Now is the Time for All Good Men

I have written extensively about the federal government’s drift away from its constitutional moorings over the last forty years, culminating with President Bush signing the patently unconstitutional mortgage take-over bill several weeks ago. Now the prospect of a President Obama (God forbid) yoked up with Pelosi and Reid looms large on the Republic’s horizon. Such an unholy troika would devastate what remains of our constitutional liberties and protections. He would pack the federal judiciary and Supreme Court with far-left radical activist judges who would change the legal and cultural landscape for generations for the worse. Barry has even voiced his support for a long-touted second Bill of Rights which would include a federal constitutional right to a job, a home and health care. Not to mention the backdoor disarming of the citizenry and a no-holds-barred abortion juggernaut. On top of these abominations he would gut the military, one of the few legitimate and critical federal functions thereby ceding our vital positions around the globe to those who would cut off our oil and our heads.

This anti-constitutional orientation infects all three branches of the federal government and sadly both political parties, though I would judge that there is a much greater dose of it in the Democrat party. Lord Acton was quite right when he observed that, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Judge R. Barclay Surrick of the federal district court in Philadelphia stated in his dismissal of Democrat Philip Berg’s suit questioning the birth certificate of Barack that we mere people have no standing to raise constitutional issues about our candidates running for President. His belief is that only the Congress has such standing. Are you kidding?! So our only recourse against constitutional infractions is to wait for Congress to bring the issue forth? They are as guilty and complicit or more of such heinous constitutional infractions as Obama. That’s tantamount to me handing a pistol to a thief breaking into my home in the dead of night and begging him to arrest himself! We the people through our states own the Constitution. We do indeed have standing. The federal government does not own and is not a party to the constitution. The states wrote it and created the federal government to serve the needs of the states and at their pleasure, not vice versa. The states are not mere governmental subdivisions of the federal government. The federal government is charged to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare of the states and the people through the very specific enumerated powers and restrictions within Article I, Section 8 and the various amendments. And that’s it! It is NOT carte blanche for the federal government to tax, spend, regulate and run every minute aspect of American life.

Now is the time for the people acting through their states to rise up and enforce the absolute tenets of the constitution upon the federal government. We must not be intimidated. The states can amend the constitution and call a constitutional convention. I hope it does not come to a convention. Let me say that I am not an advocate of state secession, but I do think that states should consider ways that they can reign in a rogue federal government and perhaps operate as more sovereign, independent states while remaining within the republic. States choosing not to participate in unconstitutional federal programs would become laboratories of liberty which would attract or repel people and industry based upon their success or failure. As a parting thought I pray that we do not take up arms over these issues as we did in 1775 and 1860. That course of action though is the final recourse of a people oppressed by tyranny. It is for this reason that the Second Amendment was written into the Bill of Rights. History teaches that one of the first actions taken by a despot is to confiscate the people’s arms. What better way to protect himself from forced removal? The American people must never cede that right. Let’s look back to our very own Declaration of Independence for guidance from our Founding Fathers:

…”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”…

And a few final thoughts from Thomas Jefferson, the liberal’s favorite Founding Father:

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants."

"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God."

God save the Republic!

October 29, 2008

When Judges Won't Judge--Punt

Hey "Judge" R. Barclay Surrick of Philadelphia, if the American people have no standing to enforce the U.S. Constitution upon a rogue government then who does and what is the point of a Constitution? The Constitution is a covenant between the People and the Federal Government it created. We cannot rely upon the Congress as you suggest to bring suit to enforce the Constitution when Congress is a primary violator of its tenets. The Federal Government, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the President do not own the U.S. Constitution; the People own it. And the People have every right to enforce it! Your arguments in dismissing Mr. Berg's case are specious and disingenuous. Actually they are downright cowardly. The People demand the truth not some legal mumbo-jumbo technicality. Shame, shame on you. Mark my words, this question is far from resolved.

What Happened?

U.S. Constitution - Preamble
The Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

(The Preamble is a general statement of purpose and intent for the document that follows. It confers no authority or power.)

U.S. Constitution - Article 1 Section 8
Article 1 - The Legislative BranchSection 8 - Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
(“Welfare” in this clause does not refer to what we think of today as welfare. It is not a handout or redistribution of wealth. )
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

(Regulation of commerce among the several States referenced in this clause does not empower the Federal Government to micromanage every facet of every business transaction in the country. It does not empower the Federal Government to buy private businesses or assets. It does not empower the Federal Government to set up government owned, managed, mandated or run business enterprises.)

