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.
In case you didn’t recognize them, these are the first two sentences in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. Being one of the “governed,” I’ve been thinking lately about the meaning of the words “consent of the governed” as it relates to my “government.”
This line of thought started with me remembering the best applause line I personally witnessed at the December 15 Emergency Senate Rally (chronicled by video number 22 in my YouTube Playlist ‘T.E.A. Party Film Festival’). Laura Ingraham, turning to face the Capitol building, declares “Ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, You No Longer Have Our Consent!” Patriotic hearts pound and patriotic voices rise to the heavens. That’s how I experienced it, anyway. Still looking for the MSM report.
If your name is anything other than “Rip Van Winkle,” you are surely aware BHO and the Progressives shoved so-called “Health Care Reform” down our throats in opposition to the consent of the governed. It was not the first time, and if they have their way, it won’t be last. Various unpopular bailouts preceded it. Additional progressive outrages like Cap and Trade, Illegal Immigration Amnesty, more taxation, more deficit spending, and the Orwellian named “Fairness Doctrine” are already in the pipeline right behind it.
It has been, and will continue to be, a relentless progressive assault on the American Founding. This assault will be relentlessly visited upon us until We The People reclaim Congress. Therefore, I shall present the evidence as a relentless drum beat of links (below the line) - demonstrating this administration’s habit of governing in opposition to the consent of the governed.
I suspect that in due time we will get to an examination of this other sentence from the same paragraph in the Declaration – “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government …” We might then pause to reflect on why the Founders may have had those words in mind while crafting Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution.
Hey, how does everyone like the new “Daily Barry” feature? Who knows how to read trend lines? :)
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GM Bailout
12/8/2008
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2008/12/poll_auto_bailout_wrong_way.html
12/4/2008
http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/03/news/economy/automakers_poll/?postversion=2008120312
2/26/2009
http://www.gallup.com/poll/116107/americans-reject-sequel-auto-bailout.aspx
3/30/2009
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/30/auto.ireporters/
4/13/2009
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/13/77-billion-more-to-bail-out-bankrupt-gm/
5/31/2009
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/auto_industry/may_2009/just_21_favor_gm_bailout_plan_67_oppose
6/2/2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124385428627671889.html
6/6/2009
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/enhanced_gm_bail_out_bad_for_americans/
“Stimulus”
1/29/2009
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/stimulus-package/poll-independents-swing-heavily-against-stimulus-package/
2/4/2009
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/economic_stimulus_package/february_2009/support_for_stimulus_package_falls_to_37
2/6/2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/06/stimulus.polls/index.html
2/24/2009
http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2009/02/stimulus-plan-rewarding-bad-behavior.html
6/23/2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/22/AR2009062202000.html
11/17/2009
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/obama_stimulus_spending_do_poorly_in_montana_poll/14245/
2/18/2010
http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/5051-poll-6-of-americans-believe-stimulus-created-jobs-7-believe-elvis-is-alive
2/25/2010
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/25/poll.stimulus.money/index.html
Gitmo / KSM / War on Terror / National Defense
6/2/2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5inI8aDAvoSXM0RSQbIOwxObgfshg
11/17/2009
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67959-poll-almost-two-thirds-want-miliary-trial-for-ksm
12/31/2009
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/poll-finds-americans-favor-waterboarding-christmas-day-terror-suspect/19299536
1/26/2010
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/print/60446
2/1/2010
http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Poll-opposition-growing-to-domestic-civilian-trials-for-terrorists--83256752.html
2/11/2010
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/02/11/2010-02-11_poll_dont_try_terrorists_in_ny_or_any_court.html
3/10/2010
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/poll-terrorism-nation-less/2010/03/10/id/352283
3/29/2010
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/29/cnn-poll-big-shift-on-closing-of-guantanamo-bay-facility/?fbid=O_aEXbEk5sw
4/8/2010
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2010/55_oppose_limits_on_u_s_nuclear_response_to_attacks
Health Care “Reform”
11/24/2009
http://www.businessweek.com/blogs/money_politics/archives/2009/11/new_health_care.html
1/19/2010
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Politics/health-care-reform-abc-news-poll-analysis/story?id=9593912
1/19/2010
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/19/2178310.aspx
3/9/2010
http://www.gallup.com/poll/126521/favor-oppose-obama-healthcare-plan.aspx
3/16/2010
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2010/03/16/chamber-polls-find-public-is-opposed-to-healthcare-plan.html
3/28/2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032804094.html
4/8/2010
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/04/08/most-voters-want-to-see-new-health-care-law-changed-or-repealed/
Cap and Trade / Energy
04/30/2009
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/04/30/zogby-poll-only-30-of-americans-support-cap-and-trade/
6/30/2009
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/42_say_climate_change_bill_will_hurt_the_economy
11/14/2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6916510.ece
1/25/2010
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/25/pew-poll-global-warming-dead-last-down-from-last-year/
3/11/2010
http://www.gallup.com/poll/126560/americans-global-warming-concerns-continue-drop.aspx
4/6/2010
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63536B20100406
“Comprehensive” Immigration “Reform”
4/14/2009
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/polltracker/2009/04/immigration-overhaul-ranks-low.html
4/16/2009
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2009/04/16/poll-immigration-amnesty-is-unpopular-outside-the-beltway-pols-remain-clueless.html
10/19/2009
http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=18571
11/23/2009
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1421/where-the-public-stands-on-immigration-reform
2/3/2010
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/immigration-232367-reform-pass.html
2/25/2010
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2459112/posts
Open Thread
19 minutes ago