Bargaining with Thieves

I remember Eastern Europe in 1989. I was there when the streets were flooded with people, when we watched the Berlin Wall being brought down, when the police blocked the streets and attacked us, trying to disperse the protests. One after another, Communist governments found it impossible to contain the wrath of their own people. We were on the streets, blocking parliaments and government buildings, demanding our liberty. All the Eastern European countries had constitutions, and those constitutions started with Article I: “The Communist party is the leading political force…”

We wanted just one thing: Repeal Article I. Destroy the political monopoly of the Communist party, destroy its power to take our life, liberty and property. (Not that we had much of any of these three left.) Nothing less than this.

The Communist governments didn’t want to give in. They knew our demands were morally right, so giving in would mean they had to admit the Communists had been morally wrong. So they had to find a way to blame us.

“These extremists,” declared the Communists, “refuse to come to an agreement. We want to have constructive dialog but they refuse. They wear swastikas and brown shirts. They are nothing less than fascists.”

We didn’t bargain with them. Article I was repealed everywhere, without “constructive dialog.” There is nothing “constructive” in bargaining about a criminal and immoral law.

I am here in America in 2009, 20 years later. I watch the Town Hall meetings all over the country. One after another Democratic candidates find it impossible to answer the questions of their own constituents. They have their Article I that says, “If the law is proposed by Obama or Pelosi, it must be passed without reading or discussions.”

The American people want just one thing: Repeal Article I. Destroy the political monopoly of those that want to steal our money, those who want to control our health, our life, our property and our future.

The Democrats don’t want to give in. They know our demands are morally right, and therefore giving in will mean they have to admit they have been morally wrong. So they try to find a way to blame us.

“These extremists,” Nancy Pelosi would declare, “refuse to negotiate. They refuse constructive dialog. They wear swastikas and brown shirts. They are nothing less than fascists.”

We shouldn’t bargain with them. There is nothing “constructive” in bargaining about a criminal and immoral law.

Eastern European Communists and American Democrats are like a thief that is caught with the stolen thing in his hand. He refuses to admit his guilt. He wants to have “constructive dialog.” “Let’s bargain,” he says. “Let’s come to a mutually acceptable decision. If you don’t bargain, you are a fascist.”

There should be no bargaining until the thief returns what he has stolen. Just like the Communists 20 years ago, Democrats are trying to negotiate about something that isn’t theirs: Our money, our health, our lives.

This is the time for today’s Americans to show that they are more courageous and tenacious than the peoples of Eastern Europe in 1989.