Americans rebelling against Political Elite in Washington?

examiner.com ^ | September 1, 2009 | Martha

[usalady]

As members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate return to Washington, to their cushy retirement programs, choice of non-government controlled health care insurance, cut rate haircuts, manicures and shoeshines, meanwhile expecting Americans to lower their expectations and accept the leavings, along with higher taxes, that are being dished out to them.

[usalady]

Slowly the words of Patrick Henry in 1775 have taken on new meaning for many Americans.

Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

[subterfuge]

As members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate return to Washington, to their cushy retirement programs, choice of non-government controlled health care insurance, cut rate haircuts, manicures and shoeshines,

it would be very interesting to see the FULL list of the perks the House and the Senate are privileged to receive.

[Atom Smasher]

Patrick Henry’s words were exquisite & quite profound!

Ping!

[Kartographer]

Mack: "It's a shame what this town has come to".
Charley: "You could do something about it."
Mack: "What? We're freighters. Ralph here's a shopkeeper."
Charley: "You're men ain't you?"
Mack: " I didn't raise my boys just to see them killed."
Charley: "Well you may not know this, but there's things that gnaw on a man worse than dying."
From the movie 'Open Range'

Choose this day how you will serve; Will you serve unwillingly and at the bidding of others wearing the yoke of socialism or will you hold true to the course of our forefathers’ standing tall and serving freely? As for me I choose to SERVE THE REPUBLIC!

[manic4organic]

I agree. Put Glenn Beck on it and we’ll have our answers within the week!

[notaliberal]

I think we should ALL request a list of perks from our congressman and senators. Let’s see how many answers we get!

[CPT Clay]

How about:

Mene mene tekel upharsin

[LS]

I'll be on the Chuck Wilder show later today talking about just one way we can limit these guys, which is to begin chopping them off at the knees by limiting severely their congressional staff.

I don't know what it is today, but in the late 1970s, the numbers of congressional staff were in the multiple thousands. There was something like 4500 unelected administrators in Washington for every elected official. As I know from a university setting, the more administrators, the more "initiatives" you have to "reform" things. That translates into busy work, taxes, and time.

[Dick Bachert]

[smokingfrog]

yes!

[screaminsunshine]

The Natives are restless.

[notaliberal]

Just sent Boxer and Feinstein an email requesting all perks they receive—I’m sure I’ll get and answer pronto!!

[Pipe Dog]

Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens.

George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 14, 1778

[subterfuge]

I don’t imagine congressman or senators pay for any consumable. I’d bet they don’t pay for:

Clothing
Transportation
Car insurance
Health insurance
Renter’s insurance
Homeowner’s insurance
Food
Travel
Grooming (can you imagine what some of the congresswomen pay for hair products?)
“extra curricular” anything
Entertainment

They seem more like royalty than they do servants. I’d live like a king too if I had THOSE perks!

[Billthedrill]

They’re certainly a little shook up, and their media allies are outraged and are showing it. I’m sure the court jesters back in the old days shared a similar outraged sentiment...just before the mob came for their kings.

[VRWCRick]

It isn’t just about the perks they receive. It is really all about such elitist schemes as:
Health Care “reform” - really the government hijacking of our health care system, the best in the world.
Cap and Trade - The elitist scheme to grab a lot of our money and a lot of power for themselves using the global warming superstition as a pretext.
Cash for Clunkers - The failed scheme to trade in old cars and replace them with Yugo sized overgrown lawn mowers. Dealers are still waiting for their money!
Shutting down talk radio - suppressing free speech in the name of ‘diversity’ and ‘fairness’, but really to silence opinions in disagreement with the Washington elites.
And on, and on, and on.
Our government is no longer a government of the people. It is government of the elites, by the elites, for the elites.
All the rest of us are just supposed to shut up, pay high taxes, and bend over to the elites in Washington.

Not just no, but HELL NO!!

[ichabod1]

I KNOW! Maybe we can’t term limit them, but we ought to try and get them to get rid of some of the perks. FUrthermore, we should reduce the incumbency protections — THAT’s what keeps them in there for lifetimes.