“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good,” they say. Well, they are wrong.

Since I began Tennessee Stands nearing two years ago (feels like a lifetime ago), we have held strong to one of our core principles, constitutional integrity. What does that mean exactly? Well, I will elaborate a bit.

We support ideals, and possible legislation, that align with the core principles and intentions of our US Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. Why? Because these documents are literally, the voice and will of the People. The moment we stray to the left or to the right, we no longer have a “We the People,” we just have a “we the government.” These guideposts must remain firm because it is the only way to resist the constant force of the tyranny of the majority or the will of whoever holds the keys of power at any given moment.

This type of tyranny was a real issue under the previous Articles of Confederation and one of the motivating factors for penning the Constitution and setting guardrails in place via a central government.

Most of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear realize by now how far astray we have gone from our founding principles in terms of the size and scope of Government, the lie of separation of church and state (a deeper discussion for another time), separation of powers, self-governance, and the list goes on. Especially over the past two years, we have seen government seize power in such a way that many of us never dreamed was possible in America, much less Tennessee.

So, when it comes to legislation as it makes its way through the General Assembly, we pay attention. Because the words on the page matter and the unintended consequences of the passage of everything that makes its way to the Governor’s desk haunt my thoughts. I never want that sinking feeling of, “Oh God, what have we done?”

My purpose and mission in what we support legislatively is always to hold to a few non-negotiable standards. And those are:

1. That we do not enlarge the purpose and powers of the government.
2. That we do not infringe upon or in any way abridge the constitutionally secured rights of individuals.
3. That we honor God and His role in government by never assuming that He is not in control, or by disparaging those God-given, and therefore, unalienable rights.
4. That we hold to our values and the moral fiber woven throughout Tennessee to protect the interests of families and the sanctity of life.
5. That we never give a foothold to tyranny, outside interests, or powers that seek to undermine the integrity of our constitution, our state sovereignty, and our ability to self-govern.

With every piece of legislation that we put before our elected body, these principles are at risk. Therefore, we do so with caution and intentionality.

I have become aware of a subtlety that exists, or dare I say, is pervasive throughout our conservative circles here in Tennessee. It has been brought to my attention that I am too much of an idealist. I demand perfection. And my high regard for what ought to be is going to possibly destroy our opportunity to get what we can.

Gary, “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” Have you ever heard that before?

In political circles, I am told that the proper way to get things done is to just take one bite at a time. In each session, just take what you can get because you can always come back next year and get just a little bit more. Do not worry that we may have missed the mark this year, or perhaps created some small issue. We can always come back next year. Each legislative session is an opportunity to build onto our prior accomplishments.

When someone expresses those sentiments to me, let me tell you what my ears hear.

“I don’t really believe that our government draws its legitimacy from our consent. At the end of the day, those who are elected hold the keys and if we push too hard, perhaps our efforts towards liberty will be thwarted. So, we must take what we can get from our masters. We understand that liberty is only given just a little at a time. And if we upset the apple cart, perhaps we will lose our seat at the table. We must play according to their rules.”

I want to ask you a simple question. How has this been working out for you?

Conservatives have been operating according to these principles for quite some time, decades. And look around you. What has our compliance produced? Where is the fruit? Has it preserved liberty? Or, has the needle moved towards tyranny and a government very unrepresentative of where we first began?

It is truly amazing to me how many activists and organizations that began with a fire towards the fight to push back, are quickly taught to do what we have always done. Settle. And their ability to influence is quickly subdued until they become nothing more than a part of the system, capitulating to those in power as to convince others (as well as themselves) that they have some measure of influence. In truth, they have simply been tamed into obedience.

A friend of mine often uses a quote from the book Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville that I have gone back to many times.

“If the lights that guide us ever go out, they will fade little by little, as if of their own accord. Confining ourselves to practice, we may lose sight of basic principles, and when these have been entirely forgotten we may apply the methods derived from them badly; we might be left without the capacity to invent new methods and only able to make a clumsy and an unintelligent use of wise procedures no longer understood.”

This to me is the crux of our issue now. We have forgotten the basic principles that our founders held so dear. And without that firm foundation, we continue to build with tools that we no longer understand, and the outcomes of our efforts made with good intentions are nothing but the underpinnings of a future where we will have all but forgotten the past – a future with an identity we will no longer recognize.

If you are a follower of Christ, here is a truth that you ought not ignore. Your command is to obey, do what is right, and always hold firm to the truth no matter the circumstances. In every arena, including the halls of our legislature, our job is never to control outcomes. That job is forever and always His.

We should not give an inch. We never compromise. We hold to the Standard. And then, we wait on God. Please hear me, your striving and your positioning will get you nowhere.

So, to those who still have the will to stand, let me challenge you – Stand now.