Author: Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Publisher: Andrew P. Napolitano, 2010
Genre: Non-fiction, American History/ Political
Page Count: 316
Overview: This book has 17 chapters that according to the author are 17 lies told by the federal government. The chapters describe how each statement is a lie.
Publisher: Andrew P. Napolitano, 2010
Genre: Non-fiction, American History/ Political
Page Count: 316
Overview: This book has 17 chapters that according to the author are 17 lies told by the federal government. The chapters describe how each statement is a lie.
Lie #1: “All Men Are Created Equal”
This quote was by Thomas Jefferson who did many things to abolish slavery; however, he still in fact owned slaves. It seemed that even those who were against slavery still didn’t want it to actually end. I think they may have wanted slavery to be less cruel, but really these black people who lived in the United States under the same law as the white people were treated much different pre-Civil war, and even right up until the 1960’s when Martin Luther
did much to bring about change.
Lie #2: “All Men…Are Endowed by Their Creator with Certain Inalienable Rights”
This was part of the Declaration of Independence which should be the law of the land at least that is what we are told the Constitution is. However, the Supreme Court is good at
inventing loopholes they can wiggle through to get what they want.
The Takings Clause was put into the Constitution so that the government could take someone’s property if it was for the good of the people, but the government has used this clause to get what they want no matter how good it actually is for others.
Lie #3: “Judges Are Like Umpires”
Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. spoke at his own confirmation hearings. “Umpires don’t make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role.” Just like it is dangerous to allow the one writing the checks to also be the one to cash the checks on business accounts; it is dangerous to allow Congress and the President to have the power to make the laws and interpret the Constitution because who would check that their power didn’t get out of
hand.
Lie #4: “Every Vote Counts”
The Amendment for this quote came about in 2005. I have heard this quote all my life
when people talk about how important it is to vote. However, neither the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights gives the American People a federal right to vote. The Right to Vote is only protected by the Constitution as it pertains to that state’s laws. So, our voting privileges are only broadened as far as our state legislatures allow.
Lie #5: “Congress Shall Make No Law…Abridging the Freedom of Speech”
The First Amendment seems to give us free reign with our own personal freedom of speech.
However, the Federal Government has done all it can to try to silence the American
People or at least to try to make us only say, write, watch or listen to what they think we should.
Lie #6: “The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not be Infringed”
“George Washington called the Second Amendment the teeth that gave the Constitution its
bite.” The Federal Government continues to make new rules for us to follow. All the while, saying how these rules will protect the American People from more violence and harm that guns can bring.
However, this Amendment was put into place because our Founding Fathers knew we
needed the right to protect ourselves from criminal actions and from the tyrannical
government.
Lie #7: “Your Body is Your Temple”
We usually think our bodies belong to us – no one on this earth can own us. However, think
about all of the stipulations that we endure on a daily basis. Our food, vitamins, and medicine are all regulated by the Federal Government. As a Nutritionist, it seems wonderful when food companies are made to list all of their ingredients and the vitamin industry is regulated and we all feel safe. However, what would we think if the Federal Government did
something to hurt us? It has been said that vaccinations could contain harmful additives in them. Whether or not we believe this about vaccinations, should we really trust our bodies, our lives to the Federal Government? So, who is in charge here?
Lie #8: “The Federal Reserve Shall Be Controlled by Congress”
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 promised that Congress could control the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, even though it had no stock in the corporation. In the beginning, the
intention was for paper money to be backed by gold or silver; otherwise, the paper money wouldn’t have anymore worth than a piece of toilet paper. This idea fell though with and soon the paper money was made without the backing of gold or silver to prove its worth. This then led to the decline in value of any money that has been produced in the U.S.
Lie #9: “It’s Only a Temporary Government Program”
How many times have we been told this lie by the government? Milton Friedman said,
“Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.” Being overly taxed was actually one of the reasons that people fled from Britain to this new world. In the infancy of the United States, taxes were not a concern for the American People. Then during the 1860’s
taxes were needed during crises only, such as the war, but tax laws were repealed at this
time. However, later, around the turn of the century, income tax laws were here to stay and
only became more and more demanding on the American Citizens.
