Can the Republic be Saved?

On the eve of the annual State of the Union address to Congress by President Obama, we preview this important event in the Life of the Nation, so that Elite Members will be alert for signs in the speech that the Republic will be preserved, and strengthened even.

First, take note whether a majority of Supreme Court members attend, and whether the President takes another gratuitous shoot at a Court ruling that he disliked. Both civility and comity dictate that the leader of the Executive Branch refrain from such an injudicious provocation.

Second, take note whether the President calls for an end to all funding for Pell Grants. With the federal government more than 13 trillion dollars in debt to the ChiComs and other hostile foreign powers, it is now urgent that our government balance the federal budget. The survival of our national sovereignty definitely hangs in the balance, so the President and Congress must finally choose between "good to do" federal programs - take money from future generations and give it to today's low income college students - and "must do" programs - national defense and winning the war against radical Islamic terrorists.

Actually, truth be told (as it always is here) I object to Pell grants for two discrete reasons. First, as a matter of sound public policy, I oppose all governmental wealth redistributive acts. My family, like millions of other Americans, borrowed substantial amounts of money to afford college. Both my Bro and I worked every day of the school year and summers just to make ends meet. That is the American Way. I see no reason to take taxpayers' money and give it to even the most deserving college students,so long as there is no obligation to repay a nickel of our money. In normal times, its the best job in the world - to spend other people's money. Let's hope not so much starting with Tuesday night.

Additionally, Pell Grants constitute an unconstitutional exercise of federal power. One can examine the Constitution forever, and not find any national government authority to fund the college education of individual students. The House of Representatives has adopted a new Rule mandating that every piece of legislation include a preamble citing the provision of the Constitution that authorizes adoption. For Pell Grants, it would have to be "make affluent people less so, so less affluent persons become more so." Not an Article One designated federal government power. Take note, should the President endorse this sensible House requirement.