While watchfulness and continuous participation are the duties of every citizen, I think some of us may be napping as others hark to the call of highly-paid showmen and hucksters. We are owned and driven by “interests,” which also write most of our laws as a favor to us.

I too see the huge amount of wealth that goes untaxed, which seems to be, curiously, over $350 Billion/yr., but I also know that the 20 top corporations and the 10% of top personal wealth is the big part that goes untaxed each year, not to mention the $375 Billion/yr. that is shipped to tax havens offshore. Apparently the “radical socialists” have far to go before they tap into the REAL freedoms and cash among us–like Limbaugh’s $38 Million/
year salary less perks and sides.

And I really hate that when some moron wrecks, maims and kills, then lets the taxpayers and premium payers pick up the bills. I hate when I read that some mega-corp. has CONFESSED to a mass felony and settled quietly out of court for a pittance to keep the victims quiet. I don’t like that banks should be held harmless, or that war criminals get out of jail free by the “amnesia defense.” Nor do I like that a large fraction of the “bureaucracy” is now civilian contractors who contract, often unbid, for gigantic overcharges to a helpless public and a corrupt Congress.

In short, while I am not a “big government” fan, I need protection from the sharks in the oligarchy–the scary “military-industrial complex” Ike warned about–and the “common sense” of the Great Unwashed. Be nice if common sense were at all common, and if more of the freedom-seekers had less power.

They lied to me in school, I guess, when we discussed something known as a Social Contract, in which we all agreed to give a little, take a little, and seek the good of the whole. I have to confess that I did work very hard and pay all my life on Social Security, which I now depend on, and that my insurance company ALREADY tells me which doctors to go to, which medicines I can afford, and what the co-pays, deductibles, limits and exclusions are.

At least the government will be made to CONFESS to certain monopolies and price-fixing schemes (farm subsidies? drilling rights in natural parks?), rather than insisting on ALL THE MARKET CAN BEAR plus more subsidy on the side. The feds couldn’t have dreamed of derivatives of derivatives of derivatives for sale. Only a Libertarian or a status quo faction.

Unfortunately, it seems that rather than honestly debate the issue at hand, you have chosen to follow the lead of television pundits and make an absurd comparison in hopes of somehow discrediting the opposition’s argument. Perhaps you should try watching your news on a different channel.

Let me say this as plainly as possible:

(1) It’s been repeatedly said that the issue here isn’t specifically seat belts – rather, it was an easy example of something in which government probably shouldn’t involve themselves.

(2) Even if you do focus on the seat belt issue, your example is ludicrous. There is no way to honestly compare mandatory seat belt use (a personal choice that only affects the person wearing the belt) to speeding or reckless driving (a genuine public safety issue). Your attempt to compare the two strikes me as disingenuous, to say the least. Do you really think you’re advancing your argument with such statements?

If you want to honestly debate the role that you believe government should take in our lives, then fine. I’m game. But if all you want to do is spout rhetoric, then I have nothing for you but sympathy.

The point isn’t that the government makes me buckle up, the point is that the government has intruded into my life to tell *me* what is and isn’t best for *me*….and that’s not their job. If I don’t want to wear a seat belt, shouldn’t that be between me and my insurance company?

Once you allow that type of government intervention, it’s only a matter of time before they’re telling you how to save for retirement (social security), which doctor to see (universal health care), or any of a number of overreaching programs….and the worst part is that they will use these programs to justify ever-higher tax rates for the “rich” and the “evil corporations”.

Of course, if you’re one of the 48% of Americans who are of voting age and currently pay NO federal income taxes, you’re likely to be a fan of the current trends. But what happens when the breadwinners get tired of footing the bill for the rest of the country – and simply leave? Where will our bloated government get the tax revenue that it so desperately needs then?

Twenty years ago, we didn’t need a law to tell us to wear our seat belts – it was considered common sense. This is just one example of the way that our society has decided to criminalize poor judgement. There is an ongoing effort in government to legislate not only morality but also common sense. It’s just one way that government has grown out of control.

Our growing sense of “social justice” now calls for people like Tom Cable to be fired or somehow punished based on nothing more than allegations of bad behavior. It has gotten to the point where if you simply offend someone’s (or even worse, some special interest group’s) hyper-sensibilities, they call for your job, your career, and Lord only knows what else. What, jerks don’t have rights anymore? And the worst part is that these interest groups have involved the government in their efforts – and government has been happy to participate.

As Americans, we need to get up off of our butts and stop waiting for government to “handle” things for us…grow some thicker skin and actually learn again to work for what we want. As more people live on the government dole, more will vote to preserve the status quo – why work when you can just vote for a politician who will allocate more “gummint money” to you during his next term?