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

U.S. Constitution - Amendment 16
Amendment 16 - Status of Income Tax Clarified

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

(The above language is the full extent of powers and authorities granted to the Federal Congress. Period. There are no more. Any other power or authority to act is reserved to the People acting through the States, as below.)

U.S. Constitution - Amendment 9
Amendment 9 - Construction of Constitution

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

U.S. Constitution - Amendment 10
Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People

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.

(There is no authority or power to be found above for the Federal Government to establish, run or mandate such things as Social Security, Medicare, welfare, a federal minimum wage, health care or spending for a huge majority of the things in the current federal budget.

So what are We the People (referenced in Amendments 9 & 10) going to do? Nothing? I pray to God, no.)

Prescription for Healthcare

The debate about healthcare has been going on for some time and will continue long after this election. Unfortunately, most of the dialog has focused on who should pay for it and how. And while I agree that there are some artificial constraints that pervert the payment system which should be addressed (read more freedom and choice=less government), but the underlying issue driving this problem is skyrocketing cost. Without addressing this underlying cost problem any reforms dealing only with payment structure are…spitting… in the wind.
One factor in cost is the high price of labor in the United States, driven to a large part by the labor union movement. It’s fine for people to organize and negotiate for the best salaries and benefits they can get. But they must then understand that these costs of business must be passed along in the price of the product or service of their industry; in this case healthcare. As William F. Buckley, Jr. would exhort, “He who says A must say B.”
Another factor is the expense of discovering and developing new medications and treatments. This is a very lengthy and costly process driven partly by government regulation and oversight (which does help to protect us). It is also driven by the fact that the easy drugs and treatments have already been discovered. The new ones are more complex and much more costly to bring to market.
Finally, is the cost of liability protection built into every level of the healthcare system. This includes doctors’ malpractice insurance and product liability protection for pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers and hospitals. These costs are driven to astronomical levels by trial lawyers and the tort system. Fair compensation for bona fide errors is one thing; headline grabbing settlements are quite another.
So while we evaluate better ways of paying the healthcare bill, let’s not lose sight of the factors driving the rising cost. Labor unions, government regulation of research and development of new drugs and treatments and liability tort reform must be part of the equation or we are simply putting a bandaid on a gapping wound.

Historic Election

I'm voting for the WHITE GUY because I think it would be HISTORIC to elect a WHITE MAN as PRESIDENT.

The Silent Scream for Justice

The one issue in this presidential election that should be absolutely disqualifying is BHO's support for letting babies born alive after botched abortions be ignored and left to die. Once a human fetus leaves the womb, has its umbilical cord severed from its mother and draws a single breath of air, it is then a human baby; an American citizen and entitled to the full protection of its constitution and laws. His position on this horrid issue makes him complicit in the crime of murder and complicit in the sin of murder. That he is not in prison is an injustice. That he is a serious candidate for President of a major U.S. political party is an abomination. God save us from ourselves.

Klaatu Barata Nikto

The robot man is coming! Yes, the debate last night was dreadfully dull. The blame falls squarely on Tom Brokaw. The questions were a repeat of the last debate and totally uninspired or revealling. This was nothing but a series of campaign television commercials. It was a rerun of the first debate. We learned nothing new about the candidates, their lives and experiences and background. Barack I swear looks like a robot doll that you pull a string in his back and he flatly recites a list of boring platitudes. That man never smiles, laughs or even blinks. He has no emotion or passion. He never even attempts to crack a joke or slip in a sly one-liner. You look into his eyes and there is nothing there. He is utterly soulless. And if you listen to his reasoning on the topic of babies born alive after botched abortions you realize that he is not just soulless, but sinister. Why couldn't we have some discussion of abortion, immigration, judicial nominees, gay marriage or gun rights? Why not some insight into the candidates' personal backgrounds, the things that inform and motivate and inspire them? Couldn't we hear about their greatest successes, failures and fears? What have they learned in life and what are their core values and beliefs? What is their overarching vision for the future of America in the world? I have been watching exerpts from the speeches of Ronald Reagan of late. No matter the topic of the talk he always seems to come back to the idea that our government Of, By and For the people exists to serve the people, at the pleasure of the people. He exorts that the people do not serve the government and the government must not abuse it's position granted by the people. He believed in minimal taxes only as needed to fund the absolute necessary functions of government; that the government should protect the people, and otherwise get off their backs and out of their way so that they can flourish and live their lives to the fullest extent. He believed in the basic greatness of America and its people and that our best days are ahead. He believed that we are the beacon of hope in a dark world, that shining city on a hill. And it wasn't phony or corny, people really related to his vision. He made us believe in ourselves and our neighbors. He made us feel good about America. We would get that chill up the spine and tear in the eye when the flag and the troops paraded by while playing the National Anthem. He wasn't a policy wonk, he was a visionary. That is the true role of a leader. The President is not a corporate manager, he hires them to get his things done. He casts the vision and then sells it to the American people. I believe that the American people are desparately hunger for that kind of leader. John McCain are you listening? Are you hearing?

