Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2014 9:06 AM

Subject: A self-governed people

Based on the response I get, my emails appear too long-winded for most.  I have tried to be as short as I could in this. 

If the Tea Party (or any effort) is to become an effective instrument to further the Great American Experiment in Self-Government, I believe we need to specifically pursue the 5 items listed below:

1. Shun career politicians – people who promote themselves for public office should be automatically disqualified – as such people represent themselves, not us.  Until we expunge career politicians, the political machinery, the lobbying, PACs, and other machinations of politics – we cannot get on a serious path to self-government.

2. Agree and pursue a path to repair our Constitution – If we do not restore the integrity of the U.S. Constitution, especially with regard to how Senators and House members in the Congress are selected, we cannot be a self-governed people. Until state interests and the interests of the common people are restored—the machinery of politics brought about by the Progressive Movement will continue to trump the will of the people and the 9th and 10th Amendments. A restoration will necessitate overturning the 17^th Amendment and new legislation to shrink House districts to a size compatible with local representation (reference Article the First, the yet to be ratified Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_the_First ). 

3. Develop an independent local public forum – targeted to become the legitimate avenue to develop the voice for all the people in the local district.  A meeting place where people can come and hash things out in order to develop consensus on public issues.

4. Develop within the public forum, grass roots agenda for local, state, and federal repair of government – specific measures to be promoted in order restore the rights and freedoms of the people at each level of government. This would include the right at the local level to establish and maintain public decency, public safety, choice in education, freedom to sell one’s labor and engage in enterprise, environmental protection, restored freedom in the development and maintenance of owner occupied private property.

5. Select Representatives – from our midst, select respected people to represent and further our agenda at the state and federal legislatures – people fully involved in developing and promoting the specific agenda that represents the local people.

Comments anyone?