They Did What !

You pose a great question, and I suspect that one answer is the American people, in general, are not as informed or as politically astute as many of us once believed. No doubt, the candidates know this, and they talk down to what people relate to instead of what might actually be important, votes being more important than educating people.

The three Gs, namely God, guns and gays, mentioned in your last post are a case in point. Many come out to vote when any or all of these are invoked, and aren’t much concerned about constitutional issues, assuming they even know what that means.

I believe that behind much of this lack of interest is a long standing trust with both our form of government and the government itself. Most Americans have historically and unconditionally accepted America to be the greatest nation in the world. This has gone unquestioned, generation after generation. It implies you support the nation, right or wrong, and that it is very seldom really wrong. Trusting in what leadership says, as well as blind patriotism, is deeply ingrained.

Although the thought that things might be otherwise is growing in many, it is slow in dawning in the minds of many others. This is especially true in rural America where life happens at a slower pace, there is much greater trust in the status quo, and values and perceptions aren’t easily changed.

The Constitution is known only superficially by most (how many have actually read it cover to cover), and perhaps in the continually expanding corporate atmosphere in this nation, many consider it to be negotiable on an issue per issue basis?

Until more people are very outspoken and confront the candidates with the need to discuss real issues, it’s not going to happen. Possibly candidates don’t want to appear too intellectual or deep (the Republicans have this down to an art form), because it doesn’t always get votes. Adelaide Stevenson was a good case in point. Isn’t it absolutely amazing that so many feel some people are too smart to be President, but accept the converse when it occurs?

Concerning the existence of the now HUGE Military Industrial Complex, in spite of Eisenhower’s warnings, and as to why the USA is the largest single arm’s dealer in the world. The Cold War, and resultant fall of the Soviet Union, created the idea that “more” money and arms are good and necessary. In fact, the more the better! Besides, it's good business (cough)!

How’s that for an oxymoron while making the world safe for peace, freedom and democracy? According to Albert Einstein “You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war."

Love that quote, Stephen. Maybe we should have it put on a plaque and send it to Bush and Cheney with a note about Iran.

You are probably right that many people haven’t read the full Constitution and don’t seem interested in constitutional issues. However, I hear a lot of concern about spying on US citizens, torture, denying habeas corpus, politicizing government agencies, the out of control military industrial complex, and having a king instead of a president. Perhaps people don’t think of those as constitutional issues but that is exactly what they are. Do you suppose if we act like conservatives and just keep saying “constitutional issue” over and over in conjunction with these problems people will just absorb it? We know it works with lies, so why wouldn’t it work with the truth!

I’m not sure how many people still have a trust mindset with our government or its form. I am hearing about more and more died-in-the-wool conservatives who have turned away from Bush and company and do not see anything hopeful in the GOP candidates. They are actually talking about the Democratic candidates like they are thinking of voting for one of them. It has amazed me – these are long time Republican supporters. But they are also honest and honorable people and they are repulsed by what this administration has done to our government and our country. I find that more than a little hopeful.

You are right, more people need to be outspoken and ask the hard questions and keep asking them. So… we are people and we know other people and if we do it and encourage everyone we know to do it… that’s how things happen.

I wrote to Barack Obama saying pretty much what I said in the blog only a shorter version. First I got an obvious form letter back from his “”Correspondence Team” then later I got a message signed by Obama (one of his staff writing under his name?) in which he agreed with what I said about restoring checks and balances and how important that is. What do you think might happen if he got several hundred letters asking questions about these constitutional issues? Might they start showing up in his speeches? And wouldn’t that bring more focus by more people to these things?

All I know for sure is if we don’t try we are guaranteed failure. If we do try, we could fail but we at least have a chance of success.

Trish I hope you are right about all those having concerns about the present trampling of the Constitution, and I do hope they are prepared to do something about it, perhaps a willingness to vote for the evil liberals. Unfortunately, I still witness too many who seem indifferent to it all, especially some of the pinhead pundits on TV. I do believe some are less concerned about the assault on our liberties than the idea the solution might include voting for a Democrat. As I’ve said before, the right wing demonizing/bashing spin machine has been quite successful in portraying the Democrats as the evil spawn of Satan, and they are sticking to it. If more could see through “that” lie, we might make some quick headway.

