Posted on 02/22/2009 12:07:49 AM PST by Syncro
Jim DeMint's gentlemanly air and refined tone belie a power and an urgency in his words.
The stately senator from South Carolina sees America's unique centuries-old system of freedom dying out.
And he thinks we may have to take to the streets to save it.
"I would think it's time to start thinking about peaceful demonstrations," he told us last week.
Seriously?
"Seriously.
"The power of the people is there. Freedom is in the people's hands right now, and it's about to slip through."
Of course, the recent "stimulus" debate is what's fresh on DeMint's mind. Despite DeMint's putting 15 aides on it overnight, no one in Washington was able to read the bill, which was the most expensive in American history -- as well as being perhaps the most irresponsible.
The worst since the adoption of the income tax, DeMint figures.
It's not just the amount of money involved, some $780 billion -- although that, alone, is corrosive enough to American freedom. "I've seen it happen inside government agencies: 'What can we do to get it spent?' It's the only way (the agencies can get money)," DeMint says. "I see that happen in Afghanistan and Iraq, where our aid programs are basically based on people being able to spend the money within a certain period of time so we can say we did something. And it just leads to a bunch of waste."
Perhaps even worse than the money is the strings that come with it. It's the growth of the federal government's reach and influence too. The "stimulus" bill has increased the federal role in, among other things, education -- and gets the government's nose fully in the tent of private medical decisions.
The slab has been poured underneath what some want to become nationalized health care.
"Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system," writes Betsy McCaughey, adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. "Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.
"But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and 'guide' your doctor's decisions."
In short, rationing.
In truth, the leviathan that is the stimulus bill is just the most recent in a chain of actions by an aristocratic and arrogant Washington that is eroding our freedoms.
With our tacit permission.
"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism," American socialist Norman Thomas famously once said, "but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened."
DeMint sees it -- from a front-row seat in the U.S. Senate.
"We're being drawn in with a lot of promises -- and the fact that so many people are already dependent on the government and so few actually pay taxes," DeMint says.
Sadly, DeMint saw that dependence in full bloom -- in the faces of South Carolina leaders who tried to twist his arm to vote for the stimulus bill to get their own goodies.
"Just about everybody who came in my office, even the mayors from all over the state, they would usually say, 'DeMint, I agree with you -- this is a bad bill. But it's got this in here for us, and we want our piece.'"
Historically, the federal government has been about 18 percent of the gross domestic product. By next year, it could grow to nearly 40 percent, according to Newsweek .
"The late sociologist Seymour Lipset," writes National Review editor Rich Lowry, "wrote a brilliant book on why the U.S. didn't embrace socialism, called It Didn't Happen Here. In a few years, its conclusion might look premature."
DeMint is hopeful -- but not when he looks around Capitol Hill.
"I've become increasingly aware that the thoughtful, well-informed leaders are very few and far between in the Congress -- people who seem to be well-read and continuing to kind of grow their skills. It's become rhetorical and political ..."
Instead, DeMint is looking to the people -- where he still sees a "remnant" of freedom-loving still stirring.
Only a remnant?
"That's all it is," he concludes. "But that's all it takes.
"Freedom is in our hands; it always has been. We've entrusted it to people in Washington, and increasingly they have picked our pockets and pulled power from us. We're just going to have to take it back.
"The real shame of all this is, I feel Republicans had said that we were going to carry that banner of freedom -- and they completely betrayed that. And it's going to be hard to get it back."
But with all except three Republicans in Congress voting against the stimulus bill, perhaps getting that banner back has started. There are a few rising conservative stars on the national scene, including Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Mike Pence of Indiana.
Still, DeMint says star power isn't what we need. "I think what we need to look for first is to find the principles that will bring us together. I'm not looking for a face right now."
Continued below.
We retired veterans have a special responsibility to lead any demonstrations..we have the time, the money and courage to take on all enemies. Most conservatives are so busy working to pay their taxes and support their families are not able to take time off to demonstrate. We have that time.
Maybe we need to borrow a page from their own playbook. Remember this?
“Thousands march for immigrant rights” (Illegals march in the streets)
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/01/immigrant.day/index.html
They boycotted “all aspects of commerce, including going to work and school.”
They dubbed it “A Day Without Immigrants”.
