Genesis of the "NO" Logo

In history there have been two basic forms of social organization: collectivism and individualism. In the 20th and 21st century, collective variations have included socialism, fascism, Nazism, and communism. Under collectivism, a ruling class of “intellectuals”, bureaucrats, politicians and/or social planners decides what people want or what is “good” for society and then uses the coercive power of the State to regulate, tax and redistribute wealth in an attempt to achieve their desired objectives. Individualism is a political and social philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence and responsibility. It embraces opposition to controls over the individual when exercised by the state. The Preamble to our Constitution makes it plain that all power rests originally with the people, as individuals.
The “O” within the circle represents collectivism in its various forms. The “N” represents an emphatic repudiation of collectivism. The red, white and blue circles encompassing the “NO” are emblematic of our Republic. It is the responsibility of the individuals in an engaged and enlightened republic to limit the influence of the government, especially one that attempts to wield power outside the boundaries delineated by the Constitution.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Thoughts from Ronald Reagan

Boy, do I miss him. Tell me these thoughts don't ring true today!

'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'


'I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.'


'The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination.'


'Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.'


'The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program.'


'Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it'


'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.'


'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.'


Posted by Enlightened Republic at 10:38 AM