As the people in government become more and more entrenched, it is becoming a real uphill battle to offset the dangers we face.

Our Constitution is continually under attack by the Me-Firsters who think they are above the law. They must be stopped — at the voting booth and with amendments that limit terms in Congress, curb executive orders, curtail czars and revise our tax laws.

Each of those is an uphill battle. Fortunately, grassroots groups are beginning to emerge and combat. Last week we heralded people like the Tea Party members who are in the forefront of checks and balances. But there are others, smaller at the moment but just as determined.

One such is located right here in Pinehurst: the Alliance for Bonded Term Limits, which promotes the original idea of nonpolitical career citizens who take time out to serve their country and then return to private life. At the moment, this alliance is tiny but determined to have an impact. Based on what I saw at a recent gathering of this group, I think they stand a good chance at success.

A little over a week ago, Dr. James Taylor, who is a candidate for North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, promised to serve a maximum of six years in the House and bonded with a pledge of a $350,000 promissory note if he defaults. Dr. Taylor signed the note in the offices of the Alliance in front of a number of us witnesses (including his charming family).

What this means is that he would go to Washington with a 100 percent commitment to serving his constituents instead of the 50 percent given to us by the current crop, who use the other 50 percent of their time working to get re-elected. We would thus be better represented.

Not too long ago, many of us were opposed to term limits, fearing a loss of truly qualified representatives. Under term limits, we would undoubtedly lose some good people, but they are in a minuscule minority. The majority comprises fat cats in Congress who think first and foremost of their perks like little trains that whisk them to well-subsidized congressional restaurants and health plans and pensions far better than ours.

Try to change that, and they dig in and hold tight. They do not represent us. No matter to them that they are saddling us with insurmountable debt and uncontrollable spending. Clearly, our government is out of hand. Hence the outcry for term limits.

It was a pleasure to meet the people who run the Alliance for Bonded Term Limits, for it quickly became obvious that these were not power-hungry opportunists but patriotic Americans eager to help stem the tide of irresponsible government.

John Skvarla is the CEO and founder, but he is also CEO of Restorations of Raleigh; Bob Neff is a semiretired attorney and member of the board; and Ken Benway is a retired military officer and president of ABTL. The success of this alliance will benefit every American. These men are in it not for themselves, but for every American.

Our beloved nation is in trouble. We are heavily in debt, far from the manufacturing giant we once were, and we have lost stature across the globe. The self-serving crowd in Washington is hard at work sweeping the truth under rugs of fraud and deceit.

But thanks to the likes of John Skvarla, Bob Neff and Ken Benway and others like them, there is hope that we can unleash our checks and balances in time. They are not alone. Hundreds of thousands of citizens are waking up and turning their eyes away from the peccadilloes of golfers and trial lawyers toward far more important challenges that face us.

We have a long way to go and a lot of ballot boxes ahead of us, but it can be done, and we can do it. Yes, it is an uphill battle. So let us pound in the pitons and start climbing.

Allan Jefferys, a former New York theater critic and newsman, lives in Pinehurst. Contact him at oldjeff@embarqmail.com.