Freedom Watch: 7/1

" It really is an insidious problem that we face today. Which is the attitude among so many of our fellow citizens. That the government knows best and the government will take care of this -- I've often like to argue -- Many of you know that after a right to live after the right to life the greatest of the rights that we enjoys the right to be left alone. And the government of coarse reject -- right. Because the government believes that it knows what's better for us. Then what we know it's good for ourselves. And so we have a government that not in one fell swoop but not overnight and not with a stroke of the pen. But slowly. Inexorably. And in seriously. Takes away our loss of liberties. Justice Felix Frankfurter once at the loss of liberty rarely comes -- night. It usually comes because of well intended people. And the pun intended consequences of their use and abuse of the government. To interfere in our lives someone who has championed. Pointing out and exposing the use and abuse of the government. Is my next guest Jim America. Who's the head of a very interesting group called downsize DC. There's a challenge for GM and -- Have job security right yeah well welcome here what gonna freedom watch. It would be -- thank you. Tell us about -- size. DC. And what it is you folks are doing Detroit point to rest of the country. Monster government is getting away with writing laws on laws -- laws."

" But don't -- DP data within the that the organization and it probably -- that that the organized people in the way that -- organized before. I was trying to harness the power of the Internet we've given people lobbying mechanism whereby they can come on to a -- looked -- hopefully. I think in the big the contact information but let them and let them applicant and they put -- let the with a -- And -- senators. And then I'm doing factual -- not doing it randomly they're doing with thousands of other people we find they're doing it and -- and build on the larger congress cannot afford to ignore us. We believe that it's our job to give a congressional employees local call represented -- instruction below you."

" One of the things that is so troubled -- is laws enacted. -- members of congress reading and I know that this is something that goes to the heart of what you're doing just tell your story then. -- the ball like Iran without I was speaking to some members. It's too large group of people in the heartland and unbeknownst to me you'll have to as the members of congress in the group. In the course of my speech I've pointed out to them that the Patriot Act permits federal agents to write their own search -- that -- Two federal judges anymore as the constitution requires. And about six of these members of congress that while we didn't know that that was in the Patriot Act and then I ask them a question that I already knew the answer to and I said. Didn't you read the Patriot Act before you voted on. Now the reason they said no we didn't is because in the case of the Patriot Act the administration and the Republican. Leadership of congress. Physically literally. Wouldn't give them a copy to read I -- how did you decide whether to vote for or against it. What we read the administration summary -- which was prepared by employers in the Justice Department. Conveniently those lawyers omitted some of the most offending parts of it so question. How do you get members of congress to read what they're going to vote for whether it's the 300 page Patriot Act Jim. Or whether it's the thirteen hundred page cap and trade legislation."

" 300 pages of which -- just added -- unit before they don't like affordability pathology before actually morning. Yeah if this does not going to be immediate challenge and now we have a -- let down by DP dot org called believe the -- back to. Six page piece of legislation that anybody listening right now. While watching -- show can come and look at it down by BP elegantly for themselves and our proposal basically that Cleveland quick things one. That -- have a representative inside out. Before they -- the -- hope that I'm no money the -- the new law. The people or create a new program had to sign an affidavit saying they're glad -- led the bill before they happen at that led -- number killed. Other kind of give people little bit of the chocolate but we're deadly serious about that and that is that we require. And in the Chamberlain -- a world a little reading all that the stock while they read the bill. And a -- 50% while one needs to be sitting there listening to the reading of the bill we believe this -- build. And that's what finally we have them now called them a choice about which one they -- a little boat that -- just. Pushing everything through it. It they can't and and we want the post that I want we want seven day waiting period for college and during the seven day we want both the wind took a watchdog -- but -- the -- battle again. And -- society developed form that people about input talk -- but the soft even every day that it and to be able to read the bill."

" When the president was a Senator Obama he must have set a half dozen times. While it was running for president that he wouldn't sign into law any legislation no matter how popular it was or how great the need for it -- Unless and until it had been posted on the Internet for five days which should be long enough for anybody to read it although thirteen hundred pages read prudently. And given the other pressures on -- may take longer than five days that of course -- by the wayside and hasn't happened at all. But that might be the easiest I would think. Of these three proposals is getting congress to require. A waiting period and -- public posting of course. That's still not going to assure that the members of congress -- threat."

" and it's also likely turn that the build them all the going to be short and that -- going to be much more deliberate you know this is supposed to be the deliberative body. They are both the take time they're not supposed to rushed or not -- administrative agent either not running drilled in the -- thing. And practicing in the case of emergency. They are there to make decisions before -- on how to allocate the money what the -- will be an after the event is over to analyze the results and they whatever capital required. And so while we want them to -- on -- being that deliberative body that the procedure that you mentioned your band and -- the capital and Thomas Jefferson as you probably know that down and he will -- On the fact that men and about how the public schools are still kind of -- this very day if they don't have a the typical I'll be eating what he will. It's considered kind of the fallback position. How -- while virtual than many other legislative bodies and in there was a requirement that the bill had to be glad it was a requirement. And -- and and in the thank you feel all the time they will leave the required reading of the bill they have been allowed to --"

" How are you going to get members of congress to vote. -- to impose a burden. On the freedom with which they regulate this. I mean and as as as much as I ardently want this legislation that passed as much as I believe constitutionally legally and morally. Our representatives have an obligation to read and understand something before they vote on it. Does this have any greater chance of passing and -- term limits. What what would these people love their power and the freedom with which they exercise it over us. Ever enact any legislation. That would interfere with that power and that freedom."

" Many many they have someone that's -- with having a great deal of the fact that took the court to stop that from being imposed. On congress for the now it would require a constitutional amendment. I -- all -- no illusions here that we're going to have a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Here. Who's going to come along that they we've been wrong all the -- we need to do the right thing now and everybody else just gonna join a jump up and join them. We're going to need to apply apply relentlessly. That the moment Crocker we think it's so that -- know honestly can return home district. Without -- happened pilloried by the question -- ads running but partial all over the place and that is the key to building an army. The question put everything that would have been accomplished that you want on me that downplayed the you know we want to build that army so big. The congress cannot afford to ignore them at all but put that mechanism that we use. But people can in the battle with a couple popular hand. It -- very quickly get informed on the issues of the day we've got noble idea that there and they can sandy point not that and then not alone in doing that. And that's why he's not just count and they matter and we're building more and more importantly thank you including the read the -- back every day."

" Jim baca who's the president downsize DC. Which you can reach downsize DC dot org. Thanks very much it's my pleasure thank you for joining freedom watch happy fourth of July to each -- until next Wednesday. 2 o'clock in the east coast. --"