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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Principles vs. Politics

“Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense.” —Thomas Jefferson

When will principles trump policies and politics? Is not our foundation in the principles of the Constitution?

Today we live in an American society where ideology vs. principles and power vs. democracy. Just consider two of many issues. The first being the passage of the new health care bill. With the majority of Americans being against this massive spending and convoluted bill the Congress continually ignored the wishes of the American people and went ahead and passed the bill. Not in recent times have so many people taken the time and made the effort to address their representatives with their concerns and be told that they did not understand and the politician knew better, albeit they had not read the bill and did not have the foggiest idea of what was in it. They continued to specious and emotionally charged arguments laced with anecdotal examples. Even the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, told us to pass the bill to see what was in it. This was pure power and ideology going against the will of the majority of the American people, the vote in Missouri proved this.

The second example if the proposed construction of the Islamic Mosque and Cultural Center in New Your City. Recent polls have shown that over 70% of Americans are against this mosque, not for religious reason but for reasons that it is a affront to the sensitivity of the victims of 9/11. Even with this large percentage of citizens against the mosque the Mayor of New York and his minions do not give a wit what these people say or want. This is an example power and policy going against the will of the people.

We can thank Barak Hussein Obama for one thing. He has given us a alarm clock that is waking up America. The Tea Party is an example of this. Not in recent times have the American people organized in such numbers to express their opposition to the policies of the political elite. Barak Obama campaigned as a uniter not a divider. In this sense he has lived up to his campaign promises. He has united the American people against his and Congresses’ social progressive policies, policies going back to the Wilson era. For this we should be thankful.

American has finally woken up and is say no more. We are tired of being told we need to spend, spend, spend and spend. We are fed up with a failed immigration policy and lack of border security. They are tired of being called intolerant, extremists, bigots and racists every time they disagree with government policy. They are frustrated with military adventures in foreign counties where we have no clear mission and strategy for winning. They are disgusted with social progressive organizations such as the ACLU trying to tear down their culture and traditions. They are disgusted with courts continually amending the Constitution without the vote of the people. They are weary of being a nation of hyphenated Americans. This is not serving the Republic well.

Today we are a nation of special interests groups. I am not talking about the bogyman of the left – the big business, big oil, big farm and big phama lobbyists. These special interest groups do not always, if ever, work for this interest of the American people, but they do provide services and goods we want.

The special interest groups I am talking about are the pro choice, gay rights, unions, minority advocate groups, atheists, and a score of other groups looking for public handouts or laws to protect their class. It is east and popular to attack the first group, but don’t dare attack the latter.

The Tea Party movement isn’t so much a movement, but an expression of Americans at the grass roots level. There are several Tea Parties across the country. Sometimes they are odds with each other, just as our Founding Fathers were not always in agreement. They want one rule of law, one language and done culture. However, the one thing they all have in common is a belief and desire to return to the first principles of our Constitution as it was written.

During the past year 536 candidates for political office have appeared before Tea Party rallies to explain or debate their beliefs and ideology. Four have been Democrats. If that is not a telling example I don’t know what is. The most effective candidates are debating and campaigning on principles, while the Democrats are campaigning on policies. The American people are sick and tired of policies; they want a return to Constitutional principles.

I have attended Tea Party rallies and I do not know the party affiliation of any of the people I spoke with. They had diverse issues, but they were unanimous on three. They wanted a smaller, less intrusive government, less spending and regulations from Washington and the State House, and no more Obama. If these people turn out at the polls in November this country will have a revolution by pen.

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