The Mars Hill Society
The Mars Hill
Society, as part
of the
Theological
Education
Institute, LLC,
is organized to
bring the ethos
of the Mars Hill
Forum series
into American
political life,
and even beyond.
It is neither a
non-profit
501(c)3
corporation, nor
a political
action committee
(PAC), nor a
political party,
thus avoiding
limiting and
different
categories as
defined by the
Internal Revenue
Service. The
goal of the Mars
Hill Society is
to be sure all
sides of a given
partisan debate
are heard
equally, and
encourages
people to run
for political
office based on
the six pillars
of honest
politics
(itemized
below).
The Mars Hill
Society is
rooted in a
statement of
political
philosophy as
the basis to
interpret all
related issues
in the civic
sphere, or most
simply what we
can call the
Mars Hill
Society
platform.
_____________________________________
The Mars Hill
Society Platform
The Mars Hill
Society is based
on trust in
limited
government. It
is inclusive of
any and all
persons who
celebrate
limited
government and
the six pillars
of honest
politics. The
Declaration of
Independence
gives the
original
definition to
the scope of
civil rights and
the nature of a
limited
government to
serve these
rights:
“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.
That to secure
these rights,
Governments are
instituted among
Men, deriving
their just
powers from the
consent of the
governed.”
In the Fifth
and Fourteenth
Amendments to
the U.S.
Constitution,
these rights are
legally defined
as the
protection of
persons from the
deprivation of
“life, liberty
or property”
without due
process of law.
In other words,
these rights
cannot be taken
away from us by
the power of the
state, unless
first we have
taken one or
several of these
rights away from
others.
The word
“men” as used in
the Declaration
is understood in
its best
literary sense
as inclusive of
all humankind –
men, woman and
children. It was
this commitment
to unalienable
rights, with the
checks and
balances on
power in the
consent of the
governed that
enabled the
United States to
overcome
inherited evils.
Especially, it
allowed us to
legally
emancipate
blacks and women
to fully
participate in
our democratic
and
constitutional
republic. And it
should apply
likewise to
Native
Americans.
The basis for
civil rights in
the Declaration
naturally
follows the
biblical order
of creation
where the
subjects of God,
life, choice and
sex are
introduced. In
the beginning is
God, and his
highest goal in
creation is
human life, as
he made man and
woman in his
image to be
stewards of the
good creation.
Then man and
woman are given
the power of
moral and
aesthetic
choices. The
most important
choice involves
human sexuality,
where in
marriage and the
establishment of
a household,
there resides
the power to
pass on the
gifts of life,
choice and sex,
through
procreation, to
our children.
The
Declaration
begins with God
as our Creator
who gives us
unalienable
rights. The
first is that of
life, followed
by liberty which
equals the
language of
choice and
freedom. Then
the language of
“the pursuit of
happiness,”
equally with
that of
“property,”
indicates the
subject of human
sexuality. Here,
as man and woman
join in
marriage, they
then establish a
new household,
which is their
basis for
property rights
and economic
productivity,
which in total
equals the basis
for the
individual and
society’s power
to pursue
happiness.
Rooted in
biblical ethics,
the Mars Hill
Society affirms
six pillars of
honest politics
which are
universal in
aspiration, and
an excellent
foundation for a
healthy
political order:
-
The power to
give affirms
that the
unalienable
rights given
by the Creator
belong to all
people
equally, and
leaders in
human
government
should serve
such a gift.
-
The power to
live in the
light means
leaders in
human
government at
every level
should be as
fully
transparent as
possible.
-
The power of
informed
choice is
rooted in an
honest
definition of
terms in
political
debate,
providing a
level playing
field for all
ideas to be
heard equally,
apart from
which
political
freedom is not
possible.
-
The power to
love hard
questions is
in place when
political
leaders honor
and answer
those who pose
them the
toughest
questions.
-
The power to
love enemies
recognizes
that even the
harshest of
political
opponents
share a common
humanity and
are to be
treated with
respect.
-
The power to
forgive
recognizes the
need to
address our
individual and
societal
transgressions
against each
other, and to
work toward
justice and
reconciliation.
As human life
is protected,
human liberty is
established, and
property rights
and the pursuit
of happiness are
made possible.
These three
contexts for
civil rights
equal the scope
of a limited
government, at
the federal and
state levels.
Their necessary
and logical
order equals the
framework for
defining good
law.
Life
Apart from a
definition of
human life,
questions of
liberty,
property and law
are moot. The
Mars Hill
Society affirms:
-
All human life
is made in
God’s image,
is of equal
value in God’s
sight, and for
its entire
natural
duration, is
to be
protected by
due process of
law as the
first order of
human
government.
-
The historic
family unit,
rooted in
heterosexual,
faithful and
monogamous
marriage, and
the fullest
possible
presence of
both father
and mother in
the raising of
children, is
the basic
institution in
society. It is
based on the
power to give
and it is the
cradle for
human life. As
such, it
deserves
unique
cultural and
legal
affirmation.
-
Civil society
can only exist
when trust
exists in
human
relationships,
this is what
the power to
give yields,
and is best
learned in the
intrinsic
nature of
faithful
marriage and
parenting.
