Democrats Have Forgotten Their Forefathers
By haystack Posted in Bad Policy | Cap and Invest | Cap and Trade | Democrat Majority | Liberals — Comments (19) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Though not a Constitutional or History expert, I'm fairly certain our Founding Fathers intended that this idea of "America" would, at its base, be set up in such a way as to ensure we never again had to face tyranny and oppression from those in power over us. Somewhere in the Declaration of Independence it is said that:
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Further, our Forefathers suggested that in creating this new "America", we would "institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their (our) Safety and Happiness." This seems basic and simple enough for the least academically inclined among us to understand..."Safe and Happy"... yet our friends in the Democrat party seem to have a problem grasping this fundamental tenet of "America" and what that used to mean to "We the People" who lived in it back then.
There are countless examples of where the Democrats have gone wrong since they ascended to the throne of the Majority (as illustrated in part, above), but I can't get past this most recent spate of pandering to environmental activists in both the Senate, and now...the People's House itself. Attempts to solve a problem by creating new ones we can't even fully anticipate surely is a Democrat hallmark. Instead of looking at the current pain we're enduring via oil and gas prices and the downline effects on the whole economy, seeking ways to stop the immediate bleeding and in parallel encourage a slow wean off of one energy source and on to another (as yet unavailable in sufficient amounts as to make fossil fuels irrelevant), Democrats mean to force a change in how we DO things by making it so expensive that we'll not be ABLE to do them. I fail to see Safety and Happiness in ANY of what Congress has in mind for this "America" that bears no resemblance to the one the Founders put together.
Ed Markey is convinced that "unchecked global warming poses a significant threat to the national security and economy of the United States, the public health and welfare in the United States, the well-being of other countries, and the global environment" and I say bully for Ed Markey. Where this goes so terribly wrong is in his suggesting that "we the people" are going to be made to do something about it for him and his environmentalist friends; pay for something against our will, and make him and his friends feel better about themselves for it.
In his speech announcing the introduction of iCAP (Investing in Climate Action and Protection) [the House version of the Lieberman-Warner fiasco called Cap and Trade], Markey blames Republicans for Global Warming. He suggested this to an audience at the Center for American Progress...
There's a WHOLE lot more, below the fold..
Sayeth Markey:
Had Republicans not delayed the passage of the [fuel] standards and the bill had passed in 2001, or even in 1985, more than 20 years ago, we’d all be driving more efficient vehicles right now. Instead, we’re paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline and, for many American families, there is no recourse.
Delaying action on fuel economy and having no current recourse for $4 gasoline is painful; delaying action on global warming, and having no future recourse for 4 more degrees of warming, is immoral.
How 'bout "had Congress passed a veto-proof ANWR bill, we'd be a little less dependent on the Middle East for oil right now" Ed?
What's immoral, Mr. Representative, is making us pay even MORE for fuel (at the pump, from the Electric company, and as surcharges on everything we consume that has a fuel cost associated with it) to address a problem we aren't even sure exists let alone whether we fully understand what impact we can even have on the "problem". What's immoral, Ed, is your plan to steal venture capital from "we the taxpayer" to shut up our damned tree-hugging friends.
Cap and Spend, Cap and Trade, Cap and Invest, Cap and Tax...whatever buzzwords you can muster...all have one key word that we're all ignoring: CAP. This is Socialist Democrat buzzword-speak for "regulation" and it always goes poorly for the bottom of the food chain: consumers. Costs might go up for businesses - manufacturers, producers, deliverers, retailers, inventory-keepers...whoever... but the costs ALWAYS get passed down the food chain to US. Democrats know this, but they don't care so long as they can tell us it's good for us.
When the Declaration was put together, WE were supposed to be given the right to decide what was good for us; King George tried stuff like this on our Forefathers, and it cost him a tidy little revenue stream. Markey, Lieberman, Warner, Boxer, and the rest of the Pirates on the Hill should have learned the lessons of King George, but they didn't...either that, or they just don't care. They've decided we have a problem...Global Warming...and they mean to make us DO something about it...regulate industry, generate trillions in tax revenues, spend it wastefully on really kewl "green stuff", control it with the most inefficient bureaucracy man has ever built, and then redistribute whatever profits they might enjoy from this ponzy scheme back to "low and middle income Americans" so they can pay for SOME of the increased costs for the energy they already CAN'T freaking afford.
