Entitlement Nation: Death of a Republic

My oldest daughter is taking a college political science class. Recently, she emailed me asking for guidance on selecting a period of party dominance in America’s history. She was to write an essay about the era and why it was important. I couldn’t identify them off the top of my head, so I hit the search engine and found three major periods of party dominance. Not surprisingly, the most recent period running from the years 1932 to1968 was dominated by the Democrats. I suggested she look into that period, reminding her briefly the warped history of the “great” Depression, the FDR years, and Johnson’s Great Society. The events of those thirty-six years have paved the way to the current “Entitlement Period” which may very well lead to our destruction. (There are many with whom I won’t disagree that assert this all began with Woodrow Wilson, but I’ll just stick with the most recent 40 years of data, if our readers don’t mind.)

My daughter’s question prompted me to think about the evolution of our country into the “Entitlement Nation” that we are today. I’ve thought about it so much it’s led to this post, which is the result of much research. It’s absolutely depressing and positively frightening to think about the grave danger this extremely large part of government spending poses to our country’s social and economic health. Think about it, what does it say about our society and its future when so many are looking for a handout? There are far too many people who are asking what can their country do for them, and too few who understand and appreciate the intrinsic value of hard work and achieving success by one’s own hand while living as a contributing member of American society. The “Handout Attitude” is going to cost, and cost us dearly.

Consider this: In 1992, the combined Federal, State and Local Welfare Budget was comprised of 34 entitlement programs. According to the House Ways and Means Committee report in 2003, the list of income-tested benefit programs detailed 85 programs! As well, the same report states that expenditures for only income-tested benefits have risen from $16,116,000 in 1968 to $522,156,000 (in current dollars) in 2002. A whopping 3140% increase.

Without significant reform, the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will rise from 18 percent of GDP to 28 percent by 2050. That means that just these three federal government programs will be consuming between a quarter and a third of everything this country produces. Paying for those programs would necessitate raising the corporate and top income tax rates to 88 percent, the current 25 percent tax rate would rise to 63 percent for middle-income workers, and low-income workers would pay not the current 10 percent but 25 percent instead. The catastrophic impact this would have on our economy and American workers cannot be dismissed.

If that’s not enough to really bother you, consider the rest of our country’s financial mess. According to the AP in February 2010,

“The government already has made so many promises to so many expanding 'mandatory' programs. Just keeping these commitments, without major changes in taxing and spending, will lead to deficits that cannot be sustained. Take Social Security, Medicare and other benefits. Add in interest payments on a national debt that now exceeds $12.3 trillion. It all will gobble up 80 percent of all federal revenues by 2020, government economists project.
That doesn't leave room for much else. What's left is the entire rest of the government, including military and homeland security spending, which has been protected and nurtured by the White House and Congress, regardless of the party in power.
The U.S. debt crisis also raises the question of how long the world's leading power can remain its largest borrower.”

An editorial in a Florida newspaper wrote during last summer’s Obama Healthcare push, “Once upon a time if you wanted something you paid for it. Once upon a time it was embarrassing to ask the government for anything. That was once upon a time. I heard a new version of the reference to "Give a man a fish, he eats for the day; teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime." Now it is, "Give a man a fish, he eats for the day; teach him to fish and he'll vote for the one who gave him the fish."

After reading these dire statistics , I was prompted to look up the phrase, “banana republic” and after wading past the entries for the trendy retailer, I found this definition: Banana republic is a pejorative term originally used to refer to a country that is politically unstable, dependent on limited agriculture (e.g. bananas), and ruled by a small, self-elected, wealthy, and corrupt clique. I am so glad that I’d already started planning my vegetable garden for the summer.... we can get a jump on the banana republic ethic about to slap us silly! Reflecting back to the start of this post, I am absolutely resolute that I, a patriotic American, am self-reliant and won’t be seeking a handout should the stuff really hit the fan. I’d also like to think that one day I can make the independent choice NOT to sign up for Medicare, but then again, maybe it will have gone the way of our liberty and national sovereignty.

Julie Ranson is a wife and mother of three. She teaches business courses at a community college in Virginia.