Sign of the Times

Well, in the last week I have had a McCain sign taken from my yard and a bumper sticker ripped off of my car. So this is change we can believe in? It seems more like typical Chicago-style dirty politics. I'm sure that Senator Obama would insist that he does not encourage or condone such behavior. However, the mindset of the followers belies the mindset of the movement. We simply cannot abide this in Washington.

Wake Up! The Empty Suits are Coming!

The fact that Barack Hussein Obama has garnered more than 20% of the national vote is a sad commentary on the state of our country and people. This hollow, neo-communist street hoodlum from Chicago should never have even made it onto a national ticket. That he has beguiled millions into following his bizarre, dangerous and reckless radical left agenda speaks volumes about the deleterious effects of 40-odd years of sub-par public education. People just don't know what they don't know. The class warfare strategy has turned friends and neighbors into jealous enemies and turned people against the very businesses and institutions that provide the income to fuel their lifestyles. The cult of greed has overtaken far too many of us. William F. Buckley, Jr. once said that when the people of the middle class discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury the country is doomed. We are nearly there. Barack's ascendence on the national political scene is a frightening harbinger of things to come. The more sinister reality is that he is not the primary architect of this movement, but rather a hapless pawn in this deadly chess game. The dark forces behind the scenes pulling his puppet strings and plotting the strategy are those who must ultimately be reckoned with. On fundamental issues of governance, the economy and morals this country must find wide-ranging agreement if we are to survive. A house divided cannot stand. Let's hope saner heads prevail before we pass the point of no return.

Is Anybody There, Does Anybody Care, Does Anybody See What I See?

On the Third Day of October in the Year of our Lord Two Thousand & Eight,
At one o’clock in the afternoon, Mountain Daylight Time;

With the flourish of his pen President Bush dissolved the political bands which have connected this federal government to the Constitution which formed it. What was for over two centuries is no more. The United States of America no longer exists in the form into which we born. Our elected servants have jettisoned our Constitutionally based representative Republic and what will replace it is anyone’s guess. All that can be said is that our freedoms, liberties and Constitutional protections have vanished before our very eyes today. The constraints placed upon the federal government by Article 1, Section 8 of the now defunct U.S. Constitution have been nullified and tossed out with the rest of the document. Truly we are now sailing dangerous stormy seas with no rudder. We don’t even have a skiff made of paper.
Who will constitute the new government to replace the one which just passed away? When will it be created? What form of government will it be? Our best guess based upon the private market take-over bill that was enacted today is that it will be a socialist collective state. No doubt people of a liberal redistributionist mindset will seek to form and control the new government. Beyond that we cannot speculate at this time. The coup d’etat is still too fresh in our minds.
One must surmise that all of the laws and institutions of the old government are now null and void. The federal court system, Social Security, federal income taxation and the Internal Revenue Service no longer actually exist. Who now commands our military assets and personnel? These are sobering questions which must be quickly and thoughtfully resolved so as to attempt to maintain peace and order among the people.
The next few months and years will be a time of uncertainty and ideological struggle among the differing factions within the populace as we attempt to find our way in the dark with no light, save the One from Heaven to guide us. Let us fervently pray for peace and wisdom to prevail during the coming conflict. As we look forward to a new government we should pause to look back and reflect upon the guidance of those who formed our first government upon this continent. While we have now tossed out their handiwork it would seem prudent to a least feign deference to their collective knowledge and wisdom to inform us. The States, which formed the first federal government now hold the highest power in the land and they must act collectively in the best interests of the People to maintain stability and lay the framework for a new federal government, if they so choose.
May God have mercy upon us all.

