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Will Republicans Save Us?
Townhall.com ^ | August 18, 2010 | Walter E. Williams

Posted on 08/18/2010 5:52:58 AM PDT by Kaslin

Democrat control of the White House, House of Representatives and the Senate has produced an unprecedented level of political brazenness and contempt for the limitations placed on the federal government by the U.S. Constitution. As such, it has raised a level of constitutional interest and anger against Washington's interference in our lives that has been dormant for far too long.

Part of this heightened interest and anger is seen in the strength of the tea party movement around the nation. Another is the angry reception that many congressmen receive when they return to their districts and at town hall meetings. According to the most recent Gallup poll, only 20 percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, but that's up from a March 2010 low of 16 percent.

The smart money suggests that there will be a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. The question is what can liberty-minded Americans expect from a Republican majority? Maybe a good starting point for an answer might be to examine how Republicans have handled their majority in the past.

Democrat President Lyndon Johnson's term of office saw massive increases in federal spending. When Johnson was elected into office in 1964, federal spending was $118 billion. When he left office in 1968, federal spending was $178 billion, a 66 percent increase. Worse than the massive increase in federal spending, his administration and Democratically controlled Congress saddled us with two programs that have helped fuel today's fiscal disaster -- Medicare and Medicaid.

The 1994 elections gave Republican control of both the House and Senate. They held a majority for a decade. The 2000 election of George W. Bush as president gave Republicans what the Democrats have now, total control of the legislative and executive branches of government. When Bush came to office, federal spending was $1.788 trillion. When he left office, federal spending was $2.982 trillion. That's a 60 percent increase in federal spending, closely matching the profligacy of Lyndon Johnson's presidency.

During the Republican control, the nation was saddled with massive federal interference in education through No Child Left Behind. Prescription drug handouts became a part of the Republican-controlled Congress' legacy. And it was during this interval that Congress accelerated its interference, assisted by the Federal Reserve Bank, in the housing market in the name of homeownership that produced much of the financial meltdown that the nation suffered in 2008.

During the last two years, Democrats have amassed unprecedented growth of federal government power in the forms of bailouts, corporate takeovers, favors to their political allies and nationalization of our health care system. My question is how likely is it for Republicans to behave differently if they gain control? Their past behavior doesn't make one confident that they will behave much differently, but I could be wrong.

If Republicans win the House of Representatives, there are measures they should take in their first month of office, and that is to undo most of what the Democratically controlled Congress has done. If they don't win a veto-proof Senate, they can't undo Obamacare but the House alone can refuse to fund any part of it. There are numerous blocking tactics that a Republican-controlled House can take against those hell-bent on trampling on our Constitution. The question is whether they will have guts and principle to do it. After all, many Americans, including those who are Republicans, have a stake in big government control, special privileges and handouts.

Ultimately, we Americans must act to ensure that our liberty does not depend on personalities in Washington. Our founders tried to do that with our Constitution. Thomas Jefferson offered us a solution when he said, "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gop; rebellion; republicans; walterwilliams
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To: Night Hides Not

I asked you over an hour ago what party can save us and so far no answer from you, just like I figured.


41 posted on 08/18/2010 7:34:04 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Yeah, saw it.


42 posted on 08/18/2010 7:34:14 AM PDT by Liz
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To: IntolerantOfTreason

“Heck yes, we can rely on the GOP to bring conservatism back to America. Remember the last time the Republicans managed to wrest power from the Democrats? Murder of unborn children was banned, steps were taken to stop Islam encroaching on American culture, and the border with Mexico got reinforced against foreign invasion. Even now in opposition, the GOP is vigorously putting pressure on Obama to actually follow the Constitution and release his long form birth certificate.”

Well done. You had me for a second.


43 posted on 08/18/2010 7:39:01 AM PDT by Stat-boy
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To: IntolerantOfTreason

Yes, and I believe that the Republican nominee for President in 2012 could be a stealth Democrat.


44 posted on 08/18/2010 7:40:51 AM PDT by Theodore R. (Rush was right when he said America may survive Obama but not the Obama supporters.)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Yes, Mitch McC is known for winking at Democrat programs. He knows what it takes to win in KY anyway.


45 posted on 08/18/2010 7:41:59 AM PDT by Theodore R. (Rush was right when he said America may survive Obama but not the Obama supporters.)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Have some perspective?

Good Lord man, have you not noticed how far to the left our nation has drifted under Republican as well as Democrat leadership?

You sit there and type that no Republican is going to save us, and then add in that voting in Republicans is the only sane thing to do.

You see no conflict there at all do you.

Then you polish this road apple off with, “...have some perspective.” Seriously?

You gave this a lot of thought didn’t you. /s


46 posted on 08/18/2010 7:44:46 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: calcowgirl

Don’t hold their feet too close to the fire. Just make it close enough to ensure that their tootsies are warm and comfortable while the grapes are being peeled.


47 posted on 08/18/2010 7:44:56 AM PDT by Mojave (Ignorant and stoned - Obama's natural constituency.)
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To: Theodore R.

” Yes, and I believe that the Republican nominee for President in 2012 could be a stealth Democrat. “

Yeah, that worked so well for us in 2008 ;-)


48 posted on 08/18/2010 7:57:27 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (.Go troops! " Vote out RINOS. They screw you EVERY time" Jim Robinson)
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To: Westbrook
The answer will not be found in a political party, but in national repentance and return to the Creator God Who favored this country and its founding.

bump yer bump...

49 posted on 08/18/2010 7:58:32 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Theodore R.

Mitch has to go, or else I see no change for the better.


