Some of the largest expansions of government power and unconstitutional abuses have come during times of pressing crises, not unlike the coronavirus. The government routinely tries to paper over these abuses by saying they are temporary, and that anyone who resists is guilty of making the present crisis worse. It’s the same story over and over again.

Debatably the most important power delegated to Congress is its power of the purse. However, it never uses this power correctly. This week, the United States’ national debt surpassed the $22 trillion mark. Also this week, Congress passed a multi-hundred-billion dollar spending bill in order to cover for its inability to do its job properly. Congress was behind schedule by nearly half of an entire year on funding the government for this fiscal year.

Limited government conservatives remain disgruntled in Congress, both when in the majority and when in the minority. Republicans campaign on shrinking government, lowering taxes, embracing free markets, and upholding the constitution. But members who actually hold themselves to these promises once in Congress exist only in small pockets.

The late writer and politician Harry Browne had an old saying that went something like this: “The government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, hand you a crutch, and say, ‘See? If it weren’t for the government, you wouldn’t be able to walk.’” Browne’s quote would be funny, if it weren’t so painfully accurate.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and representative and ask them to support the legislation to amend the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, to require congressional approval of unilateral trade action taken under Section 232 of that law, . Introduced by Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), the bills would restore congressional authority over trade policy.

Whether it be through taxes, regulations, or other big government policies, the federal government is quite adept at finding ways to sap money out of your wallet and into government coffers and the pockets of big special interests. One would think that the least likely suspect to drain your bank account would be sugar. It sweetens our coffee and other sweet treats we enjoy on a daily basis. However, U.S. sugar policy has been causing incredible economic harm to American consumers for years.