AN OPEN LETTER TO REPUBLICN LEADERS - DO NOT SQUANDER THIS OPPORTUNITY!!!!!

[carol ann parisi]

 

OPEN LETTER TO REPUBLICANS: DO NOT SQUANDER THIS OPPORTUNITY (UPDATED)!

 Honor Your Oath: What Freedom-Loving Republicans Must Do In 2011 To Survive in November, 2012

House Republicans have a sacred responsibility to taxpayers, Tea Partiers/Conservative Republicans (who unquestionably handed them not only their individual victories in November, but their solid majority as well), and to every American, whether they agree with us or not, to begin fulfilling their Constitutional duty to limit the size of government, to reduce federal taxation and spending to match the original intent of the Constitution of the United States of America, which document I, and the vast majority of Tea Partiers, believe to be inspired by God himself.

Republicans and independents, those of us who kicked Nancy Pelosi and her co-conspirators out of their leadership positions (for betraying the trust the American people mistakenly placed in them in 2008)...WE know what's coming, WE know what must be done, and if the House Republicans don't begin moving in this direction, IMMEDIATELY, they'll have nobody to blame but themselves for a third party or total irrelevance, as the Whigs also did to themselves long ago. I am not a fan of the idea of a third party; at the same time, Republicans REALLY, REALLY need to do what we've asked them to do if they expect to remain in office, much less earn an expanded majority in the House, and control of the U.S. Senate, and the Presidency in 2012, or any of the above. Our movement is larger and more powerful, and paying as close attention, as we were prior to the 2010 Mid-Term Elections.

America has awakened. Not all of us, but enough, and our numbers grow each and every day. We know what 'Progressives' are, and that 'Progressivism,' or incremental leftism/socialism, is a cancer on America. Progressives infest both parties, and their ideology is a cancer which must be removed ASAP. We must undo the damage they've done, or America will be nothing but a tragic footnote in the history of the world.

China is rapidly overtaking America in every category of power and economic success, and the only hope of America, with her respect for the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God (individual rights included), to remain the most influential, powerful nation on earth, is to liberate the American people from the oppressive, enslaving control of big government. If we don't free the American people, if we don't restore the Liberty our Founding Fathers sacrificed so much to grant us, we don't, as a nation, deserve to be called 'The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.'

If we fail to restore America ASAP, then brutal, tyrannical, individual rights-crushing China will be the superpower, with America as its indentured servant. Now is the time for action, and we must succeed. America is literally fighting for our life, and after Nancy Pelosi & co. pumped America full of toxic progressive policies while America was under the knife, we're at the brink, right at the razor's edge. We've lost a lot of blood, and we MUST perform emergency surgery, or our chances of survival are bleak, indeed.

You must be extremely careful, but you MUST eliminate the destructive 'progressive' policies, legislation, and government spending which has brought America to her knees, and laid her low on the operating table of the surgical center. Her life is in your hands. DO NOT FAIL AMERICA! We're watching you like hawks. Scratch that...Eagles. Millions of Bald Eagles with attitudes.

Like the rest of the Tea Party/9.12 Project/Freedom movement, I love America with every fiber of my being. I am so incredibly grateful to be an American, and thankfully, I woke up years ago, and was educated by myself and others, over the past few years (especially the past 22 months), so that like most Tea Partiers, I know of what I speak. While I am not perfect, nor am I an expensive lawyer, doctor, senator, or congressman, and certainly not a politician (in fact, perhaps FOR this reason), I have studied the Constitution and the Principles of Freedom enshrined therein, having read THOUSANDS of pages of books in the past two years, so I know what my rights are. I know what natural rights and natural law is. I understand the laws of nature and of Nature's God, and I know what the Founding Fathers of this great nation intended; I know what good men they were. We all do; we aren't fooled by the revisionist history with which our 'public schools' are indoctrinating America's children.

