Evoking the Declaration of Independence in rather explicit terms, the Republicans have released their 2010 version of the Contract With America. Let’s look at the preamble, wherein President Obama takes on the role of King George III.
A PLEDGE TO AMERICA
America is more than a country.
America is an idea – an idea that free people can govern themselves, that government’s powers are derived from
the consent of the governed, that each of us is endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. America is the belief that any man or woman can – given economic,
political, and religious liberty – advance themselves, their families, and the common good.America is an inspiration to those who yearn to be free and have the ability and the dignity to determine their
own destiny.Whenever the agenda of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to institute
a new governing agenda and set a different course.These first principles were proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, enshrined in the Constitution, and
have endured through hard sacrifice and commitment by generations of Americans.In a self-governing society, the only bulwark against the power of the state is the consent of the governed, and
regarding the policies of the current government, the governed do not consent.An unchecked executive, a compliant legislature, and an overreaching judiciary have combined to thwart the
will of the people and overturn their votes and their values, striking down long-standing laws and institutions
and scorning the deepest beliefs of the American people.
An arrogant and out-of-touch government of self-appointed elites makes decisions, issues mandates, and enacts
laws without accepting or requesting the input of the many.
Rising joblessness, crushing debt, and a polarizing political environment are fraying the bonds among our
people and blurring our sense of national purpose.Like free peoples of the past, our citizens refuse to accommodate a government that believes it can replace the
will of the people with its own. The American people are speaking out, demanding that we realign our country’s
compass with its founding principles and apply those principles to solve our common problems for the common
good.The need for urgent action to repair our economy and reclaim our government for the people cannot be
overstated.
Now, I gotta call bullshit on Republicans plagiarizing Thomas Jefferson without attribution at the same time that they have stricken discussion of his role in the anti-monarchial revolutions from public schools in Texas.
[Texas Board of Education member] Cynthia Dunbar, a lawyer from Richmond who is a strict constitutionalist and thinks the nation was founded on Christian beliefs, managed to cut Thomas Jefferson from a list of figures whose writings inspired revolutions in the late 18th century and 19th century, replacing him with St. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and William Blackstone. (Jefferson is not well liked among conservatives on the board because he coined the term “separation between church and state.”)
“The Enlightenment was not the only philosophy on which these revolutions were based,” Ms. Dunbar said.
If the Declaration of Independence didn’t influence the French Revolution or the Revolutions of 1848, then it sure as hell can’t be badly edited to influence us now in a little midterm election. No points for style here, folks.
It’s interesting that the Republicans are calling Obama a tyrant, though. That’s a nice touch. So, they “refuse to consent” to be governed by him and they “refuse to accommodate” him. That’s also nice.
I particularly liked this next part:
Rising joblessness [caused by us], crushing debt [caused by us], and a polarizing political environment [caused by us] are fraying the bonds among our people and blurring our sense of national purpose.
So, vote for us. What a joke!
Except this is serious.
Like a heart attack.
