When republicanism died and how to revive it
The government with all of
its propaganda and police power is at war with the American people. Governments
always make silent war on their own citizens behind a propaganda front so as to
alert as few people as possible. The less resistance from the people, the
better it is for government.
One of the fastest ways to
clear the mental fog is to realize that the two-party political system is only
one. Anyone clinging to the illusion of two parties will be deceived to their
grave. America has become a fascist state, and the whole Congress supports the
agenda of the state. Any dissent expressed by the political class is frivolous
pandering. Any expressed concern for the complaints of the people is feigned
and contrived.
The election process in
America has become a disguise for corruption that attracts the corrupt. When
men and women go to Washington, they pretty soon learn that they are paid by
the federal government and, therefore, they are in the hire of the federal
government. But they are truly beholden to their corporatist masters and
moneyed interests that fund their campaigns and promise six- and seven-figure
lobbying/consulting gigs once their time in government is past. No allegiance
to their constituents is necessary and, as a matter of fact, there is very
little pretension — at least until election time.
If Americans could restore
their power over so-called elected representatives, this could cut out the
smoke and mirrors of politics. I think the hour is late and even too late, but
let’s try to reverse all the perks that our “elected representatives” have
bestowed upon themselves. To do this we must first turn back the clock to see
when and how republicanism died.
The year 1913 was a terrible
one for human liberty. The 16th and 17th Amendments
were ratified that year, and the Federal Reserve central bank was established.
The Federal Reserve created a fiat money system of theft for the benefit of the
banksters and the moneyed elites. It is designed to impoverish the people. The
16th Amendment established a progressive income tax that the
U.S. Supreme Court failed to strike down. The 17th Amendment
changed the way Senators were selected, taking the appointing power from State
legislatures and placing it in the hands of voters.
That removed the final nail
holding the checks and balances the States had in place over Federal power.
Most of the nails were removed in 1861 when Abraham Lincoln shredded the
Constitution, stripped Americans of their strongest check against Federal
tyranny and invaded the secessionist States.
The result is that in 1913
the U.S. government was taken over once and probably for all time by moneyed
power.
Many of the Founders —
particularly the Anti-Federalists — feared a powerful central government. So
they established in the Constitution that each state’s legislature would choose
its two senators as one of the checks against a strong central government.
Depending upon their point
of view, Founders either hailed or lamented the fact that, by simply refusing
appoint senators, the states could see the central government “destroyed”
(William Richardson Davie) and “put an end to” (Samuel Johnston). Or, as
Alexander Hamilton (who actually wanted a U.S. system similar to British
mercantilism) opined: “It is certainly true, that the State Legislatures, by
forbearing the appointment of Senators, may destroy the National Government.”
The 17th Amendment
was proposed ostensibly to correct a procedural problem that cropped up when
divided State legislatures were unable to agree on a senator to send to
Washington, D.C. This would leave states unrepresented.
According to a research paper by Wendy Schiller from
Brown University and Charles Stewart III from
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, in about 2 percent of cases the state legislatures were deadlocked
and unable to resolve their differences and select a Senator. However, it did
occur from time to time — even occurring in the very first Congress, when the
State of New York went without senate representation for three months.
The direct election of
senators by the people ended that problem, but created a whole new problem in
which senators are now bought and paid for by the banksters and lobbyists.
It is this system that
explains why the Republican elite are all in for amnesty for illegal aliens —
which is pushed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and big corporations — but
vehemently opposed by the majority of Republican voters. It also explains why
Republican congress-weasels have failed to provide funds for building a wall on
the southern border.
The 17th Amendment played a
key role in suppressing the voice and will of the people and elevating the
fascist system under which we currently suffer. Every election cycle there is
hue and cry about the need for campaign finance reform. And there’s no question
that moneyed interests control the process.
Repealing the 17th Amendment
would take the money out of senate elections on the Federal level. Senators
would be beholden to their state legislatures rather than the corporatist class
which lines their pockets and finances their re-election campaigns.
We can also turn the clock
back toward human liberty by doing one simple thing and that is by limiting the
terms of representatives and senators and eliminate their federal pensions.
Also they should be put under the Social Security and the same Obamacare
healthcare system as the American people! There should be no privilege
associated with elected office.
Their ability to vote for
themselves pay raises, their tenure and pension perks, their liberal, special
low-cost health perks not available to citizens, their immunity from the laws
they pass on the people, their retirement plans paid for by the government
(read: the people) and their lack of term limits must all be removed. Their
salaries should be paid by their respective states.