The whole Tea Party /9.12 Project movement has been studying, self-educating, through books, seminars, videos, and discussion. We know what we want. And the first priority of the mandate we handed to House Republicans on November 2nd, 2010, is to END THE GROWTH OF FEDERAL SPENDING IMMEDIATELY, and END DEFICIT SPENDING ASAP. The great and rapid decline of wasteful, unconstitutional spending by the federal government MUST FINALLY BEGIN!

In addition to this reality, we must also begin the final repayment of America's national debt. We know the true number is many times the $14 Trillion that is officially being reported. National Debt interest payments in FY2010 were about $164 BILLION DOLLARS. That's a bit absurd, don't you think? Why is the most powerful, successful nation on earth the largest debtor nation?

This is absolutely unsustainable, and you know it. Sadly, for Americans, the window of opportunity to pay it off in a RELATIVELY painless fashion has passed. It's going to be painful, but it must be done. The time for easy solutions is long gone, and the 111th Congress made your job indescribably more difficult; every day that passes makes it more so.

And if you fail, the American left, with their co-conspirators in the so-called 'Mainstream Media' will unquestionably blame you, and spend $Billions convincing America it's your fault. Only the Tea Party MOVEMENT (not individual Tea Party leaders, groups, etc.) can and WILL defend you, assuming you do the right thing. Stand upon the Principles of Freedom of the Constitution, and you'll have our support. Seek to please everyone, and you'll crash and burn. You base will abandon you. It will not be pretty.

Now we realize you don't have all the power you need to get everything done this first year, but don't think you can let off or compromise. You have a sacred duty, and if you fail to honor your duty, you will not only be thrown out of office, but your name will become a hiss and a byword. Nancy Pelosi has destroyed her name among honest, tax-paying Americans. Now it's your turn to either shine or self-destruct! Show us what you're made of, Republicans! We have granted you the power of the purse; use it to the fullest extent possible so we can praise, defend, and re-elect you in 2012, with an expanded majority in the House, and a Majority in the Senate, not to mention the Presidency!

If you fail to honor the Principles of Freedom which are enshrined in the Constitution of the United States of America (if you don't know what they are, spend some quality time with The Five Thousand Year Leap); if you ignore us, if you fail to honor your oath of office, in which you will "solemnly swear (or affirm)" that you will "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that [you] will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..." and that you "will well faithfully discharge the duties of the office" you are about to enter. So help you GOD...then you'd better pray for God's help. Because you'll get none from those who love America if you refuse to honor that sacred oath of office!

DEFINITIONS & STARTING POINT

For this reason, here are some of my suggestions, as a 9.12 Project/Tea Party organizer and network creator of the largest 9.12 Project-specific social network in the world. We don't number in the millions, only the tens of thousands nationwide, but we are quite representative of the cross section of principled Tea Partiers nationwide. You would do well to heed our message.

So with our purpose crystal clear, and with a solid understanding of what's at stake, let's define Constitutionality:

Any part of the United States Federal Government which fails to be justified, using the Founding Fathers' original intent, by Article I, Section VIII of the Constitution of the United States of..., which was created by Congress instead of the Constitution, is inherently UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and must be eliminated from the federal budget. NOTHING is, or of a right, should be, exempt.

The only question is how fast do we eliminate them; not if. Just when.

And please note, Republicans, that the so-called 'General Welfare Clause' of the Constitution isn't a clause, it's a statement of intent, or in other words, it's a purpose, and the Constitution does that by LIMITING government as Congress would if it stuck with justifying every single bill passed by Congress with Article I, Section VIII. Here is the preamble, the statement of intent, of the Constitution of the United States of America:

of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Again, the 'general welfare clause' isn't a clause; it doesn't justify our massive Federal Government, not a quarter of it. it's part of the statement of intent, or the preamble, and the structure they laid out in the Constitution IS SUPPOSED TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, BY LIMITING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH GIVES WE THE PEOPLE THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF FREEDOM WHILE MAINTAINING A PROPERLY-PROPORTIONED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, that is, when compared to inadequately-powerful governments, such as the previous ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. Those created a federal government which was TOO WEAK to allow America to become what we have become, but our federal government is now so incredibly powerful and large, so UNCONSTITUTIONAL, that is is severely limiting America's potential; in fact, it is KILLING AMERICA! We need to abolish every federal agency and department which IS NOT justified under Article I, Section VIII of the Constitution of the United States of...:

