A 12-Step Recovery Program for American Conservatives

Gary North - March 21, 2013

(With apologies to AA, where there really is hope for recovery.)

We admitted we were powerless over the temptations of political power -- that the federal government's unfunded liabilities had become unsustainable.

Came to believe that an unplanned but market-coordinated social order greater than ourselves could restore us and Washington to solvency.

Made a decision to turn other people's will and their lives back over to them, and henceforth to stay out of their peaceful decisions.

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our lust for power, especially over foreign nations.

Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our government's wrongs, which we supported enthusiastically, especially by funding 1,000+ off-shore military and surveillance bases.

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character, including our support of Social Security on the basis that "we paid for these benefits," which we really didn't, statistically speaking.

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings, including our support for Medicare -- "socialized medicine lite."

Made a list of all persons our policies had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all by voting to cut their taxes by at least 80%.

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others by making them even more dependent on government handouts.

Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it to ourselves and others by refusing to vote for any local bond issue, for any reason, ever.

Sought through thrift and personal responsibility to improve our conscious contact with other property owners, praying for knowledge of mutually beneficial plans and the power to carry them out.

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to conservatives, and to practice these principles in all our political affairs.