The whole idea is beyond convoluted. It’s almost like they want gas to cost $7 a gallon. A lot of Democrats don’t understand that people living in middle America (remember, all those bitter folks Obama told us about in San Francisco) don’t have access to public transportation and the cost of a gallon of gas is a pretty serious issue. Given the choice, Democrats would rather choose Carbon Offsets than real relief for the American people. Republicans want conservation and alternative energy sources – but they also want energy independence, more high paying jobs in America as a result of our domestic energy production, and lower fuel prices.
While we're staring at $4.00 a gallon for gas, guess what is happening to the "we the little People" - we're being squeezed. No, not by evil Carbon in the atmosphere...the high cost of fuel is forcing a change in our lives. And the Democrats prefer, instead, to focus on raising these costs to further change our behavior..because "the Earth has a fever". Problem is, Democrats prefer the thermometer that goes where we least like it in order to get a handle on things.
There's less shopping, less vacationing, less hanging out with friends which I believe means a little less happiness. Then, there's less summer camp and less field trips and less development of those "eager young minds" we're all so worried about. There's less spending on hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks. There's less temp work and part time workers because no one can afford the gas to BOTHER driving to work for less in wages than the cost of fuel to get there. We're boating less, and we're taking it on the chin from the Airlines all in the name of what, exactly?
We're killing the US Auto industry, and we're pissing off the guys that bring us food and consumables (as well as putting them out of business).
We're putting people on bicycles, we're cutting taxpayer-funded City Services, and generally putting a LOT of Americans in a really bad mood.
So much for our Political Heroes ensuring our collective "Happiness" huh?
Yes, there's more...
There's increased crime by people looking to steal cooking oil (presumably to "pawn" for a little dough from bio-fuel makers), less Cops on the beat trying to prevent it, and a direct impact on our Military's ability to protect and defend our National Security..yet Markey and the kids see global warming as the greater threat.
So much for our Political Heroes ensuring our collective "Safety" huh?
What do you think some of our "esteemed" Senators had to say about the Senate version of the plan to fix Global Warming?
Senator McConnell:
"It is so hard to comprehend the majority's decision to move to a bill at start of the summer driving season that would raise the price of gas by as much as $1.40 a gallon, home electricity bills by 44%, and natural gas prices by 20%. Now, of all times is not the time to be increasing the burden on American consumers."Senator Reid:
"We are behind. Other countries are ahead of us. great britain and other countries around the world have done much more than we have done. we have a responsibility -- our earth, i repeat, has a fever. The fever is going up, not down. We've got to bring that fever down. This legislation is our start to making our earth well."Senator Sessions:
"It will make American businesses less competitive in the world, and it will surely damage our economy. It will also be, as everyone who looks at it will admit, a secret, sneaky tax. It's a tax of about $7 trillion on the American people"Senator Boxer:
"You'll hear it all on this floor. But I remind you, there were people who said the world was flat even when everyone knew it wasn't"Senator Specter:
"It is vital we move ahead on this issue and I intend to vote "yes" on the motion to proceed. That is my hope that in this debate we can reconcile many of the interests"Senator Inhofe:
"We as republicans believe any legislation that attempts to address climate change must protect American families and must protect U.S. workers and has to maintain global fairness. Finally, offer clean energy solutions. I find it most difficult to vote to proceed to the largest tax increase in the history of America. The mechanics of this bill, the impacts, the costs have never been fully debated and they deserve to be"Senator Cardin:
"It's certainly important for our environmental health. The legislation goes further, providing billions of dollars in resources to plant forests, grow sustainable sources of biofuels, and protect and restore our most precious national resources"Senator Lieberman:
"We need a Manhattan project, we need an Apollo project to make America energy-independent, to break our dependence on foreign oil. This legislation will address more than six times the amount of money that the Apollo project and the Manhattan project combined spent" SenatorWarner:
"If it is attributable to mankind is still an honest debate but the evidence seems to be compiling every day that this question of carbon dioxide which we call -- it is appearing to be one of the causes. And it is now the time to deal with that situation. i belong to the school in this debate of, we cannot do nothing"Senator Bond:
"We should pursue cutting carbon emissions. but we can't slash family budgets, knock farmers and workers out of jobs and out of productive revenue. at a time when americans are suffering record pain at the pump, high energy costs, mortgage costs, a soft economy, i am very very concerned about raising energy prices on our families and workers"Senator Klobuchar:
"We have the opportunity to start moving and doing is about climate change. and when we set those standards, so many people around the world are waiting for us to act, to go first"Senator Domenici:
"There is no way we're going to clean up the co2 without nuclear power. If I mentioned nuclear power as the producer of co2, let's clarify that. It's the one big source of power that has no co2 emissions attached to it. At the same time when they can least afford it, this will translate to even greater pain at the pump for consumers. At a time when the strength of our economy is already a serious concern, it will jeopardize their global competitiveness"Senator Inhofe:
"It is said that the bill will result in 9.5% drop in manufacturing output and even higher energy costs. The fact is that it would grow government."Senator Boxer:
"The fact of the matter, we wouldn't lock our child in a hot car, you know, in front of a supermarket. We cannot consign the next generation to a hot planet"
You know, election 2008 might be about the Young Black kid and the Old White dude in the eyes of the media, but it's really about how willing we are to vote away even MORE of our Safety and Happiness...and about how many of what few freedoms we have left are worth keeping (or giving away). The Founders had something different in mind, and the Democrats are on a collision course with giving us back to King George, or going back home to peddle their OWN bicycles.
