“Well, Doctor, what have we got – a Republic or a Monarchy?” asked a citizen of Benjamin Franklin outside Constitutional Hall. “A Republic,” replied Franklin, “if you can keep it.” The Republic is no more. It ended in the wee small hours last Monday morning. The United States is officially a Cleptocracy. Moreover, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) personifies that new America. Described as a Democratic “moderate,” an immoderate bribe from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid removed the impediment of Nelson’s moderation. The bribe consisted of a guarantee that Nebraska won’t have to pay the added Medicare costs necessary to cover the price of ObamaCare. Forty-nine states of our Union will pay Nebraska’s Medicare bill in perpetuity. Unlike conventional bribery, Democrats bribe other Democrats with taxpayer money.

Democrat-light “compassionate conservative” Republicans are no better. Remember former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)? His “bridge to nowhere” cost an estimated $1.5 billion. President George W. Bush could not wait to indorse spending measures introduced by the late “Lion of the Senate” Ted Kennedy. This explains the small 28% favorability rating for the Republican Party. “Compassionate conservatism” destroyed any credibility of Republican calls for fiscal responsibility.

President Obama’s campaign promise to “spread the wealth around” is in full swing. Democrats dig the nation’s debt pit deeper with trillions of dollars in payoffs to targeted constituencies and a massive new health care entitlement program.

It’s all too easy to blame the thieves currently sitting in Washington. The disheartening reality is, until the politicians of both parties shoot their way to power, we are the authors and finishers of the disaster now unfolding in our country – we elected them all. Modern America’s response to Benjamin Franklin is, “keep your Republic, Doctor. We want our Cleptocracy.”