December 31, 2001

Who’s the Boss?
By Ed Lewis

This is a fitting subject on this last day of the year of our Lord, 2001, a year fraught with deceit, destruction, and infringements on the rights of not only American citizens, but citizens in many other countries as well.

It has become painfully obvious elected officials do not know or understand who the boss is (or ignore it) but – neither do the people. Perhaps people are just too brainwashed to having a boss and cannot function without one. After all, from our first awareness on, most of us are subjected to a boss or bosses.

At first, it is our parents – or perhaps parents plus an older sibling. And, then, occasionally, there is a baby sitter thrown in. All have the authority to boss us as each may remove something we want or punish us for any “wrongful” acts that might be committed. Back in the old days, kids might even get a spanking for being “bad” or made to stand in a corner. But, it was accepted since we deserved it.

Then, we confront public education, an institution that has many bosses for each of us. Every teacher, secretary, janitor, other parents, and administrators are our bosses, each with their own definition of being “bad”. And, of course, there are the many government based rules to be observed and obeyed, rules that come from (quote)(unquote) experts in education, learning, positive measures to develop self-motivation (all motivation is by the person himself), and materials needed to facilitate learning – legislators and the like.

Then, when graduation from high school comes, one either enters the working world or goes on for further “education”. Either way, additional bosses are encountered. Many, such as those who must work while attending college, have extra bosses over those who don’t have to work.

One might even get married where freedom of choice is once again hindered – that is, complete freedom of choice. For example, a spouse might want to go out even though the partner is dead tired. The freedom of choice is still there – sort of – but often for the sake of harmony, the dead-tired partner goes out anyway. And, we all know of the power that the threat of sex or affection being withheld has on our behaviors.

And, then there are the household duties that must be done if any semblance of being civilized is to be maintained. Thus, the house or apartment and the yard, if there is one, becomes a “boss” of sorts – you know, “Hey, fix my water leak or I am going to cost a fortune in water” or “Hey, mow my grass or I am going to let weeds grow rampant.” Sometimes there is even the “Darn you, get it done” from a spouse in the case of household necessities. In that case, there is the same threat of withdrawn affection and sex if the task is not done.

Hopefully, by this time – adulthood – we have internalized what it takes to live with our fellow man. We make the right decisions to avoid interfering with the rights of our neighbors while being free to pursue our happiness and enjoy our gains as we see fit. But, those elected to government seem to think this doesn’t occur – that we must continue having bosses over our behaviors. As if magically because of being elected or placed in office, they are the know all and be all we must respond to.

Now, we have all had bosses. But, what exactly is a boss by definition. It is an employer or supervisor. A boss may also be one who makes decisions or exercises authority. Or, a boss may even be a professional politician who controls a party or political machine. As such, it would seem that all bosses have the authority to order one around. In the case of many bosses, orders are given in an arrogant or domineering manner that is described by The American Heritage Dictionary as “bossing us around.”

Then, there are supervisors. Is there a difference? Supervisors superintend, which is to oversee and direct. There is a world of difference between “bossing around” and supervisors. One of the most obvious is that the greatest supervisors are leaders who cause people to become self-motivated to whatever task is at hand. This people should be at a premium because they are true leaders while a boss may be nothing more than some incompetent promoted because of time and not leadership abilities or qualities. Orders from this type of authoritarian-based person is given on “Hey, you will do it; I am your boss” – even if it isn’t voiced - while the greatest supervisors cause those in his department or whatever to “want” to do the job for the satisfaction from doing a “good” job.

To sum this up, the boss relies on his position of perceived authority to exact proper behaviors from people while the supervisor relies on his leadership abilities to exact the same or, the usual result, improved behaviors.

Because of early training of exposure to bossing, rather than effective supervisory leadership, we have developed a nation of people who, for the most part, respond to any in apparent positions of authority as if they have control over us. Behavior is controlled by fear of retribution but not actual authority.

All authority is granted. It is not inherent in any person born except in the sense that each has control over his decisions. For example, an “at work” boss has authority only if the individual allows it. Most employees in these troubled times allow it because jobs are hard to find. Because of this, a boss – regardless of how poor a supervisor he is – is put up with by employees who have the misfortune of being subjected to his incompetence as a leader.

Thus, it has been written that 90 percent of workers are dissatisfied with what they do with most of the dissatisfaction relating to the quality of those “in charge” of them. Most can recall beginning a new job they loved – that is, until some person “in charge” ruined it. Then, it became a chore rather than a blessing.

