Local candidates for city offices have been given a copy of the book "The Law" written by Frederic Bastiat. Most of the candidates are currently reading the book. The book was donated to the candidates who had not previously read it by the Citizens for Proper Government. Three candidates in North Ogden, Dave Hulme, Reed Mackley, and Brent Taylor had previously read this 85 page paperback which clearly describes freedom, justice, and liberty consistent with truth and the United States Constitution. The book conveys the idea that what is right before God for the individual also applies in a group. Walter Williams provides the foreword: "Bastiat says, 'See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong'." Williams also writes: "Frederic Bastiat could have easily been a fellow traveler of the signers of our Declaration of Independence."
The book is a great read for all of us and we recommend it to everyone who has more than a fifth grade education. This book is short, but may take some thought to digest though. We hope that it will become a standard for those seeking the foundations of justice in Government. Copies may be obtained from several sources including on-line and local.
With the general election coming up, the Freedom Coalition will be preparing to interview our candidates regarding "The Law", their understanding of principles of justice and their willingness to act justly in the public good. The candidates will have an opportunity to apply the principles of justice to a few short examples of the same real life issues that have confronted cities.
Once the candidates have completed the justice survey, The Freedom Coalition will give a justice estimate rank (0 to 10) to each candidate. This rank will combine the book with a measure of willingness to commit to governing with justice, and a measure of justice actions. This will then be published in the Sentinel News in a special edition of the Sentinel News on the Friday before the general election for the benefit of the public.