-
Life can only
be forfeit,
after due
process, when
a person
deprives
another of his
or her life.
Liberty
All liberties
are in service
to human life,
and the First
Amendment to the
U.S.
Constitution
sets forth the
order of
liberties
necessary for a
just society:
“Congress
shall make no
law respecting
an establishment
of religion, or
prohibiting the
free exercise
thereof; or
abridging the
freedom of
speech, or of
the press; or
the right of the
people peaceably
to assemble, and
to petition the
government for a
redress of
grievances.”
The Mars Hill
Society affirms:
-
The first
freedom is
that of
religious
liberty, and
only when it
is secured is
there freedom
of speech,
press,
assembly and
redress of
grievances.
The “free
exercise
thereof” is
secured as
Congress gives
no preference
to one church
denomination
or religious
organization
over another;
as it refuses
to establish
churches, and
as it is free
itself from
being
established by
a church.
-
The goal is
“free
exercise,”
which is to
say that
citizens of
all religious
or
philosophical
persuasions
are invited to
participate in
the political
process
according to
their express
beliefs, to
participate on
a genuine
level playing
field.
-
Religious
liberty
celebrates the
enfranchisement
of all
minority
worldviews,
guaranteeing
the vote to
all
law-abiding
citizens.
Majority and
plurality
religious or
political
worldviews
expect no more
freedom to
advocate their
positions than
the freedom
minority
worldviews
have. By the
same token,
minority
worldviews
have no more
freedom to see
their
positions
morally or
legally
enfranchised,
beyond what
they can win
through the
persuasion of
the consent of
the governed.
-
For those who
by choice,
circumstance
or the
brokenness of
adversity do
not
participate
fully or
partly as
members of the
historic
family unit,
they should be
equally free
from punitive
laws
restricting
private
associations.
All persons,
however, must
accept
accountability
for the public
consequences
of their
private
associations
and actions,
and in no way
deprive others
of life,
liberty or
property.
-
The education
of children is
the primary
responsibility
and liberty of
parents. As
such,
government
must serve
this
prerogative,
and serve
local
liberties to
define the
nature and
relationship
between
private and
public
education.
This freedom
of choice in
primary and
secondary
education is
the foundation
for a vibrant
higher
education, for
this nation’s
commitment to
a genuine
liberal arts
discipline in
all the
sciences, and
thus for
preparation of
leadership in
all sectors of
the culture.
-
There is a
crucial
liberty for
people to
choose their
own means of
health
coverage,
retirement
provision and
other
“insurance”
and “social
security” type
needs apart
from
government
mandated
means. By the
same token,
where
government
means have
been mandated
in the past,
all such
promises must
be honored.
-
The liberty
for citizens
to disobey
civil
government is
only
applicable
when and if
the Bill of
Rights were to
be abridged by
the force of a
coercive and
unconstitutional
State power,
thus seeking
to force
citizens to
deny their
religious or
other beliefs
in word or
deed.
-
An immigration
policy rooted
in the
identity of
the United
States as a
nation of
immigrants
reflects the
power to give;
our future
identity is
rooted in the
same power to
give which
welcomes legal
immigrants.
-
In its
international
role, the
United States
should model
its
constitutional
freedoms.
Wherever
religious,
political and
economic
liberties are
respected or
sought after,
the United
States is free
to join in
mutually
appropriate
relationships.
As well, the
United States
maintains its
prerogative
for national
sovereignty
and defense as
the best means
to be an agent
for religious,
political and
economic
liberty within
the community
of nations,
respecting
equally the
same
aspirations of
all other
peoples.
-
Liberty can
only be
forfeit, after
due process,
when a person
deprives
another of his
or her rights.
Property
Once life and
liberty are
secured,
property rights
and the pursuit
of happiness
become possible.
The Mars Hill
Society affirms:
-
The ownership
and protection
of private
property, to
keep what is
honesty
earned, to
buy, sell, and
trade based on
the same; this
is the liberty
for all to
pursue.
-
The
reservation of
rights to
property
belongs first
with the
people, and
then within
the local and
state
jurisdictions
which are
outside the
scope of a
limited
federal
government.
-
The
jurisdiction
of a limited
federal
government
includes those
areas where
interstate
cooperation is
necessary for
the common
good; such as
national
defense,
commerce and
the protection
of the
environment;
as well as the
protection of
life, liberty
and property
in capacities
that transcend
an individual
state
jurisdiction,
or supercede
it in concert
with the
unalienable
rights to
life, liberty
and property.
-
The right for
collective
bargaining in
labor matters,
and the right
not to
participate in
the same, are
equally
necessary.
-
Tax policies
must support
society’s
dependence on
the historic
family unit,
taxes must be
in fair
proportion to
government’s
legitimate
needs, must be
derived from
productive
economic
activity, and
must encourage
entrepreneurial
ventures and
capital
formation for
businesses and
job creation.
-
The ethical
commitment and
logical order
of a free
market economy
is: “Earn all
you can, save
all you can,
employ all you
can, and give
away all you
can.”
Accordingly,
it is
understood
that wealth
and the
cognate power
for charity is
produced by
families and
workers in the
private
sector, not by
government.
