As Washington continues to feed the public misinformation through the lapdog media, the role of independent bloggers is becoming more crucial. We need to do more than just win an election or two, we need to educate our fellow citizens about the proper role of government. My next interview is with a blogger that does just that, John Carey:TM: Why did you decide to start blogging?
JC: I started blogging in November 2009 because of two reasons. First, the MSM did not do their job during the 2008 election. They abandoned their principles and responsibilities of be the watchdog to our Republic when they threw their lot in with Barack Obama. They failed in their basic duty to report and inform the public in an unbiased manner. I believe that if they had properly vetted this man, he would not have won the 2008 Presidential election. The second reason I started blogging was because the more people I talked with about our Republic, the more I realized that there was a vast number of citizens ignorant about our history, the Constitution, and the rights it protected. So I decided that I could no longer sit on my hands and hope for the best. I chose to be part of the solution and not part of the problem and blogging was the best vehicle to use. Matt Ross over at Conservative Hideout has helped me along on this journey a great deal and for that I am truly thankful.
TM: You served in the Air Force. What impact does your military service have on your political views?
JC: I was raised by two parents who believed there is no such thing as a free ride and that we can achieve anything in life if we apply ourselves. I have always had a profound love for America and I believe we are indeed that last best hope for the world. I wanted to serve America in some way so I enlisted in the Air Force when I was 19 and for 23 years enjoyed a great career. I don’t believe that my military service really had that much of an impact on my political views; the foundation was already built prior to me enlisting. I do feel that being a part of the military helped me grow as an individual and instilled in me a deep appreciation for the freedoms and liberties we enjoy each day.
TM: Is there something in the Constitution you would like to see amended our repealed?
JC: The 17th amendment in my opinion needs to be repealed. It was passed in 1913 because state legislators sometimes could not agree on who to appoint as a senator which led to senators not being seated in time for the new congressional session. This raised concerns that the states were not properly represented and a solution needed to be found; the 17th amendment was that solution. It removed the power from state legislators to appoint senators and mandated that senators to be elected through popular vote. This did solve the problem, but it inadvertently created another by shifting the balance of power from the states to the federal government. Senators were no longer beholden to the states they represented and the states no longer had a method to recall senators if their actions did not represent the views of their respective states. Instead of senators working for their states and its citizens, they are now influenced by lobby and special interest groups. They can be bought off with campaign contributions by entities that may actually be working against the interests of the state the senators represent. The 17th greatly diminished the power of the states and it’s time to take a fresh look at repealing it. Let’s restore the Constitutional authority of the states to appoint senators and fix the procedural problem associated with these appointments. The balance must be restored.
TM: Who is your favorite founder, and why?
JC: They were all remarkable individuals, but if I have to choose one it would be Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was a champion of limited government and states’ rights. He crafted the Declaration of Independence and was our third President. His actions were deliberate and purposeful in everything he did. I believe in limited government, Constitutional law, and states’ rights. I think if I had lived during his life, there would have been very little we would have disagreed on.
TM: What do you feel is the greatest threat facing America?
JC: The greatest threat facing America is ignorance. What I mean by this is most Americans do not know our history, our founders, our Constitution, or the concept of federalism. And when people do not have the knowledge, they can be manipulated and led like sheep to the slaughter. When people do not have the basic knowledge, our Constitution can become a living and breathing document that can be watered down and weakened. When people do not understand the premise of unalienable rights, they see our Constitution as a charter of negative liberties and not as a document that limits the power of government and protects the rights of its citizens. When people are informed and their ignorance is lifted, they become dangerous to the status quo. And right now the status quo is unconstitutional laws, out of control spending, massive government expansion and intrusion into our lives, and corrupt politicians selling our Republic to the highest bidder.
Thoughts
I've been reading John's blog The Current for a few months. When I see he has posted something new, I'm glad, because I know it will be worth reading. He is as solid on the issues as anyone I know. I have only disagreed with him once, I thought he was overstating the importance of the financial reform bill, it turns out, he was right. John, is also is a contributor to Conservative Hideout 2.0
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