Walking along the midway of this grand carnival we call national politics, a brightly lit booth caught my eye. Dance music boomed from a loudspeaker, punctuated by the staccato voice of the carnie urging me to play his game.
“Step right up, step right up! Power to the states, right here! Come play the Tenth Amendment game!”
As I approached, I realized none other than Mitt Romney was running the booth. Behind him, I saw six bright yellow milk jugs stacked in a pyramid. Curiosity got the best of me.
“What’s this about?” I inquired.
“Knock down the federal health care pyramid and win a prize!” Romney boomed, somehow managing to speak without disturbing his bright toothy smile.
“What’s the prize,” I asked, still somewhat skeptical.
“Why, your liberty!” he beamed.
I picked up the hard wooden ball. Printed on the side were the words, Tenth Amendment.
“What’s this?” I asked, weighing the ball in my hand. It felt good. Right. Powerful.
“Well, it’s all about the Constitution. The federal government doesn’t have the right to make you buy health insurance,” he said knowingly.
“You mean like you made the folks in Massachusetts do?” I asked hesitantly.
A frown flickered across his face; then the smile returned.
“There are some similarities between what we did in Massachusetts and what President Obama did, but there are some big differences. And one is, I believe in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. And that says that powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved by the states and the people,” he said. “We put together a plan that was right for Massachusetts. The president took the power of the people and the states away from them and put in place a one-size-fits-all plan. It’s bad law.” 1
I rubbed the ball absentmindedly, pondering my options.
“Go on, try it,” he urged.
“How much?”
The smile broadened. “Not much. Just one token.”
I pulled a token out of my pocket and flipped it in the air a few times.
“Come on, give it a toss,” Romney said expectantly.
What the hell, I thought. Seems easy enough. And lord knows, I could use some more liberty. So I tossed Mitt the token, took aim and heaved the ball at the milk jugs.
Thwack!
A perfect throw.
Yellow jugs shot into the air, pirouetting like ballerinas before tumbling to the ground. I did a little victory fist-pump and stepped forward to collect my prize.
But Mitt looked angry.
“You lose!” he howled.
“What?” I responded incredulously. “I knocked over all of them. I win.”
Romney pointed at some green jugs scattered about among the yellow. “You knocked over the green ones. That’s against the rules. You lose.”
I hadn’t even noticed the green ones, but as Romney’s assistant reset the jugs, I realized that green ones were positioned in the shadows directly behind the yellow jugs, placed in such a way as to become virtually invisible. The setup made it next to impossible to knock over the yellow jugs without also toppling the greenies.
“So, what are the green ones,” I inquired, trying to contain my anger at being jipped.
“Medical marijuana,” Romney sneered with obvious disdain.
“And I can’t knock those over with the Tenth Amendment ball?”
“I think medical marijuana should not be legal in this country. I believe it’s a gateway drug to other drug violations. The use of illegal drugs in this country is leading to terrible consequences in places like Mexico, and actually in our own country. I oppose legalization of marijuana. I oppose legalizations of other kinds of drugs.” 2.
“But isn’t that also a decision reserved to the states and the people?”
“Go away, loser,” he growled, turning his back on me.
I stomped away, angry. But what could I do? I should have known the game was rigged. They all are, right?
So I ambled along the midway, bought a big stick of cotton candy, washed it down with a cold Coke and then gnawed my way through a funnel cake. I felt better. Giddy almost.
That’s when another booth caught my eye.
This one had louder music and brighter lights. AC/DC blasted from loudspeakers, and a strobe light played over the ground in front of the game. Even from a distance, I could see President Obama manned this booth. The familiar “O” logo painted on the roof was a dead giveaway.
Obama beckoned me over. “Step right up! Step right up! Play the greatest game at the carnival,” he intoned enthusiastically, flashing his pearly whites as he spoke.
“So, what’s this game?” I asked, my recent frustration now a faint memory.
“It’s the Tenth Amendment game,” Obama quipped. “Power to the states.”
“Wait a minute,” I said. “I played that game already over…”
Obama cut me off. “This one is better. Easier. And more fair. Just shoot a duck and you win.”
I leaned in and peered closely at the row of ducks on a conveyer belt slowly making their way from left to right across the booth. The ducks alternated – two males with a tux, followed by two females in wedding gowns.”
The president apparently read the confusion on my face. “Gay marriage!” He handed me a gun with Tenth Amendment printed on the side. “I respect the beliefs of others, and the right of religious institutions to act in accordance with their own doctrines. But I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them.” 3.
“What do I get if I hit one,” I asked, weighing the gun in my hands. It felt good. Right. Powerful.
A presidential pause.
“Liberty.”
I was sold. The sign indicated it just cost one token, so I flipped one over to Obama and he plucked it out of the air. I aimed…steady…slowly pulled the trigger…
Plink.
Over went the duck.
But I knew in that moment I wouldn’t win a prize. A cannabis plant hidden behind the duck fell over too.
“I’m sorry. You lose,” Obama said in a patronizing tone
“Let me guess,” I say, resignation dripping from my words. “Medical marijuana.”
“Let me be clear, I am the president.” Obama lectured. “State medical marijuana programs violate federal law. I must send in the DEA to arrest those criminals so my Justice Department can prosecute them all.”
