A Government Out of Touch - A Call to Return to Our Roots

Well, it's now four days out from the nation wide tea parties. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens got together all across the country to let their voice be heard; no more big government; no more out of control spending; and no more disconnect between the people and those that represent them.
Of course, as expected, most media outlets gave very unfavorable coverage to the events. I am not surprised at all about that. I am, however, surprised at the White House response. ABC's Dan Harris on Good Morning America reported on April 15th the following - "The White House says the president is unaware of the tea parties and will hold his own event today." Isn't this a perfect example of what the protests were really about? When the government doesn't represent the people, the government no longer can be called effective.
A majority of Americans did not approve of their tax money being used for the TARP funds, as passed under George Bush, and yet our representatives passed it. A majority of Americans did not approve of their tax money being used in the Stimulus Bill, and yet our representatives passed it. A majority of Americans do not approve of abortion being funded by taxpayers (or abortion at all), yet our government is now doing just that. This is not how our government is supposed to work.
“Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.” --Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
This quote shows exactly where we are today. Our government, a necessary function that needs to have limits pressed on it, is running out of control, breaking down constraints at every pass. This big government system cannot stand forever. It will grow to a size so big that it will cripple the economy and tear away our freedoms.
And yet, there is a simple answer. It's called the Constitution of the United States. It's the document that says how the government is supposed to work. It puts limits where they need to be, and spreads power with checks and balances as to create control. Articles 1-7 explain exactly what the government can and can't do, and how to do it. The Amendments afterwards dive further into details. That's where the answer is. If our representatives do not hold to the constitution, vote them out. They all take an oath to do just that. What if the government wants a program that isn't directly under their power as given in the Constitution? Amendment X has the answer: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
So, as always, I ask not for some extreme revolution, but a returning to a time when the Constitution was upheld. We all need to be informed, as an informed citizenry is the only way to ensure the freedoms and liberty's we all take for granted continue. It is fine if we disagree, that's what this country is founded on, and debate is protected in the Constitution. However, if we all understand where the debate has to start, at the beginning, then we can have a firm foundation with which to grow on.