Ed Offley is a writer for several websites, notably Soldiers For The Truth, a site he helped found with Col. David Hackworth, plus he’s done work for Stars&Stripes and other forms of print media. When I first read this, it reminded me of a quote from Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence:

—And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Although written several years ago, the issues and themes contained within the following carry on through to today. We find ourselves in a culture war at home, while many of our nation’s best and bravest fight in the hills, mountains, and hinterlands of Afghanistan, and keep the peace in Iraq. We face real, determined enemies of freedom abroad, and we’ve come to realize we have our own struggle here at home.

Enjoy Independence Day weekend, and the prose of Ed Offley, who is descended from the main character in this account.

From Landed Gentry to an Unmarked Grave

By Ed Offley

He was born in 1738 into the land-owning gentry of planters and traders who dominated colonial Virginia’s rural economy and political system. Yet Thomas Nelson Jr. of Yorktown would die 51 years later so deeply in debt that his sons were forced to bury him secretly in an unmarked grave so that his creditors could not seize his remains as collateral for their unpaid loans.

It was no mere crop failure, business collapse or natural disaster that brought Nelson down. It was his conscious decision that American freedom was more important than his own personal gain.

Confronted by an intolerable system of British imperial edicts that American colonists perceived as a political and economic tyranny that threatened their very existence as a people, Nelson was typical of the small group of leaders who gambled their lives, pocketbooks and futures to win American independence and set the young nation on its course to become the modern United States.

As the nation observes the July 4 holiday this year, a serious debate has emerged over the current all-volunteer military. With our troops still locked in a vicious and protracted counterinsurgency campaign in Iraq, and a lesser but still dangerous mission in Afghanistan, a number of pundits and critics of the war are beginning to suggest that only the economically disadvantaged are signing up for military service. The sons and daughters of the elites, critics say, support the war only if someone else’s child is sent to fight it.

It is appropriate this week to remember that this is not the first time we as a nation have been confronted by hard choices between freedom and security, and between self-interest and the national welfare. And it is proper to point out that even in the vital struggle for American independence, the nation was roughly divided among supporters of the British crown, advocates of separation from the empire, and a third group indifferent to the war.

Still, the generation of Americans who came of age in the 1760s and 1770s faced a daunting challenge, as Thomas Nelson’s own experience attests.

The eldest son of a wealthy planter and trader whose family had turned Yorktown, Va., into the second-largest seaport in the Old Dominion, Nelson at the age of 14 was already earmarked by his family to carry on its legacy of leadership. He was sent to England for education at the elite Eton school, and later graduated from Cambridge University, returning to Virginia in 1761 at the age of 22.

Even while still aboard the sailing ship enroute to Yorktown, his family engineered his election from York County to the colonial House of Burgesses. The following year, he married Lucy Grymes, the daughter of another landed gentry, receiving from his father, William Nelson, the marriage gift of a landed estate. They would raise a family of 11 children. His plantations covered thousands of acres of lush farmland, and his personal wealth ranked him in the top handful of powerful families who directed the affairs of their colony under the suspicious eyes of the British royal governor in Williamsburg.

Like most colonists who later rose in rebellion against King George III, Nelson’s transition from gentry to rebel began with the infamous 1765 Stamp Act passed by Parliament in London that assigned a tax on every official document created in the colonies. (The colonists’ fury over the tax was that it was imposed by the British government with no input from the Americans it affected, sparking the slogan, “No taxation without representation.”)

Soon thereafter Nelson, like many other prominent colonists, joined the Virginia Convention (a precursor of the Continental Congress) and offered the first formal proposal to create an independent Virginia militia. This little-remembered legislative ploy is recognized by most historians as Virginia’s first major turning point away from compromise and toward outright revolution against the British Empire.

The following year, Nelson became one of Virginia’s seven delegates to the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence authored by his friend and fellow Virginian, Thomas Jefferson. As the history, The Centennial Book of the Signers , recounts, Nelson was proud to have signed because of his particular background:

“He admitted proudly that he was the only person out of nine or ten Virginians that were sent with him to England for education that had taken part in the American Revolution. All the rest were Tories.”

Many colonial-era Americans, even of high social status, failed to leave detailed personal histories, diaries or correspondence for future study, and Nelson was one of them. However, the physical and mental strains he suffered during the seven years of the American Revolution are well known to historians. In 1777, while continuing to serve in Congress in Philadelphia, Nelson was stricken “with a disease of the head, probably of a paralytic nature,” and was forced to return home and resign his seat.