Healthcare & the General Welfare Clause - A Troubling Pairing, by Freddy Boisseau

I just came across this blog post today: “Donald McEachin Eviscerates Anti-Individual-Mandate Legistation” As one that believes in the Constitution and the principles it espouses, I thought it needed a response. Let us look at the two sections that come into play here. First, we have Article 1 Section 8, which spells out the power given to Congress by the states.
Section 8. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
There are two points to be made here. First nowhere in that section do you see anything that relates to healthcare or an individual’s health. Now, when you bring that up to people like the poster of this blog, they then point to this part, “ general Welfare of the United States”. The problem here is twofold, first the meaning of “general welfare”, has changed over time. Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father with the loosest view of the General Welfare clause wrote the following in the Federalist Papers.

"This specification of particulars [the 18 enumerated powers of Article I, Section 8] evidently excludes all pretension to a general legislative authority, because an affirmative grant of special powers would be absurd as well as useless if a general authority was intended." - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 83

"No legislative act … contrary to the Constitution can be valid. To deny this would be to affirm that the deputy is greater than his principal; that the servant is above his master; that the representatives of the people are superior to the people themselves; that men acting by virtue of powers may do not only what their powers do not authorize, but what they forbid." - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 78

From both of these quotes, I fail to see how even he could justify the Federal Government getting involved in Healthcare. The second problem with using the “general welfare” clause can be shown with the following example. Suppose a gated community hired me and signed the following agreement with me:

Frederic L. Boisseau shall have Power To lay and collect fees, to provide for the safety and well being of the community; but all fees should be uniform for each homeowner;
To patrol the streets and apprehend those that commit crimesTo secure the entries to the community
To provide emergency services to fight fire and give medical aid.

If I then started saying that you could not have a pool (kids could drown in it), a real Christmas tree (fire hazard), swing sets (a child could get hurt), or blinds on your windows (might prevent me from seeing a crime being committed). You would say that I was crazy, you did not give me that authority, and you would not accept any argument that I had that authority from the “safety and well being” clause. And you are right, my authority is clearly limited to the 3 items listed above.
When you take the above in context with the 10th amendment “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people” is very clear. Restated, it says to Congress -- If the power is not listed in Article 1 Section 8, CONGRESS YOU CANNOT DO IT. End of discussion.
For those of you who would like more information or insight on what this writer calls the “10 Troubling Clauses of the US Constitution”, see this link http://www.reasontofreedom.com/general_welfare_clause.html.

Out with the old, in with the .......old? by Julie Ranson

In January 2009, with New Year’s celebrations still fresh in Americans’ minds, CHANGE arrived in the form of a new president. Barack Obama’s historic election held the promise of so much – a fresh approach and the end of politics as usual. Besides promising to “fundamentally transform America,” our President promised a new climate of bipartisanship and a new way of doing things in Washington. In particular, he promised a change in legislative earmarks, stating on numerous campaign stops how badly this process needed to be “changed.” That Senator Obama (D-IL) displayed beside his Grammy a “trophy in earmarking” for his home state of Illinois to the tune of one-billion-plus-dollars escaped the logical processing of a sycophantic press and electorate. Barely off his Inaugural high, Obama signed the Stimulus Bill containing thousands of earmarks! That’s not change, my friends.

The greater pledge of a transparent government has also been invalidated. No healthcare deliberations have been held on television (just in backrooms and closed-door meetings) nor have Americans been able to view bills for at least five days before legislative voting. Perhaps the only transparency to cite is the fact that even liberals and some media are starting to see right through this administration!

"That's what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process," Obama said at a debate in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 2008.

The special interests and lobbyists, he said, "will resist anything that we try to do ... And the antidote to that is making sure that the American people understand what is at stake."

While those who did not vote for Mr. Obama are not surprised by his lapses in honesty and fair representation, many were greatly astounded and angered by the lack of response from our other so-called representation in Washington. No amount of protests, phone calls, letters, visits, and emails seemed to sway those hell-bent on helping our “historic” president achieve his leftist agenda. This lack of responsiveness from our “representatives” gave rise to numerous groups. One such group formed this blog and we continue to write and post videos to educate, inspire, and motivate American Patriots wherever they are!

