WASHINGTON - Today House Democrats strong armed H.R. 2454, the Clean Energy and Security Act, otherwise known as ‘Cap and Tax' legislation through the House of Representatives. It passed by a vote of 219 to 212.

I’m not going to lie: the first time I saw “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” I missed half of lunch so I could finish the film in my eighth grade U.S. history class. Feeling all patriotic and teary-eyed afterward, I had a whole new respect for black and white movies, Jimmy Stewart and dare I say it — politicians.

Prior to the founding of the United States, political theorist and philosopher John Locke developed the theory that government derives its power and authority from the consent of the governed. Benjamin Franklin once wrote that "in free governments the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns." These are the principles that are fundamental to the American system and have helped shape the nation we know and love today.

Pelosi Health Care Bill factoid of the day: Lest there be any doubt about whether the new Pelosi Health Care Bill is more costly, more controlling, and closer to socialism than the previous iteration, here is your fact of the day:

Those of you who read this blog, know that I enjoy posting the occasional political cartoon, and I stumbled across this one this week by Walt Handelsman that is particularly appropriate. The scariest goblins this Halloween are government run health care, the national energy tax, and taxes to pay for more bureaucracies that spend more of your money.