Lie #10: “I’m from the Government, and I’m Here to Help”
Ronald Reagan spoke these words to the Representatives of Future Farmers of America.
Although at the time, they laughed at these words, there was quite a bit of truth in his words.
Usually when the Federal Government sticks its nose into crises, it only creates a bigger mess than before. The news often reports how much good the government is doing to help a certain situation, but if you ask the people who were actually there at that time, they will tell
you that they received little or no help from the government. One example that we all remember is Hurricane Katrina. I worked for the federal government and was amazed at the nice posh apartments that these victims were given. Not that I don’t think the state of Ohio should have treated them well and provided for them, but the government overdid it and
actually just allowed itself to be taken advantage of.
Lie #11: “We Are Winning the War on Drugs”
This has been a fight that started in the 1970’s and still continues today without much success. Although the Federal Government would have us believe that the purpose of this war is for moral reasons, yet many members of the federal government have done many immoral things, but they try to restrict the rest of us from doing them. People are into many dangerous and addictive things, but the government doesn’t start a war on bungee jumping, or sky diving, or racecar driving, etc. Interestingly enough, this seems to just be
another of the government’s attempts to try to control the American people. The heart of the War on Drugs is the issue of freedom and false morality.
Lie #12: “Everyone is Innocent Until Proven Guilty”
We would assume this quote was in American Federal Documentation, but it’s not. This
quote entered into American Law in 1894 during a specific case when the Supreme Court Judge instructed the jury “Before you can find any one of the defendants guilty you must be
satisfied of his guilt as charged in some of the counts of the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Lie #13: “The Constitution Applies in Good Times and in Bad Times”
The Federal Government seems to enjoy taking advantage of the American People during the bad times – when a crisis occurs. They use our fears and emotions to put laws into place that we, like sheep led to slaughter, quickly abide by because we think we can trust our “Big
Brother”. After 9/11 occurred, there were many restrictions placed around the country that we were told were for our good. The Federal Government tells us that it must infringe upon our rights as citizens to keep us safe, but if their infringement was for our good, why doesn’t the government put restrictions that tailor the scope of its power. Instead, after these laws
and restrictions are put into place, the government then uses these laws to gain even more power by broadly interpreting them.
Lie #14: “Your Boys Are Not Going to Be Sent into Any Foreign Wars”
Franklin Roosevelt said at his presidential campaign on October 30, 1940, "I have said
this before, but I shall say it again and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." This was said a little more than a year before the U.S. joined the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. World War II began in September of 1939 in Germany.
To say that the U.S. wouldn’t get involved was a bold-faced lie. The U.S. always gets involved in other countries’ affairs. F.D.R. had to have known that we would join in this war as
well.
Lie #15: “We Don’t Torture”
President George W. Bush stated this in June of 2003 because he was saying that the United States would lead the world in a no torture policy. However, the government had no actual intent in not torturing prisoners of war because the federal government doesn’t give rights these rights to them.
Lie #16: “The Right of the People to Be Secure in Their Persons, Houses, Papers, and Effects, Shall Not Be Violated”
The Fourth Amendment states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The Patriot Act that was put into law after 9/11 was supposed to be something to help Americans feel safe, but it was most certainly not patriotic or a protection from terrorists. It
was just another way for the government to grab more power from the American People. We now have even less privacy than we ever did before. It is no longer illegal to search, to spy on, or to investigate someone if they appear a threat. If you or I are deemed a terrorist, our rights as an American citizen are gone.
Lie #17: “America Has a Free Market”
A simple explanation of a free market is when a consumer wants to purchase what a business owner has, so the consumer trades his money for the product when the business owner agrees to the trade. America doesn’t have a free market because the services that it provides cost more than they are worth and both parties are not willing to submit to the demands. We are made to trade for things that we don’t want after we get them.