Government
serves the
free market
economy in its
constitutional
role of
protecting
life, liberty
and property.
-
The support of
the historic
family unit
rooted in the
faithful
presence of
both the
father and
mother, is the
best deterrent
to criminal
actions which
violate
persons and
property, and
the best
deterrent to
substance
abuse.
-
Property can
only be
forfeit, after
due process,
when a person
deprives
another of his
or her rights.
The Mars Hill
Society affirms
the above
principles as a
guideline for
specific public
policies. It
believes that
the government
which governs
the least
governs the
best, and
accordingly is
committed to
reducing the
complexity and
amount of
current local,
state and
federal statutes
as much as
possible.
_____________________________________
The starting
point for the
Mars Hill
Society is in
Connecticut. As
and if it proves
successful, it
can be exported
to other states,
and eventually
applied to
federal
politics. Rooted
in the pursuit
of simplicity,
truth-telling
and transparency
as a summation
of the six
pillars, the
Mars Hill
Society believes
the following
nine goals can
be realized:
-
The power of a
level playing
field for all
ideas to be
heard equally
– the truth
can then best
be understood.
-
The power to
maximize
unalienable
rights for all
people
equally.
-
The power to
build a
healthy
society rooted
in the nature
of marriage
and
parenthood.
-
The power to
reduce
statutory law
by at least 99
percent, and
thus reduce
the size of
state
government
drastically,
while greatly
increasing the
quality of the
government for
its essential
purposes.
-
The power to
cut state
taxes
drastically.
-
The power of
an unleashed
free market
economy to
help the state
become the
best
destination in
the nation for
honest and
creative
businesses.
-
The power of
an unleashed
free market
economy to cut
health care
costs
drastically,
while greatly
increasing its
quality and
access to all
people
equally.
-
The power of
an unleashed
free market
economy to cut
auto insurance
rates
drastically.
-
The power of
an unleashed
free market
economy to set
local
neighborhoods
free to
prosper, to
build up the
middle class,
and serve
tangible hope
and prosperity
for the poor
and needy.
Step One: A
Simplified State
Constitution and
Statutory Law
James Madison
said that “if
the laws be so
voluminous that
they cannot be
read, or so
incoherent that
they cannot be
understood,”
then it does us
little good to
have an elected
government.
When laws are
too complex for
the society at
large to
understand, then
government
becomes the
playground for
various
politicians,
lawyers,
bureaucrats, et
al., whose
purposes are
other than the
genuine consent
of the governed.
Thus, John
Rankin has a
proposal to
start the
discussion, and
in a timely view
of the legally
mandated option
for a
Constitutional
Convention
following the
2008 election.
He has vastly
edited and
simplified the
Connecticut
Constitution,
reducing it from
twenty-four to
ten pages, and
the General
Statutes,
reducing them
from some 14,000
dense pages
(with an
additional 3,000
pages of index),
down to
twenty-two pages
(minus
footnotes). It
is in service to
the nine goals
above, seeking
to replace
distrust with
trust,
complexity with
simplicity, and
opaqueness with
transparency;
thus it seeks to
draw honest
people into
politics. He has
also edited the
United States
Constitution and
vastly
simplified the
united States
Code from 48,000
pages down to 14
pages of General
Statutes.
Step Two: A
Statewide
Convention and
Recruiting
Honest
Candidates
When there is
enough interest,
a statewide
convention of
the Mars Hill
Society can be
called. Here the
six pillars of
honest politics
will be defined,
and the proposed
new state
constitution and
statutory laws
can be set forth
for public
discussion and
input.
The Mars Hill
Society would
encourage
citizens who
endorse its
platform to run
for all State
Senate and House
seats in 2008
(and for
Constitutional
offices in
2010), including
any who might
compete against
each other in
primaries or the
general election
if that proves
to be the case.
And perhaps a
few from the
current
legislature
might be
interested too.
The
convention would
begin a process
of addressing
every possible
issue raised by
the proposed new
constitution and
statutory laws,
and seek the
best experts
from all
perspectives
within the
larger political
culture to be
present and
participate, so
that a level
playing field
for all ideas is
honored.
If this
process can
arrive at
agreement for a
proposed new
state
constitution and
statutory laws
soon enough,
then Mars Hill
Society members
can run for
office on it,
and in support
of the
Constitutional
Convention.
Step Three: In
Service to All
Interested
For those who
embrace the
trajectory of
the Mars Hill
Society
platform, the
Mars Hill
Society will
serve them
regardless of
their party
affiliation,
offering
educational
resources, but
will not
participate in
actual political
campaigns. In
other words, the
Mars Hill
Society does not
endorse any
political party
or candidates;
rather
candidates may
choose to
endorse the six
pillars and/or
the platform.
Since the
defining
partisanship of
the Mars Hill
Society is the
creation of a
level playing
field for all
partisan ideas
to be heard
equally,
churches can
fully
participate.
They will never
be asked to
endorse
candidates, but
rather are free
to host forums
where all
candidates for a
particular
office, and/or
other
dissenters, are
equally invited
to be heard.
###
