As the Tea Party/Town Hall Meeting movements gain momentum in the nation and as the country slides swiftly to the left side of the political spectrum, I feel compelled to set my thoughts to paper.
I came from a strict Democrat family. I used to jokingly tell people that my Grandfather was such a staunch Democrat that he would not even sleep at the Taft Hotel. The Taft was the newest and finest hotel in Newark at that time (long since torn down). All those in my family were strict supporters of FDR and the New Deal. They considered him to be a demi-god. My mother was born in 1920 and was a young child as my family suffered through the depression. I was taught that the Democrat Party was the champion of the underdog and the protector of the oppressed. Since that is exactly how we viewed our station in life, that was OUR party.As I became an adult and was more inclined to reason on my own, I soon learned that the Government programs that I believed were for the benefit of the oppressed were, in most cases, just the opposite. I saw that entire families were "welfare dependent" for generations. I learned that farmers were being paid NOT to plant crops and to take huge chunks of prime farm land out of production. Farm subsidies artificially jacked up food prices. The federal government established wage, price and rent ceilings in an attempt to reign-in an out-of-control economy, yet big government and its accompanying waste was of unimaginable size and proportion.
I became aware that the Democrat Party, that I believed was the champion of the oppressed, was the party that supported segregation and voter suppression. It was Democrat governors who stood in the doorways of Southern colleges to enforce segregation. It was mainly Democrat controlled state legislatures that passed and enforced racial segregationist laws. I slowly began to doubt my family's choice of political parties. Still, I remained a registered Democrat who voted mainly a party-line ticket. The Taft Hotel syndrome.
Then, in the early fall of 1980, I happened to be at a Cincinnati Bengals football game. A plane dragged a banner around the stadium declaring that Ronald Reagan would appear at a rally, at the Coliseum nearby, at 4pm. I asked the friend who was with me if he had anything to do later? Would he like to attend this rally? Since we were both free and interested, we made our way to the event. I was 40 years old and the speech that I was to hear would drastically change my life.
Candidate Reagan spoke of a "shining city on a hill". He said that the politicians served with the "consent of the governed" and that the ultimate source of all power was the people. That the role of the federal government, according to the Constitution, was small and limited. Its few powers were clearly outlined in the Constitution and those powers not specifically given to the federal government were reserved for the states and the people.
The people were guaranteed only life, liberty and the "pursuit" of happiness. The government could not and should not try to create happiness and "level the playing field" by pitting the haves against the have nots. The government should not create new "classes" of citizens based on "social justice". Government should not be involved in social programs aimed at righting injustices (either real or imagined.) The federal government should not collect more taxes than absolutely necessary (and then dangle rebates, like proverbial carrots, to state and local governments, if they toed the federal policy line. Why send money to Washington and hope to get some of it back?) The role of the government was to provide an environment that was conducive to businesses, both large and small, and then to get out of the way. This would allow the private sector to prosper and expand. This would increase economic activity and consumer spending. This would result in increased taxes from increased wages and ecomomic recovery.
Most impressively, Mr. Reagan reasoned that the true limits of a man/woman lie within themselves. That America is a nation of boundless possibilities. That one's potential is limitless once freed from the oppressive yoke of governmental control and sway. That saddling a family with welfare is to establish de facto slavery with the government as the slave owner.
There will always be those who must be cared for. No one will object to that. But in most cases, social programs are only a crutch for those who are afraid to succeed. I was on welfare as a child. At that time it was something that no one wanted to be associated with. Only those who had no other choice would prefer welfare over hard work. But times have changed and the government has created a new class of dependency. Under the guise of caring, they have stolen the will of an entire segment of the population to better their lot in life...to make the best of their God-given talents. Ronald Reagan realized this and he relayed it to the crowd in a forceful and convincing manner.
When I left that Coliseum, thirty years ago this fall, I told my friend that, when I arrived back home, I was changing my party affiliation. I was converted. I saw the error of my way.
I now believe that each man must be the master of his own destiny. That the government is not your friend. That social programs are not in the best interest of the people. That less government is better government.
I will seek out political candidates who share those core beliefs. I will leave the choice between two unacceptable candidates blank rather than waste a precious vote. I will campaign against any candidate (of any party) who, I feel, harbors beliefs that are in opposition to mine. My choice will be simple, which candidate will do a better job of adhereing to the Constitution? Which one will best protect my God given rights and those provided to me by the founding fathers who framed the Constitution?
The Declaration of Independence says that it is the right (and the duty) of the people (that's me) to organize the powers of the government in such form as shall seem most likely to effect my safety and happiness. I plan, in my own small way, to do just that.
Please feel free to join me. The Licking County 9-12 movement meets the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at the restaurant in the center of the Arcade (between third and fourth Streets, at 6:30pm. You are welcome anytime!
