Thursday, August 5, 2010

Is It Time to Become Truly Serious About Government?

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

"NO! And if you don't stop that, I'm going to pull over and put you in the trunk!"

We on the right are like little kids on a long trip, waiting for the upcoming midterm elections in November. We can't wait to get there, as evidenced by Missouri's landslide vote against Obamacare on Tuesday. All of the momentum is on our side as most polls show, even James Carville's own organization.

We just can't wait. I plan to be among the first in line at my voting precinct. I may bring doughnuts, who knows.

And when we get there, the fun will just begin. We (meaning us conservatives) have a genuine opportunity to retake our country away from the radical leftist progressives that currently infest Washington. But, after we do, then the very unfun will begin; reforming the institutions that have been distorted by leftists for the better part of two generations.

Where to begin? If I may offer some suggestions...

Equality in Congress. Reform should begin by eliminating the elitism in Washington. Are you aware that Congress exempts itself from its own legislation? None of the laws it makes applies to them.

This must end. Permanently.

Their perks, such as a vastly different healthcare insurance plan, should be no more than the average American is capable of obtaining. Restoring humility to high public office should be a high priority.

Any legislation must be written directly by the members of Congress and no one else. Are you aware that there are unelected special interest groups writing massive bills? The failed Stimulus Bill is a prime example. As Glenn Beck has pointed out, this bill was authored by members of the Apollo Alliance. This leftist group is funded in part by the anti-American George Soros.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't figure out how it's Constitutional for anyone else to write any law.

And speaking of the Constitution, how about a little test?

Each and every candidate needs to take and pass a simple quiz (no more that 20 questions) about basic Constitutional concepts. This test could drawn up by the Supreme Court and reviewed for accuracy. If you don't know the basics of the American political process, you shouldn't run for office. If you think like Pete Stark does, that Washington can do pretty much anything it pleases, then you have some serious problems with elementary comprehension. Which would disqualify you from public office.

We Americans, knuckle-draggers that we are, still hold this document to be the supreme law of the land. It's time we made sure our elected officials felt the same way. I'm just sayin'...

If a law is outdated and not enforced, repeal it. This applies to states, too. Is it illegal to whip a donkey left-handed in the town square after 2:00 o'clock on the third Sunday of the month? If it is, then someone clearly is not doing their job.

Write laws in plain English. If you cross the Godfather with a lawyer, you get an offer you can't understand.

Laws should be easily understood. They should also be based on easily understood principles of what is right and wrong. Notice that most of our laws are based on the Ten Commandments. Those commandments are pretty clear - Thou shalt not kill. Not much room for vagueness there, huh? Laws shouldn't be so poorly written that we must always seek out a legal oracle to divine their true meaning. Yet this is our current state of legal affairs. If we are to govern ourselves, we should do so in clearest way possible. The nearly unfathomable legalistic jargon currently used just leads to confusion. As any judge will tell you, ignorance of the law is no excuse, but what if the law doesn't make any sense to begin with, and the average person who is expected to abide by the law doesn't know what is required of him? Then what?

It doesn't have to be this way. We have not only the right, but the duty to reform Congress to make it more responsive to the needs of our rapidly changing modern society. Notice I said that it's Congress that needs reform, not the Constitution. There is a difference.

The way we begin is to find and encourage average Americans to run for office - our friends and neighbors. People we know. Whom we can call when a problem arises.

We need to get serious about our government again. We can no longer trust professional politicians with the country. We need the retro thinking that formed us. We need to return to our roots, namely that of a country owned and operated by people who look upon their fellow countrymen as just that; fellow countrymen, not as ignorants.

We all share in the bounty that our Founders wisely gave us after much hardship on their part. Many lost their lives, their families and their fortunes in order to forge this country.

Let not their sacrifices be lost. Not to scoundrels.

Not to anyone.

No comments: