The Futility of Federal Office

Years ago I made my first speech with the Tenth Amendment Center in a location far East of Los Angeles, where the urban sprawl ends and the desert begins.  The evening started off with much enthusiasm as a leading member of the group announced that she would be running for Congress.  Later, I heard one of the best compliments of my life- that I had caused a Federal candidate to re-consider her decision.

“After listening to you, I feel like I would make a bigger difference here in CA…” she said, with a solemn tone.

I agreed.

How many more times do we need to see good people battered on the rocks of Mount DC before We the People change course?

Recently, the founders of the Patrick Henry Caucus all ran for Federal offices.  How many of them even GOT a chance to be a lone difference maker in a sea of disgusting greed and self-interest?  One. Four out of the five lost their bids, aced out by candidates and a political establishment that knows how to steal your message like a Mockingbird.

I found it ironic that the founders of a caucus to break down the power in DC would be so eager to campaign for Federal office in the first place, but if one assumes the purity of their intent…then four candidates who represent the antithesis of centralized power couldn’t even get in the door.

Let’s stop this insane tactic.  In the philosophical war we are all a part of, what those five men did was attempt to walk right up to the castle gate and knock in the face of hostility.  This is not a wise tactic in actual battle, or in our movement.

What we must do is strengthen the ground we already hold- to take up local, county and state positions and to hold what little liberty we have left.  We must encourage more like the Patrick Henry Caucus founders to go local rather than bludgeoning themselves in Federal campaigns.  We must run for local school boards, central committees or any other position that could potentially say no to tyranny in a million tiny ways.

In short, we must do just about ANYTHING other than run for Federal offices.