Screwed by 545

How our current political debacle came to be . . .

Charley Reese is a former journalist for 49 years including at Orlando Sentinel Newspaper. Over the years he has revised an article he originally wrote in the 1980's. This version below ran March 7, 1985.

26 years later we, the voters, continue to fail.

Charley Reese wrote:
Politicians, as I have often said, are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Everything is a problem created by Congress.

Too much bureaucracy? Blame Congress.

Too many rules? Blame Congress.

Unjust tax laws? Congress wrote them.

Out-of-control bureaucracy? Congress authorizes everything bureaucracies do.

The annual deficits? Congress votes for them.

The multi-trillion plus debt? Congress created it.

To put it into perspective just remember that 100 percent of the power of the federal government comes from the U.S. Constitution. If it's not in the Constitution, it's not authorized.

Then read your Constitution. 100 percent of the power of the federal government is invested solely in 545 individual human beings. That's all. They wield 100 percent of the power of the federal government.

That's 435 members of the U.S. House, 100 senators, one president and nine Supreme Court justices. Anything involving government that is wrong is 100 percent their fault.

I exclude the vice president because constitutionally he has no power except to preside over the Senate and to vote only in the case of a tie. I exclude the Federal Reserve because Congress created it and all its power is power Congress delegated to it and could withdraw anytime it chooses to do so. In fact, all the power exercised by the 3 million or so other federal employees is power delegated from the 545.

All bureaucracies are created by Congress or by executive order of the president. All are financed and staffed by Congress. All enforce laws passed by Congress. All operate under procedures authorized by Congress. That's why all complaints and protests should be properly directed at Congress, not at the individual agencies.

You don't like the IRS? Go see Congress.

Congress is the originator of all government problems and is also the only remedy available. That's why, politicians go to extraordinary lengths to make you think they are not responsible. Anytime a congressman pretends to be outraged by something a federal bureaucrat does, he is in fact engaging in one big massive con job. Federal employee can only enforce laws and procedures passed by Congress.

Partisans on both sides like to blame presidents for deficits, but all deficits are created by congress. The president may, by custom, recommend a budget, but it carries no legal weight. Only Congress can authorize and appropriate and levy taxes. That's what the federal budget consists of: expenditures authorized, funds appropriated and taxes levied.

Both Democrats and Republicans mislead the public. Throughout the years each party has held the majority, if they choose, the could have passed a balanced budget. Every president, Democrat or Republican, could have vetoed appropriations bills that did not make up a balanced budget.

Every president can recommended a balanced budget.

(Remember - Congress is who approves the budget.)  We have annual deficits and a huge federal debt because that's what Congress wants.

We have troops in various Third World rat holes because Congress and the president want them there.

Don't be conned. Don't let them escape responsibility. Use the only power you have - vote!

Source: snopes.com