So much for representative government

In the headline article on Open Congress this morning, there is a discussion about whether or not Democrats in the House of Representatives will or will not insist on a public option in the health care bill. In that article, there is a disturbing statement; "his job as Majority Whip is to tell rank and file Dems how to vote". I think that we all knew that these types of shenanigans were happening in Washington, but calling out that there is a single individual responsible for telling the people that citizens elected to represent them how to vote should be grounds for everyone to contact their representatives and tell them how to vote.

This is a travesty and should be highlighted as such. When you go to the polls to select the person that you would like to "represent" you in Washington, you expect that they are representing you and your neighbors and looking out for your best interests. You don't really expect them to be taking orders from the National Committee, do you? This is not a phenomenon unique to the Democrats, the Republicans have the Minority Whip, whose actual job description is likely very similar.

For those of you who were wondering how anyone can read a 2000 page bill, digest the information, and make an intelligent choice on whether or not to vote on it, here is your answer. They are not doing it, they are taking orders from their commandant. Find the representatives who have a decent percentage of voting against their party and you may find that you actually have a principled individual. Mr. Paul (R-TX) and Mr. Minnick (D-ID) tend to fit the bill very well.

At the next round of elections, make sure that you are clear on whether you are voting for an individual that understands that their job is to represent their local constituents or a lemming who will do whatever the party bosses desire.

Welcome to the New World Order

We now live in a country that is pushing rapidly towards fealty to a world government, the United Nations, whose primary ideology is socialistic. Our elected officials regularly violate The Constitution and proceed to explain to us that it does not apply since “it could not have predicted the current world”. This is a false claim and anyone who has read The Constitution knows it. The Constitution was defined, debated, and ratified as a set of laws that restrict the power of the federal government, not enable it. If you read The Federalist Papers and The Anti-Federalist Papers, you will understand that the overriding concern in the debate was a federal government with excessive power and the final wording of the document was defined in response to that concern.

Yet, here we are on the brink of a complete collapse of everything that The Declaration of Independence stood for. The founders of this great nation, and subsequent generations of immigrants for the next century, saw this country as a beacon of freedom where individuals could pursue their own best interest without interference from an oppressive government. Over the course of 233 years, we have gone from a nation that reveled in the successes of the individual to vilifying those same successes. Truly successful individuals, whether alone or as part of a business venture, are now regularly subjected to violations of their 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th Amendment rights while we collectively look the other way under the assumption that they must have been doing something wrong. Most of this devolution has occurred within the last hundred years as the propaganda machine of the so-called Progressives has slowly eroded the dream of The Founding Fathers.

Those of you who subscribe to the Progressive agenda will accuse me of being an “ideologue”, to which I must reply with a simple “thank you”. At some level you acknowledge that this is a debate of ideals, not just public policy. The root of the disagreement is that there is no “right” of anyone to the product of another individual’s effort. It doesn’t matter how successful the victim is, or how destitute the claimant is, it is slavery to force a successful individual to subsidize another. If one chooses to assist another with the product of his labor, it is called charity, if it is via government mandate, it is a clear violation of the 13^th Amendment. Section 1 of the 13^th Amendment states;

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

The language is very clear, yet we have massive entitlement programs that violate the involuntary servitude clause and most of the country accepts this as “the price of a civilized society”. The fallacy is that a civilized society does not allow for slavery either.

At this point, I must give credit to the Progressive movement. They have succeeded in long range planning on a scale that is truly impressive, whether they realize it or not. By permeating the education system, the press, and all levels of government over the course of a century, they have slowly set the stage for what we see happening today. The slow but steady march, moving off of the main stage when necessary, is truly impressive. Seventy years ago we were propagandized with an “Economic Bill of Rights”, and the country accepted it. It sounds nice, but it is fundamentally flawed and is the basis of the aforementioned violations of the 13^th Amendment. Forty years ago, we were handed “The Great Society”, which also sounded good, until you realize the premise behind it.

Realize that this is not a Republican condemning Democrats, it is a believer in the limited government defined by The Constitution condemning all Progressives, regardless of party affiliation. If one takes the time to do a little reading about the American political landscape from 1875-1910, one will find an ideological split in the Democratic Party between the Progressives and the Bourbon Democrats. The Bourbon Democrats were firm believers in limited government and the rights of the individual to live their lives as they saw fit. They lost control of the Democratic Party in the early 20^th century. The Republican Party has not had a clear split similar to this, but has slowly migrated away from its limited government roots and acquiesced to the Progressive agenda.

There will be individuals that claim to be looking out for your best interest when they are promoting socialist agendas, and they honestly believe what they are saying. Shock them into reality and invite them to move to a socialist country and leave this one alone. If the European countries that they promote as justification for their point of view are so great, why don’t they move there? I know why I don’t move there; I do not want to have 60% of my earnings going into the public fund for distribution by some bureaucrat. I want to live where I am allowed to succeed or fail based on my own ambition and ability. I was lucky enough to be born into this country, but if you would like real insight into the greatness of this country, talk with someone who emigrated here during their adult life and became a naturalized citizen. They understand and appreciate the founding principles of this country better than most who were born here.

It is the right and duty of every American who still believes in the premises upon which this country was founded to stand up, take notice, and make their voices heard. This is the impetus behind the Tea Parties. It is not some “vast right wing conspiracy” that is planned and funded by some large special interest group. That game is reserved for the entities that feed at the public trough, whether they are individuals, corporations or foreign governments. This is what needs to continue happening regardless of the statements from the press or elected officials. Pay attention to the candidates for public office in the primary elections. This is where you will find true representation of your ideals. If they do not make it through the primaries then you will be relegated to voting for the “lesser of two evils”. Do not count on others to insure that good representation is provided in all levels of government, for if you do, you will be disappointed.

Starting the New Year early

As the new year approaches, I have decided to start putting my thoughts and ideas out for public consumption. At the top of the page is a reference to Sumner's essay. You can find the entire essay at this link. If you take the time to read it, you will understand the title of this blog a little better.

I spent 20 years with my nose to the grindstone, building a career and raising a family. A few years ago, I started truly paying attention to what was happening in this country and I did not like what I saw. Since that time, I have resolved to educate myself on liberty, individual freedom and responsibility, and true free market capitalism. My posts will focus primarily on those items pointing out the fallacies in public policy. I realize that there are a million other bloggers out there doing the same thing, but that is a good thing. This is how true grass roots movements start.