In the world of fashion, it is often said that trends begin in Europe before catching on in the United States.  Unfortunately, the European trend of watering down the definition of “rights” seems to be gaining traction on this side of the Atlantic, and our Europhile-in-Chief and the Lefties who enable Hhim (see, among others, this, this, and this) seems to openly encourage this trend (so long as it leads to an increased centralization of power in the federal government or allows the government to spend more tax dollars for things never envisioned by the Founders of our great nation).

According to this article by the Ottawa Citizen (go on, try to read that [mercifully] brief article without throwing up your hands in exasperation), “Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise and industry,” would like to see the EU declare that “[t]ravelling for tourism today is a right” on the specious grounds that “[t]he way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life.”  This Italian politician’s proposal “would see taxpayers footing some of the vacation bill for seniors, youths between the ages of 18 and 25, disabled people, and families facing ‘difficult social, financial or personal’ circumstances.”

Apparently “quality of life” indicators need to be subsidized to ensure that Europeans’ human rights are protected.  What other quality of life indicators should the government by our neighbors with our money?

Surely this couldn’t gain traction in America!  I mean, next you’ll have the government declaring health care to be a human right!

In modern America, it seems that rights emanate, not from the Almighty Creator, but from the Almighty State.  The modern American liberal (and fascistic) belief that the state is the source of rights is anathema to the belief of the Founders, who wrote:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Even if we as a nation never sign on to the idea that the “pursuit of happiness” should include taxpayer-funded vacations* as a human right, we must all become aware of both how slippery the slope is and how far down we have already fallen.  We should also remember that it is never too late to turn the tide, to return to prominence the principles on which this nation was founded: limited government; personal liberty (and responsibility); and equality of opportunity.

-Nutmegger

*I refer to taxpayer-funded vacations for Americans in general; the taxpayer-funded vacations enjoyed by our Congressional representatives are beyond the scope of this post.

A trip down memory lane…

On November 20th, Obama told “roughly 1,500 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines” at Osan Air Base in South Korea the following: “You Guys Make a Pretty Good Photo Op.”

This is exactly the statement he makes when he limits his discussion at the White House with “executives of a dozen major financial firms” to ninety minutes to discuss the economy.

Heaven help us; we have a president who governs via “photo ops.”

Note: Per Eamon Javers at Politico, “There was no group photograph taken of the CEOs with the president, which typically happens at ceremonial White House gatherings but not at serious strategy sessions.”  I use “photo op” metaphorically; in other words, we have a president who is all talk but no action, all form but no substance.