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The Mount Vernon Statement

Constitutional Conservatism: A Statement for the 21st Century

We recommit ourselves to the ideas of the American Founding.  Through the Constitution, the Founders created an enduring framework of limited government based on the rule of law. They sought to secure national independence, provide for economic opportunity, establish true religious liberty and maintain a flourishing society of republican self-government.

These principles define us as a country and inspire us as a people. They are responsible for a prosperous, just nation unlike any other in the world. They are our highest achievements, serving not only as powerful beacons to all who strive for freedom and seek self-government, but as warnings to tyrants and despots everywhere.

Each one of these founding ideas is presently under sustained attack. In recent decades, America’s principles have been undermined and redefined in our culture, our universities and our politics. The self-evident truths of 1776 have been supplanted by the notion that no such truths exist. The federal government today ignores the limits of the Constitution, which is increasingly dismissed as obsolete and irrelevant.

Some insist that America must change, cast off the old and put on the new. But where would this lead — forward or backward, up or down? Isn’t this idea of change an empty promise or even a dangerous deception?

The change we urgently need, a change consistent with the American ideal, is not movement away from but toward our founding principles. At this important time, we need a restatement of Constitutional conservatism grounded in the priceless principle of ordered liberty articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

The conservatism of the Declaration asserts self-evident truths based on the laws of nature and nature’s God. It defends life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It traces authority to the consent of the governed. It recognizes man’s self-interest but also his capacity for virtue.

The conservatism of the Constitution limits government’s powers but ensures that government performs its proper job effectively. It refines popular will through the filter of representation. It provides checks and balances through the several branches of government and a federal republic.

A Constitutional conservatism unites all conservatives through the natural fusion provided by American principles. It reminds economic conservatives that morality is essential to limited government, social conservatives that unlimited government is a threat to moral self-government, and national security conservatives that energetic but responsible government is the key to America’s safety and leadership role in the world.

A Constitutional conservatism based on first principles provides the framework for a consistent and meaningful policy agenda.

It applies the principle of limited government based on the rule of law to every proposal.

It honors the central place of individual liberty in American politics and life.

It encourages free enterprise, the individual entrepreneur, and economic reforms grounded in market solutions.

It supports America’s national interest in advancing freedom and opposing tyranny in the world and prudently considers what we can and should do to that end.

It informs conservatism’s firm defense of family, neighborhood, community, and faith.

If we are to succeed in the critical political and policy battles ahead, we must be certain of our purpose. We must begin by retaking and resolutely defending the high ground of America’s founding principles.

The Mission of the Mt Vernon Statement is to restart the Conservative Movement … which is already in high gear … only we call it the Tea Party Movement.  The statement has fine ideas and sets high ideals … I like it. But it is not “my” statement and it will not affect how I help organize the April 15th Tea Party in my area … I’ve got my own ideas.  (This is why they describe  this movement as “grass-roots” and “populist.”)

The American Thinker: Populist Constitutionalism and the Tea Party You should read this article as background. What Larry Anderson is stating is that unlike a political party, the Tea Party movement is a “populist” movement … it is, by definition, leaderless.  Probably the best example of the power of such a movement came just before and during the Prohibition era. That classic “populist” movement … totally leaderless … built sufficient energy to change the Constitution TWICE!

Tea Party Patriots

“Populism” has an “idea” at its center and as its soul. In the case of Prohibition, the central idea was alcohol.  In the present Tea Party Movement, the central theme is “adherence and protection of the Constitution.”  It is around this central theme that people are gathering and gaining strength.  It is not gaining strength and energy because of  a charismatic leader (we’ve had enough of that this year!) …  the energy permeates from a single idea.  And and idea cannot be put in jail, sued or even killed.  The power of a populist movement is that its leaders cannot be sought out, targeted, and destroyed. This is why it is impervious to the Alinsky approach of the Progressives that would attack the movement.  The Tea Party movement baffles them because there is no ‘target’ … no ‘head to cut off.

