What goes hand in hand?

Wednesday – November 17, 2010

What goes hand in hand?

We often times wonder why people go in the direction that they do. When we travel we generally go north, south, east and west. The direction is plotted on a map or on our GPS and or a simple note. Direction goes hand in hand in with your travels.

When we wonder why people are the way they are they generally have had a direction that was plotted for them. The direction we decide to go in is often driven by our experiences. This goes hand in hand.

When we use our political system to determine a direction it is usually driven by the philosophy of party or the ideology of a leader. This goes hand in hand.

When our forefathers started down the road to freedom they knew that revolution and liberty went hand in hand. They knew that one does not exist without the other.

Our President will be going to Europe for yet another meeting on the world’s economy. Remember Greece? They, again, need more money. Remember the near collapse of the European Union? Remember Portugal, Spain and even Ireland needing economic assistance? This is the result of spending the people’s money on programs that fuel dependency and loss of liberty and the freedoms that many have forgotten about in these countries. China is fighting inflation and threatening not to buy more of our debt. Their stock market has plummeted in past days.

This unstable condition raises tensions and the prospect of trade wars and protectionism. This unstable condition promotes philosophies that differ from culture to culture. This unstable condition will bring the worst kind of competition and promote an environment of distrust. Economic strife, due to government policy and control, go hand in hand.

Over the years, the government has indoctrinated our elected officials to earmark funds for votes. This has made us immune to the spending habits of a Congress that was unaccountable. The Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has gone public and has now requested that there be a two year moratorium on earmarks. This is a small step but it is a start. Control of spending and the health of liberty go hand in hand.

Today, I am questioning why Charlie Rangel is still in office. I question the voters who kept him in office and I question why the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has also kept him there. Congressman Rangel walked out of his ethics violations hearing and was complaining that he is not being treated fairly. He went on to say that he has served the public for fifty years and he should not be treated like this. Mr. Rangel has had two years to prepare for this weeks hearing. He fired his attorney and said he does not have representation.

Yesterday, Mr. Rangel was unanimously found guilty of 11 out of 13 ethics violations. He complained that he did not receive due process.

He said at one point in his defense that a sloppy accounting practice was the reason he was being investigated. If he is guilty of that then maybe he is guilty of the economic mess we are now in. They go hand in hand.

As the Republicans plot their way and go in the direction of reform and spending controls we are still reminded of the bloated and selfish practices of the Democrats. As Nancy Pelosi is retaining her power she has created a new position for Congressman James Clyburn so that he remains third in the pecking order. This was done because he is the leader of the congressional black caucus. Power and selfishness go hand in hand.

As we move into the next phase of organizing and selecting those who will run in 2012, we must bring into focus the abuses and the longevity of congressmen like Charlie Rangel. I believe that Rangel is what is wrong in Washington. I believe that when you serve for as long as Rangel has served you place yourself above all others. Mr. Rangel’s career has spanned 39 years in Congress. Look at the legislation that has come from the House in that time span. Look at the money that has been spent and stolen in that time frame. A career of 39 years cannot be overlooked, if it has been a career of honest politicking.

When members of his party were asked about the guilty charges, they said look at what the man has done “for the people” in his career. Corrupt power brokers and the rewriting of history by those who protect their own go hand in hand. Corrupt leaders who plot the direction of their party by using the system are why the system is broken. Power and longevity go hand in hand.

On this date, in 1800, Congress held its first session in an uncompleted Capital Building. The need for governing could not wait for a completion of its house. The need to do the peoples business could not wait for the completion of its house. I wonder if the direction to create a government that obeyed the laws of liberty set forth in the founding documents was done because of a collective philosophy or because of the need to have a house. You see a House that fights for liberty is never complete until the philosophy becomes a collective effort to retain liberty and freedom. It goes hand in hand.


Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: The House is on the right road. The House is not yet complete, but that shouldn’t stop the members from doing the right thing! That shouldn’t stop them from doing what they were sent to do! Doing the right thing and going down the right road go hand in hand!