God help us if they succeed in the former rather than the latter.
Psst-Congress Means To Stick It To You, *Again*, And You'll Just Have to Like It — Comments (34) »
Democrats Have Forgotten Their Forefathers 19 Comments (0 topical, 19 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Let me just say that that graphic is a devestating attack.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
the real culprits in this mess are the morons that keep electing them. Too many people rely on 30 second soundbites as the determining factor on who they vote for. People in bad economic situations keep voting for the same polticians that keep them there. The voting public frustrates me more than the libs.
Jindal in 2012!
We wonder what the impact is of the "dumbing down of America"? Just sit back and watch what will transpire on Election Day 2008. This country has allowed itself to be hijacked by special interest groups, left and right wing extremists, incompetent and dishonest legislators, thirty-second ads and soundbytes, labor unions, YouTube, headline writers, the MSM, and the list goes on. There's no integrity in public service any more. Government workers have become, on the local, state, and federal level, the largest welfare constituency (exhorbitant salaries and benefits) known to man and they want more. We have turned over state governments and will do so the federal government, come November, to left wing extremists who will shove their agenda down our throats and raise taxes to support their stupid programs. Who allows this? We do; the citizen; the voters; the feeble electorat. We deserve what's coming; we asked for it, and we're getting it. I hope we're proud of ourselves.
Much of the rise in food and fuel prices (as denominated in dollars) simply reflects the decline of the dollar. When I go to the supermarket, I can see that reflected in the skyrocketing price of fresh produce imported from abroad.
Look at this chart of gasoline prices:
http://zfacts.com/metaPage/lib/zFacts-Gasoline-Price.png
The dollar price of gasoline has been rising sharply since 2003 or so. Why? Because much of our oil is imported, and the dollar has been declining in value since then.
We can use the dollar price of gold as a neutral measure of the dollar's value--the higher the dollar price of gold, the less the dollar is worth.
From this chart, notice how the dollar price of gold has literally tripled since 2001:
http://i28.tinypic.com/20z5izm.gif
That shows you how much the dollar has depreciated over that time. And that is due to the spiraling national debt, caused by runaway deficits and loose money from the Federal Reserve.
The Democrats are certainly responsible for much of those deficits. But the Republicans are responsible too. Congress has been on a wild bipartisan spending spree, and the Federal Reserve was reluctant to rein it in because of the recessionary effect of 9-11. The result has been to devalue the dollar--and as Reagan said long ago, that amounts to a hidden tax on all working Americans.
American conservatives have NEVER believed in devaluing the dollar to boost the economy. And they were right not to.
We all know you're a fake. You perpetually come to the defense of Democrats.
Just come clean and quit insulting our intelligence.
But what you wrote has no bearing on the truth or falsity of his/her statements. Care to address the point, which is quite valid?
The graphic with the arrows is cute, but highly misleading--especially since Democrats have had a Congressional majority for less than two years, and these data points have been heading this direction for far longer than that.
From "A Declaration by the Representatives of the United Colonies of North-America, Now Met in Congress at Philadelphia, Setting Forth the Causes and Necessity of Their Taking Up Arms", which I felt was apropos.