Wake Up!

A country that permits abortion and bans incandescent light bulbs cannot be called free, democratic and sane. The American sheeple have surrendered their constitutional rights to a federal government run amok. It is recklessly out of control and no longer gives even a passing nod to the specific constitutional restraints that are supposed to absolutely control and limit its powers. Discussion of constitutionally limited government in D.C. leads to rolling of the eyes and polite snickers and sneers amongst the brie and Chablis ruling elites. They view the Constitution as that old piece of paper over in the National Archives that tourists gawk at. It is an arcane, ancient document with no real relevance in today's enlightened society. How in the world could something like that stop them from doing whatever they choose? Ban light bulbs, pay for abortions, bail out private companies, steal private property, squash speech, relegate their religion to the shadows and for God's sake take away their guns! Who or what is to stop us? The Constitution? Piffle! It is up to the People and the States to reassert their rightful power and bring this madness to an abrupt end. We are already well down the road to a socialist debacle that our Founder's never dreamed possible. Our very survival as a nation is at stake. Turn off your cell phones, iPods and TV's. Roll up your sleeves and let's get to work before we pass the point of no return. May God have mercy upon us all.

Mad Hatter's Disease (Ban CFL's!)

I am currently in the process of buying up thousands of 60w incandescent light bulbs for my own personal use and to sell to any other Americans who are left after 2014. If you are in need please contact me. It's time to put Congress' lights out!

Pass the Tea and Hold the Tax

Greetings Congressman Lamborn,
The federal income tax code is an abomination! The amount of non-productive, non-wealth generating time and expense wasted to keep records and receipts, fill out and return forms and comply with this monster is a national disgrace! The sense of fear and intimidation that the I.R.S. instills in good American citizens is a crime. The federal tax code is nothing more than a vehicle for slimy, filthy, corrupt and crooked politicians to manipulate the economy and redistribute wealth. Mark my words, the Boston Tea Party was a result of tactics very similar to these. Please do something before the American people have to forceably overthrow a rogue federal government!
Please save us from ourselves!!!!!!!!!!!
May God have mercy upon us all.

The No-Humor Man

Barack Hussein Obama looked like a Ken doll with a string coming out of his back for his handlers to pull and have him regurgitate lines in the debate last Friday. He was devoid of emotion; he never cracks a joke or delivers a funny line. It's as if he had a teleprompter imbedded in a contact lens. He did not even comment on the hospitalization of Ted Kennedy that John McCain brought up at the opening of the debate. As Joe Biden said, BHO is clean and he can read a speech rather smoothly. But one still gets a sense that there is no there there. There is nothing in his eyes. There is no music behind his words. Can you say, Manchurian Candidate?

Has the Ship-of-State Sprung a Leak?

NO BAILOUTS, NO SOCIALISM!

Can You Hear Me Now?

Okay, P.C.’s have been around for about 20 years. Not to mention fax machines, cell phones, PDA’s, Blackberries, Blueberries and Strawberries. Are we really better off? Maybe they all deserve a big Raspberry. All of this technology was supposed to make our lives simpler, better and happier. Bill Gates prophesied the paperless office years ago. Problem is, someone invented printers. Do you have less paper around the office than you did 20 years ago? Do you have less stress? Do you feel less harried and rushed? Hehehe. I didn’t think so. Instead of enjoying the paper over a cup of morning coffee or after work in the recliner, we are constantly checking the internet on our handheld devices for news and stock market reports. We’re plugged in minute-by-minute. E-mail’s flying back and forth around the globe 24-7. Texting on the interstate while trying to talk to Hong Kong, listening to a podcast on the MP3 player all the while juggling a bagel and Starbucks. Oops, try not to hit the guardrail. Maybe your life is hitting the guardrail. The more connected we are the more disconnected from what really matters in life we really are.

