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by Morton Blackwell
September 22, 2015
Dear Fellow Conservative,
I regret that some people who should be wiser have fallen into a leftist trap.
It’s in the left’s interest for those who would pass all government expenditures, except for one exception, to be accused of wanting a government shutdown. But it’s simply not true or fair, and to concede the leftists’ claim is horribly damaging to our constitutional system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and limited government.
The Congress has the constitutional authority to pass bills, including all the federal money bills, and the President has the power to veto legislation, subject to a two-thirds override vote in both Houses.
When the Congress passes a comprehensive money bill that cuts a single category of spending and the President vetoes that bill, it is the President who makes the decision to shut down the government. Blaming the Congress for a government shutdown in these circumstances is unfair and implausible nonsense at best.
Unless successfully challenged, this false claim will permanently undermine the chance of cutting any expenditure when a President opposes that cut. That would outrageously expand presidential power at the expense of the Congress’ legislative power.
To preserve the Founding Fathers’ constitutional order, everyone who favors limited government should refuse to accept the claim that the Congress is responsible for a government shutdown under these circumstances. And we should all point out loudly that the President should be blamed for shutting the government when he insists that every single thing he wants funded is funded – or else.
Presenting the case for blaming the President for a government shutdown of this type will not be easy, but the long-term interests of our country demand that we not sit back and allow the left to sell to the American public this distorted interpretation of the process.
Virtually all the news media, all the Democrat politicians, and even some Republicans are already claiming that the Congress will be to blame if the President vetoes a major spending bill because it defunds Planned Parenthood. That is simply false, and it would be a great pity if conservatives undermine the intense public outrage against Planned Parenthood and lose this opportunity to defund that group.
Cordially,
Morton Blackwell
— Morton Blackwell is founder of the Leadership Institute, a longtime member of the Republican National Committee, and one of the fathers of the modern conservative movement.
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.
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