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Politics: What's wrong in Washington
Cal Thomas, on fixing our government
Date published: 7/24/2007
The following is an edited interview with syndicated columnist Cal Thomas conducted by John Whitehead, founder and president of the Rutherford Institute in Charlottesville and host of the YouTube production, 'Friendly Fire.'
John Whitehead: Today on "Friendly Fire" we have Cal Thomas, the top syndicated columnist in America, an author and television commentator on Fox News who has also been on numerous television shows. Cal is coming out with a new book in the fall, "Common Ground," about the bickering that is going on in Congress. It's good to have you with us today, Cal.
Cal Thomas: Thank you, John. "Common Ground" is co-authored by my good friend Bob Beckel. Let's give him equal credit.
Whitehead: That's right. The polls show the American people have lost total confidence in our government. The president's ratings are some of the lowest in history. There is a 16 percent approval rating for Congress. Most Americans I talk with believe there is absolutely no hope in Congress. They can't even pass a bill. They have trouble balancing a budget. Most of them only work a couple days a week. Is all hope lost in Congress? What is going on?
Thomas: I never put my faith and hope in politicians to begin with. There is an admonition of Scripture--"put not your trust in princes and kings"--and I think that can be extended to Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives.
We ask too much of government, and then when it can't deliver, we become cynical. The government is not my keeper, I shall not want. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of poverty, the government is there comforting me with food stamps and AFDC payments.
The government has a specific role. We've asked it to do things it was not designed to do, and we're not asking it to do things that it should be doing. The fault is ours.
Our Constitution opens with "We the people," but if we give the power and influence and responsibility to government like some great nanny state to take care of us, then it is incapable of fulfilling that kind of expectation. So we really do get the kind of government we deserve, and we now worship the golden calf and the Dow Jones industrial averages. It has become "in Dow we trust"--not in God, not in ourselves.
Read more stories about Fredericksburg
Date published: 7/24/2007
Most recent reader comments:
Fix The Government
(posted by
slarrivee
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
Excellent article and term limits might be the solution...I can't even remember the last time I heard a politician refer to this country as a Republic...Thats what it is , thats what is was created as but they all seem to think its a Democracy???....I guess they prefer we think that way also since that would give the Feds more power over the peoples lives and rights than they should have.
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