The Center Of American Politics
by Matt Kibbe
Despite what Congress and the current administration would have the people believe, the inconvenient truth is that fiscal conservatives are the dead center of American politics. Amidst accusations of extremism, Americans are responding to a message of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and less taxation. In a recent interview, FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey said this:
“This is the broad center of American politics. Look at the polling data, Right now, the Tea Party polls higher than the Republicans and the Democrats, and it is becoming increasingly clear to the electorate out there and they’re expressing their understanding… we have a Democrat majority in Congress and a President that’s on the liberal fringe, and we are in the center.”
Despite differing messages on various social agendas and battles over the role of government in our everyday lives, most Americans understand the necessity of fiscal responsibility – which is even more apparent in the midst of a struggling economy. As the government battles “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and takes on country-altering legislation in the form of Cap and Trade and the Health Care reform bill, unemployment sky rockets and Congress raises the debt ceiling yet again.
Americans are concerned with jobs. They are concerned with Federal spending. The President’s State of the Union proposal to place a spending freeze on an already swollen base line is not convincing them – only 9% believe that it will reduce the deficit significantly.
Back in October, Gallup published a poll that stated that 40% of Americans identified themselves as conservatives. Just 21% of the population identified as liberal. Conservative is no longer a dirty word to the American people – common sense fiscal policy resonates with a struggling economy.
When families hit tough times, they stop spending. They reign in the budget. The majority of the American people expect the government to do the same. Until Washington begins to show the same fiscal restraint the people are being forced to show, they will continue to see falling approval ratings and they will continue to lose their jobs.
Rep. Clyburn from South Carolina said:
“We’re not going to save our way out of this recession.We’ve got to spend our way out of this recession, and I think most economists know that.”
The problem with this thinking is that you fall into a trap. When, then, is it appropriate to not spend money? When times are bad, we spend our way out. When times are good, it is our moral obligation to spend. The American people aren’t buying it anymore. Sometimes, it’s appropriate to save. To know your limits. Until the government understands theirs, they will continue to bankrupt the economy on the taxpayer dime.
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67 Comments
Conservatism was never a dirty word with the majority of Americans. It has been pilloried by the progressive Beltway, academia, and the press, without a response…no more!
As someone from SC I can say that Clyburn is a true embarrassment. It seems like he gets on our local talk radio station at least once a month. It is amazing to hear him talk. Every dollar Clyburn sees he wants to spend. If our country does get a handle of our national debt and budget deficits we are going to be in real trouble of default. The largest line item in the budget will soon be the cost of servicing our national debt.
Mr. Kibbe,
Than you for the article. WE, the People get it. Our elected officials that are the "beast" in Washington, DC do not get it. That is the nature of the beast.
"The American people aren’t buying it anymore. Sometimes, it’s appropriate to save. To know your limits. Until the government understands theirs, they will continue to bankrupt the economy on the taxpayer dime."
While I agree woth your last sentence, it is time for someone to come up with a solution. What is the solution? What can be done to change the tone and direction of Washington, DC? Change at the voting booth? I am not sure. We try that every elevtion cycle, and the powers that be continue to be masters of the shell game. They are professional hucksters and fraudsters. In another age, they would be moving from town to town, dealing three card Monte, or Faro.
Time is of the essence. Someone needs to step forward with a concrete plan of action………..
The People are wise and getting Wiser…Tax and Spenders Gaw Head Keep Moving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVsr-_-v2sI
Ignoring the people is a really bad idea, painting the public as extremist when the have legitimate concerns is never a really good plan!!!
Here is an interesting article, that dovetails with the one on this thread:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/1969...
It also mentions the clinical definition of insanity, which is where we currently are as it relates to the Obama Administration. The closing paragraph cautions US with a warning we all ought heed:
"If the American people can prevent his programs from being enacted we have a chance to survive. If not, he will leave a legacy of failure larger and more devastating than the failure of the British Empire."
the Democrats are 'getting it' also…
There is a near revolt in their party; the DOJ is in disarray, and they are retiring in droves. Good. Now, the Republicans need to get a clue as well, and realize that a moderate Republican is a 'moderate' noose around your neck- it just tightens less quickly.
The only people who should be elected are non-east coast elites, non lawyers, non -internationalists (CFR, Club of Rome, Trilateral, etc) regular folk who want to go to Washington, cut government and spending, and then return to the private sector from whence they came.
Just say NO to career politicians. They must take an oath to not only cut spending but CUT congressional pay and benefits, too. It's WAY too comfortable a life there.
Sounds simple, doesn't it? Let's see who plays fair…
Thanks for the video.
