Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? “Who will guard the guardians?”

It takes years to get an Amendment to the Constitution passed. The last grand attempt was the Equal Rights Amendment, and it failed even though the amount of time for its passage was extended.

Amendments no longer matter.

A president can send a memorandum, sign an executive order, or have a regulatory agency issue rules that can cripple an industry. Presidents can get away with these unconstitutional acts because Congress – the supposed guardians of the Constitution – have fallen asleep at their posts or they have gone over to the other side.

Consider what the EPA is planning to do in 2015:

“Some of the biggest items are expected from the Environmental Protection Agency, which is set to finalize several landmark rules in 2015. Perhaps the most controversial concern new regulations on coal-fired power plants.

“The Obama administration is trying to get fossil-fuel fired power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

The EPA proposed the rules last year and is set to finalize them by summer 2015.”

Here’s what I think should be done. For starters, every state that has a coal-fired power plant should cut off all electrical power to Washington, DC. In fact, since all the rhetoric and regulations regarding carbon emissions as a cause of man-made global warming come from the nation’s capital, I think it’s time to shut off the air conditioning as well.

What will the Republicans do about this unregulated regulation department? There’s talk about combatting upcoming regulations, but Republicans love to talk. What we need is action. But you need a backbone if you’re going to act.

Here’s what the GOP is promising to do:

“But with Republicans taking control of the Senate and boosting their numbers in the House, incoming leaders are girding for battle.

“Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican who represents the coal state of Kentucky, told The Associated Press last month he’ll do all he can to stop regulations hurting the industry.

“Though the administration is pushing the regulations as part of a broad plan to improve air quality and curb global warming, McConnell told the AP: ‘My first obligation is to protect my people, who are hurting as the result of what this administration is doing.’

“He added: ‘I’m going to do any and everything I can to stop it.’”

How much do you want to bet that McConnell will come away doing nothing and then argue that he couldn’t do anything to stop the EPA. He’ll then say, “We tried everything we could.”

It’s called “power of the purse.” The House of Representatives controls the money. They are the guardians of the guardians. Like a prodigal child, cut off the funds until the agency gets tired of living with the pigs (Luke 15:11-32).