When he recovered his health, Nelson in 1778 would receive a more important appointment: commander of the Virginia militia. In addition to leading the volunteer force in several engagements, Nelson himself advanced money to supply and arm his soldiers. When the Congress appealed to men of financial substance in the colonies to form troops of light cavalry, Nelson, at his own expense, raised and trained a unit.

But by early 1781, Virginia was in dire straits. Attacked several times by powerful British raiding parties led by turncoat Gen. Benedict Arnold, the colony was economically bankrupt and its leadership scattered in to the western foothills when then-Gov. Thomas Jefferson’s term came to an end. The legislature elected Nelson to succeed him on June 12, 1781. Within several days of his appointment, Nelson and the rest of the state government were forced to flee again, from Charlottesville to Staunton, when British Col. Banastre Tarleton led a surprise cavalry raid deep into Virginia seeking to capture them and decapitate Virginia’s leadership.

But the tide was about to turn, and Nelson would play a major role. A combined Franco-American army consisting of French troops under the Compte de Rochambeau and Gen. George Washington marched south from New York state into Virginia in an attempt to intercept Gen. Lord Cornwallis as his British force marched north from Charleston, S.C.

As commander of the Virginia Militia, about one-third of the American troops under Washington, Nelson marched down the Virginia Peninsula through deserted Williamsburg to join the siege of the British force at Yorktown, his home town and family seat.

He was a brigadier general commanding soldiers many of whom wore rags as uniforms and muskets paid out of his own dwindling fortune. The stress of simultaneously managing a bankrupt state government and organizing a final military blow against Cornwallis, apparently caused a relapse in his health. Historians note that Nelson vanished from sight for two weeks in the summer of 1781, presumably because of illness.

By September, Nelson was forced as governor to make emergency decrees for arming and provisioning his soldiers that exceeded the formal limits of his power, a step that would come back to haunt him later. But by the middle of that month, it scarcely mattered: He left Richmond for the last time and joined Washington, Rochambeau and the Marquis de Lafayette at the siege camp outside of Yorktown.

On Sept. 27, 1781, the allies with a combined force of 16,000 troops moved into position, digging trenches and laying artillery in a semi-circle around the town, and on Oct. 9, a combined artillery force of 52 cannons opened fire, forcing the 7,200 British and Hessian defenders to take to ground.

One of the more fascinating incidents in the Yorktown battle concerned a stately, two-story brick mansion that dominated the town skyline – then and now. When word came to Gen. Washington that Cornwallis had moved his headquarters into the house, Nelson reportedly recommended to his commanding general that the allies bring heavy artillery fire upon the new target. As one history recounted, the two men held a brief conversation:

“Whose house is that?” Washington asked.

“Sir, it is my house,” Nelson replied.

Ten days after the firing began, Cornwallis surrendered his army to the allies, and the Revolutionary War fighting came to an end (formally concluding with the Treaty of Paris nearly two years later in 1783).

Victory did not bring a return to prosperity and contentment to Nelson and his family. In fact, it brought economic ruin as the debts he had co-signed or sponsored to fit and feed the Virginia militia – including one personal note for $2 million – came due. To add insult to injury, Nelson’s political enemies in 1782 accused him as governor of impressing supplies for the revolutionary Army without constitutional authority. After an ailing Nelson personally pleaded that his acts were from “the necessities of war,” the legislature formally indemnified him of any liability. It also failed to compensate him for the personal fortune he had spent arming his men.

But in one of the few direct statements on record, Nelson later responded to a friend who asked if the effort had been worthwhile, “I would do it all over again.”

His health failing, Nelson and his family retired to a small family farm in central Virginia, where he died at the age of 51 on Jan. 4, 1789.

One of the few things that Nelson proudly kept in his later years was the memory of this praise from George Washington, his military commander at Yorktown:

“The General would be guilty of the highest ingratitude, a crime of which he hopes he shall never be accused, if he forgot to return his sincere acknowledgements to his Excellency, Governor Nelson, for the succors which he received from him, and the Militia under his command, to whose activity, emulation, and bravery, the highest praises are due.”

