Senator Hatch Needs to Go

Government is a crazy thing. I we often talk about people's shortcomings and come off as mean or disrespectful of all the good the person does. I have heard plenty of stories about Senator Hatch that tell me that he is likely a good man with good intentions. It is doubtful that he is conniving or mean, but he just doesn't understand or respect the Constitution.

Oh sure, you say. A 30-year-old naive kid thinks he understands the Constitution better than someone who has been a senator 6 years longer than that and has sworn an oath to it at least 6 times? I say unto you, "yea", either that or Hatch understands it and just chooses to ignore it.

Let me first say that people tend to say the word "Constitution" but have not read it, others have read it and never thought about it what it means, and those who do think, study, and ask may interpret it in various ways. I happen to think that my interpretation is on the right track from my studies. If you have any question of disagreement with what I call unconstitutional in this post, please comment. I may be wrong, you may be wrong, or we are both wrong, but shouldn't we talk about it so we can get it right? Now that that is out of the way...

• In January 2009 he was pro-Timothy Geithner as he believed Geithner was well qualified to handle and help correct the economic downturn.
• He voted to raise the minimum wage 9 times since 1993.
• He supported Greenspan's policies of the early 2000s of low interest rates
• Co-sponsored the Medicare Part D bill in 2003 that has cost $1.3 Trillion since.
• Voted for $17B to Amtrak in 2008, $11B in 2007
• Voted for the Dream Act in 2007
• Co-sponsored PIPA until the public outcry then didn't show up to vote
• Repeatedly voted for farm subsidies $300B in 2007 alone (gotta love our HFCS)
• Voted 16 times to raise the debt ceiling
• Co-sponsored the individual mandate for health insurance in 1993
• Voted for TARP :(
• Voted for bailing out Fannie and Freddie :( :(
• Voted to bail out the car companies :( :( :(
• Thought the feds could run education better and voted to establish the Dept of Education
• Voted for NDAA in 2011 that included allowing the administration to indefinitely detain American citizens w/o a trial. Suspended habeas corpus and the 6th Amendment.
• Voted for the [anti-] Patriot Act thus suspending the 4th Admendment.
• Voted to increase taxes to expand SCHIP
• Favors Minimum Wage
• Oh man, So I've been looking though his voting record online and stumbled across this... I don't agree that all these votes are unconstitutional, but for the most part. Look at them here when you have a moment. No need to keep listing them out when someone has already done the homework :)

I guess I should mention three more things. First, Hatch is not Pro-life. He may be pro-life for the unborn, but he has been far to vocal in support of sending young men and women over to the Middle East and other places in the world to die and kill others. I'm not a pacifist, but our wars since WWII have been undeclared, unconstitutional, and unnecessary.

Second, Hatch as been reborn! He has seen the light! Ever since we kicked Bennett out for the same shenanigans Hatch suddenly realized that he wanted to follow Mike Lee's example and basically wait until he knew Lee's positions and then vote along with him. Hatch, the man with all the influence and power in DC, rode on the coattails of a freshman. THAT is the power of influence (though he should had followed Lee on the Patriot Act, NDAA, and PIPA... whoops). Anyway, do you think Hatch will keep doing the same once he secures his position for his final 6 years? Not likely. We'll probably see the old Hatch return.

Third, political office is not a career! Take it away Benjamin Franklin, "Sir, there are two passions which have a powerful influence in the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice—the love of power and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but, when united in view of the same object, they have, in many minds, the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men a post of honor, that shall, at the same time, be a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it. "

So, there you go. Some reasons why Hatch should go. As a last note, at my caucus meeting it was very obvious that many of the older folks there were there to answer Hatch's distress call. They were voting for the status quo. The status quo may be very comfortable for them, but their children and grandchildren want to take what country they have left and make it free, prosperous, and peaceful again.

Please comment on what you agree with or where I'm not understanding something.

EM06 Caucus Meeting

The place was packed. Parking was nowhere to be found and it easy to get to know your neighbor in that small classroom. 100 or so people showed up to participate in some good old fashioned grassroots government.

I ran as a state delegate and lost. I had a decent showing and many people come out to support me (thank you), but alas, 2 minutes and 2 questions was not enough to convince people that I'm their guy :)

5 people ran for the position and 2 were obvious pro-Hatch supporters. One even said that he'd definitely vote for Hatch and Herbert, and then at the end told us that he doesn't make up his mind until the end. He was an awesome guy, but I don't believe he understands the Constitution.

I got up and said something like this:

I love the Constitution, I study the founding fathers, I follow state and federal politics very closely, I call my representatives weekly to encourage them to vote certain ways, I watch to see their votes, I have met many of the candidates running & have grilled them. And I will not vote for Senator Hatch. He is gone.

Then I read a quote by Ezra T Benson:

And sure enough that was more than my 2 minutes. So question #1: Will you vote according to your opinion or what we tell you. My answer: I will vote my conscience according to the Constitution. This is a Republic, not a Democracy, we are ruled by law and I will judge the candidates according to that standard. (gulp, I realize that most people think that majority should rule and they don't really understand our form of government)

Question #2 (a repeat of question 1 and asked by the wife of the man referred to 3 paragraphs above this): So as our representative you wouldn't vote the way we tell you? My answer: Again, we are in a Republic not a Democracy, we are ruled by law, the law in the Constitution. (She interrupts "It's a yes or no question") Majority rule is like 2 wolves and a sheep voting on who's for dinner. I will study out the candidates and vote for the person who respects the Constitution.

Guy mentioned above: 33

Another Hatch guy: 31

Me: 29

Another Anti-Hatch guy: 17

A stud: 1

In the second round guy mentioned above won.

I'm afraid the many don't understand the Constitution... well I'm sure of it, because I thought I did but until 3 years ago, I really didn't have a clue. Just what Hannity, Rush, Beck, and O'Reilly told me to think.

Here's what I wish I would have said to question #2, keeping it short as to maintain reality: "If the majority of you want me to support a man that voted for NDAA, The Patriot Act, TARP, over a dozen debt ceiling increases, Medicare II, etc., then I will not vote the way you want me to. I used the Constitution as my measuring stick and expect our leaders to uphold it. I look at Hatch and see that he either doesn't understand the Constitution or does not respect it.

You make your choice right now. You either stand for the Constitution and against Hatch or you don't. But as I understand that Heavenly Banner, I cannot stray from it or vote for those who ignore it."

So what now? Keep fighting the good fight. Liberty book club needs to start back up. I'll talk a lot with John Harrington and the guy mentioned above to talk about the proper role of government. Then encourage everyone I can to go to the primary and vote out Hatch.

Now finally, I may be able to stop thinking about this and fall asleep. In liberty, Jonny