Buck - Drain the Swamp

Copyright 2017 by Ken Buck and Bill Blankschaen

Published in association with the literary agency of Legacy, LLC, 501 N. Orlando Avenue, Suite #313-348, Winter Park, FL 32789.

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First e-book edition 2017: ISBN 978-1-62157-649-5

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Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.

Ronald Reagan

O n November 1, 2016, my daughter gave me the greatest gift a dad could ever dream ofmy first grandchild, Barrett Bear Schwartz. While serving my initial term in Congress, I shared many of the same characteristics that Barrett had when he came into this world. We were both stunned by our new surroundings, and unable to communicate with those around us about the gravity of our concerns.

Luckily for Bear, he has two great parents and he received the attention he needed at birth. I have been less fortunate in trying to work with my colleagues to fix the mess in Congress. My answer is to write this book to speak directly to the American people and try to work with them outside the beltway to drain the Washington swamp.

Bear and I also share similar financial burdens. My mortgage approximates Bears share of the national debt. However, my mortgage helped me live in a comfortable home. Bear has nothing substantial to show for the debt he acquired at birth. It was passed on to him without his consent, a legacy of irresponsible decisions resulting from selfish, narcissistic behavior in Washington. His generation will live in a weaker America, a country that begs foreign nations and multinational corporations to finance our unquenchable desire to live beyond our means.

Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals caused this financial disasterthe biggest disaster we face: our gargantuan national debt. Our elected officials, acting in concert, have deceived us into becoming complacent while plunging us further into bipartisan bankruptcy. Washington doesnt represent the American people anymore, because the bureaucrats and elected officials in Washington pursue their own self-serving agendas rather than doing what is objectively right for the country. The time for complacency about our federal government is long past. We Americans must exercise our constitutional rights to come together and make vital decisions to save our republic.

I dedicate this book to Bear and his generation who will, unfortunately, pay for Washingtons corruption, its moral and financial bankruptcy. They will pay with lost opportunity, higher taxes, and a lower standard of living. I pray that Americans will revive the founders spirit and take back our countryfor Bear, for his generation, and for the future of the United States of America, the last best hope of earth.

BY FORMER SENATOR JIM DEMINT

I n the early days of our Republic, our nations capital was an actual swamp.

Far from being an international symbol of freedom and prosperity, malaria-plagued Washington was considered a hardship assignment for European diplomats. The palaces of London, Paris, and Vienna were a world away from our humble White House and humid little Capitol buildings, with shantytowns for all the construction workers scattered in-between. Even our own presidents and congressmen didnt like coming here.

I sometimes think wed be better off if the same were true today.

Most candidates for Congress talk incessantly about all the problems in Washington. Both Republicans and Democrats on the campaign trail rage about the big special interests driving the other party to take advantage of the poor, the children, the disabled, the young, the old, minorities, and all the forgotten Americans. Many talk about government waste, corruption, and unsustainable debt. Every candidate promises to fight for change. They all campaign as bold stallions. Why do most of them, once elected, serve as geldings?

Something happens to almost everyone who is elected to the U.S. House or the Senate. They all promise to charge into Washington and drain the swamp. But it only takes a few months before they discover the swamp can be a pleasant hot tub. And they want to stay in for a nice long soak.

I remember as a freshman congressman sitting in one of our regular Wednesday morning Republican Conference meetings. There were about 200 Republicans in rows of folding chairs in front of the leadership table. The members were expected to listen respectfully to the presentations by our leadership team and then line up behind microphones in the aisles to ask questions. This meeting was like all the others I had experienced in my first two years. The leadership explained that we needed to vote for more bad bills or the Senate would pass something even worse, they promised to address the excessive spending and debt after the next election, and they admonished us all to raise more money to make sure we stayed in the majority.

I couldnt take it anymore. This was not why I left my business and spent weeks away from my family. Without thinking, I stood up and yelled, This is completely irrational! A deafening silence fell on the room as I considered the gravity of a freshman shouting down the Speaker of the House. I stood in the midst of this awkward silence facing the stares from the leadership table until someone in the back of the room mercifully shouted, Dont worry, youll get used to it! I never did.

Congressmen like Ken Buck, who actually try to keep their campaign promises, do not find a welcome mat in Washington. I know because as both a congressman and senator, I found the D.C. Swamp is programmed to destroy anyone who tries to disturb the status quo. There really are big special interests that guard their nests like vultures. The big union bosses for government workers will spend millions to defeat anyone who dares to cut government spending or eliminate a wasteful government program. Big corporations will fight tooth and nail to protect their tax loopholes, credits, and targeted tariff waivers. All the big hospitals, banks, corporations, and media moguls actually push for more complex regulations because it gives them an advantage over their smaller competitors. Washington, D.C.