Today I was reading in the blog on http://www.pgpf.org (the Foundation run by David Walker Former Comptroller General of the US) and a lady commented on how (obviously frustrated about the goverment’s performance on spending) she thought that the ultimate check would be for the people to have overriding vote on all legislation passed before congress. Well that got my ire up just a little bit, so here is my response to her, I hope you enjoy it, it’s rather long.
Pam Q. Noted that the answer would be to create a constitutional amendment that gave the people the right to vote on any given issue thus allowing a check on the congress.
The problem is that we already have that, We elect the congress by popular vote, they are then given the task of representing the people, if they do not perform according to the popular opinion, they can be removed every 2 years and replaced with a more appropriate choice. The founders were smart, they studied over eons of time and governments to set up what “was” the most perfect form of government on earth.
The check that is missing is that of the states, you see originally the US senators were appointed by the legislative bodies in each state. this provided a good arrangement, the people (usually less informed) would elect their congress and it would be beholden to them, if the people had any hot issues, they could get a bill started in the congress (the founders intended that this would be a heated house full of debate and very active), then those bills would go to the senate, the senate was appointed by the legislature of the respective state, (whos legislature was also voted in by the people of that state), The founders realized that the states would be interested in the interests of their state as a whole so these heated bills would come from the house and get cooled by the senate, as the senate would take it’s time to review it’s contents and policies based on the requirements of each individual state, The legislation would be at that point either struck down, or if it had real worth and value would be pushed through for the president to perform a final check on the bill with his veto power.
This is the way it functioned for about 150 years, then in 1913 (a banner year) we had the 16th and 17th amendments to the constitution, the 16th gave the power to tax the incomes of the people (this has been disputed) and the 17th changed the appointment of the senators and gave it to the public. This removed one of the most valuable checks that our government had against the growth of the government, the states provided that check, and now you have senators that are also working towards their reelection, and are attempting to keep their position in the senate by doling out whatever they can to appease their constituents.
So as our government sits right now we have what you were talking about Pam, the people control the law making process, the vote in the house, the senate, and the president. We have only to look at ourselves to see what government we have, can we expect that the government will stop spending more and more money when the people that are voting them in are doing the same thing, Having the savings rate at -3 to -9 percent shows that the people are no more competent than our elected officials.
The change must first come from within, we must be able to change ourselves first, which will give us the power to influence the kind of change we want to see. As a good friend of mine and editor of backgammon free casino money free craps game play free black jack craps video poker strategy play black jack online how to win video poker casino game online uk best casino online casino secure online gambling jackpot casino online casino black jack learn to play craps how to win at video poker craps online blackjack casino game online casino betting free on line video poker casino games no download casino online gambling casino play free casino slots video poker machine bonus video poker free on line slots double bonus video poker free video poker games free casinos roulette online craps rules free on line casino rules of craps online casino free money blackjack 21 internet casino how to play craps free casino game download fortunelounge online casino free casino download free casino card game free roulette game free casino play no deposit free money casino internet casino online mach zehnder modulatorThe Cause of Libertyмебели сливен website Stephen Palmer frequently says, “Be the change you want to see in the world!” If we become better people first, our government will become better. Now I am not saying that it will be easy, but it is the only way to effectively change what is going on. If the change only happens in Washington it will not be many years before the problem is right back where it is today.
We have people who find themselves dependent on the programs that this huge deficit is paying for. The people have to change before most politicians would view the changes as being “politically viable” they don’t want to touch it because their constituents would bury them alive if they touched the programs that will lead to their and the whole countries destruction.
Start talking with your friends and family about this huge problem, have them share it with others, and as the message spreads and the people become informed, truly informed and start thinking for themselves, that is when there will be a landslide of support for true conservative spending and limited government.
I could go on, and on, and on, but I think you get the picture. This is a battle that cannot be won in a day, and we cannot fight it alone. Together armed in the Cause of Liberty and the understanding of true governmental principles we can be the change we want to see in the world.