Maybe we need to do our own version and dub it
“A DAY WITHOUT TAXPAYERS”
and protest what it going on in D.C. and in our states by getting as many taxpayers as we can to not go to work (thus a loss of income tax for the gobermint). Instead, we could bombard D.C. with phone calls and faxes and emails telling them what we think of the new “Change” to our Constitutional rights and how we feel about Taxation Without Representation.
The same day take kids out of public schools for the day (the loss of millions to hundreds of millions to the gobermint schools) to protest the Feds injecting themselves as much as they want in education and in our local districts.
We could also add a “No Buy” for that week. Take away the sales tax and revenues for 7 days.
Whatever we do, the time for action is now!
Ha! I just posted this. Didn’t find it in a search. Great minds...
what a excellent idea... a day without taxpayers!
I like it!
IMO, we need marches on Statehouses across the country...SOON..in early march.
Folks on this thread have mentioned the Solidarity movement and the illegal alien movement. Their successful protests were driven by a Spanish speaking radio personality out of s. California. We need the same...only someone to get on board who’s broadcasts are heard across the country. If we had someone on board like that, then Hannity and Beck could pick up on it as well.
Conservatives aren’t used to organizing at the same levels our opponents do and we don’t have time to get as ‘involved’ in planning. If it takes place at the Statehouses, all we need is a date and a powerful voice to get the message out.
JMO
I don't think so, I think Washington is now so out of touch with us citizens that there is nothing we can do or say that would change their minds other than vot them out of office. And I don't think that will happen either......
Has anyone noticed the increasing frequency of Congressional hearings over things they have no business sticking their noses into? Most notably being the steroid circus........and now a call for hearings on that peanut company and the salmonella thing.......
I think they are becoming increasingly drunk and addicted on their own sense of importance and power.......
CAN WE EXPAND THE NATIONWIDE CHICAGO TEA PARTY...NATION WIDE!!??
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2190941/posts
one week away!!
GOOD IDEA!
“Folks on this thread have mentioned the Solidarity movement and the illegal alien movement. Their successful protests were driven by a Spanish speaking radio personality out of s. California. We need the same...only someone to get on board who's broadcasts are heard across the country. If we had someone on board like that, then Hannity and Beck could pick up on it as well.”
Good point. Hopefully, we could unite all the Conservative hosts, local and national, and get them on board with a movement. For any of them who wouldn't participate...this isn't a time for egos it is a time to save the Republic. After all, the Fairness Doctrine is right around the corner with this bunch in D.C..
I like what these guys are doing in S. California:
“IT'S ON! REVOLT, RECALL & REPEAL!”
http://www.kfiam640.com/pages/johnandkenshow/
Bingo!
This is an excellent read from a senator who really gets it. I agree with other posters that we need some big names (like DeMint, Palin and others) to get the ball rolling. There needs to be organization on a massive scale and we do need to move NOW. We can’t afford the luxury of time as the Obama Admin. continues to push through their Socialist agenda at break-neck speed. We best move before the Obamanation gets his civilian militia recruited and trained. And the organizers of such a mass movement need to get all the conservative groups rallied to the cause.
Just let me know where and when to report.
Agreed!
“A DAY WITHOUT TAXPAYERS”
How about April 15th? Would the FairTax people be interested?
ping
We must form a group to agitate for a Constitutional convention under Article V of the Constitution.
If 34 states pass resolutions calling for one the Congress must convene it.
The will of the people in the majority of states which are not under direct control of the socialists might enable Republic saving amendments to be enacted, alliances among the remaining free states to form, and begin the mechanism of separation from socialist America if free and sovereign states deem it necessary
Love it! I think that is enough time for almost all persons to get a vacation day scheduled, or take a call in sick day. It is a poinient day for taxes, and it is a day that we can all get to somewhere in our state and rally/march. Make the march from a prominent location in your area to your congresspersons office and BRING the TEA!! leave it with your congresscritter. Tell him to take it back to washington so other congressional reps will “hear” the voice of the taxpayers in this country. I love it!
Hoping that Goober gets some spine...he was really pissed off at his DemRat buddies for shoving the Porkulus Bill down America's throat!
-—“It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, who keep on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men”
-SAMUEL ADAMS, 1776-—
That is the best of quotes.
The power to save the USA resides with We The People!
Not every, but many state houses are filled with the same vain, power-hungry elitists that fill Congress.
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