“Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.” -George Washington
The Father of our Country was the real father of term limits here by setting the standard of two terms for president. Our Founders knew that a limited government was the only way to avoid power-seekers from ruling over us. They also knew that citizens without a strong moral basis government would get out of hand. And grow it did—and the less virtuous are disproportionately attracted to it.
This blog tries to show how career politicians are corrupting our whole system of constitutional rule of law for their own benefit, mainly for their reelection to stay at the trough. Some of them like Harry Reid and the Clintons have become very wealthy in public office. You don’t get rich on the salaries from those jobs. It was supposed to be ‘public service’ offered by mostly successful business and professional citizens, like George Washington, who want to offer their experience, time and effort for a period in keeping the freedoms and prosperity that come from our system of individual liberty and responsibility. No more.
About 95% of incumbents are reelected. Is it because they’re so good at keeping their oaths of office? At the start of each new Congress the House and the Senate perform a solemn constitutional rite that dates back to the First Congress in 1789:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
The vast majority of our elected representatives violate this oath almost every time they are in session. Look at the “CRomnibus” bill they just passed so-called because it is a combination of the Continuing Resolution and the Omnibus spending bill. It is loaded with, literally, hundreds of expenditures prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. Heritage Action commented, “This legislation funds President Obama’s unilateral, unlawful actions, which include granting quasi-legal status, work permits and Social Security numbers to those who are in the country illegally.” Sen. Ted Cruz raised a constitutional point of order against the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending that would have sent the bill back to the House to remove amnesty funding. But, a group of Republicans** joined the Democrats in voting to reject Cruz’s point of order and to ignore the serious constitutional problems within the CRomnibus. By funding the entire government for a specified period instead of individual departments and functions in normal order our self-serving reps avoided their responsibility to review, change and approve budgets submitted by the president.
Since 2009, Obama and Harry Reid have unconstitutionally refused to accept any new budget originated in the House of Representatives but instead have insisted on “amendments” which allow them to keep borrowing $trillions –now up to $18 trillion! That is all being piled on our children and grandchildren. Talk about taxation without representation!
Only by limiting terms of office can congress be changed enough to get back to the limitations of the “rule of law,” a constitutional republic –the system that made us free and prosperous when adhered to. Term limits is a costless reform that has been proven successful in the laboratories of democracy –the 15 states that have enacted them. My state of Florida is great example.
*There are numerous books documenting how career politicians “…extract your money, buy votes, and line their own pockets” –EXTORTION by Peter Schweizer explains the process and names names.
**67 Repubs rightly opposed CRomnibus see the list here.
But These 24 Senate Republicans voted to waive the Constitution and did so after being given a mandate by voters to stop obama’s dictates, betrayed us all: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Dan Coats (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Corker (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dean Heller (R-NV), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), John McCain (R-AZ), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Roger Wicker (R-MS)
This one is different and who better to recognize than the first president who set the standards for those who will follow. Thanks for writing about a great example.