You hear about it around the dinner table, at church and at work. Never in my lifetime have I seen so many folks actively engaged in the issues, which is a very good thing.
That said, most folks across East Alabama I talk with are deeply concerned about the direction our country is headed. I agree, and I think they’re concerned for a number of reasons.
One is our recession-plagued economy and a persistent lack of new jobs. Another is our growing debt.
But more philosophically, I think folks believe this Congress and the Administration simply want to expand the scope of the Federal government. That’s a problem because the bigger it grows, the bigger presence it has in our everyday lives, which could leave us fewer freedoms.
Our founding fathers believed in a strong Federal government but also believed in limits on that power.
There’s no better proof of that than the 10th Amendment to the Constitution: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the People.”
The healthcare bill is an example of Congressional overreaching. Aside from its many intrusive flaws, one of its most hotly debated provisions is the mandate requiring all Americans purchase health insurance. Congress shouldn’t be able to force law-abiding citizens to engage in an activity if they choose not to – even if it’s against what some consider their own good. I think it’s unconstitutional and should be repealed and replaced with common sense reforms.
Another example is the financial reform debate. Instead of focusing on the abuses of Wall Street executives primarily responsible for the economic meltdown, Congress and the Treasury Department have too often used the financial reform debate as an excuse to go after Main Street.
Many want to more heavily regulate local community banks, hospitals, dentists, auto shops and lots of other small businesses that create jobs. With the government’s takeover of GM, you start to wonder what the true motives are behind these actions.
You see it with the so-called Policy Czars. These unelected officials are not accountable to anyone – not Congress and certainly not the people. The president can select people he wants to serve in the Administration, but according to the Constitution, those key leaders are subject to the confirmation process in the Senate and must report regularly to Congress. Czars aren’t bound by these rules.
Maybe folks would have a better opinion of Congress if it would follow its Constitutional role, and focus on issues most pressing like spending, debt and legislation that helps strengthen our economy.
As always, contact me at www.house.gov/mike-rogers, follow me at www.twitter.com/RepMikeRogersAL, friend me on Facebook or subscribe to my YouTube page (MikeRogersAL03).
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