Defending Core Tea Party Beliefs

I’ve been challenged to defend “core Tea Party beliefs” and requirements directed toward our government by someone who claims I’m out of touch with reality. He’d visited one of my recent articles and left a comment which listed the following as “unrealistic” core beliefs found on one of the “official Tea Party” websites.


1. Illegal Aliens Are Here Illegally.
2. Pro-Domestic Employment Is Indispensable.
3. Stronger Military Is Essential.
4. Special Interests Eliminated.
5. Gun Ownership Is Sacred.
6. Government Must Be Downsized.
7. National Budget Must Be Balanced.
8. Deficit Spending Will End.
9. Bail-Out And Stimulus Plans Are Illegal.
10. Reduce Personal Income Taxes A Must.
11. Reduce Business Income Taxes Are Mandatory.
12. Political Offices Available To Average Citizens.
13. Intrusive Government Stopped.
14. English As Core Language Is Required.
15. Traditional Family Values Are Encouraged.


There you have it, fifteen ideas which appear to separate Tea Partiers from reality, at least according to those who apparently believes life can’t exist without government involvement in each and every aspect of our lives. In a word, Poppycock!


Illegal Aliens Are Here Illegally


Now that’s a tough one, Illegal Aliens are Here Illegally. President Obama and Homeland Security seem to have difficulty understanding that as well; guess I’ll have to concede the match, throw my hands up in despair and give up.


The border between our sovereign nations means absolutely nothing; immigration laws mean absolutely nothing and citizenship means absolutely nothing. I think not; those who enter our nation in any way other than legally therefore are here illegally. (That’s 1 for the Tea Party)


Pro-Domestic Employment Is Indispensable


If Americans were rich beyond our wildest dreams I suppose we could have everything, and I mean EVERYTHING (where’s Ed McMan when you need him) done by the “hired help”. We’d all have two or three (undocumented) Mexican maids, an Argentine butler and a Chinese chauffer to pamper us daily. There would be a full compliment of Polish yard workers and Pakistani maintenance people to keep the estate going not to mention our haberdashery over in Hong Kong and a seamstress in Paris. I guess that’s pushing the envelope; where are summer jobs flipping burgers for kids in high school or grad students working their way through college? No, there has to be domestic employment or our children will grow up spoiled beyond measure.


We’re not rich beyond belief; a good percentage of Americans actually have to earn a living. Unfortunately our government has created an unfavorable business environment on our own soil and has driven jobs away by the thousands, many which involve the creation of tangible products which now are made over seas. In the month of July alone over 600 newly imposed mandates were implemented which make it that much harder for businesses to operate. Pro-domestic employment is indispensable. (That’s 2 for the Tea Party)


Stronger Military Is Essential


Until recently the United States was considered the world’s super power; that is until “we” (read that any way you like; but it still comes out the same) decided to relinquish the title and become a spineless jelly fish adrift in an ocean of sharks. The singular most important job which We the People have given our government is to safeguard our God given inalienable rights from those who would seek to do us harm. Having the strongest military possible is essential to inflict mortal damage on a grand scale or simply have the ability to do so; it matters not. Our enemies are forced to consider the consequences as long as we remain strong. (If you’re keeping score, that’s 3 for the Tea Party)


Special Interests Eliminated


That could be interpreted any number of ways; let’s just say the wording is a bit vague. Our Declaration of Independence did a wonderful job of expressing the sentiment:


“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,”


That means no matter how much influence a lobbyist uses to sway our elected representatives, our God given inalienable rights can never be voted away in favor of special projects intended to enrich a small segment of society at the expense of others. Somewhere along the way elected representatives have misplaced their allegiance along with their integrity in favor of “filthy lucre”; they’ve sold their souls for a few pieces of silver. It is not unreasonable to expect and even demand people of character and integrity to represent us. (That’s 4 for the Tea Party)


Gun Ownership Is Sacred


The 2nd Amendment listed in the Bill of Rights to our Constitution defines one of our inalienable God given rights, the right to own and bear arms. While this singular right has often been argued as to its exact meaning and scope; our Supreme Court recently made it evidently clear that the right to own and bear arms is an Individual right and may not be restricted other than in the case of mental instability or other such invalidations. Whether or not a person believes in God or an all powerful deity is of little importance; the “natural right” to defend life and property existed prior to the formation of any government. (Five for the Tea Party and counting)


