We live in interesting times. Strapped for cash, local and state governments are cutting spending and raising taxes. The federal government, with its chummy relationship with the Federal Reserve and our money supply, along with a shopaholic’s addiction to debt, continues to spend at record rates.
In this context, perhaps it is not so shocking that Congressman Ron Paul, known for being tight-fisted on spending, and for his push to audit the Fed, is basically even in a head-to-head match-up with President Obama. A Rasmussen Poll ticked Obama at 42 percent against Paul at 41 percent.
Interestingly, only 66 percent of Republicans chose Paul. It’s independent voters who are nearly 2‑to‑1 for Paul over the President.
Why do Republicans hesitate? Paul is a severe critic of the Republican Establishment, especially the GOP’s recent fondness for undeclared wars.
Meanwhile, the Tea Party movement is being courted by Alaska’s Sarah Palin and Minnesota’s Michele Bachmann. Representative Bachmann went so far to say that the GOP and the Tea Parties are merging.
I hope not. The main unifying feature of Tea Party protests remains out-of-control federal spending and borrowing. The GOP did nothing to curb this problem when it was in charge.
Both parties created the problem, as Rep. Paul points out. That’s why the Tea Party will be more effective as an independent political force, rallying Americans to hold both parties and all public officials accountable.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
8 replies on “Merging or Diverging?”
George’s 1796 Farewell Address
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”
pretty smart ol’ dude/
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Thanks, Drik. Great quote.
Common sense would dictate that, since it took many, many years for the republic to ‘achieve’ what it has and to be in the situation we are presently in, including the absolute
ignoring of the natural result to spending increasingly more than what “we” earn, that to also IGNORE
the two supposedly philosophically opposed parties in favor of ‘Stern Daddy’ alone AIN’T GONNA WORK. To insist otherwise is the same arrogant righteousness that got us here!
I agree with the statements;to stop undeclared wars, I would propsoe taht ALL CHILDREN OF ALL POLITIICIANS WHO VOTE IN FAVOR, BE FORCED TO SEERVE, IN COMBAT POSITIONS. (Those over 17 or 18; not kiddies).
As to the parties (both of them) on spending-the other day there was an item from (I believe the group is called Citizens Against Waste, or somethign similair) and it stated that EARMARKS WERE RELATIVELY MINOR UNTIL THE GOP AND G W BUSH (dubya) took over the WH and both hosues of Congress.
If that is accurate, they shoudl not be complaining (as loudly as they do) (they don’t pay, anyhow, we the serfs and slaves, I mean tax payers do) when Reid, Pelosi et al add their sgtoodies.
DeLay did, so are they, and to hell with the people.
RE: ‘out-of-control federal spending and borrowing. The GOP did nothing to curb this problem when it was in charge.’ Thank you for making this point. One of the main reasons I no longer consider myself a Republican. And also, as you also pointed out, because of their reluctance (or ridicule) to support Paul because of his stance on our endless undeclared wars.
[…] Agree or disagree with such views, but have the decency to acknowledge this: The Tea Parties have assembled hundreds of thousands of Americans in protest without hardly garnering a parking violation. The insinuation that violence is eminent because of conservative opposition to our current political situation smacks of nothing more than a cheap and dirty political trick. […]
Whoever wrote this, you know how to make a good atircle.