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Section 8.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

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And remember, the NECESSARY AND PROPER clause (the last paragraph above) does NOT mean you get to make up new powers, gobble up the states' or the peoples' rights, and ignore the ninth and tenth Amendments:

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Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

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The 'Necessary and Proper' clause simply means Congress can make common-sense laws which enable the carrying out of Article I, Section VIII (and the rest of the Constitution). It is NOT a blank check of unlimited power, and it does NOT authorize trampling upon states' or individual citizens' constitutional rights!

So let's get into some common-sense details.

THE CUTS

I would begin with an across-the-board freeze in the budget of every federal department, without exception, rather than eliminating all of them and starting over. In addition, I would insist upon an across-the-board federal pay cut of all taxpayer-funded salaries over the average salary of the American people (for example, $50,000/year), INCLUDING Senators & Representatives, but EXCLUDING active duty servicemen & servicewomen. All federal salaries should decrease by something on the order of 20% each year until we reach private sector parity. For those making UNDER $50K/year, they can accept a 10% pay cut in each of the first two years. Let's put the SERVICE back into public service, and stop competing with private American businesses for talent!

On the other hand, I think that active-duty servicemen (& women) deserve an immediate 20% raise, with another one the following year, to help make up for the fact that they've been vastly under-compensated ever since they signed up. None of these raises should be allowed to increase somebody's salary beyond $100,000.00/year. All such individuals would get a 10% raise instead (these are rough figures, and could be adjusted as needed to make for a more smooth transition). And anybody who is killed while active duty should be immediately paid $100,000.00 to their estate (plus $20,000 additional for each child dependent under the age of 18). And everybody who completes a tour of duty in harm's way should get a $5,000 'thank you' from the American taxpayers ($10K if they have children under 18). Every time.

The sacrifices they and their families make can never be compensated with such paltry rewards, but at least they won't live like paupers when they've committed to risk their lives to keep us safe!

Also, in the first year, we must insist upon a 25% funding cut for all unconstitutional agencies/departments, and a 25% workforce reduction in those departments/agencies, with equal (25% of the original funding/payroll) cuts each of the following three years. In the fourth year, we would celebrate the total elimination of the unconstitutional departments/agencies.

See? A 'Managed Decline' of unconstitutional tax expenditures! I would prefer to do it immediately at 100%, but I would also like to avoid unnecessary riots/violence; we must do this intelligently, but not waste ANY time. We're in a national crisis of epic proportions. If we do it gradually, the radical left won't be successful in their efforts to 'collapse the system,' with the 'Top Down, Bottom Up, Inside Out' strategy referenced by self-avowed Communist (and former Obama 'Green Jobs Czar' Van Jones. And the 'Collapse The System' plan AKA Cloward & Piven Strategy is real, and has been in effect for decades, and has brought us to where we are today, with our backs up against the wall.

If we do some of these things over a four year period, and others immediately, rather than all of it all at once, Frances Fox Piven's calls for violent revolution will go unheeded, since they won't be able to recruit enough malcontents. With the declines in government spending, when combined with tax cuts (which will increase federal tax receipts significantly), prosperity will forestall potential violence instigated by radical leftists from spreading. I believe them when they call for violence, as should you.