"But a reverance for our Creator, principles of humanity, and the dictates of common sense, must convince all those who reflect upon the subject, that government was instituted to promote the welfare of mankind, and ought to be administered for the attainment of that end"
Perhaps Democrats should read more and talk less.
"Nec Aspera Terrent"
bene ambula et redambula
Contributor to The Minority Report
Iustum et tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava iubentium, non vultus instantis tyranni mente quatit solida.
-Quintus Horatius Flaccus
I deal with a lot of older folks (55-65 YO) daily and their perspective of the current situation concerning the inflation and gas prices, and this perceived global warming problem has focused them into a singular thought.
They say with ever increasing frequency that their children and certainly their grandchildren will NOT have the same opportunities for success they have had. Ultimately, that the opportunity that is America will not be as easy or as substantial upon the next several generations.
As such, I have taken it upon myself to spend time re-reading the Anti-Federalist papers because there lies the majority of our problems. Naturally, I found a gem:
Perhaps no restraints are more forcible, than such as arise from responsibility to some superior power. — Hence it is that the true policy of a republican government is, to frame it in such manner, that all persons who are concerned in the government, are made accountable to some superior for their conduct in office. — This responsibility should ultimately rest with the People.
--Brutus XVI 10 April 1788
Our friends in Washington have forgotten this. They have forsaken America for ideas and concepts that they believe we are too ignorant to understand. We must work to rectify this situation because if we don;t, America will not be the land of opportunity for all.
_____________________________
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
--Aristotle
Here's the hang-up:
"deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"
Washington is indeed behaving in the way they believe the "governed" want. They have butchered the tax code so that fewer than half the electorate pay any significant Income Tax. They are working on the idea of reducing Social Security taxes on the "poor," all the while claiming to guarantee something for nothing. The result is a population that re-elects the profligate because there is no immediate burden on the majority, and many even reap some benefits at the expense of the minority.
Because we are also unenlightened regarding hidden costs, the economic damage must be done before this electorate sees it: Higher costs, shortages of goods of all kinds, and lost jobs. This is the cost the "poor" pay for their free ride on Income Taxes and their votes to sustain the Parties of bread and circuses.
"Senator Reid:
"...we have a responsibility -- our earth, i repeat, has a fever. The fever is going up, not down. We've got to bring that fever down. This legislation is our start to making our earth well.""
"Senator Klobuchar:
"We have the opportunity to start moving and doing is about climate change. and when we set those standards, so many people around the world are waiting for us to act, to go first""
That we've placed ignorant altruism at a higher level of Good than our prosperity or even our survival is ludicrous.
Democrats: Abandoning Allies, One Country at a Time.
Sen. Liberman is wrong, we don't need a Manhattan-type project to make great strides in becoming energy independent. It *may* be something good for future alternative energy; however, to get off such great & debilitating dependence on foreign oil is to drill here, drill now, & increase refining capacity.
I love the graphic & hope to see it on TV, in advertisements, & various websites. It is frustrating that congressional Republicans and candidates are not showing the ability to really take advantage of such facts & issues.
For the first time in my life, I fear for the future of our Republic. The country has elected a collection of lazy, privileged fools, incapable of sound judgment and the sober weighing of facts.
With the willing compliance of their "friends" in the media, the leftists have conspired to mis-inform the majority of our fellow citizens about this issue and many others.
The center will not hold. . .
"The country has elected a collection of lazy, privileged fools, incapable of sound judgment and the sober weighing of facts." What a mess.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
McCain agrees with the cap and traders and we are about to take it in the you know where in the Congressional elections.
We will now have Amy Klobuchar and Barbara Boxer making economic policy for the United States. We don't have any way of stopping them now.
just met and again, determines that AGW policies are a bad deal, both economically and socially.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MjdjOWI3ZjA2NTJkYTJjOWNmNjUxNDM3Y2E...
Naturally, the pinhead libs care nothing about rational decision making.
But it's right there, every day, on RealClearPolitics. The Presidential approval rating may be 30%, but the Congressional Approval rating is 18%.
That graphic you posted up top is telling...and someone in the Republican Party needs to take the lead in pointing out that, in the midst of one of the worst energy crisises of US History, the Democrats actually want to make it worse.
They said they were going to solve the problem of high fuel prices, and haven't...and typical of their condescending nature, that now want to tell us that they know what is best for us.
If you let consumers vote right now on weather they wanted lower fuel prices or "less carbon", they'd choose the former. Someone's not listening, though.