Perhaps Moses shouldve told the children of Israel to live in slavery
By former State Rep. Raul Torres
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Have you ever wondered whatever happened to We the People?" In the beginning
We the People" would tell the government what to do. It didnt tell us. We the People were in the drivers seat and government was the car. Let me share a few thoughts.
In the beginning the words We the People" had real meaning and significance in America. The birth of our nation was the first revolution in the human history that truly changed the role of government in the lives of men and women. This great experiment of freedom was started with three little words: We the People" and it gave birth to the idea that government was beholden to We the People" and that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people.
We decided where government should go and how fast. In the beginning We the People" were free. But a lot has changed over the years.
In 2003 I got involved in politics because I was convinced then that We the People" were no longer in the drivers seat in America. I needed to do my part even if it was just putting up my hand to those in government to say STOP it we have had enough." Back then it seemed the right thing for me to do at that time.
As government has grown over the past 60 years Americas greatness as a world economic and military power has declined making this issue a risk to our national security. Today due to Washingtons addiction to spending the
federal government borrows $4 billion a day in fiscal year 2013 and will post another $1 trillion deficit making this the fifth straight year of deficit spending.
How bad is it? Its really bad since the federal deficit for all of 1975 was only $95 billion.
Clearly Washington is broken and Austin is quickly headed in that direction. Let me explain.
As the 83rd Texas Legislature closed a few short weeks ago the House and the Senate voted to the largest budget ever passed in Texas history appropriating $22 billion more than we did just two years ago. But there is more.
During the past four years Texas Legislators and Washington politicians have added over 3000 new laws hundreds of new regulations and an increase in new ways to tax Texas citizens. With an ever growing number of more rules regulations and demand for higher taxes it is very clear that government has taken much more of our hard earned money more of our ability to make choices and more of our freedoms.
Yet there are many in America today that believe that life isnt too bad for most Americans. It seems that these people are willing to trade their freedoms for peace some food and a place to sleep.
Well then perhaps Moses should have told the children of Israel to live in slavery under Pharaoh or perhaps the patriots at Lexington and Concord should have thrown down their guns and refused to fire the shot that was heard round the world.
Perhaps the men at the Alamo should have surrendered possibly saved their lives and live under the tyranny of Santa Ana.
These people of history were not fools and neither were millions of our fellow Americans who chose to go to war these past 237 years simply because they all believed that freedom was worth dying for.
Looking forward I believe we are at a critical crossroads in our history. Either we believe in our ability for self-government or whether we are ready to abandoned the ideas of the American Revolution and have quietly accepted the view that big government can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.
Ronald Reagan once said Man is not free unless our government is limited." Well I believe government has gotten too big. That is why I am running for State Comptroller because someone needs to say it and do something about it.
Well let me end by asking you to join me on a crusade and I would like to lead that crusade with your help. Together I believe we can put you back in the drivers seat and once again free you to do great and marvelous things you have done in the past and make Texas the envy of America.
Lets talk and lets start building a better Texas tomorrow today.
God bless you and may God bless America.
A Certified Public Accountant in Corpus Christi Texas former State Rep. Raul Torres of Corpus Christi served House District 33 in the Texas House of Representatives from 2011-2012 where he was a member of the Appropriations Committee & the House Committee on Insurance.
