First of two excerpts I prefer to persuade people quietly to do the right thing, but that approach hadn’t worked in Congress. I knew if I had any chance of being effective, I’d have to leave my comfort zone and get more aggressive.
The Washington establishment is driving our nation toward bankruptcy. Each day and with every vote, members of Congress decide whether to be a part of the establishment or a part of changing it.
Attempting to change the system is a brutal and painful process, as I reveal in this book. I tried for years to be a part of the establishment while trying to change it. That didn’t work. It wasn’t until I declared war on the establishment that I began to make progress … and enemies.
I knew I faced a lonely battle. Few senators were willing to take an aggressive public stand against intransigent senior Republicans or to join me in a direct assault on the source of Republican downfall: earmarks and the culture of spending.
This meant taking on the appropriators. Few Americans understand there are really three parties in Congress: Republicans, Democrats and Appropriators — those who sit on the powerful Appropriations committees, which direct all federal spending.
The Appropriators are Republicans and Democrats who believe one of the top priorities of members of Congress is to direct federal earmarks to their home states, congressional districts and pet projects.
Appropriators are often more concerned about “bringing home the bacon” than their constitutional commitment to a limited federal government. These are not evil people. They are, for the most part, well-intentioned members of Congress who have been caught up in a system that rewards more and more spending.
Again, I want to emphasize my criticism is not directed at individual Appropriators. They are doing the job the “system” expects them to do. My criticism is of the system many call the Washington establishment, a system that distracts Congress from the business of the nation with self-serving, parochial interests.
Parochial interests conflict with the reforms needed to cut spending, reduce debt and save our nation. Fortunately, more Americans are beginning to understand that earmarks and the resulting culture of spending are the root causes of our dysfunctional Congress and our crushing national debt.
Members of Congress who request earmarks inevitably become part of the problem. It doesn’t matter what they say or even how they vote; they will not fight big-spending bills.
They may speak against bloated spending bills to the press and even vote against them, but behind closed doors where the parties meet to determine their floor strategy, earmark seekers will not stand up and condemn the outrageous spending, borrowing and debt created by these bills.
They stay silent because they know if they offend the Appropriators they will not get their earmarks. I know because I’m a recovering earmarker.
Sen. Jim DeMint is a South Carolina Republican and author of “The Great American Awakening: Two years that changed America, Washington and me.” (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, Tenn.)