The obvious exception to these cuts would be the following departments/agencies/bureaus: Education, Energy, Environmental Protection, HHS, HUD, BLM, and Labor, as well as 100% of Medicaid/SCHIP payments (let the states pay for such things if they wish to keep those programs, and cut taxes appropriately to allow them to do what they will with the Medicaid concept). Since these departments/agencies all contribute directly to the 'fundamental transformation' of America from a Constitutional Republic to a fascist/socialist state (choose your preferred description), they must go immediately, as in de-funded 100%.

Another massive portion of the federal budget that we falsely believe is untouchable are welfare programs. Welfare would immediately be slashed by 25%/year until it's totally phased out by year five.

DEFENSE

And the Department of Defense has a massive amount of bureaucracy. I realize that National Defense is a sacred cow to most of our number, and I include myself. But the DoD is saddled with a century's worth of bureaucracy and waste; it shouldn't hurt our defensive capabilities in the least to cut 10% of the DoD budget, especially if we reduce the number of overseas military bases, stop paying for the defense of the rest of the free world (while they spend next to nothing on defense, and rely on US for free national defense!), and resume our focus on NATIONAL DEFENSE. Yes, I realize that the best defense is a good offense, but we're in serious trouble; we don't have to continue to spend what we're spending. It's time to consolidate our worldwide military placement. Not every mission requires the massive military presence in foreign nations which we currently have, does it?

We should be able to find $67 Billion in year one, and perhaps that amount again over the following four years. That's $133 Billion from the DOD budget. Obviously this would need to be done with extreme care, and it would require that we hire a panel of REAL experts (and not a single 'progressive' in the bunch) to get this critical job done. Glenn Beck's suggestion from Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure, which involves a fifty-member panel, sounds reasonable.

THE SAVINGS

The steps listed above, alone, would save an estimated $724.2 Billion* in year one, $884.2 Billion in year two, $901 Billion in year three, and $1.06 Trillion in the fourth year, and $1.22 Trillion in the fifth year, based on FY2010 numbers (these are rough calculations, obviously; I don't have a hundred accountants and lawyers and a hundred weeks to properly analyze the entire federal budget!). This only reflects the elimination of the welfare/other 'mandatory spending category, a significant, yet sane cut into the DoD budget, and the elimination of the unconstitutional departments/programs listed. The cuts in the additional unconstitutional departments/agencies, when combined with federal pay cuts, would add another half $Trillion in savings by the fifth year.

In fact, by the end of the fifth year, we'd be spending about $1.72 Trillion less than before, not counting savings from reduced Social Security and Medicare costs. I would estimate we would realize another quarter-$Trillion in savings there by the half-decade mark. That means $2 Trillion/year savings from year five going forward, and adding to that as we continue to reduce our interest payments, SS/Medicare expenditures over time, etc. In year four, there is A REAL BUDGET SURPLUS, which turns into an $830 BILLION/YEAR BUDGET SURPLUS, assuming the freeze remains, we don't enter additional wars, and our interest rates remain close to what they are today, since we're paying down the debt, for once! And if we lowered tax rates, tax receipts would climb, thus increasing the amount of cash available to pay down the national debt!

All of the CONSTITUTIONALLY-JUSTIFIED departments, agencies, and bureaus of the Federal Government have enough waste built into the system to be able to come up with an immediate ten percent cut in their total budget the first year, and another ten percent of the original budget amount over the next four years. From the State Department and the DoD to the DoT and Homeland Security, nothing should avoid these ten percent cuts. Obviously, this adds hundreds of $Billions more in budget savings, further compressing the time frame in which we will become a solvent, debt-free nation once again!

As for Social Security, I would privatize all accounts for those under the age of 40, extend the age of eligibility to 72, and do a thorough audit of all accounts, eliminating all which are paying fraudulent benefits. This would hold current recipients harmless, while honoring our duty to roll back FUTURE entitlements, for those of us who won't qualify for it for several years, if not far longer. Such an action could potentially save taxpayers another 10% of what is budgeted over the first half-decade, since growth of the number of recipients would be halted in its tracks for several years, and natural attrition would help us realize a net cut in spending. We don't have to even take the painful step of reducing Social Security Recipients' check amounts to get this done. Eventually, we could phase Social Security out of existence, but it will take decades. This is the hardest one to fix, IMHO.