Government Must Be Downsized


How big should government be, perhaps I should alter that; how big should our federal government be? The answer; only as big as necessary to accomplish the tasks assigned to it through our Constitution; not one iota more. Government works best at its smallest level, being close enough to those who must abide by its rules, regulations and laws. It doesn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to explain this principle; however the folks in Washington would have us believe “they know better”. They know better than the individual what formula blend of gasoline we should use, what kind of light bulb to read by and which toilet paper is environmentally friendly; bluntly put, they are mistaken. A goodly portion of the laws enacted stand at variance to our Constitution, having usurped powers never intended and certainly at odds with God given individual rights. Government must be downsized in order to comply with the will of the governed. (Six for the Tea Party and I’ve yet to break stride)


National Budget Must Be Balanced


Why is this concept difficult to accept? As individuals we must adhere to this rule; why should government be exempt from eternal laws? We can only spend that which we are able to cover through actual income; either with a cash and carry system or within reasonable expectation of future earnings such as would be necessary to make a car payments or mortgage over an extended yet established and finite time period. The idea of placing future generations in bondage for our reckless spending is deplorable and immoral.


Likewise, it is immoral to expect one group of citizens to carry the burdens of others through disproportionate taxing systems intent of depriving some individuals the fruits of their labors while rewarding other individuals who have not. Being a citizen requires effort and our government has violated the trust of its citizenry by promising rewards and entitlements to undeserving members of society in such unrealistic amounts as to bankrupt even the wealthiest among us.


“Though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people.” - Democrat President Grover Cleveland


Spending must be restrained and brought within reasonable limits even if it means cutting social programs which many among us have taken for granted. Social Security, Medicare and other entitlements are in violation of moral concepts and we as a people turned a blind eye from their inception. Socialism is not compatible with our constitutional republic. The welfare of our citizenry should be taken care of at the local level by means other than government such as private donation or church funds.


Redistribution of wealth through taxation is nothing more than government authorized theft and cannot be compared with charitable donations intended to help the less fortunate or those in desperate need. Balancing the budge would be much less trouble if it were not for special interests and entitlement spending; but that limitation on government “taxes” reason for those looking for Utopian castles in the sky. ( That’s 7 time, for a Dr Pepper)


Deficit Spending Will End


Deficit spending has been covered in the previous section; however, there’s a great article worth reading, an interview with Milton Friedman .


“In the long run government will spend whatever the tax system will raise, plus as much more as it can get away with. That’s what history tells us, I think. So my view has always been: cut taxes on any occasion, for any reason, in any way, that’s politically feasible. That’s the only way to keep down the size of government.” (Eight for the Tea Party)


Bail-Out And Stimulus Plans Are Illegal


If Congress would stick to limits placed upon it by our Constitution it wouldn’t have to explain why it was involved in “Crony Capitalism”, favoring one business over another, or businesses “too big to fail”. The free market capitalistic system which has served our country has been, forgive the common expression, “basterdized” to the point where it’s hard to tell if it isn’t closer to pure socialism than capitalism. Government is strictly forbidden from playing favorites and yet that is exactly what is going on; paying off political “debts” with favorable trade arrangements.


The use of taxpayer money is a stewardship which requires people of integrity and character. Sadly it is the disposition of all men that when they obtain a little power they tend to use that power unrighteously. It is not unreasonable for We the People to expect or even demand our government commit to following limits placed upon it by our Constitution. (That’s 9 and still counting)


Reduce Personal Income Taxes A Must


Personal income taxes have been used to redistribute wealth ever since it was forced upon the public. The purpose of a “graduated tax” was to level the playing field so to speak; the rich wouldn’t mind helping out in a disproportionate manner since the poor didn’t have the means to accomplish grand projects proposed for our national infrastructure. Beyond being immoral, the graduated income tax has become a tool used to deprive earned income from successful individuals as if exceptionalism were some sort of sin, “You make too much compared to others so we will relieve you of what others rightfully would have if you hadn’t stolen it to begin with.” Isn’t that a nice way of putting it?


Regardless of wealth redistribution, natural laws of productivity kick in at some magical point. It becomes counter productive to work if the government is going to take it all anyway; better to take a vacation than work.