As we end this year (and yes, thank heavens, it’s really over!!), we have much to reflect upon and much to look forward to. While it has been exhausting for so many patriots to do the extra work of complaining couch potatoes everywhere, we have accomplished much and the new year holds great promise for the work of average American patriots who are determined to return this country to its foundational principles.

If you don’t know what is going on at the state level, you need to learn about it....NOW. Get on patriot email lists, find the legislative websites for your state and follow them closely, and get involved hands-on with a group that will keep you motivated and informed. (And please keep visiting this blog, too!)

I wish all of our readers a blessed 2010. I wish for America “Real Change” that will take us back to the principles and values of our Founding Fathers. That’s the “old” we want to usher in for 2010. Wishing isn’t enough, of course, so I challenge you to do more as a patriot in 2010.

The Right to Fair Representation by Julie Ranson

This blog was created to examine the citizen’s place in our American republic, including our responsibilities and rights. Of late, we’ve been looking at our individual rights, so here’s another one. We have a right to fair representation in Washington DC. "A representative government [is] a government in which the will of the people will be an effective ingredient." (Jefferson, 1816) Yet imagine what they’ve been up to in just the past week!

1)Approved “activist” David Hamilton to 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Hamilton has a pretty clear leftist political record and was rated 'not qualified' by the ABA when President Clinton nominated him to the federal bench because his experience at that time was almost purely political, as opposed to legal and judicial. We need to read his decisions carefully to make definitive pronouncements, but it's clear that at least some of his work on the bench demonstrates his willingness to embrace judicial activism.
Here's the Roll call vote

2) Started to spin the Senate HealthCare bill. Yes! They are covering more people and saving money to boot. It’s a daggone miracle…. or sleight of hand, depending on your grasp of reality and basic logic. As my 17-year old daughter just asked, “If more than half of the country is against this, how can Washington vote for it?” Hmmmm, not a bad question from my Patrick-Henry-esque teenager.

Did you know:
 that the Senate bill begins to raise revenue (penalties and taxes) in 2010, but does not initiate the coverage provisions until 2014?
 that the Senate bill (like the House bill) offsets costs with “cuts” and “savings” that will never be enforced?
 that certain expensive healthcare changes have been removed from both bills because they cost too much? They are now in separate bills which will increase the deficit if passed because they cannot be paid for.
 that the Senate bill covers abortions?
 that the Senate bill will raise taxes by $370 B over ten years.
 that healthcare expenditures will rise, not go down as promised.
 that millions will lose their employer provided insurance under the proposed plans.
 that 8.5 million seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage coverage (and then be forced to buy AARP's cash cow of medi-gap insurance; hence, AARP’s endorsement)

3) Obama admits he is taking on unpopular actions, but that’s just because he cares about what HE THINKS is right for the country.

4) Another Treasury nominee has tax problems. Is it, like, a pre-requisite?

5) Senator Leahy pooh-pooh’s the need to interrogate bin Laden if he’s captured. Well, he’s just a common criminal anyway, right?

More Washington foolishness! Is it any wonder stock prices for poster board firms are climbing?

Reclaiming Individual Rights by Julie Ranson

I’ve noticed a particular theme in the statements and signs of those so-called “right-wing extremists” (also known as, domestic terrorists, wingnuts, astroturf, among other pejoratives). Posters that declare “Hands Off My Healthcare,” “Socialism isn’t Cool,” and “No New Taxes” speak of the American’s understanding of freedom and individual rights. Our capitalist system is founded upon the individual’s right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” which translates a variety of ways within the American community – economic wealth and personal freedoms among them.

The website, Capitalism.org, describes the role of government in a capitalist society quite simply… and, please note, narrowly.

“A proper government's only responsibility is to protect the rights of the individual, by banning the initiation of force, thus making all relations between men peaceful, i.e., free from the threat of violence and fraud."

As James Madison said, “if men were angels, we would need no government.” So, how does a government protect these individual rights and promote a peaceful existence among men and women? It passes laws. It uses police and the courts to carry out this duty. An army is required to prevent us from foreign invasion. There ends the role of government in a capitalist society.

“In a free society each and every man lives under a rule of law, as opposed to a whim-ridden rule of men. It has only one purpose: to protect the rights of the smallest minority that has ever existed -- the individual……..(Emphasis added.)

