In a follow-up to my previous post about Why Conservatives Struggle Holding On To Power…We WORK!, the anti-free speech elitists in Washington DC and the media are trying to intimidate us into shutting up.  It won’t work.

Who are we that are gathering together to push back against an out-of-control federal government? 

NEWS FLASH, we’re average Joe’s and Josephine’s with jobs and families; that’s who.  We’re not part of some grand insurance company conspiracy or rabble brought together by the local republican party…most of us are way past party labels.  No, we’re just plain ole’ common folk who provide the revenue the federal government needs to exercise power over us.  In some sense, we’ve been played as suckers for many decades - and perhaps we’re culpable in this regard - but, we’re waking up.  We’re getting up from our Lazy Boy’s and taking to the streets and a bully like Dick Durbin is hardly enough to stop us.

Many of us have been in the military so elitist snobs like the leaders of the House and Senate don’t make us quiver in our boots; we understand there’s strength in numbers and they’re beginning to grow.  So, it will be the elected leaders in the House and Senate who will quiver as in a short 14 months, we’ll take to the ballot boxes in our districts and vote them all out.  A voter tidal wave is building and it won’t be like we’ve seen before and it won’t be about republican or democrat…it will be about the Constitution, specifically Article 1, Section 8, the Enumerated Powers section.  We will force Congress to obey it by putting those, and only those who pledge fidelity to it, into office.

What we’re seeing at the Town Hall meetings is many decades of pent up anger as Congress encroached more and more on the freedoms many of our forefathers died protecting.  We’ve called and mailed letters hoping they would listen, but you didn’t.  Well, now Congress has woken a sleeping and slumbering giant and we’re not looking to any leader in particular to lead us, we already have it…The United States Constitution.  Congress has ignored the limitations it has placed on it and We the People, the greatest check and balance of all will force Congress to follow it.

Our constant and piercing battle cry will come in the form of a simple question: Where in Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution do you find the power to__________ (fill in the blank)?  The average congressperson will try to trick us with high-minded language about the General Welfare, or Commerce, or Necessary and Proper Clause, but we will not be tricked.  We know that the Founders (including Hamilton) never intended those clauses to give you unlimited power; we’ve read Federalist 45 and James Madison’s letter to Mr. Pendleton.  Then, it will be Congress who will quiver as they give account for their votes in the cleansing light of history as they face the ultimate judge this side of eternity; us, the voter.

So, it’s us, the common folk of America who are coming to these Town Halls and demanding a reckoning.  Congress may run, they may ridicule, they may try to bully, but they can’t hide in November 2010. 

We’re awake now.

Patriots Constitution

The rhetoric floating out in the world wide web is unmistakable and uninspiring, it lacks courage.  Yes, we complain exceedingly well about how bad Obama will be or how horrendous the bailout is/was, etc, etc.  We complain about the decline of a once great nation, how morality is old school and accepting the inevitable is the “new conservatism”.  Blah, blah, blah.

Where’s the leadership, where’s the battle plan, where’s the courage of our convictions?

I read over and over how the public schools have been used over generations to inculcate our children with socialism and its twin sister, moral relativism.  Yet, in the very same sentence, I read people respond to this with in-congruent statements like; “yep, the public schools are brainwashing our children but my neighborhood school, well, it ain’t that bad.”  Which of course is akin to “yep, them thieves in Congress sure are bad, but my congressman, well he/she is just swell.”

Well my question is this, if 58 million people voted against Obama because they were afraid of his socialist leanings, why aren’t the ”X” percentage of the 58 million who have children in public schools pulling their children out for a better alternative such as private schools or home schooling?  Is this evidence of the courage to complain but the lack of courage to actually do something?  We home school our 4 children and two are in college right now.  We are actually trying to back up our convictions with courage to do something other than just complain.

We complain about how bad big government is and how it reaches into just about every aspect of our lives.  Case in point; the threat of nationalized health-care.  Well, how many churches out there, instead of being a beacon of multi-media, plush seats, and beautiful buildings chose to put off the new addition, new multi-media system or 27th pastoral position and open a clinic in their community where the less fortunate can access free (truly free as in donated) health-care?  Let me assure you, there aren’t many.  Sadly, even in the contemporary Christian community, bigger is ALWAYS better.  Yes, yes, its easy to point the finger at the less fortunate and accuse them of being irresponsible, etc, etc and you’d be right.  They largely are the sum of many many bad decisions and choices.  Yet, for those of use who consider ourselves to be Christian conservatives, do we really want to cede the solution and care of the poor to the government?  Doesn’t this very act of ignoring the poor give socialism one of its greatest weapons against conservatism?   Of course is does.