It’s rather obvious to most that Bush et al don’t represent Conservatism. We need to come up with a term that defines both greed and ineptitude. No doubt Bush could come up with the proper “Bushism” if we could get him out of denial long enough.

I believe, as do you, many of the diehard conservatives are abandoning ship, but I’ve never really felt those were the ones to worry about. Since the present assault on real conservative values like small government, fiscal responsibility, and state’s rights, that group has been detaching from the base rather rapidly. How they will vote, I really don’t know, yet I hope making more money will not be their primary concern in deciding!

I don’t think we could influence any of the target voters by repeating “Constitutional Issue” over and over. After all, you are talking a total of seven syllables in only two words. Can you come up with something a bit easier?

Great idea writing to Obama, and I’m glad you got an answer. Yes, if more people would do that, maybe the candidates would start shifting the focus of what they talk about. Do you happen to have that email address handy?

Stephen, you are right that there are still many who haven’t yet put their thinking caps on and others who are just plain wrongheaded. But when I look at the situation today versus what it was in 2004, my cup has gone from darn near empty to better than half full.

There will always be some who hear a sound bite, make it their own, and repeat it endlessly. But the right wing is no longer the daunting solid block it was. There has been infighting among the various groups over what they will support as issues and some congregations are breaking away. A number of them now see care of the environment as an issue of stewardship of God’s creation and therefore a Christian obligation (I’m not clear why they are just discovering this, but better late than never.); others think adding issues like this dilute their message about abortion and gay marriage. These disputes and the exposed hypocrisy of several of the leaders have caused the block to crack and break apart.

It might help dispel the spawn of Satan picture if the Democratic controlled congress would actually accomplish something. So far they have been all talk and little accomplishment. For all the pre-election “First 100 Hours” talk, Americans and Iraqi citizens are still dying in a war they said they would end; immigration, health care, education, Social Security, and numerous other issues of concern are in the same condition they were in before the 2006 election. A track record like that gives Democrats nothing to hold up as proof of the good they can do.

After considerable thought, I wonder if using “Freedom Issue” instead of “Constitutional Issue” would work. It is only four syllables and it has a patriotic ring which seems to appeal to a wide range of people these days. What do you think?

Hopefully, more people will write to Obama (or other candidates) and push for answers on real issues. This is the link for sending a message to Barack Obama:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2
It takes just a minute and can make a big difference if enough people do it.

Freedom sounds much better, but I'm afraid you're going to have to define it for a lot of people first; they think it means the freedom to think they way they do.

I agree that at a surface glance this "new" Congress is a disappointment. A closer look uncovers a majority that is not really strong enough to 1) pass any real legislation of change, or 2) override a Presidential veto if anything is passed. As long as the Republicans continues to stonewall any attempts at actually changing things through legislation, investigations into the self-serving corruption, ineptitude and wrong direction of the present Administration are all we will see.

And I'm sure glad for at least that much. Remember when the Democrats couldn't initiate any concept of oversight in any of the Congressional committees while they remained the minority party. Eventually these investigations may bring some rewards, but at present one only hopes it doesn't come too late.

The fact that this White House has now set its sights on Iran with a possible mind-set of "we don't need no stinkin Congress to declare another war," is quite scary.

Thanks for that URL!

In answer to your question about which Presidential candidate will restore the Constitutional as our ruling document, have you looked at Ron Paul's positions? He's worth a serious look:

www.ronpaul2008.com\

"Congressman Ron Paul is the leading advocate for freedom in our nation’s capital. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Dr. Paul tirelessly works for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies. He is known among his congressional colleagues and his constituents for his consistent voting record. Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution.In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the “one exception to the Gang of 535” on Capitol Hill." (from Dr. Paul's website bio)

"Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress."

He promises to rescind all the unconstitutional Executive Orders.

He is an educated voice of reason in an otherwise dismal array of candidates from both parties.

Disregard all the talk that his ideas are crazy and unrealistic; they come straight from the pages of the Constitution.

Disregard all the talk that he can't win; he has been marginalized by the Main Steam Media and the Republican Party itself.

It's not the man, although he is a man of honesty and character, it's the message - stick to the Constitution and Bill of Rights, get the Executive and Judicial Branches back in line and make Congress represent the people not the corporations, wall street and the bankers. Stop the Fed destroying our currency by printing more and more paper money and taxing the poor and middle class through inflation.

To me, every candidate EXCEPT Ron Paul is scary.