Henry Lamb
Vote for freedom, or government control
By Henry Lamb
To listen click here
Regardless of the outcome of the mid-term elections, the nation will suffer — not from the election results — but from the lame-duck session of Congress that follows. The greater the Republican victory in the elections, the greater the damage the Democrats will do during the lame-duck session. And there is much damage to be done.
Obama and the Democrats have already begun to lay blame for the largest tax increase in history should the current tax rates be allowed to expire on January 1. Obama and the Democrats have refused to bring a bill to the floor that will extend the current tax rate because the Republicans, and at least 31 Democrats, have insisted that the current tax rate be extended for all tax payers.
Obama, and the Democratic leadership, appear to be ready to let the tax rate increase dramatically for all tax payers, in order to increase the tax rate for the "rich." Economists across the political spectrum agree that the worst possible response to a depressed economy is to increase taxes.
In a lame-duck session, Republicans cannot advance a bill that the majority doesn't want advanced. The Democrats can, however, advance any bill that they wish — unless a few Democrats in the Senate can be convinced to join a filibuster to block final passage of a bill.
If Democrats, and a complicit media, can lay the blame on Republicans for letting the current tax rate expire, they will do it, hiding behind the press of other important legislation they want to push through the lame-duck session, while they still have the power to do so.
Among the many measures the Democrats want to push through Congress, is the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S-510), which will essentially bring the agriculture industry under the control of the federal government.
From day one of this administration, the goal has been to "transform the United States of America" into a socialist-like system in which formerly-free people must get government's permission to exercise their liberty or pursue their happiness.
Another measure that makes Democrats drool is the Clean Water Restoration Act (S-787). This bill would give to the federal government jurisdiction over every drop of water in, on, and under the United States. Moreover, this bill would give to the federal government jurisdiction over any activity by any person that "may affect the waters of the United States." Simply put, this bill would give the federal government the power to stop any person from doing anything, anywhere that water may be. These two bills would effectively control all the people who live outside cities.
Senator Chris Dodd's Livable Communities Act (S-1619) would control the people who live in towns and cities. This bill will write into U.S. law the so-called "smart-growth" provisions of Agenda 21, the U.N.'s vision of planned communities popularly called "sustainable development."
Sustainable development gives the government the authority to tell people where they may — or may not — construct a home or business, what materials may be used in the structure, and what plants and vegetation may be planted. By drawing lines on a map, government may strip private property of all value by simply declaring it to be a "conservation zone" where no development is allowed. Conversely, the same government can designate an Urban Boundary Zone, inside of which property values skyrocket — because that's the only area where development can occur.
The integrity of the people who draw the lines on the map is always above the temptation to accept gratuities for making sure that the lines on the map include the property of the people offering the gratuity. Ha!
This Obama-Pelosi-Reid administration is convinced that they know best how everyone should live, and they are hell-bent on giving government the power to dictate how everyone should live. The lame-duck session could be their last chance to force their brand of progressive-socialist-Marxist government on the nation.
Of course, a Republican sweep could undo the damage done by this administration to date, beginning with ObamaCare. A Republican sweep could reinstate the current tax rate if it is allowed to expire, repeal Obama's health care monstrosity, reverse whatever mischief the Democrats are able to do in their last days in Washington, and under the watchful eye of the Tea Parties, begin to return the nation to the Constitution and the principles of Freedom our founders wrote into it.
Each vote cast in this midterm election will be either a vote for freedom and fee markets, or a vote for more government control over the lives of every American.
Vote your conviction, but vote.
© Henry Lamb
November 1, 2010
To listen click here
Regardless of the outcome of the mid-term elections, the nation will suffer — not from the election results — but from the lame-duck session of Congress that follows. The greater the Republican victory in the elections, the greater the damage the Democrats will do during the lame-duck session. And there is much damage to be done.
Obama and the Democrats have already begun to lay blame for the largest tax increase in history should the current tax rates be allowed to expire on January 1. Obama and the Democrats have refused to bring a bill to the floor that will extend the current tax rate because the Republicans, and at least 31 Democrats, have insisted that the current tax rate be extended for all tax payers.
Obama, and the Democratic leadership, appear to be ready to let the tax rate increase dramatically for all tax payers, in order to increase the tax rate for the "rich." Economists across the political spectrum agree that the worst possible response to a depressed economy is to increase taxes.
In a lame-duck session, Republicans cannot advance a bill that the majority doesn't want advanced. The Democrats can, however, advance any bill that they wish — unless a few Democrats in the Senate can be convinced to join a filibuster to block final passage of a bill.
If Democrats, and a complicit media, can lay the blame on Republicans for letting the current tax rate expire, they will do it, hiding behind the press of other important legislation they want to push through the lame-duck session, while they still have the power to do so.
Among the many measures the Democrats want to push through Congress, is the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S-510), which will essentially bring the agriculture industry under the control of the federal government.
From day one of this administration, the goal has been to "transform the United States of America" into a socialist-like system in which formerly-free people must get government's permission to exercise their liberty or pursue their happiness.
Another measure that makes Democrats drool is the Clean Water Restoration Act (S-787). This bill would give to the federal government jurisdiction over every drop of water in, on, and under the United States. Moreover, this bill would give to the federal government jurisdiction over any activity by any person that "may affect the waters of the United States." Simply put, this bill would give the federal government the power to stop any person from doing anything, anywhere that water may be. These two bills would effectively control all the people who live outside cities.
Senator Chris Dodd's Livable Communities Act (S-1619) would control the people who live in towns and cities. This bill will write into U.S. law the so-called "smart-growth" provisions of Agenda 21, the U.N.'s vision of planned communities popularly called "sustainable development."
Sustainable development gives the government the authority to tell people where they may — or may not — construct a home or business, what materials may be used in the structure, and what plants and vegetation may be planted. By drawing lines on a map, government may strip private property of all value by simply declaring it to be a "conservation zone" where no development is allowed. Conversely, the same government can designate an Urban Boundary Zone, inside of which property values skyrocket — because that's the only area where development can occur.
The integrity of the people who draw the lines on the map is always above the temptation to accept gratuities for making sure that the lines on the map include the property of the people offering the gratuity. Ha!
This Obama-Pelosi-Reid administration is convinced that they know best how everyone should live, and they are hell-bent on giving government the power to dictate how everyone should live. The lame-duck session could be their last chance to force their brand of progressive-socialist-Marxist government on the nation.
Of course, a Republican sweep could undo the damage done by this administration to date, beginning with ObamaCare. A Republican sweep could reinstate the current tax rate if it is allowed to expire, repeal Obama's health care monstrosity, reverse whatever mischief the Democrats are able to do in their last days in Washington, and under the watchful eye of the Tea Parties, begin to return the nation to the Constitution and the principles of Freedom our founders wrote into it.
Each vote cast in this midterm election will be either a vote for freedom and fee markets, or a vote for more government control over the lives of every American.
Vote your conviction, but vote.
© Henry Lamb
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
