People will call me an extremist. I don't think there is any way around that. And in a sense, it's an accurate description. The positions I take are grounded in having a limited government. Limited government serves people better. That's my bias. That's my belief. The direction I will guide is towards freedom for our people and our society to grow. There's an unrealized humanity in our people and our government is keeping us from being who we are. Our values are best realized when our backstop is family, friends, and society of free will generosity, community service, and free enterprise.
There are some who would have you believe that family and society can't survive without government to feed, clothe, house, educate, and care for us from cradle to grave. Well, they're partly right too. I, and pretty much all of us, realize that we need a government. But needing a government for some things isn't needing government for our every need. There are people who would ever pile more and more of our lives onto government. But that's not the pile I want to be on the bottom of. More than anything, I want to be free and make my way. I want that for our nation. And I have respect that people will disagree with me.
Some people don't want to be free. Some people will want freedom when they gradually become comfortable with it. Other people will never want freedom. We shouldn't look down on them. We need to give them, ironically, the freedom to to choose their own way. And they have a vision for America too. And they should be free to pursue their dreams and goals. In fact, I want to give them a way to do that. I think I can call this plan: Pathway to Constitutionality. (I might even joke and call it PC for short.)
This plan deals constructively with extra-constitutional parts of our government. There are many such laws, bureaus, administrations, corporations, banks, agencies, etc. that clearly violate the constitution either in letter or spirit. These unspiritual parts of government are harming us and preventing our society from flourishing. They exist to serve narrow interests, not the people as a whole. The best thing for our nation, is to immediately end harming ourselves. Yes, but let me stand up here for the people that want to continue harming us.
I want to share the vision for America. I want people who oppose my most cherished goals my values to contribute their efforts and their views. In direct opposition to me, there will be people who want to keep every single federal law, agency, and bureau as if their lives depended on it. I say, let them have their fair chance at it. Here's how it works:
I'm going to compile a list of federal agencies, bureaus, departments, banks, corporations, and etc. (ABDBCAE for short) that are identified as unconstitutional. These are the parts of government headed for the chopping block. (They will be ended either by me with direct presidential authority, made moot through the courts, or ended completely by Congressional bill signed into law. Of course, there is only one way to really end burdensome, bloated government, and that is by the will of the people.) And there will be people crying mercy for every single item on the list. (That's why it's so hard to get rid of bad government.) And in many significant instances of ABDBCAE, I will allow people to put their treasured government agency on a path to constitutionality.
The end goal of a path to constitutionality is that people who want their favorite government ABDBCAE to stay as part of our government, get a constitutional amendment that clearly articulates the power and limits on government to exercise the particular activity.
That's it. Once you're constitutional, I'll be off your back. I might not agree with it, but at least it's a grounded, articulated power of government that is defined, limited, and legal.
(Getting a constitutional amendment is like you're "on base" in a game of tag. And I'll move on to eliminating other ABDBCAE. I'm promising to clean up things that don't properly belong to government. But if you're favorite ABDBCAE becomes, literally, part of the government, then you win.)
This is a time limited process. A path to constitutionality must be started quickly, like within 90 days to get the process moving forward. It's unlikely that anyone could secure a constitutional amendment within the 90 days, but that's ok. As long as there is a defined movement to get achieve constitutionality. The movement doesn't have to be perfect, but it must be an initial, plausible movement, followed shortly thereafter by progress. Let's look at a couple of scenarios that illustrate the concept:
Let's start with something that's on the chopping block but is getting cut no matter what: Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The terms of the land lease have no expiration date, making the agreement contractually void. The Cubans have made clear for many years that they no longer recognize the terms of the lease and want us to leave. I intend to honor that legal and reasonable request. The prison will be closed along with the base.
Now for something that is negotiable: The US Department of Education. This cabinet level department is definitely on the chopping block. Education efforts are better when under local control. But I know that not everyone will agree with me, and this is an ABCBCAE that is very likely to get one or more organized groups to forge ahead on a path of constitutionality. I expect they would be able to do so well within a 90 day period. These groups would be able to draft a constitutional amendment that defines federal power over education. They could gain and grow political support, and keep the amendment process moving forward. The amendment process can be lengthy, but it can't be forever.
Let's say that Congress passes the amendment and it goes to the states for ratification. Right away several states might ratify it. But lets say that after an initial burst of interest that 4 months turns into 10 months turns into 12 months, with nothing happening. Further it becomes clear that the remaining states aren't interested in passing the amendment. Well, that clock ticking is going to seem more apparent. If there is no progress, and no forseable progress, then the time limit will expire and I will begin acting to cut the ABDBCAE.
However, there is no predetermined outcome. It may be that after the amendment stalled, and I then begin the process of cutting, that people are shaken as if from sleep and they suddenly begin making progress again to ratify the amendment (or whatever stage the process might be in.) OK. If there is legitimate progress even after stalling, then I will focus my efforts elsewhere once again, postponing the plans to make the cut. This process could go back and forth. My insistence is progress not perfection.
We'll need to talk much more about this plan. There are many details that need to be worked out. I hope that lays out the basics of the concept. I hope you'll trust me to implement this proposal fairly. I'll need your vote in November to do this for everyone's benefit. The whole of America is better when we work together like this. We can accomplish this task as a nation, a people, and a government.
Vote Carmen for President 2024
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