Everyone ought to view that, and send it to everyone they know. That video is a representative example of what is occurring all over the country. It shows the frustration of We the People on the one hand; and the sheer arrogance and hubris of our elected politicians on the other.
I don't think you'll ever have to worry about the Republicans being caught to the left of the Democrats. If the Dems start to move right the Republicans will make sure they have plenty of room!
That protest sign speaks volumes!
Although I wholeheartedly agree with you, it is easier said than done. What we have is a generational complacency, and inherently that breeds a political elite ruling class, born with a sense of entitlement. They are academics, and intelligensia, who look down their condescending noses at US. We, the People.
You mention "non-east coast elites". You forgot to mention the left coast in the far west. That whole Kaliforn-i-yah!, Washington, Oregon corridor is lost. A lost cause.
http://www.savingtherepublic.com/MessagefromBM177...
Message to Politicians, Bias Media and Special Interest Groups http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWDaWBCk0FE
Term limits to stop the madness. The pain that our elected officials say it will cause will be their pain. Especially when the states start setting their house and senate pay and retirement (Should get none) limits.
This administration refuses to accept the obvious. The more money the people have the more they can, and usually will, spend. When more people are spending and buying the more businesses will find they need to hire more help. The more people earning money the more people spending. It's cyclic. Conversely the more money the government takes from the people and fritters away the worse our economy gets. Similarly the greater the difference between the goods we sell to other nations and that which we buy from other nations the poorer/richer ours becomes. And so when we have trade deficits with other nations our economy suffers as a result. It really can't be any clearer than that. From a national standpoint we cannot spend our way out of debt or out of a recession.
This is what was once called independence. When America produced more than it needed and therefor sold that excess to others for a profit. That profit is what made our nation so powerful. Unfortunately that excess also burned a hole in our politicians pockets and soon they began inventing new ways to fritter it away. Decades later, accustomed to frivolous spending our government, short on cash, is now creating new excuses to borrow money to feed their habit. Like gambling addicts they cannot willingly stop spending and as long as they have access to other peoples money (our money) they will continue to take us down with them.
Rep. Clybourne
We can not get out a recession by putting our money under a mattress. With you so far.
We have to spend money in order to get out of this recession. Still with there.
However, you must realize that a recession will not go away, in fact it will get worse (and it has) if GOVERNMENT is the one doing the spending.
Terrific! If more people would do this and record it these slimy cave dwelling troglodytes we call the people's representatives might crawl back under their rocks. Keep pressing! Carry you pocket Constitutions ( available for free at The Heritage Foundation ) and ask them wherever you meet them where in this document they find the allowance for a particular bill or law. I would bet not 1 in 10 can tell you and not 1 in 100 can show you!
Not so fast there Cowboy.
Minnafrancen and my Fightin Illini are not exactly.
Damn, we got our work cut out for us.
Here is the only change we need. Suggested 28th Amendment to the US Constitution “The Governmental Burden on the Economy may not exceed 15% of GDP”
This is what the media doesn't understand. This is about our Nation, not Dems or Republicans. I'm sure that Reagan is rolling in his grave right now.
IT'S TIME FOR A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT OR A SPENDING LIMIT AMENDMENT.
Yea, this is INSANE!!! I am working 40+ hours a week and I am broke, yet the gov is spending money like CRAZY and it will only make things worse down the road (if not sooner)!!!
Who can stop this?
How come we can not enact this
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"?
The real problem is our politicians are stealing our money.
Cowboy- we gave you a detailed response on the AOL link and it didn't post; have been having problems, contacted Intense Debate staff and they said 'try again'. It worked – once- and now nothing.
So, be forewarned, and we'll not reply via e-mail until this get saorted out…
Great video!! Thanks!
Tyranny is when the people FEAR the government! Freedom is when the GOVERNMENT fears the people!!
"Any governme4nt Big enough to Give you everything you want, is also STRONG enough to TAKE everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson!!
Wake up America before we wake up to tyranny!!!
Huh?
You lost me.
It is easy to do…………
Too late.
It is here.
"We have seen the enemy, and it is us"…………
It seems that most pundits get confused about the Tea Party movement thinking that it is in the political center.
Speaking of money……..
I see the illustrious Kenneth Feinberg, Pay Czar for Mr. Obammy is on Cavuto right now, pompously pontificating about business law. Such a pompous, arrogant, pathetic POS I have never seen. The pure hubris of this man is obnoxious. He says no one should receive a salary over 500 thousand dollars.
