NEVER TOLERATE TYRANNY!....Conservative voices from the GRASSROOTS.

Congress’ deity syndrome

When this country was founded, citizens largely looked to God, their families, or themselves for help or comfort. Now, many Americans have stopped looking towards the traditional resources, and instead look
more and more to government. Thereby, in a mutually dysfunctional
relationship, government becomes their god.

When they are without money, they cry out to the government to take care of them. If there is a problem in areas like the public school system or health care, they look to the government for the answer. They
expect the government to fix all areas of life that pose some
discomfort. No matter what ails them, government is the cure.

Washington’s Self-Anointed Deities

A few weeks ago, California Congressman Pete Stark made a revealing comment at a town hall meeting. One of his constituents inquired about using the Constitution’s commerce clause to justify health care legislation
that — for the first time in American history — requires citizens to
purchase a product. When asked by that constituent what the federal
government can’t do, Stark replied: “The federal government, yes, can do most anything in this country.”

Really?

In late August, Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth had a similarly rare moment of truthfulness when asked the same question about the limits of the commerce clause. He answered:

It really doesn’t prohibit the government from doing virtually anything — the federal government. So I don’t know the answer to your question, because I am not sure there is anything under
current interpretation of the commerce clause that the government
couldn’t do.

With comments like these, it seems that just as many in Congress who don’t read the bills also haven’t read the Constitution.

According to America’s founding documents, the power of public officials is limited. Stark and Yarmuth represent the worst of our representatives — those who disregard the Constitution as the supreme
law to elevate themselves onto a pedestal of infinite power. They
aren’t public servants — they’re gods. Although this attitude is
nothing new, it’s shocking to see that we now live in an environment
where politicians feel comfortable saying it out loud.

When a reporter asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a question similar to those posed to Stark and Yarmuth, she refused to even answer it. Instead she acted as if the question — and the
reporter — were beneath her. She replied with: “Are you serious? Are you serious?” Yes, we’re serious.

But Pelosi thinks she is above accountability. After all, she’s the “most powerful woman in American history.” She’s so much better than American citizens that we don’t even deserve to know what’s in her legislation before it’s passed.

Congress’ deity syndrome didn’t happen overnight, and the media has certainly played a part in bolstering Washington’s narcissism. Newsweek editor Evan Thomas even said Obama is “sort of God.” But many American citizens have also
contributed to the creation of the Washington god complex, by asking
government for too much.

When citizens endlessly extend their hands to the government to bestow blessings and riches upon them, a government god complex is inevitable. If citizens continually look to our representatives for
salvation, representatives start believing they are our saviors.

For our messianic leaders, the sense of entitlement and lack of accountability that go along with omnipotence is endless. That’s why Charlie Rangel won’t step down. He believes he is above reproach and is entitled to
his seat. That’s why nothing is ever Congress’ fault. That’s why the
White House is still blaming President Bush.

With their all-knowing divinity, they think they know what’s good for us when we don’t. No matter how much Americans protested and pleaded for our leaders to throw out the health care reform bill, they passed it anyway. Plus, they’ve decided they don’t have to answer
for it — they simply point to the commerce clause.

Thomas Jefferson said:

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

Thanks to the arrogance in Washington — shown both by action and by statements like those made by Stark and Yarmuth — Americans are taking to heart the meaning of that statement.

Americans are waking up to the consequences of a government that promises them everything they want. As individual Americans get back to the constitutional ideas of personal responsibility and limited
government, we will likely vote out our representatives who think the
federal government is infinitely powerful. Hopefully, November’s
elections will help remind our power-hungry representatives that they
have to answer to us.

But we have to take a hard look at how we got here, so we can stop future generations from condemning themselves to limitless government control.

“I am not sure there is anything under current interpretation of the commerce clause that the government couldn’t do” is a far cry from the Federalist Papers which state: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.”

The problem is that the “current interpretation” of the commerce clause is miles away from its original intent. Even if Americans succeed in changing our direction, and we start moving towards limited
government, without defining the limits of the commerce clause there’s
nothing to stop Congress from eventually moving us back to this point —
or further.

Perhaps it is time for a constitutional amendment to strictly define the limits of the commerce clause and reinstate its meaning. Then, the lessons we’ve learned will be a blessing to future generations who
won’t be burdened with reining in “divine” and out-of-control
representatives.

Patriot Freedom

www.patriotfreedom.org

original article here