This caged bird is not singing

Heterotopic Ossification is a medical condition in which bone in the skeletal system abnormally grows into the soft tissues of the body. This condition, though rare, causes the skeleton to abandon it's created purpose, of supporting the functions of the body unit and protecting vital internal organs, to become a parasite which calcifies and chokes off the health of the very body it is meant to support. Eventually, this condition makes the body vulnerable to lesions, terminal diseases, infections, spinal deformities, and crippling malformations.

Ultimately, the more virulent types of this condition cause a painful and inevitable death.

So, Lachen, this is all very fascinating, you mutter. But a bit unusually morbid and off the wall, isn't it? Is there a point emerging here somewhere?

There is, actually.

You see, our nation is afflicted with ossification disease. The Federal government we crafted in order to support, serve, and ensure the protection of our rights, our freedoms, our traditions, and our lives is invading and altering the vital elements of our nation and souls. It is rendering us powerless by choking the life from us. Though usually with pure intention, it has become a spreading disease, its expanding impact rendering us more and more dependent on it for our survival by spreading outside it's necessary boundaries and robbing us of our vital functions.

And our dignity.

And our purpose.

And our function as human beings, Godly faithful, patriots, compassionate people of character, conscience, ability, intelligence, and honor.

The skeleton which is meant to protect and support the function of the body has become a cage which imprisons the spirit. And whose bars are moving more invasively inward at a crushing exponential rate.

Do you not see this occurring? It is happening now, right before us. If we are content to do nothing, the ossification of our nation and ourselves will continue. Though we inherited this trend from generations before us ~ arguably since the formation of our nation, if we do nothing, our children will inherit the cages we've built, whose stifling bars will be terminal. We are being redefined as a nation as we continue to hand over vital functions we once took for granted as individual freedoms, obligations, and rights as individuals to accommodate an ever-expanding Federal government who proposes to relieve us of such burdens.

The following excerpts are taken from a CATO article, astounding in it's wealth of data, facts, and figures which support and amplify my assertion.

"The Bill of Rights was to ensure that government would never grow so large that it could trample on the individual and economic liberties of American citizens. These liberties are eroding. The United States has been gradually transformed from a nation with almost no government presence in the marketplace to one in which the government is now the predominant actor in the domestic economy. Consider the following:

• There are now more Americans employed by government than by the entire manufacturing sector in America.
• In the past 25 years the federal government has spent $2.5 trillion on welfare and aid to cities. This is enough money to purchase all of the assets of the Fortune 500 companies plus all of the farmland in the United States.
• In 1987 U.S. farmers received more money in government subsidies than they did in selling their crops in the marketplace. In short, farmers now produce for the government, not U.S. consumers.
• In three states today —California, Maine, and New York— almost half of all middle-income family wages are captured by government through income, payroll, property, and sales taxes, and other levies.

• In 1900 the federal government consumed less than 5 percent of total output.
• In 1950 the federal government consumed roughly 15 percent of total output.
• In 1992 the federal government consumed almost 25 percent of total output.

• In 1930 workers paid one of every eight dollars of them income in taxes.
• In 1950 workers paid one of every four dollars of their income in taxes.
• In 1992 workers paid one of every three dollars of their income in taxes.

• In 1900 the average family paid nearly $1,400 in taxes.
• In 1950 the average family paid nearly $7,000 in taxes.
• In 1992 the average family paid over $16,000 in taxes.

• In 1900 the government spent $10 billion on social welfare.
• In 1950 the government spent $130 billion on social welfare.
• In 1988 the government spent $980 billion on social welfare.

• In 1990 government anti-poverty spending equaled $184 billion.
• In 1990 it would have cost only $75 billion to bring every family with an income below the poverty level up above that benchmark. Hence, government was spending two-and-a-half times what would be needed to end poverty in America
• However, after that $184 billion was spent, some 30 million Americans remained below the poverty level.
• More than half of all welfare recipients had pre-welfare incomes above the poverty level.

• In 1940 government spent $5 billion on monthly payroll.
• In 1960 government spent $14 billion on monthly payroll.
• In 1990 government spent $36 billion on monthly payroll."

We must not be taxed so that government can redistribute our wealth to projects and priorities defined without our participation. We must not depend on our government for our survival, but rather, our government should be dependent upon US for its survival. We are not entitled, we are empowered. We should not need to beg to worship or acknowledge the Lord, but rather celebrate our freedom to do so without governmental interference. We must protect innocent life at all costs, not protect those who seek to exterminate it with tangled laws and massive regulation.

I love my country. I love our diverse and vibrant people, our history, and our potential. Government is a good thing. Government is a neccessary entitity with a legitimate role to play in our lives and nation. But our American Federal government has outpaced itself in size, costs, importance, reach, utility, waste, and regulation. It is ossifying us to the point of personal disability. This is not a Democratic problem. It is not a problem limited to, defined by, or caused by the current Republican adminiprecedinghe immediately preceeding Democratic administration, or any specific political scapegoat. We have all participated in this ossification process.

And it requires our rapt attention. I again borrow my wisdom from CATO, who concludes:

"American government has far outgrown the limits set by our founders in the Constitution. If the twenty-first century is to be the American century, government must be redirected to its proper and legitimate role. The growth of government is the greatest tragedy of the twentieth century."

Please stand with me and take back our responsibilities from a government who has expanded to poach them from us. Vote against new taxes. Vote against new social welfare programs. Vote against irresponsible spending. Vote against the tide - refuse to believe in the mantra that government is the answer to our ills. Become part of the solution, and give the glory to God and the hearts of His people. Stand against the invasion of our lives in areas which belong to us alone. Be aware. Be heard. Be willing. Be bold. Be ready.

It is time to reign in the worsening calcifying ossification of our national body before our hearts stop beating.