The 2016 election and our constitutional freedoms and more

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave one of the shortest and greatest speeches of his presidency that we now know as the Gettysburg Address.  I will give a part of that speech that I believe reflects what is happening in this country today.  “ Our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty………Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and dedicated can long endure”.  This battle we are engaged in is not a military conflict but a battle for the hearts and minds of the citizens of this country.  A battle to save our constitution from those who want to destroy our way of life and the freedoms we have enjoyed for over 230 years.  There is a desire by individuals and certain groups to transform our country to a socialist society where all power is placed in the hands of the government, the presidential czars and other appointed personnel.  In essence, a dictatorship where the constitution and Bill of Rights are trampled upon. 

We have seen the American people stand up and voice their objections to the path this country has been traveling for nearly 100 years that has been brought to the forefront the last 7 years with bailouts, stimulus packages, Cap and Trade legislation and trying to impose government healthcare while accumulating massive deficits that may go into the next century before it will be paid off.  Providing of course we can have a balance budget during the same time frame.  The people are demanding a balance budget, reduction in our deficit and a return to representatives that actually will listen and represent the views of their constituents.  The American people will no longer be couch potatoes when it comes to expressing their sentiments on issues.  It is time for the American people to continue to speak up and demand change we can believe in as long as the change is getting back to what is contained in the U.S. Constitution.  We want our elected officials to read the constitution, and to follow this document that many Americans have shed their blood defending. 

It was Thomas Jefferson that said the following quote that applies today: “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories”. That is why we must continue to take this fight to Washington and not relent until our representatives come to their senses or we vote them out in November 2016. 

Our elected officials took an oath to defend this country from enemies both foreign and domestic and yet they are failing in this oath.  Many of them today are trying to force their ideology on us that is contrary to our constitution and way of life.  We are a country of legal immigration where many people in the early 20^th century came to this country with the knowledge that with hard work you will become successful.  Today, people still come to this country both legal and illegal to grab a piece of that success.  And today we have a radical group of elected and appointed officials that want to destroy what has made us the light of the world by trying to force regulations and rules that will prohibit the continued growth of our economy and cause the radicalization of our society that are probably causing our founding fathers to roll over in their graves.  We are not a people that want to be fed from the public trough through welfare and other form of handouts.

Over 40 years ago there was another famous American that gave a speech on the Washington Mall telling us that ‘He had a dream.”  Well, Americans also have a dream that government of the people, by the people and for the people will not perish from the earth. 

My dream is that we have true representation

My dream is that we have a balance budget before we spend any more money on new programs.  For every year our elected officials do not balance the budget, they must accept a 10% pay cut. 

My dream is that we have election reform where politicians can only accept money from individual constituents not to exceed $1000 and not from big labor unions, lobbyist and large corporations.  As long as our elected officials can get big money from these groups their loyalty will not be to the people that elected them but to those that bribed them. 

My dream is that we have term limits for our -Congressional Representatives not to exceed 8 years for House Representatives and two terms, 12 years, for our Senators.  In addition, no more than 12 years total in Congress.  The purpose of representation was for the people to volunteer their services to serve the people and not create a position that they would occupy for 20, 30 or more years. 

My dream is that we repeal the 17th Amendment and return to what our Founding Fathers wanted initially that our Senators are nominated and appointed by state legislators so they will more represent their state on legislation and not their party, big business and big labor.

My dream is that our Congressional Representatives should not have a lucrative pension and benefits but should have to accept Social Security, Medicare when they reach retirement age wherever they may be working.  All pay raises should be voted upon by the public during government elections that are held every two years or longer.  Congress should not be permitted to vote on pay raises for themselves. 

My dream is that the Americans will continue to wake up and continue their vocal outburst until our representatives get the message.  We all know that they are more interested in keeping their job, keeping their party in power, catering to big money and if anything is left to throw their constituents a bone every now and then.  Remember, come the 2016 elections what your representatives have actually done and if they avoided town hall meetings to meet with those who elected them.