Constitutional Crisis?!?!?!?

I dunno! Are we or aren't we in a constitutional crisis? I think we are, but many of my confidants feel otherwise. I suppose this belief is split almost along a right/left dichotomy. Personally, I don't think it's a right/left issue as much as an AMERICAN issue. I mean once the 1st Amendment is swallowed up by bill H.R. 1341, the Fairness Doctrine, and the president's attempt at usurping control of the private sector portions of the internet when he deems it a "National Emergency", both ideologies will suffer. Once our 2nd Amendment rights succumb to the numerous legislations, the CIFTA treaty, the US Customs Service's proposal to ban any pocket knife that can be opened with one hand, and the other socialist attempts to disable the population's ability to protect itself, then will the liberals suffer any less than the conservatives? When the proposed security force - dubbed "Obama's Army" because of his call for a domestic force "equal in strength to the US military" marches down the streets of our cities and towns will they ask our who we voted for? (They probably will!) I mean, why does the administration feel the need for such a security force. Don't they trust the military? Are they planning something in which they feel the military will oppose them ? Is it because they are alienating the military and intelligence communities by persecuting and prosecuting those who are prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve the very freedoms that the politicians are striving to curtail?

Perhaps I feel as I do because I am concerned about living under a one party system. Now I've heard it argued - most recently on "It's High Time We Talk" at www.crookedhook.com - that we've had situations in the past where Presidents have enjoyed a same party filibuster proof majority in Congress before. But prior to the current scenario, we had more politicians who were not idealogues, who would actually represent their constituents and not their party. There is currently no system of checks & balances. It is this feeling of a "runaway train" that has given rise to the Tea Party movement, comprised predominately of average citizens - many of whom had not previously held any great political convictions. These are not extremist nut-cases, radicals or militants (as is much of the current administration). These are average, every day, hard working, mostly middle class citizens who feel disenfranchised. These are Citizens who feel that too much is happening too fast. Recent polls have shown that many voters have switched their voter registration status to either "independent" or "unenrolled", while other polls have shown that as much as 57% of the country are now considering themselves "conservative". This is the segment of society that feels they were not adequately represented by either candidate in November of 2008. This is the segment of the population that feels the need to do something. But what? What recourse is available to the average citizen who has found that their voices are no longer counted. What redress is there to We The People, who are not fortunate enough to belong to a group that can wield a high powered, well placed lobbyist to ensure our positions are properly paid for and legislated upon?

I've said this before and it seems I've got to say it again: "AS LONG AS THEY KEEP US AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS, WE CAN'T GO FOR THEIRS!!! "

I would suggest that a Special Election needs to be held for both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each sitting member would be challenged by 2 - that's right two - opponents, one of which would be from the incumbent's same party. In the interest of national security, the elections for each body should be held separately. They should not be immediate, but expedient, forgoing the intensive media hype that is part and parcel of the current election process. The less personal smearing and campaign blustering the better. While there is not much time until the next regular election cycle, there is certainly enough of a period to enact legislation that is capable of tearing asunder the societal fabric of America.

While I'm in rant mode I have a couple more things about which to opine. The first is my new favorite question: "What do you think has caused more damage to the American way of life? Drugs or Television? " Think about it and, as always, feel free to comment. Now, how about one of my more hairbrained ideas...What if we did away with the President's Press Secretary? Make him speak to the press and the people directly. It's always easier to lie through a lackey. And what about this? Last May, the BHO admin has sold off the entire wheat reserves, held in the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust with no commitment to replenish. Now, I'm no genius, but I know you don't sell off your last morsel of food...