545 People
Journalist Charley Reese (now retired) was part of the Orlando Sentinel’s staff for three decades from 1971-2001. He wrote the following article in 1995. The deficit is now at $16 trillion and the number of people in the U.S. is now 314 million, so to bring it up to date, increase the numbers where necessary. . .
“Politicians, as I have often said, are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Everything on the Republican contract is a problem created by Congress. Too much bureaucracy? Blame Congress. Too many rules? Blame Congress. Unjust tax laws? Congress wrote them. Out-of-control bureaucracy? Congress authorizes everything bureaucracies do. Americans dying in Third World rat holes on stupid U.N. missions? Congress allows it.
The annual deficits? Congress votes for them. The $4 [$16] trillion-plus debt? Congress created it.
To put it into perspective, just remember that 100 percent of the power of the federal government comes from the U.S. Constitution. If it’s not in the Constitution, it’s not authorized.
Then read your Constitution. All 100 percent of the power of the federal government is invested solely in 545 individual human beings. That’s all. Of 260 [314] million Americans, only 545 of them wield 100 percent of the power of the federal government.
That’s 435 members of the U.S. House, 100 senators, one president, and nine supreme court justices. Anything involving government that is wrong is 100 percent their fault.
I exclude the vice president because constitutionally, he has no power except to preside over the Senate and to vote only in the case of a tie. I exclude the Federal Reserve because Congress created it, and all its power is power Congress delegated to it and could withdraw anytime it chooses to do so. In fact, all the power exercised by the three million or so other federal employees is power delegated from the 545.
All bureaucracies are created by Congress or by executive order of the president. All are financed and staffed by Congress. All enforce laws passed by Congress. All operate under procedures authorized by Congress. That’s why all complaints and protests should be properly directed at Congress, not at the individual agencies.
You don’t like the IRS? Go see Congress. You think the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency is running amok? Go see Congress.
Congress is the originator of all government problems and is also the only remedy available. That’s why, of course, politicians go to such extraordinary lengths and employ world-class sophistry to make you think they are not responsible.
Anytime a congressman pretends to be outraged by something a federal bureaucrat does, he is in fact, engaging in one big massive con job. No federal employee can act at all except to enforce laws passed by Congress and to employ procedures authorized by Congress either explicitly or implicitly.
Partisans on both sides like to blame presidents for deficits, but all deficits are congressional deficits. The president may, by custom, recommend a budget, but it carries no legal weight. Only Congress is authorized by the Constitution to authorize and appropriate, and to levy taxes. That’s what the federal budget consists of: expenditures authorized, funds appropriated and taxes levied.
Both Democrats and Republicans mislead the public. For 40 years, Democrats had majorities and could have at any time balanced the budget if they had chosen to do so.
Republicans now have majorities and could, if they choose, pass a balanced budget this year. Every president, Democrat or Republican, could have vetoed appropriations bills that did not make up a balanced budget. Every president could have recommended a balanced budget. None has done either.
We have annual deficits and a huge federal debt because that’s what majorities in Congress and presidents in the White House wanted. We have troops in various Third World rat holes because Congress and the president want them there.
Don’t be conned. Don’t let them escape responsibility. We simply have to sort through 260 [314] million people until we find 545 who will act responsibly.”
Charley Reese
BUT – NOT SO FAST! Who does Congress answer to?
YOU and ME!
WE are the ones who are ultimately responsible.
I think all enlightened people agree there are some “bad apples” in Congress.
“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.”
William E. Simon
And politicians make bad decisions because good people don’t speak up! Your vote and your voice matter.
Speak Up!
The best way you can influence the direction of this country right now will be to contact your own members of Congress. THEY WORK FOR YOU!! YOU are their boss. They are your employees!! Tell them to start collaborating like mature adults and act constructively!
Then. . .
The last election made it very clear: the USA is made up of an ever-increasingly diverse group of people and it demonstrated that the term, “Real Americans” does not apply to one demographic. We cannot move forward into the future by clinging to old ways of thinking.
Tell your Congressman/woman that intrasigency is totally unacceptable. Tell them we must strike a balance between conviction and compromise with a common commitment to:
1) Get our economic house in order and
2) Stay out of peoples’ personal lives
Tell them to respect the vote of the American people. It’s time to put the interests of the country first.
“When we talk about The Party, we lose. When we talk about The Country, we win.”
John Huntsman
Wise words for us all . . .
Thank you to my good friend Kathy Woldum for sharing this article with us.
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