These pukes have just thrown out 200 plus years of business and contract law. They are gutting and decimating our system of capitalism as we speak.
It is sickening…………..
the replies we sent out via the AOL e-mail link you did not receive. Intense Debate is having problems.
Not ignoring your posts…
Dig?
All excellent posts above. I'm sick of idiots like Clyburn always citing some 'economist' (always Keynesian) or some 'study'. These mental midgets (is that not politically correct?) don't have the first clue how the engine works let alone the mechanics of a simple lube job. We should require our 'representatives' have some formal experience in an actual trade of some sort instead of just the ability to eloquently regurgitate the thoughts of others.
I can handle a Leftie like Clyburn starting out thinking the government can spend an economy out of a recession. The real scandal is he can get away with saying "most economists" agree with him. Really? When has it ever happened? Give me one example from history. In a rational world, a guy like Clyburn would be disabused of this idiotic position by the first entry level economist he met on his staff after taking office.
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
[...] Lesley Clark wrote an interesting post today on  Here’s a quick excerpt  Despite what Congress and the current administration would have the people believe, the inconvenient truth is that fiscal conservatives are the dead center of American politics. Amidst accusations of extremism, Americans are responding … [...]
Right on….
I think what ALL politicians fail to realize is that this outrage that bubbles is not REALLY a conservative/liberal issue. It is more of a "corrupt system" issue….at least for me.
In November, I will go down the line and vote out every incumbent, without fail. Snake-oil salesman, the whole lot of them
thank you dcase
For years I've been saying we should limit or disallow the number of lawyers serving in the US Congress.
Also raise the voting age to 30.
The Republicans are not immune to Progressivism
Amen cowboy………..be careful though, your legalese is hanging out.
Yep I get it. I'm going to be checking to see if any of the Reps from Utah voted today for the increase in the debt limit. Republican or Democrat they won't be getting my vote when they come up for election. I went on line to check out Sen Bob Bennett's record on iremarks for Utah. Just as I thought he's been part of the problem all along. No vote for you Mr Bennett. I hope the rest of Utah checks out your record. If they do, I suggest you will be gone.
just as long as doesn't spell THIRD PARTY
I wonder if it's actually true. When push comes to shove, it seems like everyone wants to get his piece of the pie, even conservatives. I hear a lot from rural republicans about the "need" for farm subsidies, small businessmen asking for loan guarantees, a reaction against ANY kind of fiscal conservatism when it comes to military spending, defense of entitlement programs like Medicare, etc. etc. The proof of a broad consensus around fiscal conservatism will mean, in my mind, an across the board reduction in spending. Not just targeting the spending of liberals, but ALL spending, even the stuff you like.
Good Poast.
He says this because most economists work for the federal reserve and federal government and sell their souls, so to speak, to support keynesian economics and government intrusion/control, e.g. stimulus, regulation, etc.
EXACTLY !
Come on not all of us under 30 refuse to use our brains when it comes to political decisions and the voting booth. I am a 26 year old conservative who spends a good bit of time reading about the issues. I did not become as interested before I had children, but I always cared enough to know at least some about what was going on and thinking about my stance on things beyond what the msm told me to think. I also do not agree with all of my parents views, although they are conservatives we do differ on our ideas for how certain problems should be solved.
Maybe raising the voting age to 21 or something. Most kids right out of high school do not know as much as they think they do about who they are voting for and don't have as much real world experience. 21 gives them a few more years in the work force or college to give a bit more experience.
One way to change the number of lawyers in Congress is to make running for office with a chance of winning less expensive so that people with real jobs can run and win. And somehow change American culture from suing everyone and everything at every percieved possible instance. Then maybe there would be less lawyers in general in our country.
“We’re not going to save our way out of this recession.We’ve got to spend our way out of this recession, and I think most economists know that.”
Thats right, we will save this economy by writing checks on an overdrawn account. The man is an idiot. OMG, if we all did this our accounts would be in thousands of dollars in NSF charges. Have they been smoking whacky tobaccy or a crack pipe?
I hear ya there! These days anything less than $100K is scraping by and eating rice and beans. There is no way to live in the "middle class" anymore because of taxes and inflation. The more you make the more they take. I would put financial escape velocity at around $150K. The government is doing everything it can to keep people from reaching this level.
Some days I really think, "why bother?" Work hard, you're broke. Don't work, you're broke.
Please refer to our self-anointed noble rulers as "mental little people" from now on. If you persist in this type of degrading language we will report you to Sarah Palin.