A physical reminder of Nelson’s dedication and sacrifice to win his nation freedom, can be seen today at his restored family home in Yorktown, where several cannon balls are still lodged in the brick exterior 224 years after the siege. Of course, the greater symbol of Nelson’s commitment rests in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., where the original Declaration of Independence carries his signature and that of 55 other men who pledged “their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor” for American freedom.

Today is Veterans Day, which honors those who have served our country in military service. Today is also the 2nd anniversary of the launch of RochesterConservative.com, which is made up of Veterans and Patriots, who continue to honor our oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Republic, for which our Flag stands.

Much has happened over the past year, most notably the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. A good orator, especially with the aid of a teleprompter, he ran the better campaign than his Republican (some say, RINO) opponent, John McCain. Obama benefited from “Bush fatigue”, support from George Soros, ACORN, the unions, American socialists (aka “progressives”) and 95% of black voters. It was never about race here at RochesterConservative.com, we recognized Obama early on as a radical socialist, with the most “liberal” voting record in the U.S. Senate, who’s had a long history of friendships and associations with radicals of the socialist/communist bent. I won’t belabor the point, as RochesterConservative.com is on record in opposition of Obama’s policies and agenda. It’s painfully obvious that he’s a typical leftist who loathes our country and American exceptionalism. Most Amercans who are paying critical attention to the goings on of the Obama Administration are seeing who “the man behind the curtain” is. Starting on the day of the launch of RochesterConservative.com, we have reported on this and will continue to do so!

Charlie Eames posted a wonderful essay, arguing the cause of Upstate New York Secession in the Christmas Eve 2008 post, Upstate Ultimatum. Here’s an excerpt:

It is true that history repeats itself. Over two hundred years ago our Founding Fathers were ruled by a distant and detached government. This government was run by people that cared nothing about the colonies or her citizens. They passed oppressive laws and levied burdensome taxes upon the people.

As the American Philosopher and Poet, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The citizens of Upstate are now enduring these exact same conditions. We have no representation and no power. Albany in general and the Assembly in particular are controlled by New York City. The Speaker of the Assembly has proven time and time again that he has no regards for the needs or the will of the people of Upstate New York. Over the years the Speaker has refused to allow the General Assembly to vote or even discuss Initiative and Referendum. I&R is only one example of the cold callousness of the State Government. More recent events show the attitudes of Albany and the treatment of Upstate will only get worse.

My blogging partner, phantomlord predicted, the election of a far left President, along with the take-over of the Senate and Congress by the “progressives”, would ignite grassroots conservatives, and the Tea Party Movement was founded in early 2009. We of RochesterConservative.com were in on the ground floor of the Tea Party Movement and joined forces with other bloggers and stepped away from our computers and put “boots on the ground” at The “Commando” Rochester Tea Party.

On a cold and very blustery day, approximately 40 concerned citizens met at a downtown Rochester, NY park on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, to participate in our local version of the Tea Parties that have been sweeping the nation! NY Governor Paterson was here for a “town hall” meeting at the Rochester Convention Center and the decision was made nine days prior that with the Governor in town, March 11 would be present a great opportunity to not only protest the Porkulus Package, but also the crushing tax burden that New York State inflicts on its citizens.

Charlie Eames was one of the first to speak:

phantomlord and Mike also spoke and Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis delivered the keynote address:

We never meant for the “Commando” Rochester Tea Party to be a big event. We were taking the opportunity with Gov. Paterson being in Rochester, to stage a rally and demonstration, directly across the Genesee River from the Convention Center, where his “town hall” meeting was being held, to protest against State and Federal government expansion. There were only 9 days to plan and get the word out. We garnered the coverage of all of the local TV stations, not bad for a small gathering. Of course, we were mocked by the local lefty blog and a few national lefty blogs. We expected that would happen, as we have read Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals” as well, but the “ridicule” only strengthened our resolve!

The “pioneers” at the “Commando” Rochester Tea Party exchanged contact info and plans were immediately set for the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. Erik Anderson obtained the permit and we formed an alliance with “We Surround Rochester” for the planning and support of the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. It was truly a grassroots effort with everyone pitching in to make it the largest and most successful rally and march that Rochester has ever seen! 1500 working class citizens showed up at Genesee Crossroads Park to protest the “Porkulus Package” and the huge expansion of government that it brought.

Again, RochesterConservative.com played a central role, with many of our members speaking and participating! This video shows me leading the Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard, Charlie, phantomlord and Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis speaking and a12iggymom and NoSocialism rallying and acting as event volunteers.

