“Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature…. If the next centennial does not find us a great nation… it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.” -- President James GarfieldMark Twain on Congress:
"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session."Agenda of Government-Goliath:
“There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.”
“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.”
C - coerce
O - obstruct job creators
N - negate rights
G - greed for COERCIVE POWER
R - redistribute wealth
E - extort; enslave LIFESAVERS
S - spend extorted money
S - spend money borrowed from communists
Related post - Goliaths: Afraid to Compete in the Reason-and-Persuasion-Only Zone
3 comments:
"Giving [Congress] a distinct and independent power to do any act they please which may be good for the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless. It would reduce the whole [Constitution] to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and as sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please. Certainly, no such universal power was meant to be given them." -- Thomas Jefferson
http://ilynross.blogspot.com/2010/01/are-you-jeffersonian-or-reaganite.html
You seem to specialise in a distortion of history by selective quotation. This comment fron President Garfield is a case in point. From a brief bio of Garfield, "As President, Garfield strengthened Federal authority over the New York Customs House, stronghold of Senator Roscoe Conkling, who was leader of the Stalwart Republicans and dispenser of patronage in New York. When Garfield submitted to the Senate a list of appointments including many of Conkling's friends, he named Conkling's arch-rival William H. Robertson to run the Customs House. Conkling contested the nomination, tried to persuade the Senate to block it, and appealed to the Republican caucus to compel its withdrawal.
But Garfield would not submit: "This...will settle the question whether the President is registering clerk of the Senate or the Executive of the United States.... shall the principal port of entry ... be under the control of the administration or under the local control of a factional senator."
Conkling maneuvered to have the Senate confirm Garfield's uncontested nominations and adjourn without acting on Robertson. Garfield countered by withdrawing all nominations except Robertson's; the Senators would have to confirm him or sacrifice all the appointments of Conkling's friends.
In a final desperate move, Conkling and his fellow-Senator from New York resigned, confident that their legislature would vindicate their stand and re-elect them. Instead, the legislature elected two other men; the Senate confirmed Robertson. Garfield's victory was complete."
The point is, Garfield was honest, and sure of his ground. (And adroit in the political game) To constantly frame your criticism in a 'libertarian' tea party
model is to neglect to see that the current administration is in a position analogous to Garfield's, where sectional (& wealthy & powerful)
interests wish to have their way over the elected agenda, which the US electorate in large measure voted for. It's called 'Democracy'.
The people are responsible for the character of their government. If the government is corrupt and tyrannical, it is because the people are DARK-AGES warriors, anarchists, anti corporations, pro legal theft, pro coerced charity, and envious of corporate America.
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