50 posted on 08/18/2010 7:58:31 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (.Go troops! " Vote out RINOS. They screw you EVERY time" Jim Robinson)
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To: DoughtyOne

Elect Republicans, with as many conservatives as possible. Then make sure that none of them have one good nights sleep until their term is finished.


51 posted on 08/18/2010 8:01:33 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (.Go troops! " Vote out RINOS. They screw you EVERY time" Jim Robinson)
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To: Kaslin
I have no confidence that republicans will use their new found power in congress to turn back the liberal hands of time.

Republicans have proven time and again that party, privilege and power are more important than the good of the nation.

We need to break this stranglehold that the two party system has on our land.

Our representative republic has morphed into an oligarchy.

A few wealthy government, corporate, globalist elites working day and night to circumvent our freedoms.

52 posted on 08/18/2010 8:05:26 AM PDT by servantboy777
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To: Liz

I wasn’t referring to the times when the Dems are in power, I was referring to when the GOP is in power.


53 posted on 08/18/2010 8:07:11 AM PDT by Republic of Texas (Socialism Always Fails)
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To: Mojave
Don’t hold their feet too close to the fire.
Just make it close enough to ensure that
their tootsies are warm and comfortable
while the grapes are being peeled.

Exactly! (Dang, that's good!)

54 posted on 08/18/2010 8:11:33 AM PDT by calcowgirl ("California just got the best politicians money can buy." -- AuntB, June 9, 2010)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Today, the Republican party has about 25 to 30% of the electorate, registered under it’s name. That means there are 70 to 75% registered under a different party name. None the less, the Republican party leadership and it’s minions think there’s nothing really all that wrong. A few tweaks here, a few tweaks there, everything’s perfect.

Ah..., no! People wanting a Conservative point of view to vote for have been cast adrift. They don’t bother registering as a Republican, because the party no more represents them than the Democrat party does.

Does the Democrat party represent them? No! Does the Republican party represent them? No! Let’s not kid ourselves by playing the degrees game. In 2008 we had one Fascist that would sell us out 95% of the time. And then we had a go-along-to-get-along beast, that would have sold us out 80% of the time.

Who are we kidding here, if not ourselves? We’re not going to win with people giving us 5% or 20% of what we need to see. To hell with the Republican party. It doesn’t want to represent us. Even the rat bastard the Republicans nominated to represent them in 2008, had no intention of representing us. He has slammed Conservatives as many times as Obama has.

I say, starve the beast. Course that ignores the fact you’ve got simply brilliant political figures who are trying to convince you they are on your side, raising as much money for the party as they can.

Folks, planning our futures on the Republican party, is like pinning your future on a wife that drinks to excess, sleeps with the neighbors, hits you with a ball-bat when you’re trying to sleep, and turns your children against you when you go off to earn a living to support her. “Look I know Bill, she’s pretty bad sometimes, but she’ll snap out of it eventually.” Ah, no the bitch won’t. And Republican party, you’re our bitch.

I want a restraining order...


55 posted on 08/18/2010 8:16:37 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: DoughtyOne
Socialism is socialism whether you get there fast or a bit slower.

We all know the democrat party has been highjacked by the socialist progressives, but few will admit the republican party has been highjacked by the globalist.

Government of the lobbyist, by the lobbyist.

Socialist grow government to the point that all citizens rely on Uncle Sugar from cradle to grave.....right?

Globalist have succeeded in shipping millions of good paying manufacturing positions overseas to enrich themselves at the expense of our nation and her security.

No jobs or significantly lower paying position in the service sector shrinks the middle class, thus causing citizens to become more dependent on government....right?

The middle class, personal wealth, individual freedoms and our standard of living has been slowly evaporating under republican AND democrat leadership.

Socialism is socialism is socialism.

Vote Conservative all the time. Enough with the rino.

56 posted on 08/18/2010 8:28:50 AM PDT by servantboy777
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To: Liz; sickoflibs; hiredhand; NFHale; mkjessup; DoughtyOne; stephenjohnbanker
helps Americans understand that he shares nothing in common with them, and does not have the perspective of an American experience.

honestly, i really am starting to lean more towards anti-CHRIST personality, at least in its human arrogance, if not in fact by spiritual design...

THE textbook tells me that the 'father of lies' is damn good at what he does, and so much so, that the majority will not posess 'eyes to see or ears to hear' their slavery to it...further, I believe that 'it' gets an evil woody in doing so many things out in the open for 'Us' to see, knowing that we will be bar-b-qued, figuratively today, as well as physically once the numbers are generated...

politicians are the problem, not the solution, unless they are led to serve, not lord over us...even at that, i think the 'Plan' is and will continue to be to show us our human condition & to reinforce the demand of us to 'have no other "god" before Him'...whether money, power, american idol or anything else...

in short, we're screwed in yhe short term...

57 posted on 08/18/2010 8:29:35 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: DoughtyOne
I want a restraining order...

most excellent rand Sir...

58 posted on 08/18/2010 8:34:36 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Gilbo_3

Obama enjoys “tweaking” us at every opportunity.

9/11 memorial, where he chucked the rose like a piece of garbage.

Refusing to put his hand over his heart

Many other examples.


59 posted on 08/18/2010 8:35:00 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (.Go troops! " Vote out RINOS. They screw you EVERY time" Jim Robinson)
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To: DoughtyOne
I want a restraining order...

She's also sleeping with the judge.

60 posted on 08/18/2010 8:37:06 AM PDT by Mojave (Ignorant and stoned - Obama's natural constituency.)
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