Medicare? That's the trickiest one, with medical costs always increasing, but we'd need to rescind Medicare Part 'D' ASAP. Remember, LIKE ALL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, Medicare is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, so don't get weak-kneed about this. It would make sense, however, to phase it out over a 5-year period (NO MORE THAN TEN YEARS), by reducing benefits by 20% of the original amounts each year for a half-decade. Perhaps that sort of thing would work for Medicare itself, as well, but stretch it out to 10% annually for a decade. A decade from now, Medicare would be nothing but a bad memory. Private charity and churches would obviously make up the difference, while increasing the quality of care substantially; the current government-run system isn't just unconstitutional and immoral, it's absolutely unsustainable, and it's time we took a stand!

And 'Federal Employee Unions' would be immediately abolished. There should not be unions capable of extorting additional cash from taxpayers!

THE BENEFITS

This may seem simplistic, but imagine the amount of investment which would begin to flow into America again once we got into surplus territory, started paying down the national debt (once we had cleared a couple $Trillion, people would take us seriously, and borrowing costs would plummet!), and cut corporate and income taxes to reasonable rates, in preparation for an eventual flat tax of no more than 10%!

We'd have the "official' national debt paid off within 15-20 years, depending upon economic growth. As for the 'off the books' national debt, such as the unfunded liabilities from Social Security and Medicare, well, those start to look much, much better once we restructure them and prepare them for eventual phase-out. Two decades down the road, we're where we would have been today had we started ten years ago, rather than waiting until near-total collapse!

Of course, that PRESUMES that we'll continue our efforts to eliminate Progressivism from polite society, and keep it on the run from then on. You leave that to us.

But the best thing is that we don't have to cower and fear the future. It may take us five years to show the world we mean business, but it CAN be done, and without bloody, violent revolution! And seriously, the accomplishments begin to be realized, and especially once we cross that critical line to a real, no-gimmicks BUDGET SURPLUS, our opponents will become politically-toxic to even moderate, ignorant Americans, for an entire generation (assuming we have restored our education system)!

Then it will be up to our children to keep up the good fight, to defend America from progressives, Communists, Fascists, and other evil leftists who wish to destroy America. Yes, there are people like that out there. Many of them meet regularly at (or via secure videoconferencing, in) the White House. They are progressives, fascists, and communists, and they despise what America is, and what she can become, if only we'll rid her of the cancer that is progressivism!

TAX REFORM

Few things are as destructive to America's economy than confiscating too much from those who produce America's wealth. It removes much of the incentive to work hard and innovate. If we continue to strangle the incomes of hard-working Americans as we do, then we'll continue to reap the pathetic single-digit economic growth we've been reaping for decades. America's tax code should be reduced to a single page (single spaced, 12-point font, one side), and while taxes would need to be TEMPORARILY higher than the optimal level, they are far too high right now. Another, deeper tax cut than George W. Bush & the Republicans pushed would give the incentive Americans need to risk capital (wealth), and create the new jobs America needs, to help re-start our economy, and to grow the economy so that tax receipts can rise to help us repay the debt. The optimal level of taxation is far below the current rate, to maximize federal and state government receipts. Right now, we're shooting ourselves in the foot with a ridiculously complex tax code, and an oppressively high tax rate.

Like I said earlier, an optimal situation, once our national debt is retired, would be a 10% flat tax, be it a consumption tax (my strong preference) or an income tax. If 10% is good enough for God, it should be good enough for the limited government our Founding Fathers intended!

FREEDOM, AMERICAN STYLE!

Finally, let's discuss other abuses of the constitutional rights of the American people. There are six areas where we MUST liberate the American people from the oppressive federal government's unconstitutional tyranny!

