We at U.S. Term Limits once criticized Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House at the time, for his hypocrisy over term limits. Upset by our call for simple integrity, Newt angrily exploded, “They don’t have a clue how to run this country!”
He was right, of course. We don’t have a clue about how to run the country. I wouldn’t even try myself. But Newt didn’t know how to run the country either. Nor does Bill Clinton. Nor do any of the presidential wannabes or the congressional candidates.
Of course, no one should be “running” the country. No one should be trying to. The whole purpose of our Constitution is to protect us from would-be dictators, would-be managers of the country. In America we each run our own lives and we employ representatives to run the government our government not the country. There’s a big difference between the two. Thomas Jefferson said it best: “Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we would soon want for bread.”
Dr. Tom Coburn, who has limited his terms in Congress, sees the same thing, ” I believe more than ever that our nation’s problems have been created because career politicians have set themselves apart as an elite class of people trying to dictate to us how we run our lives.”
The longer politicians spend in Washington passing laws, listening to lobbyists and giving speeches, the more they delude themselves into thinking they run the country. We know better though, don’t we?
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.