Positives: This book is an awesome read! I highly recommend it to all U.S. citizens. It seems that we are so inclined to bury our heads in the sand when we don’t want to know what is going on around us and how bad things are. But if we refuse to sit up and take notice of what the government is planning to do, then we appear to be just dumb, helpless
sheep that need looking after. We need to get involved in what’s going on around us.
I don’t understand a lot about politics and therefore I have often just looked the other way. I need to at least try to understand what is taking place and then determine if I can do
something about it. I implore all my fellow American citizens to do the same.
The American people have been told for too long that we need to just sit back and be taken
care. We shouldn’t cause an uproar; we shouldn’t go against the grain. We should never say no to authority or speak evil of authority. When authority is doing right, we should get behind those authoritative figures, but when authority is in the wrong, they should be
called on the carpet about it. “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson
Negatives: This book – although very informative is at times hard to read. I would like
for this book to have been more Biblically based, but nonetheless, the words of Judge Napolitano can be applied to us in a Biblical way. The book ended with him imploring the American citizens to get involved and get rid of “The Big Government Party”. We should never say that I am just one person, what can I do. Paul in Roman Times was just one
person and he was a big influence in turning “…the world upside down” for Christ. Acts 17:6
Other Books by this
Author: “It is Dangerous to be Right When the Government is Wrong; The Case for Personal Freedom”; “Dred Scott’s Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America”; “A Nation of Sheep”; “Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the
Government Breaks Its Own Laws”; “The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal
Government has Seized Power by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land”
Final Words: It seems that the Federal Government is all about controlling. They are
power hungry. They want to control the American People and they want to control other countries. It seems the power and prestige that we as a nation developed with other
countries has gone to the heads of those in authority and they are puffed up with that power and prestige. The President of the United States has the highest authority in the world – that is a lot of power to not get an inflated head over.
If you are wondering where to start or what you as one person can do, the best place to start is with prayer. Pray for God to open up doors that you can walk through to help put
America back the way she was before Big Government took too much control of her. Our Founding Fathers never intended for us to lie down and give up or just stick our heads in the
sand. We were and still are supposed to fight for our freedom, even living in America where
we should have many freedoms. We should never take our freedoms for granted because we have seen how they can be taken away almost in the blink of eye. I love America and I want her to be able to continue to lay claim on the song that she is “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”. We have many soldiers fighting foreign wars, but there are many
battles to be fought right here at home! Benjamin Franklin said “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
This quote was by Thomas Jefferson who did many things to abolish slavery; however, he still in fact owned slaves. It seemed that even those who were against slavery still didn’t want it to actually end. I think they may have wanted slavery to be less cruel, but really these black people who lived in the United States under the same law as the white people were treated much different pre-Civil war, and even right up until the 1960’s when Martin Luther
did much to bring about change.
Lie #2: “All Men…Are Endowed by Their Creator with Certain Inalienable Rights”
This was part of the Declaration of Independence which should be the law of the land at least that is what we are told the Constitution is. However, the Supreme Court is good at
inventing loopholes they can wiggle through to get what they want.
The Takings Clause was put into the Constitution so that the government could take someone’s property if it was for the good of the people, but the government has used this clause to get what they want no matter how good it actually is for others.
Lie #3: “Judges Are Like Umpires”
Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. spoke at his own confirmation hearings. “Umpires don’t make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role.” Just like it is dangerous to allow the one writing the checks to also be the one to cash the checks on business accounts; it is dangerous to allow Congress and the President to have the power to make the laws and interpret the Constitution because who would check that their power didn’t get out of
hand.
Lie #4: “Every Vote Counts”
The Amendment for this quote came about in 2005. I have heard this quote all my life
when people talk about how important it is to vote. However, neither the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights gives the American People a federal right to vote. The Right to Vote is only protected by the Constitution as it pertains to that state’s laws. So, our voting privileges are only broadened as far as our state legislatures allow.
Lie #5: “Congress Shall Make No Law…Abridging the Freedom of Speech”
The First Amendment seems to give us free reign with our own personal freedom of speech.
However, the Federal Government has done all it can to try to silence the American
People or at least to try to make us only say, write, watch or listen to what they think we should.
