The term "crisis" is thrown around rather liberally today, but there should be no question that our nation is in a desperate situation today. Our problem is not merely fiscal, but political and cultural. Our deficits and growing debt are driven by a government that is no longer constrained by the rule of law.
Generally speaking, most politicians are on the bandwagon of supporting an increase in government power and spending. On the political left, the argument is that the government's spending should be unchecked, it is the people and business that needs to be watched. For the vast majority of those on the right in Congress, the answer is a sad response of "yes, government can spend where it wants... the only question is how much." They fight back with pleas of, "this amount of spending may be dangerous," when they should be declaring that we are committing economic and political crimes.
On the political landscape today, it is hard to find members of Congress who are willing to speak with honesty about the direction our nation is going, one of the few exceptions is Ted Poe of Texas. Poe has been a frequent guest on my radio show and he voted against bailouts and TARP even when the conventional wisdom was that they were necessary. Recently, he has become aggressive in his disdain for a government that is out of control.
Congressman Poe has introduced House Resolution 959 which expresses the sense that many member of Congress "challenge the authority of the federal government to require by law that Americans purchase health insurance, or any goods or services." Substantively, bills like this have little importance. If a majority pass it, there will be no actual change in the law. However, there has been little discussion of all on what the limits of government are, so I find this action very refreshing.
Congressman Poe notes that "Any bill that requires Americans to buy something under the guise of a tax or pay a fine, violates House procedural rules. This legislation is based on the premise that such a bill is an unconstitutional exercise of legislative taxing authority. Thus any such bills brought to the floor would be ruled out of order."
There is a growing movement towards the restoration of the federal system established by the Founding Fathers and it is based on Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which states: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States."
The Congressman goes on to describe the direction this nation is drifting towards: "It is a very slippery slope to allow Congress to expand this authority for the purpose of forcing American citizens to buy health insurance or anything else," Congressman Poe continued. "We must heed the confines of our Constitution, not ignore it in a mad rush to expand the federal government or reinterpret its meaning to serve a political purpose."
I, for one, am only interested in supporting candidates of Congress who share a similar view. The Constitution is the law of the land and every member who swears to defend it should be bound to that reasonable standard.
Comments
America’s most unique form of government embodied as that of a Constitutional Republic has been morphed to such an extent that one is now hard-pressed to determine what part of the limitations imposed under the terms and agreements specified in legally binding contracts called ‘Constitutions’,--that is, compacts between Govern-ment and the governed are still recognizable at all.
Beyond the customary means of rule by all ‘governments’--that is coercion, threats and use of physical force--the primary source by which our governments continue to empower themselves is confiscatory taxation.
Until the taxation structure is revised, the people can expect only more subjugation and further destruction of the Republic.
If one does not have control over the fruits of one's own labor, one has no actual 'rights'.
fairtax.org
The trouble with this article's seemingly reasonable position - shrink government, reduce taxation - is that the American public is not prepared to accept its consequences: a reduced military/global presence, diminished Medicare, probably no Social Security to speak of, highly curtailed unemployment relief, the closing of numerous oversight departments, reduced public works, and so on. The happy idea - much bandied about (although not by Price) - that fiscal discipline can save us is a red herring: we are in way over our heads, and talk about fat trimming demonstrates a superficial grasp of the issue. In the context of our current economic woes, I can think of no clean exit. If the government walks out of the economy, it will free-fall. But government intrusiveness will certainly entail higher taxes and probably inflation. By the standards of the Founding Fathers, we exceeded constitutional limits well over 100 years ago. A pragmatic approach is needed, not "constitutional" cant.
The Democrat/progressive/Socialist wing of the party has been dying to get their hands in the US Treasury for years. Little did we know it would also involve putting their hands in PRIVATE BUSINESS. And now salaries. And now FORCING, by threat of fine and imprisonment, the free people of the US, to purchase a service the same mandating government sells!
That is INDENTURED SERVITUDE! One step up from slavery.
Remember the old coal mine towns? The coal mine owner owned all the housing and the mercantile in town. He rented the workers their houses. He sold them their provisions. He brought a doctor into town on his payroll.
The workers would get paid and see the deductions and the net pay may be THEY OWE THE COMPANY OWNER!
This is exactly what course we are taking. Indentured servitude.
Ted Poe is full of it. He speaks about how we should not carry the social costs of doctor and hospital needs of immigrants (ever wonder why they are called immigrants and not simply migrants? and who kicked them out of Texas anyway.... ans: We white folks did.)Any way, ask Mr. Poe if he would be willing to give up the many entitlements he enjoys to free doctors, automatic raises, etc. for being a US Congressman? These politicians, expecially like those of his ilk are shoveling it down our throats.
Hooray for Ted Poe! Jeff Flake of Arizona has also been trying to do some similar good work and has been savaged the Republican Party for watching out for us. We need more like Ted Poe and Jeff Flake and fewer bribers and scammers!
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