Our Government is charged with providing infrastructure, keeping the National Defense, and maintaining Public Safety….not running a retirement system, the public charity system, a health care system, our nation’s car manufacturers, and Wall Street.

I believe it was Margaret Thatcher who said: “The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

How brilliantly simple! Our own local militias! Our own legal standards! Our own flight standards, air traffic control, and independent airports, trains, etc.! Coining our own money! Defending our own borders (Damned Okies, anyway.)! OUR Army. OUR Navy!

Just keep all our money and our stuff to ourselves and prosper! To heck with bureaucracies like the Fair Trade Commission and OSHA, FTC, USDA–we can do that as we like! And as for useless organs like the Centers for Disease Control and FEMA, who needs ‘em. A Libertarian Valhalla, a veritable fairyland, where all is well, and if it is not, we still have our guns and pitchforks.

(I must confess at this point that I am probably not worthy.) My self-control came under question early on, over some digestive dispute with my Mother. It never got much better, even with the easy stuff, like the amount I eat or exercise. Smoking, drinking, driving crazy, lying, saying embarrassing things in public without thinking..it just goes on and on. (And I have a question as well about a neighbor or acquaintance or two–would that be OK?) Fortunately I am not really criminally inclined–at least by the OLD rules. Or would somebody friendly ORDER me what to do, and make sure I did it just like everybody else? I’ll just have to think it over and get back with you. Would I be free to be me, or only to be Rick Perry?

P.S: Are taxes really “punishment,” or a “ticket to ride”?

Is it possible to send “good” people to Washington to “clean things up”? Is it possible that good people can withstand the onslaught of the D.C. beast and survive uncorrupted?

Haven’t we been sending “good “ people to D.C. for decades to clean things up? Haven’t we already been doing that? We have. And look where we’re at. Worse off than we’ve ever been.

Is it reasonable to think that we can restore Constitutional governance using the very same UNCONSTITUTIONAL, despotic system that brought us to this point? Personally, I don’t think so. To me, it’s like trying to slay a fire-breathing dragon with a wooden toothpick.

We should stop using the same failing strategy over and over again. Is it possible there’s another way to solve our “Washington” problem? I happen to think there is. In my mind, the answer has been right before us the whole time. Read on for “how” we accomplish our goals.

We re-direct our efforts and resources. We focus our attention and energy to elect and appoint strong representatives in the STATE legislature and state courts who can and will draw a line in the sand with the federal government.

We elect a state legislature, county and city officials ,Governor, and Attorney General that will deny Washington un-enumerated federal privileges. States will always be on firm Constitutional grounds if they actually follow the Constitution in their governance.

What does this mean in real terms? We slowly starve the D.C. dragon to death by denying it the two things it really needs to survive – unconstitutional tax dollars and un-enumerated governing privileges.

This isn’t just my opinion. We are beginning to see similar examples of this trend in other states. The Tennessee State legislature is beginning to communicate with other states to form “joint agreements” that are designed to ban together with other states to nullify un-enumerated federal actions.

The citizens of Texas are fully within their rights to nullify unconstitutional federal actions and rulings. The Constitution grants states the superior position when considering un-enumerated privileges granted to Washington, but only if the states choose to do so. The prerogative is ours.

At this time, over twenty states are declaring their state sovereignty in one form or another. On April 9, 2009, Governor Perry stated in regards to HCR 50, the State Sovereignty Bill, in that, Texas should “return to the letter and intent of the U.S. Constitution.” I don’t know about you, but I intend to hold the good Governor to every letter of his words.

Why is this change in strategy so important? Why is working to achieve genuine self-governance so important? Because it’s the only bloodless, legal recourse we have against a growing beast that we haven’t been able to slay for decades.

It’s absolutely vital that we begin working to shift the concentrated power/money dynamic in Washington back to the states… that we begin starving the dragon to death. States must stop granting Washington D.C. un-enumerated privileges.

I have an idea! Instead of redistributing the wealth, let’s redistribute Washington’s power/money structure over 50 geographical states. How great would it be to require special interest groups such as ACORN to come physically to Texas to plead with the state legislature for our hard-earned tax dollars?

If all 50 states instituted this one requirement, the large, fire-breathing dragon would soon be reduced to something resembling a puny, endangered, West Texas Horny Toad.

The real result of achieving genuine self-governance is to peacefully defund and deny Washington D.C. the power it has usurped. When we accomplish this, Washington will no longer hold the last word over our lives, our property, and our fortunes.

Teresa Alvelo
San Marcos

Reminds me of a little tune: “the rich get rich and the poor – get children…”
(or “laid off” in a later verse…)