Well my question again is this, if 58 million people voted against Obama because they were afraid of his socialist leanings, why aren’t the ”X” percentage of the 58 million who belong to churches not demanding that their church actually do something tangible to help the poor or less fortunate on a regular week-to-week basis, not just around Christmas?  Or, how many of us who are doing well financially would decide to put off buying a boat or second house or European vacation to help pay a health insurance premium for a family who’s struggling?  Is this further evidence of the courage to complain but the lack of courage to actually do something?   As a family, we have acted on the admonition of Jesus to care for the poor and you know what, we actually had the ability to impact a couple of families in ways that actually got them away from government handouts and on to more responsible choices.  Sure, it cost us money out of our pockets, but who cares.  We had the privilage of actually impacting a life and it was well worth it.

We complain about the size of government and the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in the system and there is a lot.  We decry higher taxes and government encroachment into our daily lives, yet, as I continue to conduct my informal poll over the last 3 years by asking the following questions of my fellow conservatives:

1. What is our federal debt?
2. What is our current federal budget?
3. What is the nations GDP?
4. What is the total consumer debt?
5. What are the total projected federal liabilities related to Medicare and Social Security?
6. Finally, I ask my pollees to describe the Federalist Papers?

Guess what happens…blank stares.  And these are stares I receive from my fellow self identified conservatives.  Is it any wonder the Titanic is sinking?  If the average Conservative can’t even understand the basics of the mess we’re in, how are they ever going to be able to help pull us out.  Again, is this evidence of the courage to complain but the lack of courage of our convictions to actually do something?  My family is well read (at different ages of course) and they’re aware of the size of our government and how much of GDP is related to federal spending.  I took the time to make sure they did.  They’re the next generation and I feel an obligation to turn over a good citizen rather than a proficient X-Box 360 expert to society.

In the end, either the average conservative is asleep at the wheel or they lack the courage of their convictions…it’s that simple.  To be sure, as a movement, we lack leadership and maybe that alone would suffice to rally the troops.  But at some point, sacrifice is going to be needed, financial and time.  Are we really just a movement that has a vociferous appetite to complain but lack the courage to actually do something? 

I’ll give it to the liberals, they at least act on their convictions.  Unlike us conservatives, liberals had the courage of their convictions to actually do something and take over public schools and higher education; we have little if any influence there.  Unlike us conservatives, liberals had the courage of their convictions to actually do something and they have completely dominated media (Hollywood, News, entertainment).  Unlike us conservatives, liberals had the courage of their convictions to actually do something and just about take over the federal and state governments.  This war too is just about over.

Now, I know I’ll hear the typical push back from my fellow conservatives that I’m being too gloom and doom, or I’m judgemental or we’re too busy raising our families and working to get involved.  I know, I know, there’s always an excuse.  But, if we’re not willing to do anything, then why do we think we have the right to complain?  I guess we do have the courage of our First Amendment convictions which is why we do complain as much as we do.

Want some ideas as to how you can act on your convictions?

1. If you believe the public schools are generally more harmful to your children than helpful…pull them out.
2. If you believe the federal government should NOT be involved in mandated socialized health-care, ask your church, synagogue, temple, whatever to assist in developing a free health-care clinic in your community.  Pool together money from your fellow conservatives and help a family in need.  Do something.
3. If you believe the government is too big, learn how big it really is.  Learn what our Founding Fathers said about the idea of a strong centralized government.  HINT; they weren’t for it.
4. Finally, get involved financially and with your time with conservative organizations that are going to try to stem the tide.  They need your help and money.

Last step, if you’re going to complain, back it up by actually doing something; it’s not very courageous or inspiring to just rant.

Patriots

An interesting development appears to be picking up some steam…on the state level.  This could be important news and definitely worth watching.

As referenced on FreeRepublic.com, there are a number of states with bills in the hopper to start enforcing the 10th Amendment to the Constitution.  This is a great development and at least a step towards reinstating a constitutional form of government.  We have strayed so far, so often, that it is amazing we’ve made it this far.  But, with President Obama in charge now, things could change very quickly.

If you’re in a state where these movements are afoot, contact the sponsors of the legislation and give them your support (time and money).  They are the contemporary Paul Revere’s sounding alarms that the “feds are coming, he feds are coming.”  Fortunately, the Founders gave us tools to combat the spread of the malignant federal government and now it appears as though there are people finally willing to use them.

Is it too late?  Time will tell.

Patriots, Real Change, Restore America