Lie #6: “The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not be Infringed”
“George Washington called the Second Amendment the teeth that gave the Constitution its
bite.” The Federal Government continues to make new rules for us to follow. All the while, saying how these rules will protect the American People from more violence and harm that guns can bring.
However, this Amendment was put into place because our Founding Fathers knew we
needed the right to protect ourselves from criminal actions and from the tyrannical
government.
Lie #7: “Your Body is Your Temple”
We usually think our bodies belong to us – no one on this earth can own us. However, think
about all of the stipulations that we endure on a daily basis. Our food, vitamins, and medicine are all regulated by the Federal Government. As a Nutritionist, it seems wonderful when food companies are made to list all of their ingredients and the vitamin industry is regulated and we all feel safe. However, what would we think if the Federal Government did
something to hurt us? It has been said that vaccinations could contain harmful additives in them. Whether or not we believe this about vaccinations, should we really trust our bodies, our lives to the Federal Government? So, who is in charge here?
Lie #8: “The Federal Reserve Shall Be Controlled by Congress”
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 promised that Congress could control the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, even though it had no stock in the corporation. In the beginning, the
intention was for paper money to be backed by gold or silver; otherwise, the paper money wouldn’t have anymore worth than a piece of toilet paper. This idea fell though with and soon the paper money was made without the backing of gold or silver to prove its worth. This then led to the decline in value of any money that has been produced in the U.S.
Lie #9: “It’s Only a Temporary Government Program”
How many times have we been told this lie by the government? Milton Friedman said,
“Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.” Being overly taxed was actually one of the reasons that people fled from Britain to this new world. In the infancy of the United States, taxes were not a concern for the American People. Then during the 1860’s
taxes were needed during crises only, such as the war, but tax laws were repealed at this
time. However, later, around the turn of the century, income tax laws were here to stay and
only became more and more demanding on the American Citizens.
Lie #10: “I’m from the Government, and I’m Here to Help”
Ronald Reagan spoke these words to the Representatives of Future Farmers of America.
Although at the time, they laughed at these words, there was quite a bit of truth in his words.
Usually when the Federal Government sticks its nose into crises, it only creates a bigger mess than before. The news often reports how much good the government is doing to help a certain situation, but if you ask the people who were actually there at that time, they will tell
you that they received little or no help from the government. One example that we all remember is Hurricane Katrina. I worked for the federal government and was amazed at the nice posh apartments that these victims were given. Not that I don’t think the state of Ohio should have treated them well and provided for them, but the government overdid it and
actually just allowed itself to be taken advantage of.
Lie #11: “We Are Winning the War on Drugs”
This has been a fight that started in the 1970’s and still continues today without much success. Although the Federal Government would have us believe that the purpose of this war is for moral reasons, yet many members of the federal government have done many immoral things, but they try to restrict the rest of us from doing them. People are into many dangerous and addictive things, but the government doesn’t start a war on bungee jumping, or sky diving, or racecar driving, etc. Interestingly enough, this seems to just be
another of the government’s attempts to try to control the American people. The heart of the War on Drugs is the issue of freedom and false morality.
Lie #12: “Everyone is Innocent Until Proven Guilty”
We would assume this quote was in American Federal Documentation, but it’s not. This
quote entered into American Law in 1894 during a specific case when the Supreme Court Judge instructed the jury “Before you can find any one of the defendants guilty you must be
satisfied of his guilt as charged in some of the counts of the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Lie #13: “The Constitution Applies in Good Times and in Bad Times”
The Federal Government seems to enjoy taking advantage of the American People during the bad times – when a crisis occurs. They use our fears and emotions to put laws into place that we, like sheep led to slaughter, quickly abide by because we think we can trust our “Big
Brother”. After 9/11 occurred, there were many restrictions placed around the country that we were told were for our good. The Federal Government tells us that it must infringe upon our rights as citizens to keep us safe, but if their infringement was for our good, why doesn’t the government put restrictions that tailor the scope of its power. Instead, after these laws
and restrictions are put into place, the government then uses these laws to gain even more power by broadly interpreting them.
