2013 - Catching Up & The Return of The Madison Conservative

As previously noted, the Madison Conservative has returned in time to begin discussing the state of the nation from a constitutional perspective as President Obama begins his second term. Since the last post, there have been a few events of note that should be discussed, even if in a thumbnail, cursory way.

First would be the folly and farce of the ‘fiscal cliff’ debate. It was amazing to see the same charlatans who created the problem and had a year to address the fundamental issues opted to flail about in desperation at the immediacy of the problem. It must be noted that the entire fiasco was created during the last debate on the debt ceiling debate in August of 2011.

The absolute absence of leadership on this issue from each and every member of the government can be best explained by removing the often inconceivable numbers that were bandied about during the ‘crisis’. In order to do this, bring the scale down to more realistic household numbers while keeping the ratios intact. In other words, instead of trillions as the basis, consider hundreds and such instead. Here is what the leadership in Washington has done, in context of a family’s budgetary numbers. Remember that the ratios are intact.

To wit:

$21, 700.00 –Annual Family Income – (Total federal receipts)

$38, 200.00 – Money the Family Spent – (Total federal outlays)

$142, 710.00 – New Total Debt on the Credit Cards – (National Debt)

$38.50 – Total Budget Cuts Made by the Family – (The Congressional Compromise on Budget Cuts).

There is little else to say on the subject save that the American people deserve real leadership and not imbecilic nonsense like this that does nothing but garner headlines for the cowardly political class. The Madison Conservative believes that the first politician who explains to an audience the fiscal issues in this manner will become a national hero.

The second contrived hyperbolic idiocy has been the proposed nomination of former senator Chuck Hagel to assume the position of Defense Secretary. There has been much noise generated about Mr. Hegel’s’ stance on this issue or that issue. The political class and their media flacks seem to be ignoring the obvious – short of having committed a felony or act of treason, any nominee proposed by the president should be given a fair and open hearing and save for the aforementioned disqualifiers be confirmed for any given office.  The President should be afforded the respect inherent in the office; if he wishes a person to serve in his cabinet, that individual should be granted that opportunity. The hue and cry generated over these nominations at best resembles that of a third world banana republic dictatorship.

Lastly, and perhaps most significant, was the Newtown shootings. At a time when America needed true leadership, the only thing proffered by any elected official was the sound of inaction, a perfect vacuum. The Madison Conservative is by definition an avowed and proudly unabashed defender of the United States Constitution and therefore a strong proponent of the second amendment. The question, however,  of why any defensive weapon held by  a citizen required the ability to fire 100 bullets a minute was not addressed or even remotelyconsidered. What elected officials chose to do was to add legal restrictions upon those already adhering to the guns laws of this nation. The question demands to be asked – does adding laws to law abiding citizens actually make a difference? What criminal already disposed to breaking the law would pause and consider his actions based upon additional legislation?

Consider that this internal conversation –“I was going to commit this crime with my illegal weapon, but I should reconsider given those new laws concerning weaponry” has never, and will never, occur anywhere, anytime by anyone..

There are no easy, singular or simplistic answers to the issues raised by Newtown, but the American people must demand that our elected officials address the issues head on, forthrightly and honestly. The American people are not fools and are more than capable of understanding the complexities involved in these issues. It appears the political and media class are the truly ignorant within these debates and must therefore be schooled by the electorate.

If America remains silent, we will only have these issues become a perpetual talking point while we spiral into debt, partisanship and the continued slaughter of innocents.