That video still touches me, as it captures the spirit of that day! All I can say is that you had to be there.

Here’s another moment, when Laura Jean led us in singing “God Bless America”. Everybody sang, whether we could or not! It brought a tear to my eye…

The first three Rochester Tea Parties came about as a result of our discussions on RochesterConservative.com, both the blog and the RC Pirate Forums and our collaboration with RochesterWatch, North Shore Journal, the Campaign for Liberty and We Surround Rochester.

Charlie and I joined up with Mark and company from RochesterWatch and We Surround Rochester on the March on Albany on June 16, 2009. Tea Party activists from across New York State converged at the steps of our Capital to protest corruption and malfeasance in state government:

The Rochester Contingent gathered beneath the horse’s posterior…

The momentum of our movement kept rolling with the Rochester Independence Day Tea Party that was held at Charlotte, aka Ontario Beach Park, on July 3, 2009. Again, RochesterConservative.com folks were front and center.

RochesterConservative.com contributing writer, Deneen Borelli, was a featured speaker at the March on Washington on 9/12/2009. Here’s the video of her speech.

Seth Swirsky contributed some good commentaries:

It’s No Wonder People Are Angry!

When In Doubt, Blame Bush

Why Should Obama’s Poor Cabinet Choices Surprise Anyone?

We also got to hook up with Debra J.M. Smith and her crusade to hold Louise Slaughter accountable to her constituents.

Louise had posted on her site that she would be having meetings. I called almost daily for a while wanting the dates and times. To my surprise, when the answer came, it was that Louise would only conduct telephone meetings with people like me, also known as, her constituents.

I was one of the first to sign up for the phone meeting that took place this past Thursday night. All of the people that signed up were to be called for the phone meeting. They did not call me.

If you want to see Louise unseated in the NY 28th, contact Debra J.M. Smith at http://www.debrajmsmith.com.

Although I couldn’t participate in the March on Washington DC on 9/12/2009, a12iggymom and four busloads of Rochester area patriots did join the million plus participants. Here’s a12iggymom’s eye witness account:

There was not less than the 1 million first estimated. Col. Riley from PoA was told by the head of the Park Police late last night that there were, by Park Police estimates, over two million people at the March on DC. I got to the park about 9:30am, for HOURS the street entering the mall was packed and they continued to March until after 11:30am.

It was a breath-taking sight! It was so packed, body to body that the grassy area needed to be opened up.

9/12 is a historic day and We Will Be Silent No More!

Of course, the State Sponsored Media either low-balled or ignored this historic event, it was reported on the free press of conservative blogs.

“Operation Can You Hear Us Now?” was held back on October 17, 2009, a protest of the MSM and their blowing off a movement that represents millions of working class American citizens, many of us are veterans.

This past November 1, 2009, we lost our buddy, Charlie Eames. If you noticed in my post here, I tried to feature photos, writings and videos of him. We’re hurting from the sudden loss of Charlie, but we are heartened by his spirit of friendship and freedom and will keep those fires burning!

In Memory of Charlie Eames

The Rochester NY Independence Day Tea Party was held on Friday, July 3, 2009 at Ontario Beach Park in the Rochester waterfront of Lake Ontario, a place that is known as Charlotte. Most people were given this day off as a Holiday and the organizers, We Surround Rochester, the Campaign for Liberty and RochesterConservative.com, thought that having it in the evening, from 6pm-9pm, would be a great way of starting out the Independence Day weekend. We were blessed by rain-free weather and although it got a bit windy at times and it has been cooler than normal lately, we had great weather. We reserved the big pavilions at Ontario Beach Park and even if it did rain, we would have stayed dry. It’s such a beautiful spot up at the Park. We could hear the music from the historic Dentzel Menagerie Carousel off in the distance.

The Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard kicked things off with a march and Presentation of the Colors:

They were joined by a group of patriotic teenagers from Chicago that are visiting a local Rochester Church:

Here’s a member of the local Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 20, who served on the Veterans and Patriots Color Guard.

We all said the Pledge and then Elaine led us in the singing of the National Anthem.

A Rochester Reverend led us in the Invocation.

This Veteran of the Afghanistan War read the Declaration of Independence.

Ken spoke next about political corruption.

Sonja spoke about how our elected officials are acting more like aristocracy and are ignoring the will of the People.

Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis spoke about the government living within the same means its citizens have to and also how unions are out of touch with reality and needing to back away from demands for more.

Charlie spoke about how the Democrat and Republican Parties have abandoned their base, becoming corrupt, self-serving demigods.

Valerie spoke on the history of the Bill of Rights and read each Amendment in between the regular speakers.

This brave little girl led us in the singing of “Proud to be an American”. She did such a good job!

Ken H. spoke about how technology can be used to spread the word of freedom and also on the Nine Principles.

Here’s Chris Edes speaking.

We had more speakers and if anybody can provide me photos of them, I’ll include them in this AAR.

Vivian was there with a very pertinent and original costume.

This WWII Veteran showed up in uniform and a sign with an age-old bit of freedom-loving American advice.

These ladies are trying to send a message to the American people. hint hint

We had a good crowd and filled the pavilion and had over-flow crowds.

Here’s a lady, honoring her Veteran Father (notice the framed photo she’s holding) who was also at the Rochester Tax Day Tea Party. I love the message she has on her sandwich board signs!

We even had clowns to entertain the many kids who attended the Rochester Tax Day Tea Party.

The creative signs that participants carried had messages that citizens and politicians need to heed! They again told the story of peoples concerns.

And my favorite sign…

Here’s a video presentation that Ken H. put together that summarizes our successful Rochester NY Independence Day Tea Party.

This AAR is a work in progress and if you have anything to contribute, either post it in the “Comments” section of this post or email me at rochester_veteran@yahoo.com.

Just to spread the word and keep the momentum going, how about showing our displeasure on the New York State level, in Albany?

Various patriots throughout NY State met this past weekend in Fishkill, NY and agreed upon an action in our state capitol:

NY Tea Party Convention
Tuesday, June 16, 2009, High Noon
East Capitol Park
Albany, NY

Let’s surround the Capitol Building folks!

TICKETS FOR THE CHARTER BUS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE!
Cost is $40 (cash only) per seat.

Tickets for the buses from Rochester can be purchased at the following locations:

Sat. May 30th, Mr. Mike’s Sports Bar
2200 Penfield Rd, Penfield 14526,
10:45am to 3:30pm

Wed. June 3rd, Mulconry’s
17 Lift Bridge Lane, Fairport, 14450
4:00pm to 7:00pm

Thurs. June 4th, Hendrix Financial
100 White Spruce Blvd, Ste L303, Roch, 14623
6:45pm to 8:00pm

Sat. June 6th, Village Pub
3240 Chili Ave, Rochester, NY 14624
12 noon to 2:00pm

or Contact Erik Anderson at vroom@rochester.rr.com

Sellers will be wearing yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” T-Shirts and the T-Shirts will also be available for purchase at the ticket sites – S/M/L are $10.00 and XL/2XL/3XL/4XL are $11.00.

Please follow this discussion and also the one going on at:

Tea Party Convention in Albany

WE NEED YOU!

Do you remember the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party, back on April 15, 2009?

Let us recreate it and join with our brothers and sisters from cities and towns across the State and take this to the next level in Albany on June 16, 2009 at High Noon!

RV

The 1st Blue Star Canteen

The house needs a lot of work, but is structurally sound and it was great of the VA to donate the property for what we know is a good cause.

I know it’s “United Way” sign ups lately, but if you could spare a $20 or more to help the Blue Star Mothers with the project, they’d appreciate it and so will veterans and active duty military, who are also in need of some good mothering!

Here’s the address on where to send your donations:

Here’s a link to the Channel 8 report and video of this great project they Blue Star Mothers!

Channel 8 – New Meeting Place For Soldiers

Please keep lets help the Blue Star Canteen in you hearts and minds. I know I will!

RV

Tax Day Rochester NY Tea Party, April 15, 2009 11am

See you all there!

RV

Jim DeMint’s gentlemanly air and refined tone belie a power and an urgency in his words.

The stately senator from South Carolina sees America’s unique centuries-old system of freedom dying out.

And he thinks we may have to take to the streets to save it.

“I would think it’s time to start thinking about peaceful demonstrations,” he told us last week.

Seriously?

“Seriously.

“The power of the people is there. Freedom is in the people’s hands right now, and it’s about to slip through.”

Of course, the recent “stimulus” debate is what’s fresh on DeMint’s mind. Despite DeMint’s putting 15 aides on it overnight, no one in Washington was able to read the bill, which was the most expensive in American history — as well as being perhaps the most irresponsible.