“But isn’t medical marijuana also an issue that should be left to the states and the people?”
Become a member and support the TAC!
“Shut up, loser.”
I glared at the president. “So you can’t win. This game is rigged. You just want power to do things your own way!” I bellow. “You are nothing but a carnival huckster. Just like that other guy, Romney!”
Obama merely smiled.
“What did you expect?” he asked with a shrug. “We work for the same people.”
Snake oil here, I have some snake oil. Step right up and this will cure what ales you, its filled with a secret ingredient that saves people, TRUST ME!
These fools both work for the same corporation and both offer the same ride of a lifetime never to be forgotten. We don’t need anymore stinking Federal Corporate Government so lets run these people out of town. I hear in the next state over they declined to do without the Corporation and created a Constitutional Republic Government Body where Public get to participate and help decide and Corporate is not happy. This would mean the show is about to end and all the clowns can LEAVE! and find jobs cleaning up all their messes and cleaning up all the debt they created. After all it is theirs and they should be liable.
there is at least a slim chance Romney will listen to the voters and at least stop the growth of government.
The elite are trying to scare us into voting for who they want usto vote for NUDGE
True but until we get some good non politician candidates to run it will remain the same.
There is still one guy running in the GOP that would work to rein in the Federal government. Ron Paul 2012!
I WILL NOT VOTE FOR MITT ROMNEY OR BARACK OBAMA UNDER _ANY_ CIRCUMSTANCES.
an unwillingness to vote for daddybush is what got bill clinton elected
We need a written contract for the president. Oaths mean nothing to them. I’m sick of government by memorandum.
Ron Paul has EVERY chance of WINNING!
“We work for the same people.”.. And those people ain’t us. And Jon, if we do not bite the bullet and refuse to vote the lesser (which ain’t much less, evil) our kids will have to bite it. Better to face up to our undone responsibilities.
Screwed OR MORE Screwed !
Does no one pay attention to any thing BUT the media and their GOP games??! No wonder we’re in the situation we are. No one can think for themselves.
GOP games????? The situation will NEVER be fixed by those in Washington, and that includes Ron Paul. Until we FORCE our states to stand by the tenth we are doomed, just at different rates (faster with the Dems in charge). I’m counting on the rest of you since I live in California…….
Vote the only ticket that actually believes in the 10th Amendment: join the Million Vote March! http://millionvotemarch.com
Neither party or main stream media likes Ron Paul. In my book that is a good thing!! But if people keep saying that he doesnt have a chance at the nomination then he wont. Then Romney slides in and the super wealthy win again.
I cringe at hearing people preach righteousness yet are so willing to accept what is not righteous. Come on man… the primary round is NOT the ‘SETTLE FOR LESS’ round. If you say Ron Paul has no chance, it still makes no sense at all to vote for Romney in the PRIMARY. Vote your conscious in the primary and if your guy doesn’t make it, then a feasible option to consider may be to settle for Romney over Obama. Since we’re not there yet, stick to your guns.
RON PAUL beat romney in his own constituancy. ron has a gd chance at wining if the people alow it. romney is a mormon a religion designd by the freemason.
So, we are not to vote for Romney? Who’s left??? NOT PAUL! He is too old, too hippy, to liberal, to off the planet – Paulbots need to stop rooting for someone who can’t win and support the nominee. Romney is not my choice either. Conservatives let the media take Cain out… However, it all boils down to one point. Romney is better than Obama! And Romney can win! At PATRICK SHARP: If you don’t vote you let Obama win …. it will take everyone’s vote to defeat Obama. Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face by voting for someone who can’t win.
November is not going to be a happy month, but I concur with Linda Wilson–sitting out this election is a guaranteed vote to Obama which isn’t good.
There is a better chance that the political machine will offer a better choice next time if we refuse to hold our nose and vote for mini-O this time. If you voye for someone that goes against your principles they will reward you with like/kind next time.
I refuse to vote for anyone that does not understand and support the constitution. That disqualifies both Obama and Romney. If Ron Paul is on the ballet he will get my vote. If Obama wins because if it, so be it. If the republicans want my vote they better figure out how to put someone in front of me that defends the constitution, everytime, not just when it goes along with their personal want. Or they will soon find themselves out of power, up the creek, just like the rest of us have been for decades.
If my only choices are Obama or Romney, I will write myself in as a candadate! It is more important to be principaled than it is to be practical. If Washington had been practical, he would not have accepted command of the Continental Army! Thanks be to God that Washington was a man of principals!
Obama or romney both the same both puppets. at least ron paul has the balls and fights 4 the people. if u thnk a mormon (a freemason invention) is gona b 4 u the people then go back 2 sleep. and who says ron wont win? he has prety gd folowing considering he has not been allowd the same public time as the otha 2 idiots. time 2 decide on the type of life u want. one wth no democracy. freedom and no constitution thats prety much how it stands now. yor vote can turn that around.
I’d prefer RP myself, but he’s got no chance. My priority for the 2012 election is to get rid of the clown in charge. I’ve lost all HOPE that there will be any real CHANGE.
If that means I have to vote for Romney, then I’ll hold my nose and vote for Romney.