Thomas Paine speaks from the grave

You can put away the high powered rifle. This is not a warning of the upcoming zombie invasion (that's next post). This is actually a fella dressed up like the author of Common Sense (You can read up a bit on the real Thomas Paine, if you are as lacking in American historical knowledge as I was). The video is just over six minutes long, and is pretty entertaining.

It's called the "We the People Stimulus Package", and berates the viewer (meant to be the general American populace) for standing idly by while Congress has gone power mad. He touches on a variety of issues, from not allowing our "Non-representing Representatives" to vote themselves raises, to term limits, to my personal favorite "Throw them all out" (Them being everyone who voted for the largest spending bill in American history without bothering to read it).



I don't agree with everything he suggests. For instance, I'm not convinced compulsory service is the way to go. I'm not totally convinced we should abolish the electoral college (though I probably wouldn't shed any tears at its passing either). The complaint he has against Congress' pension plan is valid, but his information isn't accurate. You can read up on it here. Basically, they get pensions based on their length of service, but the lowest listed in the article is $14,165/year for just six years service (If only I could qualify for that kind of package). Of course, that pension doesn't take into account any of the other perks they get, which are legion. The President's name is misspelled as "Barak" at the very end.

Finally, the idea of sending tea bags to Washington is cute, but impractical. Not one of them will ever get through to any Congressman's office. They'll be intercepted and destroyed at the Post Office. Still, if the Post Office is bogged down with tons of little paper tea bags, it could still make the news and make a statement.

All of my critiques aside it is a very passionately delivered speech, and lays the blame for the excesses of government right where it belongs: The lazy American voter. Wake up, America, else you may one day rise to note that you have been enslaved.