The Issues

The list of people joining is growing. I have received emails from several people addressing several issues. I encourage people to talk about them in the Forum. Expressing your views is what makes this country great. We may not always agree with each other on some topics, but I think there are some issues where we have unanimity. This blog will address those issues.

Government spending - I don't think anyone would dispute that our federal government has acted irresponsible with our money. As Government spending surpasses 40% of our nations entire GDP, total debt moves towards $100 trillion, and bills are being approved without ever being read, we have reached a tipping point. Redistribution of wealth and the cradle to grave entitlements are crushing what our founding Fathers remarked as the "great experiment in liberty". We need to reverse course. Let's stop arguing over specific bills and instead shift the debate to State vs Federal Government powers. Our response needs to be, let the States decide. By taking power from the hands of the Federal Government and putting it on the States, the power moves closer to the will of the people and the natural result will be the failing of those states making poor choices - alla California and the success of those States making good decisions. Rather than Red State vs Blue State, it will be to success goes the spoils. That may sound heartless to some, but how is that any worse than, we all go down together. You don't have to force everyone to touch a hot burner to get them to understand it is hot. In the same vein, we don't need to have the entire country adopt policies when we can learn from the individual states that implement them first. If we can reduce the power of the Federal Government and turn the system back into a States Rights debate I believe many of our other goals will fall into place. The following platform will return our country to the Constitutional Republic it once was.

The Sauk Valley Tea Party Platform

1) Petition for an amendment to the Constitution that limits Government Spending to %15 of GDP. An amendment on spending would do far more than a balanced budget amendment in that it puts a clear cap on spending and thus the power of the federal government. 15% is plenty of funding for those things called upon in our constitution as the responsibility of the federal government.

2) Repeal the 16th Amendment. Income taxes are not only unfair, but unwise. Penalizing success never works. You don't punish your child for improving his/her grades. Prior to the 16th Amendment, our country acquired its revenue through tariffs. What better way to raise revenue than to penalize those things that stifle domestic production. "Free traders" will tell me that this would create a trade war and harm our exports, but don't believe their propaganda. Does anyone really believe free trade exists? We import billions from China, yet their manufacturers do not have the same restrictions or circumstances as US manufacturers - how is that free? Imposing higher duties on imports may hurt our exports in the short run, but the increase in domestic production would far outweigh any negative impact in the long run. The tariffs are not punitive, they only need to be high enough to fund a much leaner Federal Government.

3) Term limits across the board. Our Founding Fathers believed men should serve their government at their leisure. We have made serving in government a career rather than a sacrifice. We are creating a ruling class or bourgeoisie, the very thing we fought against in our Revolution. Look at all the second, third and now fourth generation of politicians in Washington. 2 consecutive term limits across every position would insure our government is not locked into a culture of corruption. No person is irreplaceable.

4) Illegalize Earmarks - No representative can put in any local spending amendments that are not relevant to the bill. Local expenditures must remain local. Voting on whether a city airport needs expansion should have nothing to do with a national defense program. If an airport is crucial to a military installation it should be made clear in the bill with detailed justification.

5) Ban Institutionalized Lobbying - we live in a free society where every individual is important. The game has been set up in Washington in a way that you have to Pay to Play. That is immoral. If a trade organization is interested in having influence on passing legislation they should have the same recourse as the average citizen - call, write or meet your LOCAL representative at his local office. In other words, an industry lobbyists would only be allowed to meet with the congressman and state senators from their HQ's district - period. It does not matter they have factories in multiple states - 1 congressman, 2 senators per group - period.

6) Enact HR1207 to Audit the Federal Reserve. The Fed Reserve can not be allowed to act in its best interest when it is not in the interest of the American People. Transparency can only happen if the books are opened.

We ask you to get involved and help us build a coalition of rugged individuals.