It is the most important political, cultural and religious question of the day - and should be a collective mantra for activists and conservatives of all stripes, constitutionalists and religious traditionalists: Who speaks for us?
It is the critical question and concern of most Americans, wrapped into the larger issues that shows up in poll after poll reporting on the lack of trust in our politicians, government and institutions. And it is the underlying concern that animates the unprecedented anger over the growing chasm between Washington and the rest of the country.
Average hard working citizens have seen the structure and fabric of their country - and the idea that is America - systematically and rapidly dismantled in ways that dismiss both their role and importance as individuals, and increasingly eliminates their voice in the affairs and life of the nation.
Americans now look around them, and listen carefully to the politicians of both major parties and to the culture at large, and increasingly realize in various degrees that there are very few voices that support or honor their views on family, faith, values, or patriotism.
Likewise, Americans are increasingly finding that their personal liberty and privacy, and their individual aspirations, hopes, and dreams are consistently being constrained or eliminated by the actions of a small group of people who are unaccountable for, and uninterested in, the results of their actions. And when the dust settles, they invariably learn that there is a cabal of politicians, lobbyists, crony businesses, "non-profit" advocates, and other special interest groups that are feasting on a pot of taxpayer money. Ever expanding government to advance systemic looting seems to have taken the place of "the public interest" and financial coercion has replaced public debate.
It also seems obvious to a rapidly growing number of citizens that there is a working unanimity between the two major political parties (at least at the leadership level), the massive federal administrative state, big business, and the attendant cultural and educational organs, which aggressively promote the idea that the average citizen is hopelessly stupid, and unfit to organize their private affairs, much less decide the nation's future.
It is increasingly difficult anymore to disguise or ignore the transfer of authority, power and wealth that is occurring - it is best described as the ruling class versus the country class.* It really is us versus them.
The new ruling class has three clear characteristics:
They see themselves as the new American aristocracy and openly trivialize American exceptionalism, while embracing multiculturalism and globalism as a substitute. As a group, they have thinly concealed contempt for the constitutional concept of sovereign citizens and the rule of law.
They represent a new order of the powerful and connected who guard their own, and are progressively becoming more vocal in opposition to the founding principles of liberty - and willing to punish, or even criminalize organized dissent.
Finally, the new ruling class has the secular perspective that civil liberties are, and should be, granted by the state, rather than the foundational belief in God-given rights that cannot be abridged. They, as a group, have largely abandoned recognition of our Judeo-Christian heritage, other than for public posturing.
There is virtually nothing in common anymore between the ruling class and the average American who pays the bills, wants to raise a family in peace and normalcy, and pass on the traditional values that made the American story the envy - and the engine - of the world.
The examples of how the ruling class and their corruption of the system works out in our personal lives and in our society are now so ubiquitous, that cataloging them is tedious and boring. But two current examples demonstrate succinctly where we are: Obamacare and the pending immigration, aka, amnesty bill. They are wholly destructive to the American economy, employment and the civil society. Both are massively unpopular. But they are being forced down the nation's throat because untold trillions of dollars - and power - will be divvied up by the ruling class.
But, what about the citizens who have to live with the chaos? The answer from the ruling class could not be clearer, from both political parties; no one cares.
This is a dangerous place for the country. Two diametrically opposed, contradictory worldviews cannot survive each other for long. One will carry on; one will be subjected and driven into submission. If there are no constitutional guardrails protecting human liberty, then the authoritarians, despots, and assorted criminals operating under the guise of the law, will overrun the place. That, of course, is exactly where we seem to be headed.
There are no quick answers for how to reverse this process. The only long term answer is educating the low information voters - the product of our "captured" educational system - in how critical the Constitution, and adherence to it, is for the maintenance of human freedom and economic progress; and how important our Judeo-Christian heritage is in this process.
But the immediate answer has to be that various political, cultural and religious conservatives, Tea Party Patriots, and others must re-double their public voice and activism. A couple of places to start might be with the most vulnerable members of the ruling class who respond the quickest.
Elected public officials of both parties must be accountable; we can't simply enable politicians who say one thing to get elected and vote another way in office. In Virginia, it means we have to publically take on Senator Mark Warner at every event and venue possible. He ran as a "moderate" for the U.S. Senate, yet he has proved to be an ultra radical, left winger. He speaks for the ruling class and votes with Obama - who speaks for us?
Also in Virginia, we have to be burning up the phone lines and publically asking our congressional delegation hard questions about two critical issues. Where do they stand on Obamacare - do they really want to repeal it, or do they, as reported in several places, simply want to "fix" it and retain federal control? Where do they stand on the immigration issue? Not general platitudes, but concrete answers. Who do they speak for?
Public reports make it clear Virginia Congressmen Cantor and Goodlatte are ready to push through immigration reform and amnesty, although it will be dressed up rhetorically with frills and lace. Will Virginians hold them accountable before the primary? Or will they simply shrug it off as an example of "how business is done"? They both speak for the ruling class and the Chamber of Commerce - but who speaks for us?
None of this is fun, or easy. It is hard constant work, but conservatives and traditionalists simply cannot cede the battlefields to those who would demolish so casually the America that God inspired. We need to be asking our fellow American's; who speak for us?
[*Conservatives owe a debt of gratitude to the keen analysis of Professor Emeritus at Boston University, Angelo Cordevilla as a leading intellectual in this area. His writing and his 2010 essay "American's Ruling Class - and the Perils of Revolution" are critical reading - the gold standard - for those who seek to understand how we got here.]
Mike Giere has written extensively on politics, foreign policy, and issues of faith. He is a former candidate for the US House; worked for Ronald Reagan in 76 & 80; and served in both the Reagan and Bush (41) Administrations.
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