May 15, 2012

by Lawrence Sellin, Ph. D.

All politicians crave power. Many use that power to enhance their personal wealth.

The power of the federal government is greater now than it has ever been in the history of the United States. The Constitution, as envisioned and written by the Founders, seeks to limit the power of the federal government. The Republican and Democrat establishments hate that.

Such a perspective explains why so few in government adhere to their oath of office to “support and defend” the Constitution, except in cases when it can be used to buttress their partisan political arguments. In those situations our hypocritical federal officials self-righteously wrap themselves in its protective cloak. Otherwise, the Constitution gets conveniently thrown under the bus.

At present, the American system is designed to maintain the corrupt status quo through the practice of political incest. That is, the Republican and Democrat establishments support only indoctrinated incumbents for re-election or those aspiring party sycophants carefully selected for their submissive personality traits.

Both parties vociferously oppose any grass-roots political movement, like the Tea Party, which might have the temerity to support or run their own candidates for federal office. The Republican and Democrat establishments hate that.

Such behavior explains why Republican establishment-types rallied behind Washington, D.C. insider and 36-year career politician Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) for re-election over Tea Party-endorsed state Treasurer Richard Mourdock.

Lugar, widely known as Barack Obama’s “favorite Republican,” was a co-sponsor of the Dream Act granting illegal immigrants amnesty and citizenship; supported the bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac against a majority of Republicans; was the only Republican to back the United Nations small arms treaty allowing foreign countries to dictate gun laws to Americans; opposed efforts to reform the U.N. and was the lead sponsor of the Law of the Sea Treaty, which President Ronald Reagan called a threat to U.S. sovereignty. In addition, Lugar enthusiastically appeared in a campaign television advertisement for Obama during the 2008 presidential election and served as a co-chair for Obama’s inaugural committee.

In the waning days before the May 8^th primary, Lugar, who only barely resembles what one might consider a Republican, even asked Democrats to cross party lines and vote for him.

Lugar lost in a rout.

Endorsing the eventual loser, the usual Republican establishment suspects were rounded up to supply the appropriate kiss of death: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, former Missouri Sen. John Danforth and former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter – the former Republican.

More surprisingly, however, was a report that the Young Guns Network, a group led by two former top aides to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), spent $100,000 to support Lugar.

Barney Keller, a spokesman for the Club for Growth, which provided funding for Mourdock’s campaign, said of the Young Guns Network mailer backing Lugar:

“Regrettably, Eric Cantor’s actions confirm the worst of what grassroots conservatives dislike about a Washington Republican leadership that is more interested in protecting its own than in promoting conservative principles and candidates.”

In fact, the Washington Republican leadership opposes all those it considers outsiders or anyone interested in reform.

You see, politicians are very comfortable with the status quo; gaining fame and fortune by distributing your tax dollars to wealthy financiers, who later reimburse them with campaign contributions to help prolong their stay in Washington, D.C. and, as a consequence, perpetuate the cycle of political corruption.

In that respect, there is little difference between the aims of Big Government Republicans and Big Government Democrats. The bigger the government, the larger and more numerous the parasites get.

The cure resides in strict adherence to the Constitution, in particular, the Tenth Amendment,bwhich limits the power of the federal government and, thereby, constrains the ability of Congressnand federal officials to act beyond certain clearly defined boundaries.

It is known as a government of laws, not a government of men.

The Republican and Democrat establishments hate that.

Lawrence Sellin, Ph.D. is a retired colonel with 29 years of service in the US Army Reserve and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. Colonel Sellin is the author of “Afghanistan and the Culture of Military Leadership” and “Political Establishments and the Culture of Dependency”. He receives email at lawrence.sellin@gmail.com