WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO

I’m Just Saying

Perhaps you have been troubled and frustrated over the years by the realization that the Federal Government seems to go its own way with little regard to whomever it is that occupies the Presidency or rules the Congress. Of course, there are always exceptions to generalizations such as this and in this case the Regan years were somewhat a welcome relief from an ever expanding and duplicitous Federal Government. However, even the Regan years did not bring about any fundamental reform of the Federal Government that would make our Government compliant with Constitutional requirements, and in fact, Government continued to expand, albeit more slowly that before, even under the stewardship of Ronald Regan. So what is going on here? I invite you to consider the possibility that it matters little who is sent to Washington nowadays because it is impossible for any well meaning and reform minded representatives of the people to address the fundamental problem preventing Federal Government reform. The reality is that over the past 100 years, the Progressives have very carefully, and patiently, implemented “institutional” changes that defy reform. There are several reasons why this is so, and here are just a few of those reasons. Most of the institutional changes, like Social Security, have citizen vesting as a strategy to ensure perpetuity. For example, once Social Security became law, you were required to participate and part of your income, including what your employer pays on your behalf, goes to fund the program. Voila, you are now vested in the program and cannot afford to have the program reduced or discontinued. Here is another reason. Constitutional amendments, like the 16th (federal income tax) and the 17th (direct election of US Senators), provide the foundation for Government expansion and power and cannot be easily repealed. Another reason is the Progressive inspired lawsuits that have resulted in Supreme Court decisions that have usurped the Constitution instead of defending and upholding it. Indeed, it has become so bad that one only requires the Commerce Clause to justify anything. For example, the new law authorizing the Federal Government to “manage” all of the country’s waters will be justified by the Commerce Clause because if a migratory bird happens to land upon your pond, that construes that interstate commerce is being affected and so empowers the Federal Government to exercise power over all waters. This is no more a joke as is the Environmental Agency having power to control all commerce by regulating CO2 (CO2 is what you breathe out). I bet you didn’t realize that your breathing was affecting interstate commerce. The Commerce Clause will also be the means to enable the Supreme Court to judge that Obama Heath Care is Constitutional, just as the Civil Rights act was. Another reason is the explosion of US Governmental Departments and Agencies that adopt rules and regulations that have the force of law. For example, go to http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml and you will find hundreds and hundreds of Departments and Agencies reaching into and controlling every aspect of citizen life. Your Senators and Representatives have little or no control over these Departments and Agencies, other than the purse. Good luck with that.
There are probably more reasons to prove the point but the reality is the current situation prevents any meaningful reform to be taken by well meaning people regardless of stature or standing. So when you hear soaring rhetoric by patriots bent on reforming Government by being sent to Washington, be hopeful, but be a realist too. They can do little, no matter how well intentioned, to effect reform. Indeed, any action taken by our Representatives is truly like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic in the hope that by moving the deck chairs around, somehow the Grand Ship can be prevented from going down. What to do? The only thing that seems viable is for the several states to call a Constitutional Convention and remove the offending institutional changes built up over the years. I’m just saying.