government smaller than it is today. For candidates who have never served in office, I will vote only for those who campaign to make government smaller than it is today.

2. I will vote against and refuse to support every candidate who votes to sustain or enlarge today's Big Government - or campaigns for it.

3. I will vote in every federal, state, and local election. If necessary, I'll get an absentee ballot. I'll find out about the choices on my ballot - and make sure I always vote small government.

4. If there is no small government candidate on the ballot, I will either write in and vote for a small government candidate or leave the ballot blank for that office.

5. I will vote for every ballot initiative and referendum that shrinks the size, spending, taxes, scope, or power of today's Big Government.

6. I will vote against every ballot initiative, referendum, and bond that increases the size, spending, taxes, scope, or power of today's Big Government."

Will you celebrate this 4th of July by reading and signing the NEW Declaration of Independence – the Small Government Pledge*?

Click here to take the Small Government Pledge* and get a printable certificate you can sign and hang on your wall:

http://www.centerforsmallgovernment.com/SGPvoterform.htm

Have you already signed the Small Government Pledge*? Check by clicking here: http://www.centerforsmallgovernment.com/signers.htm

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2006 Copyright Carla Howell and Michael Cloud
* "small government is possible", "small government is beautiful", "Small Government Pledge" and "Small Government News" are Service Marks (SM) of Carla Howell and Michael Cloud. "Personal Responsibility Sets Us Free" is a Service Mark of Michael Cloud.

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