The Tea Party People and Party and Leader-Independent. The Tea Party People I know don’t want anything to do with a party, and they resent someone stepping forward to be a “leader.”  When Micheal Steel met with some “leaders” of the Tea Parties … Tea Party People went a little nuts wondering who anointed these people to speak for them?  That attitude is what makes the movement stay independent and it is also the attitude that gives the Tea Party Movement its strength … and is its ultimate defense.  Trying to form a “party” from this movement would kill the  momentum, and that is why that ideas is flatly rejected. (See Beware -Poison in the Tea?, this blog).

BigGovernment.com: Big Government has learned that Clintonistas are plotting a “push/pull” strategy. They plan to identify 7-8 national figures active in the tea party movement and engage in deep opposition research on them. If possible, they will identify one or two they can perhaps ‘turn’, either with money or threats, to create a mole in the movement. The others will be subjected to a full-on smear campaign.

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Attack What? The Clintonistas (Carville, et all) can’t attack. What are they going to attack? There is no person, no organization, no headquarters to attack. They want to pick out “7 or 8 leaders of the movement” … this demonstrates they are trying to apply ideological Alinsky offense and clearly demonstrates little understanding what is happening.  I’m in the “movement” … and I HAVE NO LEADER!  All they can do is “attack the idea.”  The Alinsky Rules for Radicals doesn’t work against an idea, it is designed to be used against people, leaders and organizations. In fact it is defeated by ideas. So who in the Tea Party Movement they are going to attack? “Me?” They don’t even know who I am. I was one of 1,750,000 people at the 912 March on Washington … and Obama said he was “unaware” we were even there. The “attack” by the Clintonistas and Carville will be fun to watch and those of us in the Tea Party Movement have a front row seat.  Ever want to see a bunch of libs go tilting at the proverbial windmills?  Now’s your chance … I cannot wait for the attack to begin, its about time we started having some FUN! It will be a circular firing squad.

Note: … this is exactly why the Tea Party Movement  must stay a “populist” movement and not be allowed to be usurped by any leader or organization. Those who wish to attack will have no target. In our case, if someone does attempt to take over the movement and become a leader, they instantly become a target of the Alinskyites and the libs will take them down for us … inadvertently doing OUR bidding.

Pure Energy

The Tea Party Movement is ENERGY. Think of the political parties as vehicles.  Each has features you may like or not, so you tend to choose one or the other. (Those features are the platforms … that none of them follow!). But the ENERGY that makes these “vehicles” go forward is the ENERGY of the people.  Many people have left both the Democrat and Republican Party, some were Libertarians and were never a part of either.  So “outside” the vehicle is this massing ENERGY that, if tapped will make the vehicles (parties) go fast!  It is normal for the Parties and Leaders to reach out and try to “tap” the energy for their own use.  But in the case of a populist movement, the Energy refuses to be tapped because its “forward motion” comes from its own energy and there is no need for the traditional vehicles.  And those in the movement resist such leadership and energy usurpation because they have seen it cut their effectiveness in the past.

Statements are fine, however… The Sharon Statement and now the Mt Vernon Statement are all good ideas, reminding us of our some of the aspects of our mission. But all we need to remember is the central idea … the Protection of the Constitution of the United States.” And we will strongly object to any outside force that jeopardizes or usurps that idea. The Mt Vernon Statement is interesting, however we will reject  allowing the “leaders” who signed the statement any power over our energy.  We do not need leaders.

It is working! We took Virginia, we took New Jersey, we took Massachusetts, Obama’s polls are in free-fall, the Democrat Congress has an approval ratio of 15%.  Democrats are fleeing office because they will be THROWN out in November and the know it. They are so desperate they are sending  James Carville after us to start a circular firing squad while we enjoy the show.  The success we have had are not because of a leader or an organization, those successes are happening because we lack both.  We are doing this ONE TEA PARTY AT A TIME.

The Candidates we will Vote for will get our “energy” ONLY if they accept OUR standards.

1. PajamasMedia – GOP Risks Being Swept Away by Tea Party Movement
   

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