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Hannity's Grade on Reading Declaration, Constitution: F

Host forgets that founding fathers saw government as essential to liberty

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 3, 2009 4:58 PM CDT

(Newser) – In honor of July 4th, Sean Hannity has been encouraging his audience to buy pocket copies of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. But he might want to read them a little more closely himself, notes Henry Claw for the New Majority. “We do believe that all men are created equal, that we have certain unalienable rights—life, liberty, pursuit of happiness—and that governments often get in the way,” Hannity said, summarizing the Declaration.

Hannity’s got the first part right, but the Founders did not share his view that government is more often than not an impediment to liberty. Rather, they believed that “to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men.” Conservatives like Hannity should reconcile their market-based, small-government philosophy with that of the founders, who saw “government as the guarantor of personal liberty,” Clay writes.

In this 2007 file photo, conservative talk show host Sean Hannity speaks during a debate against liberal Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In this 2007 file photo, conservative talk show host Sean Hannity speaks during a debate against liberal Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson in Salt Lake City, Utah.   (AP Photo)
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and talk-show host Sean Hannity, left, debate May 4, 2007, in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and talk-show host Sean Hannity, left, debate May 4, 2007, in Salt Lake City.   (AP Photo)
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Our forefathers justified revolution because the government instituted to secure their rights had failed in its duty. The Founders did not argue that government as such was an impediment to liberty. - Henry Clay

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 24 comments
John
Jul 6, 2009 9:46 AM CDT
Well said!!
NxBigmouthery
Jul 6, 2009 5:14 AM CDT
Henry Claw...the great Pirate Compromiser.
riffran
Jul 4, 2009 10:43 AM CDT
thats right..I was thinking "doublethink"...Gimmie a break, I read it about 30 or so years ago in school...I never got a good explanation from the teacher about why the old broad hipped woman doing laundry was "beautiful"...lol

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