What We Got For Our Trouble

It is the estimation of your humble blogger that Conservatives and Tea Partiers would rally around the completion of the following seven goals:

• Balanced Budget Amendment
• Repeal of the 17th Amendment
• Repeal of the 16th Amendment
• Repeal of the 1st Sentence of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment
• Termination of the Department of Education
• Termination of the Department of Energy
• Termination of the Federal Reserve

At the beginning of the 2010 political cycle and the advent of the Tea Party, the choice was made to pull the Republican Party back to its Conservative Roots instead of starting a 3rd ‘Tea’ Party.  Conservatives and Tea Partiers worked diligently to elect Republicans, and as a result, we saw the massive influx of Republicans into the House with a swing of 60 Representatives.  In the Senate, we went from a Supermajority to the Democrats clinging to a 53 – 47 Majority.

What did we get for our efforts?  A very lame Lame-Duck Session where the Republicans snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in dealing with the Bush Tax Cuts, DADT, START, and numerous other bills.  But that was still the 111th Cope and Hang Congress.  The Hope and Change was to be in the 112th Congress-Elect.

Tea Party and Conservative Candidates were asked over and over where they stood on the seven goals above, and over and over they reassured of their agreement with their Conservative Supporters.  So, a quick look at the early 112th Congressional Record will show how well our newly elected Representatives are following-up on their campaign mores.

Checking the legislation submitted by the 112th Congress to Amend the U.S. Constitution, 23 Resolutions have been introduced in the House and Senate.  We find:

• 11 Resolutions to provide for a Balanced Budget (1 to just control spending)
• 3 Resolutions to restrict donations to political campaigns by Corporations / Businesses (guess the aisle-side whence this oozed)
• 2 Resolutions to limit the terms of Congressmen
• 1 Resolution to Repeal the 16th Amendment
• 1 Resolution each related to Citizenship, Parental Rights, Flag Burning, and the Line Item Veto
• 1 Resolution to remove Presidential Term Limits

So what did we Conservatives get for our Conservative trouble in electing these Conservative Representatives… …just 2 of our 7 major goals addressed.

Yes, it’s just a month into the 112th Congress, but that’s an eternity in election years.

Should we drop our support of our favorite sons and daughters for ignoring 5 of our top 7 expectations?  Not yet.  But, it’s already time to remind them that our support did come with expectations, it’s already time to remind them that we are watching, and it’s already time to remind them that ignoring their previous reassurances will result in them looking at our backs as we turn to support someone that we can trust.

We expect bigger things than the ObamaCare Repeal Vote.

Termination of the Department of Education