1) Second Amendment Violations - all federal gun laws need to be immediately repealed. There is no reasonable explanation for the unconstitutional usurpation of American Citizens' right to KEEP AND BEAR ARMS; that right, according to the Constitution, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED:

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Federal firearms regulations are not only unconstitutional, they are tyranny embodied. The founding fathers wanted the American people to always remain free, and when the Constitution was drafted, a militia was, basically, every able-bodied male citizen! And they MEANT for us to be an armed people, since they knew that if the people were sufficiently armed, the government would never become as tyrannical and oppressive as King George was to them. They MEANT for the entire citizenry to be armed and dangerous to tyrants, foreign AND DOMESTIC! When the citizenry is disarmed, the only ones who are safe are criminals and tyrants!

2) The United Nations - It is past time to end America's flirtation with a global government. The United Nations was created to stop wars, but it has only increased their frequency, and it has enabled genocide and corruption on a global scale, to boot. It's past time for America to pull out of the corrupt United Nations, and resume individual nation-to-nation diplomacy. That's what the State Department is FOR!

3) The Federal Reserve - It is past time for Congress to resume her constitutional obligation to 'coin money,' and to take back control from the Federal Reserve. It was created to eliminate recessions, but they have failed miserably in that task. So long as we end deficit spending, there is no need for the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, to continue to exert so much control over the nation's currency, as well as profit so handsomely therefrom.

4) Term Limits - Admittedly, I see why many disagree with this one, in particular, the era of the career Senator or Representative must come to an end. It is past time for term limits for the House & Senate. If the Presidency is so powerful that it must be term-limited (as the 'progressive' FDR proved that it must, with his thirst for power and control over America), then so, too, should the House & Senate. My personal opinion is that Three terms in the House, and Two in the Senate, should be enough for any man who really wishes to SERVE the American people, rather than serve themselves. We need a constitutional amendment to make this a reality.

5) Repeal ALL of the corrupt 111th Congress legislation which imposes new regulations, expands government power, and is longer than a few pages! If something needs to be hidden in hundreds (or thousands) of pages of text, you can be certain it's unconstitutional, and against the will of the American people! Please repeal, in their entirety, the single bill passed by the 111th Congress, which was over a couple dozen pages. Start with Obamacare, don't forget to undo the union bailout that we called the automaker bailout, including the transfer of ownership, and end with specifically denying the FCC and other executive branch appendages the ability to regulate anything not specifically authorized by Congress and the Constitution. The Internet, and the rest of our communication abilities, must remain intact, without Big Brother's heavy hand anywhere near.

6) Return all federal lands to the states which aren't necessary for military bases, post offices, and other constitutionally-justified federal buildings. This includes every national park, forest, etc. The land must be available for the states. Nowhere in the Constitution does it allow the sort of tyrannical gobbling up of land that the Federal Government has been doing ever since the beginning of the 'Progressive' Era under Theodore Roosevelt. It's time to undo this unconstitutional tyranny. Let the states do what they want with their land. Let them drill, develop, etc. how they please. Some will just keep the land off-limits (as I suspect Oregon and California may very well do), but some will finally make use of the land they've been denied for far too long, including Alaska, Utah, Nevada, and others. The west is tired of being oppressed under the steel thumb of the federal government.

Obviously, there is much more that needs to be done, but this is a great starting point. Sincere, honest, full-bore efforts to accomplish these things (with at least SOME significant victories, and significant reductions in spending) will be enough to maintain our support. Failure to honestly do your best will destroy your political career, as well as the Republican Party.

Please, Republicans, please get to it! There is much to do, and little time in which to accomplish it! America's future rests in your hands. Do your absolute best the first two years, and that means do well, actually accomplish as much of this as possible, and you'll not only get another two, but the Senate and the Presidency, as well! If you fail to begin doing what's right for America, you will go the way of the Whig party, and each one of you who failed will be known as just another sleazy politician who cared more about themself than they do about their country, and their countrymen.