The other thing I learned this year!

Wednesday – July 7, 2010

The other thing I learned this year!

Last week, I referenced the Declaration of Independence. I referenced the 56 signers and wrote about the beginning, middle and the end of the document. Yesterday, I started off the week and the second year of Pinecone Conservatives with writing about what I had learned over the year.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to read about our history in ways that I never had before. It has been enlightening and it has broadened my perspective. From early on, I had conservative thoughts. From early on, I knew that it would be up to me to create my destiny and that our government would interfere with it, if given a chance. I have voted in at least 10 presidential contests. I have voted in every midterm and general election I can remember since turning 18. This does not make me a better citizen, it makes me an involved citizen.

I have been an elected delegate in an election cycle and have also assisted in many political campaigns, to help elect who I thought was best for the job. Never the less, with all this experience I don’t think that I knew the entire history of why we vote and how we got that privilege. This privilege can only be restored and preserved, if we all vote and if we all get involved. The right candidates are out there, we just have to identify them and get them involved too.

Last week, I highlighted a paragraph in the Declaration that said:
“In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

I believe that we are again at that point in our history. I believe that not only the president, but many elected officials are unfit to rule free people. When the Attorney General says: “we are a nation of cowards” and decides to sue the State of Arizona over an immigration law that should be enforced because it mirrors federal law that is not being enforced, then I say the time has come to get these people out of office! When the Attorney General decides not to move ahead on a voter intimidation case involving the New Black Panthers, I say the time has come to get these people out of office! In this case of the Black Panthers, there was video tape of them intimidating white voters at a polling precinct in Chicago. It has become apparent to at least one former federal prosecutor to speak up about the decision. Maybe more will as well?

When immigration advocates say that the term “illegal alien” is discriminatory and demeaning to Hispanics, then it is time to get these people out of office and out of the public dialog! We already have laws and a process to apply for legal status. The laws must be enforced instead of being diluted with sympathetic terminology that does nothing to solve the problem.

When a political leader’s every act defines what a tyrant is, then it is time to get these people out of office!

Our history, in part, is defined by the laws that we have. The legislature is responsible for passing our laws. When laws that are passed in the legislature do not promote the public good, then it time to get these people out of office!

In the latest Rasmussen poll, 60 % of voters want the recent healthcare legislation repelled. Our national debt is over 13 trillion dollars and by 2011, the debt will be 62% of our GDP. These statistics are the result of bad legislation. The debt is now a result of bad legislation.

The reason we elect representatives is to legislate for the public good. Part of the problem is that we continue to put pressure on these representatives to bring home the bacon. This is also the other side of the problem. The other thing I learned this year is that if we don’t send the message, then our politicians will not answer it. If we don’t send the message to stop the spending, then they will continue to spend.

What I have learned this year is that when representatives of government say they are making a contribution or an investment in our future they are lying. Our government, by its charter, cannot do that. What I have learned, is that we must be leery of any representative, even the president, when they use these words. Today, I woke up thinking about this thought. I will continue to develop this theme in the next 118 days up to the midterm.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: The other thing I hope that you have learned this year is that elections do have consequences and the consequences of the last election are playing out now!