Humble reply. Short of violent revolution we need to cut off the flow of money to the government. Repeal the 16th amendment; enact the Fair Tax. This would eliminate all Federal withholding and payroll taxes. It would take out the IRS, not to mention thousands of lawyers and accountants. What fun!
There would be a period of extreme pain followed by a sudden surge in American productivity as American businesses began pulling back the work they farmed offshore into a more friendly business climate. Foreign corporations would fall all over themselves to move to the USA.
How about BOTH!!!
copperpeony: Depends on how you look at it, I guess. After all, a recession is not the only type of economic catastrophe there is, y'know! Are you old enough to remember the stagflation of the early nineteen-eighties? How 'bout a nice little round of hyper-inflation, in the tradition of Weimar Germany, or Zimbabwe? I've heard some folks say that it's impossible for a nation (as opposed to a State) to go bankrupt; thus, I'm not sure what the appropriate term would be if we simply default on our obligations. And I could probably imagine one or two other possible scenarios …
Now, none of those sound like a plain-vanilla recession to me. We keep on spending the way we've been spending, though, & I could see us ending up in one or the other of those places. At that point, I guess you could argue that we had spent our way out of a recession, in a sense …
Or maybe we'll find out that the Mayans were onto something with their calendar that ends at 2012. Don't cry for me, Chichen Itza …
THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS GAVE AMERICA AN ILLEGAL PRESIDENT!
Dear American People,
Let me ask you this…are you a believer in freedom and liberty for people or are you a believer that it's much better to live as a slave? We have a serious problem here in America that is defining just that. Are you free or are you a slave? Well the answer to that will be determined with the passing of time and what the American citizens do about the AMERICAN CRIME OF THE CENTURY! If you stand up and fight this most obvious and blatant assault on the U.S. Constitution being perpetrated and committed by the democrats and the republicans, well then you are a believer in freedom and liberty for the people. If you just stand by and do nothing and go along with what the democrats and republicans who want you to believe about Barack Obama being a legitimate president then you prefer to live your life out as a slave!
The democrats and republicans betrayed WE THE PEOPLE and the U.S. Constitution by allowing an unqualified candidate (Barack Obama) run (and win) for the Office of the President with their waving of their middle finger to ARTICLE 2 SECTION 1 of the U.S. Constitution which as the Supreme Law of the Land says that to be a candidate to run for the Office of the President a candidate must be a "NATURAL BORN CITIZEN", Barack Obama is not a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN and has no business occupying the people's White House and putting America in a state of international danger with his policies of incompetence! If this is an example of how elected officials who swear oath to serve, uphold and protect the Constitution, but to only turn around and practice treason to the Constitution, think of the Constitution! Then we are nothing but tax paying slaves to them unless WE THE PEOPLE stand up and fight because as it is right now your government thinks of you as a helpless slave! This is what America has become! People you need to research the Law of Nations, the Congressional Globe and this SCOTUS case "Minor v. Happersett" of 1874!
I DO question Obama's policies!
I DO question Obama's faith!
I DO question Obama's citizenship!
I DO question Obama's ideas!
I DO question Obama's motives!
I DO NOT share Obama's dreams!
I DO NOT share Obama's plans!
What would a dedicated enemy do to take down America? WWII and the cold war showed it could not be done by direct force or intimidation, so now the attempt is to do it internally. Weaken the things that make America strong, abandon our allies, attack the strength of the dollar, nationalize key businesses, socialize health care, and subject a society that supports freedom and the rights of all citizens to Marxism.
OBAMA IS A MUSLIM DEDICATED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA!
Obama's Own Words
http://usataxpayer.org/?0097519370
Obama Mocks Christian Faith
http://usataxpayer.org/?0033881580
There couldn't be more truth in that.
We need to be careful or they will divide and conquer us again.
They wish nothing more than to surmount and subjugate us.
We must step on their throat……………………………and then stand there for awhile.
Its' come down to butter or guns.
I 'll have my toast dry.
Thank You.
I wonder what would happen if we just went bankrupt…………………..and told the chi-coms,
"Come and get it"
?
Clyburn is just one of Nancy's yes men.
I agree so strongly. WE THE PEOPLE cannot allow either lame stream party in office. As bad as it is with the progressives in charge it will be just as bad if we let the NEOCONS back in.
Lest we forget it was the Rebloodlicans that were in charge when they put the UNpatriot act in place that wiped out half of the bill of rights in the stroke of a REBLOODLICAN pen. The NEOCON scum are using our love for liberty as a marketing tool right now to TRY and regain our trust. Don't forget they too have a man behind the curtain and we must pay attention to his nefarious plans as much as the progressive man behind the curtain.
