DeMint Promotes Redistributing Power to States (DeMint would dismantle many federal departments)

Roll Call ^ | 2010-09-19 | Melanie Starkey

[rabscuttle385]

Sen. Jim DeMint argued for a “devolution of power out of Washington,” saying Sunday that “the fact is, education probably would work a lot better without the Department of Education.”

The South Carolina Republican had been asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” whether candidates whom he and the tea party movement have endorsed are too far out of the political mainstream. When host Candy Crowley gave Sharron Angle’s call to abolish the Education Department as an example, DeMint said, “She’s very bold to say it.” Angle is the GOP candidate challenging Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) for his Senate seat in Nevada.

“I would support a devolution of power out of Washington for education, health care, transportation, and I’ve introduced a lot of legislation for that, too,” DeMint added, saying the power should go to the states. “And you can do it in a common-sense, reasonable way that doesn’t disrupt any of the activities that we support.”

[UnwashedPeasant]

"Why do you have to be vicious? (What is DU?)"

DU is a Socialist forum. DU trolls often come here to advocate a conservative Third Party.

[presently no screen name]

I've been hollering for getting rid of 90% of Federal government departments and agencies for years. When our Constitution was written 237 years ago, none of the current agencies even existed.

Exactly! Hasn't this been the conservative objective all along - LESS GOVERNMENT. Why is this a surprise to some? And brings down the unions power, as well. Like you say, the Education Dept is not the only agency that needs the boot to make the gov't smaller. All those high salaries, perks, pensions we pay should be declared null and void.

Let the gov't employees have a taste of real life - like in the private sector.

[presently no screen name]

The majority of the GOP are squishy middle of the road, put their finger into the air types.

Because the GOP establishment GAVE us those squishy candidates and supported only those candidates. NOW with the grass roots in action, we see how the GOP selected candidate is not the voters choice. The problem wasn't with the voters but w/the GOP establishment. We hear their cries now - w/the conservatives who are winning the primaries. Joe Miller and Christine come to mind. All grass roots efforts - in opposition to what the GOP establishment wants.

To rid our party, the GOP, of the squishy middle that was forced on us and has been for far too long.

[presently no screen name]

This is what Sharon Angle and Joe Miller are both saying and AFAIK is how O’Donnell leans as well.

Exactly! Isn't that what Conservatives have been saying all along? SMALLER GOV'T - means less control and less taxes.

TEA - Taxed Enough Already.

Not too sure why some think this hasn't been the issue all along. Are some conservatives the last to get it? Why do they think the TEA Party has been vilified all along with Sarah, Rush, etc. A demand for smaller government goes hand in hand with dismantling departments and agencies.

[presently no screen name]

Take over the second party.

Right. More like take it back from the enemy within. The enemy already has a party - democrat - and that's where RINO's belong.

[davidosborne]

Dont look now but I think some folks in Washington have discoved the hidden 10th ammendment /sarcasm

[Euroconservative]

A true federation demands low federal taxes in order to allow fiscal competition between states and other local administrations (which promotes public efficiency). In Swizerland the top federal income tax rate is 11.5% and corporate is 8.5%, both limited by the Constitution. Is Switzerland poor because the rich pay 11.5% to Bern? So strong decentralization is the essence of small government.

[Mojave]

http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Grants

[newfreep]

see my tagline...

[TurkeyLurkey]

This is one of the issues this week on “You Cut”—we the people can vote and it will be brought forward...check it out at:

republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/

[FreedomPoster]

It began well before that. It did accelerate it, however.

[FreedomPoster]

>>>>”devolution..power to the states”

>>Actually, this concept should be the only plank for the tea party-— it keeps all constitutionalists united- All else, can be fought out in the States.

Precisely so. Subsidiarity should be one of the main watchwords.

[SumProVita]

“And the best part is that maybe, just maybe if this Tea Party mood holds for two more years, we can get a President and Congress that would go along with it.”

Pray for it!

[AndyJackson]

they are a “taking” from the States and the people.

Well, in Western lands the land was owned by the federal government before they even were states. In other places the land was paid for - admittedly inadequately.

And for those concerned about the constitutionality of the government owning land, the government owned land before the constitution was even written.

Indeed Amendment 5, contemporaneous with the constitution, anticipates government ownership of land for public use. There is no more widely supported government use of land than the national parks.

Your third grader, who enjoys his playground, would understand the issue far better than your cramped soul.

I know a lot of conservatives and libertarians who are quite content to spend weekends enjoying recreation in our public parks.

[TheWriterTX]

Now we are talking! This is the way it’s SUPPOSED TO BE!

[DariusBane]

I want to sell my share.

[supremedoctrine]

Jim DeMint, and ONLY Jim DeMint has been slowly emerging as JUST the perfect embodiment of the kind of man we should want for President in 2012. Of course he’s the farthest thing from a RINO, and intentionally so, so the MSM, if a DeMint ascendancy happens, will go after him tooth and nail,
but I think they’ll be disappointed in how little they can find to smear him with.

[greeneyes]

“Newt brought it up in 1995, and this was one of the things they used to bring him down. I remember it like it was yesterday:”

Yep the pubbies have needed a little help to understand how to frame the issues so they don't sound so radical. I heard Mort Kondracke say this past Friday, he had a litmus test that anyone who wanted to eliminate the department of education was too radical.

Never say you are for eliminating anything - just point out that the government is bloated, and in order to reduce expenses, departments need to be consolidated just like any corporation would do. Then shrink everything as much as you can get by with. Non-necessities should be trimmed just like families on budgets do.

If you change things too fast, people get scared, that's the mistake Obama has made. I think people will be fine if the pubbies say they are for reversing the Obama agenda: cut back the massive spending and eliminate the new bureaucracy back to what it was, and everything else should be consolidated and made more efficient.

I thought Miller did a fairly good job on the social security issue when Chris Wallace asked him about eliminating social security. He stated up front he was not for eliminating that for retirees and near retirees, but he did think that younger people needed to have an option since social security as currently structured would not be available for them.

[pgkdan]

I love this guy! He’s going to have a lot of credibility and support in this new Congress if we can elect the conservative Senators he’s supporting now. DeMint is the real deal.

[petercooper]

bttt