The worst since the adoption of the income tax, DeMint figures.

It’s not just the amount of money involved, some $780 billion — although that, alone, is corrosive enough to American freedom. “I’ve seen it happen inside government agencies: ‘What can we do to get it spent?’ It’s the only way (the agencies can get money),” DeMint says. “I see that happen in Afghanistan and Iraq, where our aid programs are basically based on people being able to spend the money within a certain period of time so we can say we did something. And it just leads to a bunch of waste.”

Perhaps even worse than the money is the strings that come with it. It’s the growth of the federal government’s reach and influence too. The “stimulus” bill has increased the federal role in, among other things, education — and gets the government’s nose fully in the tent of private medical decisions.

The slab has been poured underneath what some want to become nationalized health care.

“Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system,” writes Betsy McCaughey, adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. “Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

“But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and ‘guide’ your doctor’s decisions.”

In short, rationing.

In truth, the leviathan that is the stimulus bill is just the most recent in a chain of actions by an aristocratic and arrogant Washington that is eroding our freedoms.

With our tacit permission.

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism,” American socialist Norman Thomas famously once said, “but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.”

DeMint sees it — from a front-row seat in the U.S. Senate.

“We’re being drawn in with a lot of promises — and the fact that so many people are already dependent on the government and so few actually pay taxes,” DeMint says.

Sadly, DeMint saw that dependence in full bloom — in the faces of South Carolina leaders who tried to twist his arm to vote for the stimulus bill to get their own goodies.

“Just about everybody who came in my office, even the mayors from all over the state, they would usually say, ‘DeMint, I agree with you — this is a bad bill. But it’s got this in here for us, and we want our piece.’”

Historically, the federal government has been about 18 percent of the gross domestic product. By next year, it could grow to nearly 40 percent, according to Newsweek .

“The late sociologist Seymour Lipset,” writes National Review editor Rich Lowry, “wrote a brilliant book on why the U.S. didn’t embrace socialism, called It Didn’t Happen Here. In a few years, its conclusion might look premature.”

DeMint is hopeful — but not when he looks around Capitol Hill.

“I’ve become increasingly aware that the thoughtful, well-informed leaders are very few and far between in the Congress — people who seem to be well-read and continuing to kind of grow their skills. It’s become rhetorical and political …”

Instead, DeMint is looking to the people — where he still sees a “remnant” of freedom-loving still stirring.

Only a remnant?

“That’s all it is,” he concludes. “But that’s all it takes.

“Freedom is in our hands; it always has been. We’ve entrusted it to people in Washington, and increasingly they have picked our pockets and pulled power from us. We’re just going to have to take it back.

“The real shame of all this is, I feel Republicans had said that we were going to carry that banner of freedom — and they completely betrayed that. And it’s going to be hard to get it back.”

But with all except three Republicans in Congress voting against the stimulus bill, perhaps getting that banner back has started. There are a few rising conservative stars on the national scene, including Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Mike Pence of Indiana.

Still, DeMint says star power isn’t what we need. “I think what we need to look for first is to find the principles that will bring us together. I’m not looking for a face right now.”

One thing he is looking for is a strong governor or two.

States need to stop putting their hands out to the federal government and start pushing it away, DeMint figures — and maybe start questioning some of the modern dogma that says the feds can prevent offshore drilling, or withhold gas tax money or inject themselves as much as they want in education, health care and other issues.

Don’t hold your breath.

The sad fact is, the people who understand American freedom can’t rely on their leaders anymore.

“Really, I think the hope right now is not in Congress to make the right decision, cause they’re not,” DeMint says. “It’s just whether or not the American people are going to stand up and say enough is enough.

“People don’t need to look to Washington. It’s the people’s government. And the people are going to have to take it back. They can do it with their voices and with their votes — and they may have to do it with their legs. People are going to have to show that they’re not going to take it anymore.”

By “legs,” he means what you think he does.

Demonstrations.

Noting the tactics of left-wing organizations such as Code Pink, which like to send handfuls of noisy people to a lawmaker’s office, DeMint suggests such things do get the attention of congressmen and senators.

“I think some of these folks might think twice if they had several hundred people standing outside one of their state offices asking, ‘What in the world are you thinking?’ ”

If that doesn’t work, there’s plenty of room on the boulevard.