| Here in Georgia, the gubernatorial race is about to | | | | ever take a position that government should not |
| get moving towards the election of 2010. The | | | | grow, that laws should not be passed, and that |
| reason I bring this up is that Georgia | | | | tax revenues should not be spent. The debate in |
| Congressman Nathan Deal has just announced his | | | | Congress and state legislatures is customarily only |
| intention to run for Governor. He makes a good | | | | WHERE the money is spent. |
| example for this essay. | | | | In the USA, there are only two real philosophical |
| Mr. Deal was a lifelong Democrat...that is, until | | | | positions that can be taken. The first is the |
| 1995. He had been elected to the Congress as a | | | | position that the US Constitution is the supreme |
| Democrat in 1992. Then, when Newt Gingrich | | | | law of the land, and that all Federal Government |
| became Speaker of the House in 1994, Deal had | | | | action must be controlled by it. Lawmakers guided |
| some kind of epiphany. He switched parties and | | | | and governed by loyalty to the US Constitution |
| became a Republican. I cannot say whether his | | | | would concentrate on Constitutional issues. In the |
| switch was for political expediency or whether it | | | | parlance of insurance, they might say "Is this |
| was truly philosophical. However, a look at his | | | | legislation covered...by the Constitution?" If |
| voting record would show that political expediency | | | | authorization could not be found, the action would |
| seems to be the leading indicator of his motives. | | | | die before enactment. |
| Actions speak louder than words. | | | | These lawmakers would NEVER negotiate or |
| Now, he will run for Governor as a Republican in a | | | | compromise the Constitution. This first |
| heavily Republican state. | | | | philosophical position guarantees maximum |
| Politics is defined by negotiation and compromise. | | | | freedom for US citizens. |
| As an insurance adjuster, I have been a | | | | The second position is every other belief system |
| professional negotiator for many years. The | | | | that runs contrary to the first. |
| negotiations that I undertook were based upon | | | | The US Constitution was enacted as the supreme |
| the premise accepted by both parties that there | | | | law of the land. ALL actions of the three branches |
| was coverage under the terms and conditions of | | | | of US Federal Government should be bound by |
| the policy. We were simply negotiating the | | | | the strictures in the Constitution. But reality is that |
| settlement. | | | | almost no one in the three branches of US |
| But, when it came to matters of coverage, there | | | | Government recognize the authority of the |
| was no compromise. Either coverage existed or it | | | | Constitution anymore. |
| didn't. If there was a dispute on coverage | | | | Curiously, every elected official must swear an |
| between the policyholder and insurer, it had to be | | | | oath of office in which he or she vows to |
| settled in a court of law. | | | | support, protect and defend the Constitution. For |
| American politics is comprised of a political party | | | | most politicians, the oath is simply a formality with |
| system. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, | | | | no force of law. |
| Communist, Constitution are all names for political | | | | But actions ALWAYS speak louder than words. |
| parties in America. The two biggest parties, the | | | | This second position, taken to its natural |
| Republican and Democrat, ignore the others for | | | | conclusion, guarantees the greatest governmental |
| the most part, as the other parties have little | | | | burden and least freedom for US citizens. |
| power. | | | | Therefore, I contend that the two-party-dominant |
| Republicans and Democrats are negotiators and | | | | political system in America is in essence only one |
| compromisers, just like in insurance claims. They | | | | party...with two main heads. Both heads of the |
| have already accepted the reality of politics, which | | | | snake agree in principle on the foundation of |
| is that government will grow and tax revenues will | | | | negotiation and compromise. They mostly reject |
| be spent. Sessions of Congress, whether | | | | the constraints of the Constitution upon their |
| controlled by Republicans or Democrats, are | | | | actions. |
| simply the negotiations and compromises about | | | | The ONLY way to save this nation is to return to |
| where the money goes. | | | | the Constitution at the state level and force the |
| Rarely does the "coverage issue" arise for today's | | | | Federal Government to obey the law. |
| politician. What I mean is that politicians seldom if | | | | DumpDC. Six Letters That Can Change History. |