Until we wake up and stop the BIGGEST lie all in the district of CORRUPTION and many state legislatures have confused us into believing, that they are the government we are doomed to keep repeating this political doomsday.
Remember the highest office in the land is not president or judge, not senator nor congressman. In this country under our system of government; the highest office in the land is that of citizen.
WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE SOVERIGN. WE MUST BE IN CHARGE FOR THIS COUNTRY TO SURVIVE.
Great point! If a third party is formed than it will cut the Republican party in half…giving Democrats an upper hand.
I do think; however, that people need to stop looking at their individual politics as "Democrat" or "Republican".
It binds them too tightly to the party's agenda and allows them to disregard their own opinions.
The party is supposed to speak on our behalf instead of letting us know what our "behalf" is!
I remember years ago when I voted for the first time- I voted for all the Republicans without even knowing what their platform was. I just knew my parents were Republican and at the time, that was all that mattered to me.
[...] Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | // Posted by Editor at 12:22 PM Tagged with: Center of American Politics, Democrats, Dick Armey, Fiscal Conservatives, Matt Kibbe, Republicans, Tea Party, WE THE PEOPLE [...]
Cowboy, another great post by you. However, the progressive movement will not just go away, especially when now in such power with their "messiah" figurehead! Such power may never happen again for them, so I don't believe that it will just go away that easily. I received an E-mail just today from some group that represents the president that is going after Glenn Beck for attacking their messiah! Right now the Military is controlled by the Commander-In-Chief (The "messiah", not by "We the people—", so I hope that "we the people's" vote still counts as a solution for this attempted progressive takeover of our way of life in America in January of 2010!
I have been trying to get through to political morons, folr many decades, that voting third party DOOMS all of us to DEM majority rule forever; however, sadly, many refuse to listen.
Most of those Perotistas learned that lesson, but apparently, there is a new crop of naifs, who don't understand anything at all about politics or our government and persist in their state of utter stupidity and childishness.
The simple truth is that it's all about the numbers !
He who has the numbers not only wsins, but rules!
The Founding Fathers set our government up that way and anyone who comes back and tries to tell me/everyone that Washington didn't want any political parties, doesn't know nor understand our history.
There is also NO BLOODY WAY that a majority is ever, NOT EVER, going to be 100% Conservative; not to mention the gfact that there are degrees of being a Conservative !
Hell yes, we MUST "step on their throat…………………………………….and stand there for awhile. " !
It isn't "voting blindly", to vote a straight ticket, but you should know what the paty platforms ared for all parties……………..including the fringe one.
As I said in another reply, IT'S ALL IN THE NUMBERS, and on top of that, if you imagine that freshmen Congress critters will just vote the way they say they will, while on the campaign trail/be independent, then you have less than no idea just out Congress works.
No…..people MUST "look at their individual politics as 'Democrat' or 'Republican'. " ! To do otherwise is the height of stupidity !
[...] . Amidst accusations of extremism, Americans are responding … See the original post: » The Center Of American Politics – Big Government Share and [...]
I definitely see your point. Obama is a prime example. What about the Primaries? I would imagine that's where the true difference is made.
Good, I'm glad you got the point, even with all of the sorry typos……..sorry about that ( the typos ) .
Yes, the primaries ARE exactly where it matters who you vote for ( person, NOT party ! ), as that is where the true differences are and the way to get ones party to change, from the inside!
BRAVA………well done, Timshappywife!
Daily Intel
February 6, 2010
http://www.infowars.com/ken-lewis-if-i%e2%80%99m-...
Editor’s note: Mr. Lewis may experience a heart attack or one of those overnight cases of terminal cancer.
No WAY is Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis going to be the only one to answer for the acquisition of crappy Merrill Lynch and its crappy bonuses, “a person close to Lewis’s defense team” (who may or may not be Ken Lewis himself) tells Charlie Gasparino today on the Daily Beast. NO WAY will he be a scapegoat, alone, for the people who twisted his arm to go through with the Merrill deal by telling him he would be fired if he didn’t. “If this thing goes to trial you can expect both Paulson and Bernanke to be on the witness list.” If he’s going down, he’s bringing them down, too. Bringing them down to Chinatown. Order in the court!
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/02/ken_lewis_al...
FREEDOM is the most important commodity in America. It is more valuable than gold. The loss of individual freedom is the end result of more government regulation and spending.
So many well intentioned people are willing to give up their own freedom and take the freedom away from other people for the supposed "benefit" of others. These people do not understand the tremendous harm they are doing.
When individuals make their own decisions and allow other people to decide things for themselves, then it benefits all people.
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