 Some of you who've been reading my past articles, no doubt, would conclude that they are always based around a conservative set of principles. This conservative lens is important for me in order to interpret and make some sense of political news. The lens helps me see some trends and possible agendas being orchestrated by our elected officials. So I freely admit I have a conservative bias, because frequently it's allowed me to predict the next move of the progressive forces in this country. Those who would like to see America changed into an authoritarian state controlled by very few within the executive branch of government. Their mission is in direct contradiction of virtually everything that our Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution and separation of governmental powers seek to protect, including your rights and autonomy as a United States citizen. But you would be mistaken to conclude that my conservative bias is partisan based. Too many people in this country still fail to realize that being a conservative, in many cases, may be is entirely different than being a Republican. Conservatives do not believe in centralized power, big government, backroom deals, control of media, censorship, irresponsible spending or crony capitalism. We do believe in a strong national defense, but do not subscribe to the notion that the eroding loss of personal freedom is a fair exchange for the promise of government provided safety, security or prosperity. Obviously, the liberal side of the aisle promotes the concept of collectivism trumping individualism. To that end, they see government control as fluid authority which ebbs and flows without regard to a fixed frame of reference, such as the United States Constitution. Unfortunately, too many Republicans do as well. And when specific events underscore that fact, I feel that compelled to bring them to the forefront. Here is a case in point which occurred six months ago. Republican Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio held a public town hall meeting last August funded by taxpayer dollars. It was attended by not only Republicans, but also by some Democratic activists sporting yellow sweatshirts. By all accounts from the video I've seen, these Democrats were respectful of the rights of others. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Congressman Chabot or the Cincinnati Police Department. Here are two different sources* documenting how personal video recording devices were confiscated despite the fact that this was a public event held on public property. It's also worth noting that this censorship was not forced upon the cameras of "official news outlets". Ironically, the press was allowed video access. So it begs the question of whether or not the congressman simply made up his own censorship rules without regard to the rule of law. In my view, Chabot had trouble discerning the limitations of his own unilateral authority as a United States Congressman. Sound familiar? It's the same authoritarian nonsense casually tossed around by the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But in this case, the offender was a Republican. Please remember that as you consider who might best serve our country by winning the Republican presidential primary and eventually the White House. Clearly, all choices are preferable over Barack Obama, but unlike 2008, the 2012 presidential bid is not about hope and change. This election is about stopping the relentless attacks on our personal and economic freedom as American citizens. The last decade has shown that most Democrats and too many Republicans, including George W. Bush, have been poor stewards of the United States Constitution. So let us vote wisely under the assumption that the next Republican president will actually follow through on the vision he promotes in the debates while tempering his authority within the framework established by this county's architects. We are not a community to be "organized" behind the scenes via executive fiat. We are a nation to be led in full view of everyone's cell phone camera. Politics Extra - Politics Extra Democrats’ cameras seized by police at Chabot Town Hall meeting The Tea Party Economist - Congressman Has Police Confiscate All Cell Phone Cameras (* The Tea Party Economist incorrectly states that Congressman Chabot represents Pennsylvania, when in face, his constituents are in Ohio) Comments? |