Ronald Reagan explained this thought process when he was a member of the Actor’s Guild. Any money he made after a certain amount was taxed at such a high rate as to make him want to sit out the rest of the year and not make any movies once the “target” level had been reached. The same holds true for wage earners or those simply raking in money from their investments; if the government is going to take it all; why bother extending or stretching to reach your highest potential? (Ten and I haven’t stuttered once, not even once)


Reduce Business Income Taxes Are Mandatory


The idea of taxing business only adds to the cost of doing business. The cost of doing business is always passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. In actuality, by taxing businesses, individuals at every level of earning capacity are paying higher taxes. This is a hidden tax which hurts the lowest income levels of our society more so than any other tax. (Moving right along, that was 11)


Political Offices Available To Average Citizens


I have mixed feeling on this particular point; not that my opinion is so important. Those who represent We the People are going to be tempted by special interest groups and lobbyists at every turn. The “average citizen” might not with stand the temptations offered whereas a person of established means might not.


In the movie, A Man For All Seasons, there was a scene on the river where a boatman had been hired to taxi Sir Thomas Moore, played by Paul Scofield, to his residence. He held for display, to an up and coming young man, a silver pitcher given by a lobbyist to sway his opinion. Our hero tossed it in the river, recognizing it for what it was, a poorly fashioned bribe. The boatman retrieved the “prize” as it broke the water’s surface, before it was lost forever; as it was worth a considerable sum, then as it would be now.


With the power to legislate also come temptations, often more than the average person might be prepared to resist through self discipline, which certainly isn’t being taught in our public schools; that was the lesson Sir Thomas Moore wanted understood. Have we learned it; I think not.


So it is with our elected representatives. I fear the “average citizen”, if there can be such a moniker placed on humans, the average citizen in our day has not been sufficiently taught to resist temptation. Even so, the financially elite among us, those who are currently serving have ignored Sir Thomas Moore’s council and seek monetary incentives at every turn; I could be mistaken on this issue. (The Tea Party movement is built upon “average citizens” who represent a goodly portion of We the People; admittedly, I may be a bit short sighted on this one)


Intrusive Government Stopped


This topic has been covered throughout all the above subsections. If our elected government officers and representatives would adhere to Constitutional limitations placed upon them the Tea Party movement wouldn’t have to remind them of their back sliding ways. God given individual rights are not to be toyed with. (Not too many left, are you with me so far?)


English As Core Language Is Required


English is the language of the United States of America, all others are fine when individual citizens are within the confines of their homes or businesses. The idea of America having to be “diversified” is a ploy used by progressives to undermine the unifying Spirit requisite for a successful society. Pandering to each and every minority defeats the purpose of our great Experiment, an experiment which requires our several states to agree on certain basic elements; English as our language is part of our foundation. Those who come here seeking the blessings offered need to learn English so they can be assimilated and become We the People; anything less is destructive of these purposes. (Almost done, hang in there)


Traditional Family Values Are Encouraged


Our country was founded on Christian principles as set forth in the Bible. I know, that catches in the craw of progressives and those claiming otherwise. None the less, our originating documents are the result of wise men specifically brought forth at precisely the right moment to establish a nation which would honor our Creator and gain His stamp of approval on our founding documents and form of government.


The family is the single most important unit of government and the teachings which proceed from within the walls of our individual homes determine the quality of our lives. The family unit has come under attack by those who recognize this fact. There is a concerted effort to destroy the foundations of America, the family unit is at the top of the list. We are in a war, the same war which started before the Earth was formed; a war between the forces of good and evil.


For America to survive its citizens must develop good character and integrity, the same qualities which the Lord would have His children cultivate and which just happen to be taught best at the family level. Is it any wonder those who wish to destroy America also want the Ten Commandments removed from public view, falsely claim that our Constitution has placed a wall of separation between religion and government or that prayer has no place in open society? The family unit stands in the way of total collapse of our nation and those who follow the Father of Lies, even Satan, know this.


I do not apologize for depending on my faith or the teachings of morality gained in my youth as my parents drilled these lessons into my stubborn spirit. I acknowledge my belief in God the Eternal Father and in His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer as having set aside this nation to be a beacon unto the world for all that is right and proper. I acknowledge the Constitution as the law of the land. It is not unreasonable to demand elected representatives confine their actions to those specifically outlined within that essential document.


Two hundred years ago the core beliefs shared by today’s Tea Party activists were dominant among a goodly portion of We the People. It is my hope that a strong majority of my fellow citizens continue to hold these truths to be self evident. I rest my case.


This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal , a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.