Christianity, Conservatism and America's Pastime

The president asked for a and received a chance to speak before a joint session of .congress to present his jobs’ bill, but Speaker of the House John Boehner should have just said no.  We already know what a “jobs’ bill” means.  It means: more spending, more debt, higher taxes, more research into the effects of cocaine on monkeys (Summertime Blues: 100 Stimulus Projects that Give Taxpayers the Blues), and more unemployment.  He will claim that what he is doing is necessary to save the economy, but in the word’s of Rep. Joe Wilson…

…”you lie.”   Doing these things will hurt the economy.  You need to take money from someone to spend it…wait isn’t that how they claim the rich get rich, by taking from others.  Building roads and bridges, and funding sex ed classes may be a good thing, but they are not economically stimulative.  For these reasons (and the fact that every time he speaks the market tanks) Speaker of the House John Boehner should have said no to President Barack Obama’s request to speak before a joint session of congress.  We’ve heard enough from Obama and his economic policy of Tsunami poverty (it destroys all in it’s path) and instead he should have sent his representatives home to meet with their constituents, We the People.  For the next time President Obama makes a similar request I’ve re-posted an earlier piece I did, on just saying no that might help him.

D.A.R.E.’s 8 Way’s to Say No, Congressional Style (Original Post)

In elementary school I took an anti-drug program.   The program, known as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) taught techniques to fight the temptation to use drugs and alcohol.   One of these techniques were 8 different ways to say no.   The different ways they suggested to say no to drugs were:  say no thanks,  give an excuse, say no repeatedly, walk away, change the subject, avoid the situation, cold shoulder, and have strength in numbers.   Though this was meant for kids and drugs I think congressional conservatives can learn a lot from this strategy and apply it to dealing with progressives.   Here is how conservatives can adapt D.A.R.E.’s 8 ways to say no:

1. Say no thanks – If a progressive Congressman or Senator comes up to you and asks you to support a bill that ignores the constitution, gives the government too much power, creates unneeded spending or just goes against your principles, just say No.  Spendaholic: Do you want to support this bill that pays for an airport only I use?  Conservative: No thanks.
2. Give an excuse – There are some Congressmen who do not have the guts to stand up for their principles in the light of a challenge.  This is the best choice for them in the face of a progressive agenda.  Progressive: Do you want to support this bill that tells people what kind of food they can and cannot eat?  Conservative: No thanks, I kinda want to be re-elected and whether or not I like this bill, my constituents are overwhelmingly against it.
3. Say no repeatedly - Sometimes saying no once is not enough.  You must stick to your principles.  Keep saying no to those things that go against your principles.  Progressive: We need to ban this thing that is bad for the people, but they don’t recognize it is bad for them.   Will you support the ban?  Conservative: No.   Progressive: But it’ll help the people? Conservative: Will you better understand my answer if it is in Spanish, no.  Progressive: But we need to help people make better decisions?  Conservative: Maybe you’ll understand Russian better, nyet.
4. Walk away – Sometimes a congressperson must recognize that a bill is just not worth trying to fix, and debating the worth of specific pieces of the bill is just not worth it.  Sometimes one must forget the whole thing and start from scratch.  Progressive: Vote for this bill.   You see this tax issue, it no longer is a problem.   The bill no longer says that you must do this or you will be taxed.  Conservative: No, that specific issue may no longer be a problem, but instead of being explicitly bad, but it leaves it up to the government to decide how to deal with it.  That was not the only issue, the bill is full of problems, but that one was the most blaring.  We need to start from scratch.
5. Change the subject – At times progressives and politicians in general concentrate on the wrong issue.  They focus on issue S but the people are concentrating on issue A.  Politician 1: We need to reform health care, will you work on coming up with a bill with me?  Politician 2:  Sure, but later.  People are worried about jobs right now, not health care reform.  Now is not the time to worry about health care reform.
6. Avoid the situation – Sometimes a temptation for bipartisanship at the cost of your principles will be too great for you to resist.  Sometimes someone will just be too enticing for you to stand up to.  Then you should just avoid that person or situation by yourself and use other strategies to help stand up to them.  Also, there are times when a bill or a policy is so bad that that it is not worth debating, discussing or trying to fix it.  Another reason for avoiding a situation is if the people have already spoken about it and either want it or hate it.  Another situation to avoid would be a case where the other party ind the discussion has already decided the outcome.  Example: Republicans, don’t go to the healthcare debate with Obama this Thursday, the people hate the bill and want to keep Grandma for at least a few more years.
7. Cold shoulder – Sometimes there are those who are just plain irrational, will ignore the facts and make outlandish claims (Alan Grayson; people who call those who go to tea parties tea baggers; those who call all who  disagree with Obama racists) without actually thinking about it just are not worth your time.   They are irrational and as Reagan said, “Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but they know so much that isn’t so.”
8. Strength in numbers – If one has people they trust and have similar beliefs along with them in a challenging situation, they are more likely to stick to their beliefs.  This works well when people cannot avoid the situation.  Never forget, we are the silent majority.   Be silent no more.