John McMullin, a lawyer who
has written extensively in law literature
about the 17th Amendment, believes that repealing the 17th Amendment
would give State legislatures a greater say in the Federal political process in
several ways. Among them, it would have the effect of elevating State
legislatures from that of lobbyists to that of partners in the political
process. The States would have the ability to decentralize Federal power when
appropriate. It would also give States more influence over the selection of
Federal judges and much greater say in the power of the Federal judiciary.
To this end, McMullin has
proposed an amendment to repeal the 17th Amendment. It reads:
AN AMENDMENT TO REPEAL THE
SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT AND RELINK THE STATES TO THE FEDERAL POLITICAL PROCESS
SECTION ONE. The Seventeenth
Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby
repealed.
SECTION TWO. The Senate of
the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, selected
by the legislature of each State. Each Senator shall serve a six year term and
may be reappointed. Each Senator shall have one vote.
SECTION THREE. Among the
duties of each Senator is the primary duty to represent the government of their
State, and in particular, their State’s Legislature, in the Senate. For the
purpose of maintaining communications with its Senators, each State Legislature
shall establish a liaison committee and shall specify the duties, procedures,
and method of appointment of that committee. This committee shall work with its
United States Senators in evaluating the impact of federal legislation on their
State. All legislation proposed by Congress, and all treaties proposed, shall
be submitted to each State’s liaison committee.
SECTION FOUR. Senators are
subject to removal by the State Legislature. Removal of a Senator requires a
majority of each House of the State Legislature.
SECTION FIVE. Congress is
precluded from enacting any legislation affecting the senatorial selection
process. Each State Legislature shall enact rules and procedures, consistent
with this amendment, related to the selection and removal of Senators.
SECTION SIX. This amendment
shall not be so construed as to affect the term of any Senator chosen before it
becomes valid as part of the Constitution. The electors in each State shall
have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of
the State Legislatures.
Alert readers over the years
have also sent various forms of the following bill that, if passed, would also
help to end the fascist system and restore republicanism:
Congressional Reform Act -
·
Term Limits. Twelve years only, one of the possible options below…
·
No Tenure/No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay from government when they are out of office.
·
Congress members (past, present and future) participate in Social
Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social
Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security
system, and Congress participates with the American people.
·
Congress members can purchase their own retirement plan, just as
all Americans do.
·
Congress members will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of the consumer price index or 3
percent.
·
Congress loses their current healthcare system and participates in
the same healthcare system as the American people.
·
Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.
·
All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
Jan. 1 the year following passage of this act. The American people did not make
this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for
themselves.
·
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding
Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and
back to work.
o Two Six-year Senate terms.
o Six Two-year House terms.
o One Six-year Senate term and
three Two-year House terms.
I would also add two more
proposals: 1) Representatives and senators should remain in their states at all
times.
Thanks to technology, the
“people’s business” could be carried out via teleconference. There is no need
for them to reside in Washington. Having the congress-weasels working from
their own districts and states would help insulate them from the controlling
interests in the District of Corruption. 2) That anyone serving in Congress
should be banned from lobbying the Federal government or Congress at least for
a period of no less than 20 years from the date of their retirement.
This will have to be done by
the American people. You can imagine that power-hungry elected officials and
the corporatocracy will oppose any move to limit their power.
It must be a bottom up grass
roots effort beginning at the local and state level. Citizens need to force
their elected officials to introduce the Congressional Reform Act and repeal
the 17th Amendment. We must act now to take America back!
But be wary of a Convention
of States, which many on the right are advocating for. A Convention of States
would quickly be co-opted by the same moneyed interests that currently control
Washington. We saw it in action when they took over the Tea Parties.
Nothing good can happen to
America without major economic and political reform. Can you see it? The rule
of law must return to America.
Comments
I have suggested that
we reform campaign finance laws to restrict all contributions for political
campaigns to VOTERS ONLY. The only legal
campaign contributions would come directly from voters to the candidates that
appear on their ballot. This would
reduce campaign expenses and end all PACs and Special Interest donations. Candidates would be expected to post their
full resumes, their voting records and their positions on all issues on their
websites. They would also need to raise enough to travel across their district.
Beyond that, they would need to purchase yard signs. There would not be enough money for attack
ads on TV. There would be no money coming from outside their district. Until we
do this, nothing will change. If we do this, candidates will understand that
they work for their voters and nobody else.
Special Interests,
Unions and Corporations would be able to exercise their rights to political
speech on their own websites.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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