You started the thread by stating, "It is beyond challenge that most, if not all, of the problems America faces today originate in Washington."
The only issue I have with the statement is that I honestly believe that most of the problems America faces today were started long ago by the "people" in their continual abrogation of personal responsibility in all matters, especially when it comes to knowledge and participation in our republican form of government. The people in Washington originated here with us as we either directly or indirectly (through apathy or poor factual knowledge) send and re-send these mediocre types to "rule" over us.
Americans in the main are fat, dumb, and happy to give away freedom after freedom, just as long as they don't have to solve any problems on their own.
Granted the career politician and bureaucrat has not only counted upon the lazy nature of people, but added to insuring their (the pol's) maintenance of power by helping folks to rely upon someone else to "take care of them - cradle to grave". But the bottom line is that we (as the total electorate) deserve the government and politicians we have. Not until a sufficient majority of the electorate gets "sick and tired" of the sub par leadership we elect will things change and quite frankly my friend I am not optimistic at all that this will happen. We have traveled too far down the road of dependence upon "government" to solve our every problem and fill our every need to make the about face needed.
So again, I lay the blame squarely at the feet of the American people as a whole, while understanding that many who frequent this web site don't fit the description. But in reality we are a small and diminishing minority.
God Bless you for the good fight and keep it up.
Every circle can be virtuous or vicious. Our system of government is predicated on the theory of electing leaders who will not only the enlightened guardians of freedom, but also a source of information and serve as teachers of the electorate to ensure that the electorate will hopefully be able to make the best choices. You are correct in assuming that the system is out of balance and currently a vicious cycle. Think about the various parts of the Contract with Congress, especially the suggested options that could be added now or more likely in subsequent contracts. I included the economic freedom principles with the highest priorities first, because Americans need to be able to work and save the fruits of their labors for themselves and their families if we are to break the vicious cycle of dependence. And we need to deprive government of its tyrannical hold and claim on the wealth created by its productive citizens. The first step is the return of the economic power of America to the people who created it thereby weakening of the economic power of the government who usurped it. We must stop the vicious cycle of allowing Congress to buy the votes of the uninformed or poorly productive using the money of the productive and thereby maintaining themselves in power.
Removing the carrot, makes it easier to change the direction of travel and in turn it will be easier to restore a virtuous circle to change the leadership.
The unfunded accruing liabilities of Social Security, Medicare, and the myriad of other government "insurance" programs is an ever ticking time bomb. Each day brings us closer to a complete public loss of financial confidence in government. 2016 or before is the point where I feel confidant that the people will realize that the ponzi scheme is bankrupt. We win the battle for freedom before then or the United States, like the Soviet Union, will be another evil empire on the Ash-heap of History.
If history is our guide, most Americans did not actively support the Declaration of Independence. I can't cite the references, but I have read that about only one third of early Americans actually were active supporters of our War for Independence, about a third (the Tories) wanted to remain loyal "servants" to the English King, and a third were undecided. Is it any different today? We know that a certain percentage of Americans have been persuaded into a dependent lifestyle by misguided liberals; call the liberals and their dependents, Democrats. We know that a roughly equal number of Americans prefer more freedom and have at least some avowed opposition to socialism or at least the extent of socialism proposed by Democrats; call this group Republicans. And we know there is a large contingent of undecided or simply don't cares; call this group independents or moderates.
Here is the important feature of this political division. Neither Democrats nor Republicans can get sufficient numbers of votes to get the required number of elected officials to exercise power without garnering votes from independents/moderates and the balance of the needed votes from the opposition party be it Republicans or Democrats. And crucially, neither party can possibly get enough votes from the combined forces of independents/moderates together with the votes reasonably available from cross-over voters of the opposition party that would be required to offset any significant loss of votes from their own normal base. REPUBLICANS CAN NOT WIN ELECTIONS WITHOUT THE CONSERVATIVE BASE. REPUBLICANS MUST DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO GET THE VOTES OF THE CONSERVATIVE BASE.
Never lose sight of the fact that elected political leaders are far less concerned about the actual political agenda or political platforms than they are about ensuring that they as individuals are re-elected. The primary priority of ALL elected officials regardless of party or political allegiance is to stay in office. IF REPUBLICAN LEADERS KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE THE CONSERVATIVE BASE, IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ELECTORAL HARI-KARI NOT TO COMPLY WITH THE DEMANDS OF A COMMITTED AND DETERMINED CONSERVATIVE BASE!As long as Republicans can take the conservative base for granted, they will do whatever they think reasonable to win votes from the independent/moderates and better yet from the Democrats. Republicans know that independents/moderates don't really exercise much power because they tend to split their votes and when they don't it is unpredictable why or why not. On the other hand votes taken from Democrats represent a real change of two votes in the effective tally. The Democrat gets one less vote than expected, and the Republican gets one more vote than expected. Logic and history proves Republicans will seek the votes of Democrats when they can take the conservative base for granted.
In spite of the unfinished Reagan Renaissance and the 1994 Republican Revolution, the country has continued to slowly and steadily move deeper into socialism with ever growing governments at every level. FreeRepublic had two primary stated goals: impeach Bill Clinton and restore our Constitutional Republic. The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton is now historical fact. I lived through and carefully followed the chronology of events during that period. You will never convince me that the House would have voted for impeachment if it had not been for the display of the evidence against Clinton on FreeRepublic and the public arousal of anger generated by the display of that evidence on FreeRepublic. No other public arena displayed the evidence in its entirety. And the ugly, ominous, repurcussions of it character were not discussed anywhere else. The media for the first time in history was unable to paper over the hidiousness of the perpetrator. Those who conclude that FreeRepublic did not bring about the Impeachment are ignorant, simply wrong, or liars.
But FreeRepublic is failing in its second and far more important mission. Jim Robinson, your unconditional blind support of the Republican Party is understandable, but misguided. And it undermines your stated goal of the restoration of our Constitutional Republic. What does it matter if we delay the descent into slavery or simply slow the rate of the loss of freedom? We are rapidly approaching the point of no return. We have very little more to lose. What will be left that is worth fighting for?
Short of an inspired charismatic leader, the Contract with Congress propagated under the auspices of FreeRepublic is our best and may be our only other shot at the recovery of our Constitutional Republic that you seek. If you or any other Freeper have any other reasonable alternative, now is the time to address the issue. In another two months, you will have to wait another two years to make a difference. We don't have very many more elections until it simply won't matter at all. I am not wrong about the Contract with Congress. I am not wrong about the financial collapse of the United States before 2016. And even if am wrong about the financial collapse and the secessions of states that it will inspire, what will remain of our freedoms, our individual independence and our Constitution? What will be left of our country and the way of life it represented that makes it worthy of the American people?
"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"