Over many decades, while the citizenry “slept” as fat, dumb, and happy participants (i.e., greedy beneficiaries of wealthy-taxpayer bounty) in the ongoing dive into socialism, the government overstepped its constitutional bounds by regulating a variety of individual pursuits. Under the guise of protecting our safety and, in essence, saving us from our own stupidity, the government has passed myriad laws that intrude into our individual choice-making. In particular, the government has inserted itself into the family in significant ways. (Compulsory public education, mandated immunizations, the “Great Society” of the 1960s, child welfare laws, the list goes on). Most recently, a group of Michigan parents lost their children’s morning child care arrangements because state law regulates daycare. A kind neighbor volunteered to help out the working moms by watching their children prior to the school bus’ arrival. You know what they say….No good deed goes unpunished.

The Capitalism Site reminds us:

In a free society it is the actions of government -- and not the actions of citizens -- that are regulated.”(Emphasis added.)

Instead, government has become the regulator of individuals, groups, and businesses. This trend toward regulation has led to a variety of economic problems, for instance, economic unfairness (especially where “equality” and “fairness” have been promised by the government), and, of course, a political system whereby strong players are able to buy regulatory favors from politicians.

So, when individuals talk about “taking their country back,” they’re referring to these foundational freedoms. Yes, we’ve been lazy and ignorant, silent accomplices in the theft of our freedoms. We are no longer silent and we want our freedoms back.

(This is a first in a series of posts about individual rights/freedoms. The next post will focus on healthcare/insurance reform.)

Taking To The Streets

We conservatives and libertarians tend to keep to ourselves and have a desire to just be left alone. This thinking has usually worked well for us, but over the past years we have seen all kinds of crazy protests instigated by unions, homosexuals, ACORN... even illegal aliens have had the gall to prance through our streets demanding access to the public purse. Often these are the only voices coming through. Even setting aside the media bias, they are the only voices being raised.

Our political representatives often respond to public pressure when it does not conflict with contributor interests, and up to now, most of the pressure has been coming from those using one hand to hold a picket sign and the other to reach out to scoop up more goodies from the public trough. While most of us have been working to get money to pay our taxes, they have been whining and looking for to ways to take hold of more of this money for themselves. We have abdicated our responsibility to speak up and have left the playing field to the to the avaricious mob. We lost by default!

Does this mean that we can't get the word out? Definitely not! Sure it is one more thing to squeeze into your schedule and mine, but I have found that there is always time for things we see as most important. The issue then becomes recognizing the damage that is being done to our country and making a priority to stop it.

Now is the time... no, it is past time for us to overcome some of our natural tendencies to live quietly by ourselves. Although it's not really in our nature, we must band together and speak up, not just individually, but publicly as a body of citizens. There are enough of us to make a difference. Our problem is that we are busy working, spending time with our families, helping to make our community better and all sorts of other productive activities. Our opponents tend not to have so many of these demands on their time... they often don't have such a rough time fitting self-serving public protest into their schedules.

Tonight, was the first I took part in such a protest in close to twenty years... the last being way back in New Jersey when we gathered around an inappropriately located adult bookstore in the pouring rain... and made the front page of the Star Ledger.

About two hundred of us gathered outside our local ABC affiliate to protest the ObamaCare infomercial they were running. This was not a normal event for most of us but it was refreshing to spend the evening with many who had not been too involved in the past, but have been awaken from their slumber by the outrageous changes being inflicted upon our land.

We made new acquaintances, renewed old ones and found many people with whom we share a lot more in common than we would have ever thought. The first lesson learned was the WE ARE NOT ALONE! If you are concerned about your country, you are not alone either.

It doesn't matter if there are ten of you coming together or a thousand. There is a fellowship among those who cherish their liberty and are willing to take a stand for it. With the tea parties and patriot groups, combined with our government's encroachment on so many areas of our lives, there will be many more opportunities to make your voice heard. It's well worth working it into your busy schedule. Keep in mind that the most meaningful things we do are things that reach beyond ourselves and contribute to the greatness of our country and the welfare of our neighbors.



Originally posted at:
http://www.politicalchristian.org/wordpress/2009/06/taking-to-the-streets/