No Rhetoric, Just Reality with Congresswoman Lummis

It may be the freshman Congressional representatives that have the right perspectives of what needs to be done in DC. It’s refreshing to speak with Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis, a freshman Republican representative from Wyoming. Wyoming, you should be proud.

Representative Lummis is articulate, informed, and knows what her constituents want. Notice the word “want,” not need. Her voting record is one of reflecting the principles to what the Founders intended in the Constitution.

The interview was brief, but information-packed. I asked her about the current legislation from cap and trade to healthcare and the intention of these bills as well as American’s concern of a shadow government with the czar appointments. Specifically, what conflicts do you see with the intimacy between the executive and legislative branches, beyond the overall agenda, and what constitutional concerns do you have, especially relating to the czars in place, which could be construed as a shadow government?

Lummis replied, “I do have concerns about the use of czars because they don’t go through the Senate confirmation process and the vetting process that occurs before a vote by the US Senate to confirm high-level policy people.” Yet, they appear to be making high-level policy. Lummis continues, “I’m deeply concerned with the proliferation of the number of czars and not only that, but some of the czars who were selected–had the legislative branch had not revealed some of their biographies and backgrounds–some of them would have been making these high-level policy recommendations to the president from a perspective that would have been unacceptable to the US Senate had they gone through the constitutionally recognized process of Senate confirmation. So, I am concerned that this sort of flaunts or sidesteps the balance that was intended by the framers of the Constitution among the various branches of government.”

Personally, I’ll also give Glenn Beck some thanks in the exposure of some of those czars—credit is due to him.

Lummis also commented on the stifling political climate and continued, “What we are seeing in Washington right now is a lack of creative compromises or bipartisanship, you’re just seeing this runaway train of liberal thinking dominating the political scene and taking our country down a path that I don’t believe people voted for, even though they did vote for the change that President Obama articulated in his campaign; they weren’t voting for this particular type of change.”

No rhetoric, just the reality.

Next up for discussion was the fact that most of the legislation does have a redistributive tone, under the guise of social and economic justice, but how are they constitutional when certain groups benefit and others are penalized? Lummis confirmed, “The healthcare bill does redistribute wealth, it does impact people who make less than $250,000 a year–unlike what the president said.” She continued, “It [the Pelosi bill] taxes wheelchairs and other medical devices, it taxes and places surcharges on small businesses who have payrolls that exceed $500,000 a year.”

Lummis is alarmed at the apparent attack on small business via the healthcare bill, especially those businesses that employ small numbers of people. She used the example of a janitorial service with 20 employees that has a payroll of $500,000 a year stating, “These main street businesses are going to be affected.”

And again, she is right. Small businesses will not be able to withstand the taxes, fees, and surcharges placed upon them. Small businesses will be forced to let go of employees and, to cover the fees from the government, will raise their own goods/service fees. It will be the only way for businesses to meet overhead and comply with the government regulations.

No rhetoric, just the reality.

Only one quote comes to mind from Ronald Reagan in 1964, “The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose.” Hmmm, kind of like what is going on today with the assault on the US Chamber of Commerce and Fox News.

Moving on to healthcare–one-sixth of our economy. You do the math. More from Reagan on government and healthcare in 1964, “Will you resist the temptation to get a government handout for your community? Realize that the doctor’s fight against socialized medicine is your fight. We can’t socialize the doctors without socializing the patients. Recognize that government invasion of public power is eventually an assault upon your own business. If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he’ll eat you last.” Again, this is happening today.

After watching the election returns for New Jersey and Virginia, we discuss NY-23 and its role in future elections. I was curious to hear if the congresswoman understood the Tea Party movement. Lummis concluded that it is not just those from the right, but the left and independents who comprise these crowds. They are, she states, “An informed electorate.” She also states that Independent voters see government run amuck. She continues, “It’s the spending, jobs, economy.”

And Lummis is right—again–it is all of those things. Then throw in a little wealth redistribution, a healthcare takeover, and cap and trade and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. An intentional recipe for disaster—one that the left has waited years to put upon us in order to get their social and economic justice agenda through once and for all. However, what they didn’t figure is that the pushback would be so vigilant, informed, and passionate.

Again, Reagan in 1964, “If we lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to.”

There are still some in Congress who know what their job is–to represent the people and protect and defend the Constitution–not dismantle it.

Will Representative Lummis have the conviction of her conservative principles, strength, and fortitude to keep fighting the DC establishment in the name of our Constitution and freedom. So far, it seems she’s up to the task. Hopefully, Wyoming is paying attention, because Lummis is paying attention to them.

Don’t fall for the rhetoric; understand the reality.


Original post at RedState here and cross-posted at Smart Girl Nation here.