Ideas, that is. The UL has a snippet or so of the different caucuses (cauci?) that exist in the NH House – like minded legislators flocking together around a single or set of ideas. There are a few but this not only grabbed my attention but puts the difference between those of us who put Liberty & Freedom first and believe in the philosophy of the Constitution (e.g., a document that LIMITS what Government can do TO you (e.g. negative Rights) and those Statists that believe that NOTHING should ever limit what Government SHOULD do FOR you (positive Rights (which used to be called “the dole” but again, the Left has corrupted our common language).
The difference is vast – those of us that maintain the original ideas of American Exceptionalism and those Socialists that hold to the ancien regimes coming out of Europe. Individuals first vs Government first. And yes, there is the obligatory mention of FDR in there in describing the “Economic Justice Caucus” (e.g., just another euphemism for “we’re Socialists!”). So who are these Compassionate Totalitarians:
There are many special-interest caucuses operating in the House, some of which come and go over the years as the issues change. The Democrats have never had a special-interest caucus with the staying power of the HRA, but former gubernatorial candidate Jacalyn Cilley of Barrington, a two-term state senator now serving her third term in the House, hopes to change that.
Along with Kermit Williams, a third-term state rep. from Wilton, she started the Economic Justice Caucus in April. Cilley has since been elected chair and Williams vice-chair for the upcoming session.
“We started as the FDR caucus,” said Cilley, “based on the principle of what FDR considered the second Bill of Rights – economic justice principles that address the concerns of working men and women.”
Two things to keep in mind:
- The Government that is big enough to give you everything is big enough to take it away
- My meme of “The Bigger The Government, the smaller the citizen” is meant to be both a warning and an admonishment – politicians like Cilley and Willams, however, look upon it as a goal to be reached.
Why do I say that? When I read FDR’s Second Bill of Rights, it completely turns the relationship of citizens and its government upside down and inverted. Instead of having a Citizenry that has a government, when you think about the implications of the underlying philosophy of it, it is easy to see that it isn’t about people, it is about Power – not as individuals but that of the State. And they turn the meaning of a Right from being something innate within you simply because you are human into just something mundane – what Government GIVES you. How special:
- The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
- The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
- The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
- The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
- The right of every family to a decent home;
- The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
- The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
- The right to a good education.
Hillary summarizes it well: “We’re going to take things away from you”
After all, for Government to be able to GIVE you something, it first has to TAKE something from someone else – something that neither Cilley or Willams will tell you (or wrap it up into gibberish that upon a close study, makes no sense). Paul Rahe summarizes this up well.
Cilley described the goals of the caucus, which currently has about 46 reps on board, as fairly expansive, but tied to pocketbook issues, including minimum wage. Beyond the issues, Cilley focused on the caucus’ structure, which she says is designed to help it continue “hopefully into perpetuity.”
Quick thought – ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS, ask Socialists / Statists about the Right to Private Property – something these kinds of folks have been trying to kick the legs out from underneath since the 1880s.
That structure includes regular meetings, an executive committee, a facilitator and a Facebook page with a closed group. “Most of these caucuses are led by one or a handful of people who are passionate about what they do,” said Cilley, “and as long as they keep doing it and feed the process, they can gather folks and work on issues. Our hope was that we would build something that was sustainable.”
The caucus is realistic about its prospects for legislative success, given Republican domination of the State House emerging from the last election. “We recognize that with the current makeup of the Legislature and corner office, our opportunities for some of the things we might advocate are limited,” said Williams, “but we also think that by educating our members so they are knowledgeable about the issues surrounding economic justice, that they can be more forceful in their testimony.”
Thank GOD! And why am I NOT surprised to see this name here (the anti-gunner who likes committing violence on those of other political persuasion) in cahoots with them?
The newly formed Economic Justice Caucus is likely to find some common ground with the Fair Deal Caucus, now in its third year. That group was first formed to support Gov. Maggie Hassan’s ill-fated effort to bring casino gambling to the state in her first budget proposal, but has since morphed into a group that is largely a pro-labor caucus. “Our basic number has always been around 65 to 70 Democratic members,” said six-term State Rep. Katherine Rogers of Concord, who describes herself as a “facilitator” of the group. “It’s a very organic caucus,” she said. “There is no real leader.”
Socialists like violence – it is who they are. After all, look at all the rioting that happened during the 2016 Prez campaign – that all came from the Left. And it is the Left that is promising violence and disruption tomorrow.