Spendation Without Representation

(This was originally posted on Facebook on February 10, 2009)

The passage of this "stimulus bill" today brings some real questions to my mind. One of the main reasons that drove the Founding Fathers towards indepence was the notion of "taxation without representation". The colonists had no problem paying taxes, they just wanted a say in what was being taxed. They felt that this was such an important neglect on the part of parliment that they declared indepence and fought a war. One of the main things that the founding fathers were concerned with was that the people would be represented. They wanted to ensure that every citizen of this great country felt that their elected officials represented their best interests.

What does this have to do with the stimulus package? Everything! Two out of the three "conservative" senators who voted this bill are from Maine, a state where only 35% of the people support the stimulus package. Now if you were the founding fathers how would you expect these senators to vote if only 35% supported a bill? Obviously they should vote for it. I mean 35% is a clear majority! The offices of these two senators have been swamped with calls, emails, and letters from all over the country asking, nay begging, these two senators to be "conservative" and vote down this bill. The founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves.

I think that the government has forgotten exactly where their money comes from. I have no problems with paying taxes, but I want them to benefit me. Does that sound selfish? It shouldn't. What is the purpose of government? According to the founders it's to provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquilty, etc. Do you sense a pattern in thier words? Words like common, general, justice for all, tend to suggest that the govenrment's job is to do things that will benefit everyone. Entitlement programs, big business bail-outs, and 87 million dollar ships to break ice in the Artic are hardly my idea of promoting the general welfare. Included with taxation without representation should be spendation without representation.

The Obama administration seems to have forgotten who keeps them in business. The Congress of this nation seems to forget where their money comes from. Maybe we should all stop paying taxes to show them, we would fit right in with the current cabinet. Oh wait they would just borow the money from China.