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There was something I couldn't quite put my finger on that seemed wrong about (Tuesday's) political cartoon. It showed a big redneck guy with a gun vowing to defend the Constitution from majority rule. The implication was that this was to be done by violence.
While I certainly agreed that the recent threats and violence against elected officials was wrong, the basic statement still bothered me. When my husband got home, he immediately stated the problem. The Constitution needs to be defended against majority rule.
The Constitution spells out what areas the federal government are supposed to control. Any other areas outside those parameters belong to the state and local governments. If this does not make a majority happy, there are specific steps, involving all states and individuals, that can be taken to amend it. These steps are intentionally time-consuming and difficult to prevent takeover without careful debate and the will of the people.
Congress cannot make a law, nor can the president write an executive order that circumvents the Constitution.
While these disturbing trends have been building for awhile under administrations from both parties, this administration has brought the practice to a whole new level. The whole issue of czars who dictate national policy and are not answerable to any elected body is completely against the Constitution. The recent takeover of private businesses and health care are disturbing. Excessively taxing "the rich" (with a daily changing threshold of what that is) is pure socialism.
A quote attributed to Margaret Thatcher says, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." With almost half our populace currently living on someone else's money, we are rapidly approaching an unsustainable level of taxation for those who produce.
I'm also concerned about the "throw the bums out" mentality. This is how we get what we now have. Before the next election, we all need to take a deep breath and get studying! Our vote should be to put (or keep) people in office who are ethical, who hold the beliefs we hold, and who are not afraid to stand up and declare a wrong when they see it.
The message needs to be sent loud and clear that if you govern in a manner that tramples on the will of the people, you will be out. Not by violence, but with our vote. Don't be led astray by promises of hope and change. They are not on the ballot.
People with experience (or not) and with personal histories that should give us a clue as to how they will behave in office. While hope is a wonderful thing, hope placed in people will usually be disappointed and change for change's sake is almost never a good thing.
It's time to grow up, take our responsibility as an electorate seriously and cast intelligent, well thought-out votes.
June Van Alstyne
Lula