So what is authority? It is the power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge. It is the power assigned to another or authorized.

Power (all the definitions are for the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Ed, 2000) is the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively. It is also the ability or official capacity to exercise control. Study this for a minute, including bosses, supervisors, authority, and power.

Okay. There is one more definition of power that must be learned to understand how we have failed ourselves and brought this country founded on the God-given liberties of man to the edge of ruin. POWER – The ability to maintain a moral or intellectual position firmly.

Anyway, the story of most of our lives is the story of responding to all authority, whether real or imagined, as if it is real and that others have “power” over us. We are essentially taught this. The reality is, though, that every human being is an entity in and of themselves, with a mind of his own, and freedom of will. As and individual human being, he has rights that may not be denied nor infringed upon unless he chooses to allow it. Freedom of choice cannot be taken away – even by force.

The workers who quit understood – although not one could verbalize it – that the only authority/power over them is what they granted. They had the choice to either put up with unfairness or leave the work place to never return. Either way, the individual was free to make the choice. If they chose the former, then they granted the “boss” the authority to boss them around. If the latter, they chose to deny the boss the authority.

If every worker across the land behaved the same – that is to not tolerate incompetent, unfair, and/or ruthless bosses – there would never have been the need for legislation concerning the work place. Free enterprise (free choice) would control the behaviors of business owners, supervisors, and bosses.

In these united States, certain authority has been granted to Congress but the authority rests only in assuring its duties outlined in Article I, Section 8 are met. Furthermore, the Constitution secures all self-evident rights of the people of this nation whether they are enumerated or not. Every State and political subdivision must concur with the Constitution. Each State’s constitution must have a provision documenting this. Self-evident rights may NOT be legislated against and – even by legalese and many court decisions that have never been overturned, should be ignored for being null and void.

We each have a choice to respond to orders made by these “bosses” in government. Government, regardless of level, has no more authority – no more power – than what each of us as the sovereign grants it. Forget what the majority or some powerful interest group dictates or thinks is best – this isn’t a democracy. If any law made by man clearly violates one’s rights, then the proper choice – and duty – is to ignore it. We hold that POWER, not those put in government by us or appointed by those we selected.

The rub is that government has instilled fear along with the internalized effects of being exposed to bosses rather than supervisors. Most people fear government and will not do what might be in their gut to do – ignore it.

But, if we want our country back from dictators filling all levels of government, then the solution is simple – every citizen ignore laws directed to the sovereign citizen. These man-made liberty-robbing pieces of doo-doo exist only to create unlawfully procured revenue (fiat money and/or through unlawful property seizures) for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, cities, counties, States, the Federal Reserve, other countries, members of Congress, and other federal agencies, bureaus, and departments. It is to the tune that trillions are in reserve nationally; billions are in reserve in every State; and millions are in reserve in towns of a few thousand or more.

We are the bosses, the ultimate authority – government assumes it is because of our compliance. We have the ultimate power – government forces itself on us through our compliance, not any real authority. We have the authority and the power to rid ourselves of its control – it may do so only by applying unlawful and treasonous force.

Unlawful force – coercion through physical or financial threats - creates fear in people. Folks, this is America, not Gestapo Germany. We should not have to live in fear of government – government should exist only when there is no fear in the people. And, for a government in this country to use force – including killing citizens who do not comply – all that can be said is America, the Beautiful – the Land of the Free – must have died someplace along the path from its founding to the present.

Or is it that Liberty (and the Christianity it is based on) has been killed in the minds of our people? Either way, freedom given by God has been surrendered to a very evil few.

But, it doesn’t have to remain this way. We, the People of these united States have the ability and freedom of will to firmly maintain a moral or intellectual position. That is the POWER of millions of people that those in government fear the most; the reason it wishes to establish anti-terrorist measures (anti-freedom measures in reality); and to ultimately remove our last means of defense – our firearms.

We – and only we - have the power to allow the government to proceed undaunted – or to stop it in its liberty-robbing tracks. Those who opt the latter are with the American cause for freedom. Those who opt for the former are aiding the terrorists of the world, including those originating in the District of Columbia, State legislators, and local governments. (Remember the definition of “terrorist”)

It is your choice, no matter what the balance of society opts for. Exercise the freedom of will we are each blessed with. Elect to live in freedom or servitude to the few.

YOU ARE THE BOSS OF YOUR BEING!! All the people in government cannot take that away from you unless you – and you alone – allow it.

That, Folks, is being a true American patriot, not the crap being shoveled out by the US Government.