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Empty Chair Tag

The repressive, often petty and irrational, lockdown measures implemented in many states and localities has caused a backlash that grows daily. Increasingly, we see hairdressers, restaurants, gyms, and other small businesses saying they are willing to risk arrest in order to reopen and save their businesses. People who normally obey the law are engaging in acts of civil disaobedience against orders and restriction that are viewed as illegitimate, both constitutionally and from a health perspective.

So often we hear Democrats demand Republican capitulation on a host of issues -- some social, some economic -- because Republicans are on "the wrong side of history." That argument was made, in highly perjorative, eliminationist ways during the epic struggle of Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and others to stop Obamacare before it inflicted more pain. That effort to stop Obamacare prior to the failed rollout of healthcare.gov was belittled by people like Timothy Egan in The New York Times as being on the Wrong Side of History, writing on October 3, 2013:
They are not righteous rebels or principled provocateurs. They are not constitutionalists, using the ruling framework built by the founders. Just the opposite: they are a militant fringe of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government trying to nullify an established law by extortion. This is not the design of the Constitution. Nor are they Martin Luther King Jr., or Rosa Parks or Winston Churchill — preposterous comparisons made on the floor of Congress by those whose only real fight is with progress.... We know now why Senator Ted Cruz, the most hated man in Washington, said he fears that once Obamacare is up and running people will like it — and then it will be too late for the obstructionists.... They wrecked the car, dug their own grave; no matter what you call it, history’s verdict came early.
Little did Egan or the others belittling the warnings about Obamacare realize that history's verdict would be against them; that Obamacare was it was not as it was sold and would cause Democrats to scramble for distance; that the Tea Party would be viewed as more in touch with American values than the ideology behind Obamacare; that big government would become the most hated thing outside Washington, even if Ted Cruz remained "the most hated man in Washington." The sweep of history is upon us, and it is not with the bigger government Democratic Party.

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 1 day to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Judi in Illinois. Tomorrow's the big day and...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 2 days to go. Today’s first Romney/Ryan Empty Chair photo comes to us from LI reader Mark. Our next Romney/Ryan...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 3 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo feast is of photo submissions that include Joe Biden as the...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 4 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Betty in Minnesota.  The text reads: Labor Day...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 5 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from T in Idaho who has entitled his...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 6 days to go. Today’s first Empty Chair photo comes to us from Joy in Michigan who writes, "I...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 7 days to go. With only a week to go, I thought I would ask LI readers about their...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 8 days to go. Today’s overseas Empty Chair photo comes to us from Scott in Estonia who writes, "President...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 9 days to go. Today’s great Empty Chair photo comes to us from Yvonne and Glen in New York. The...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 10 days to go. This week I thought it would be fun to roll out some of the wonderful...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 11 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Brent in Indiana who writes, "Michelle and...

Thanks to Patricia for the correction of the now infamous Obama campaign image, which was titled "Sums it up." I think this sums up the current situation better. Sums him up....

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 12 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Sam in California. There's something lovely about the...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 13 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Jim in Texas. I'm not sure that I'd...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 14 days to go. Today’s Empty Chair photo comes to us from Joe in Oregon who writes, "I'm thinking...

Each day until Election Day we will feature a previously unpublished photo sent in by a Legal Insurrection reader on National Empty Chair Day, September 3, 2012. The countdown continues with 15 days to go. Today’s great Empty Chair photo comes to us from Karen in Texas who writes, "...