Lie #14: “Your Boys Are Not Going to Be Sent into Any Foreign Wars”
Franklin Roosevelt said at his presidential campaign on October 30, 1940, "I have said
this before, but I shall say it again and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." This was said a little more than a year before the U.S. joined the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. World War II began in September of 1939 in Germany.
To say that the U.S. wouldn’t get involved was a bold-faced lie. The U.S. always gets involved in other countries’ affairs. F.D.R. had to have known that we would join in this war as
well.
Lie #15: “We Don’t Torture”
President George W. Bush stated this in June of 2003 because he was saying that the United States would lead the world in a no torture policy. However, the government had no actual intent in not torturing prisoners of war because the federal government doesn’t give rights these rights to them.
Lie #16: “The Right of the People to Be Secure in Their Persons, Houses, Papers, and Effects, Shall Not Be Violated”
The Fourth Amendment states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The Patriot Act that was put into law after 9/11 was supposed to be something to help Americans feel safe, but it was most certainly not patriotic or a protection from terrorists. It
was just another way for the government to grab more power from the American People. We now have even less privacy than we ever did before. It is no longer illegal to search, to spy on, or to investigate someone if they appear a threat. If you or I are deemed a terrorist, our rights as an American citizen are gone.
Lie #17: “America Has a Free Market”
A simple explanation of a free market is when a consumer wants to purchase what a business owner has, so the consumer trades his money for the product when the business owner agrees to the trade. America doesn’t have a free market because the services that it provides cost more than they are worth and both parties are not willing to submit to the demands. We are made to trade for things that we don’t want after we get them.
Positives: This book is an awesome read! I highly recommend it to all U.S. citizens. It seems that we are so inclined to bury our heads in the sand when we don’t want to know what is going on around us and how bad things are. But if we refuse to sit up and take notice of what the government is planning to do, then we appear to be just dumb, helpless
sheep that need looking after. We need to get involved in what’s going on around us.
I don’t understand a lot about politics and therefore I have often just looked the other way. I need to at least try to understand what is taking place and then determine if I can do
something about it. I implore all my fellow American citizens to do the same.
The American people have been told for too long that we need to just sit back and be taken
care. We shouldn’t cause an uproar; we shouldn’t go against the grain. We should never say no to authority or speak evil of authority. When authority is doing right, we should get behind those authoritative figures, but when authority is in the wrong, they should be
called on the carpet about it. “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson
Negatives: This book – although very informative is at times hard to read. I would like
for this book to have been more Biblically based, but nonetheless, the words of Judge Napolitano can be applied to us in a Biblical way. The book ended with him imploring the American citizens to get involved and get rid of “The Big Government Party”. We should never say that I am just one person, what can I do. Paul in Roman Times was just one
person and he was a big influence in turning “…the world upside down” for Christ. Acts 17:6
Other Books by this
Author: “It is Dangerous to be Right When the Government is Wrong; The Case for Personal Freedom”; “Dred Scott’s Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America”; “A Nation of Sheep”; “Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the
Government Breaks Its Own Laws”; “The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal
Government has Seized Power by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land”
Final Words: It seems that the Federal Government is all about controlling. They are
power hungry. They want to control the American People and they want to control other countries. It seems the power and prestige that we as a nation developed with other
countries has gone to the heads of those in authority and they are puffed up with that power and prestige. The President of the United States has the highest authority in the world – that is a lot of power to not get an inflated head over.
If you are wondering where to start or what you as one person can do, the best place to start is with prayer. Pray for God to open up doors that you can walk through to help put
America back the way she was before Big Government took too much control of her. Our Founding Fathers never intended for us to lie down and give up or just stick our heads in the
sand. We were and still are supposed to fight for our freedom, even living in America where
we should have many freedoms. We should never take our freedoms for granted because we have seen how they can be taken away almost in the blink of eye. I love America and I want her to be able to continue to lay claim on the song that she is “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”. We have many soldiers fighting foreign wars, but there are many
battles to be fought right here at home! Benjamin Franklin said “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”