I maintain that these devices really have not delivered on their promise of simplifying our lives. Think about your P.C. There’s enough computing power in a modest priced home P.C. to easily manage a manned trip to the moon, but what has it really done for you lately? Does it free up all of those mundane, time-consuming tasks so that you have more leisure time to spend recreating with your family? Be honest. Most people spend mindless hours checking silly emails, surfing the internet for useless news or occasionally writing a paper. Not to mention the hours a week spent just to keep the darn thing running right. Quick, how many unread emails do you have in your inbox? 3421? When are you going to get around to reading all of that riveting information? Think of all of your P.C. applications. Every time you want to try to do something you have to run out and buy another application. There’s no guarantee that it’s actually going to do what you need done. It takes weeks of studying the manual (if you can find one and if it’s not full of typo’s and if it’s written by someone in the U.S.A. who actually can compose a complete sentence in English) and experimenting with all of the complex ‘shortcut keys’ and ‘keystroke combinations.’ (Shift-Alt-Z, while tapping your right foot and sticking out your tongue) Then you get to manually enter your three years worth of data because of course it doesn’t talk nice with other applications or even earlier versions of itself. Then you discover that it doesn’t really generate the report that you need. These applications are written by geeks from Mars who have never seen daylight and design them like an M.C. Escher painting, stairways going ever upward in perpetual circles but never actually going anywhere. They are mind-numbingly complex but in the final analysis don’t do much for you that you couldn’t do quicker and better with a legal pad, calculator and #2 pencil. The end result is always mediocre and lacking some important component that you really wanted included. Not to mention that they don’t talk to each other very well at all or to other computers and applications out there in the internet. Why can’t we just tell the computer in plain English what we need and have it do it? Let it go out on the internet and find some way of getting the job done without our time, input and oversight. Let us know when it’s done and give us a result in the format that we want.

While we’re at it can we please eliminate the cryptic messages and nonsensical keys on these devices? What happened to ‘On/Off?!’ Eliminating that was simply un-American. Does anybody know what that triangle with a vertical line in the middle means on my fax machine?? Who dreamed up this stuff? How about my favorite internet browser message, ‘Done, but with errors on page.’ What are the errors? Are they important? Is something important being left out? Do I need to fix it? Can I fix it? Ballpean hammer please. Why does Windows give me those error messages with numerical codes? Where is the secret decoder book? I have called Microsoft and they don’t even know what they mean. And for us baby-boomers could someone please make screen text that can be read without a giant magnifying glass?! And what’s with those microscopic keys that can only be operated by using a sewing needle to tap them? I sense a conspiracy between the manufacturers, optometrists and physical therapists. OK, take a breath.

Bottom line; we have become slaves to our technology rather than making our technology serve our needs and make our lives better. We blindly chase after the newest, smallest, fastest devices with the most functions per cubic inch. We’re so overwhelmed and frazzled with the dizzying onslaught of information that we can’t sleep at night. We take Ambien to fall asleep and Red Bull to wake up. Headache, heartburn and high blood pressure medication flies off of the shelves hand-over-fist. So ask yourself; with all of this techno-help are you making more money, enjoying more leisure time and having more fun? I didn’t think so. Here’s my parting advice, TURN IT OFF! (if you can find the right button, lol)

Fire When You See the Whites of His Eyes!

While Ahmadinejad is at the U.N. in New York City, would someone please show some manhood and have the U.S. military take him into custody. Why do we let sworn enemies of the United States anywhere within 3 miles of our shores without blowing them away???!!!

There is No There There

Junior, part-time Senator Barack Hussein Obama is the emperor who has no clothes. He is an empty suit with no original thoughts who quite frankly is not really all that bright. All his life other people have told him how smart and special he is. And sadly he believed them. Throughout his college years, his time at Harvard law school and his short, unproductive political career people have been whispering sweet nothings in his ear and ushering him through the system. These unseen forces were simply using his attractive facade for their ulterior motives. Unfortunately, he believed the siren song and now is trying to fly on his own. But the jig is up. Whenever he is off script his true inner self breaks through and reveals that there is nothing there. He is bitter, angry and mean. Why else would he tell his supporters to get in the opposition's face and argue. That's a presidential political strategy to win over the undecides? Obama is the evil counterpart to Peter Seller's character Chance the Gardner in Being There. He is a puppet cut loose from its master's strings and run amok. The people behind the scenes who put Obama up to this charade for their own sinister ends have lost control of their puppet. It's a train wreck just waiting to happen. Let's just hope that he derails before the election. His election would be a disaster for this nation and could lead to consequences too horrible to fathom.

BOO!

Liberals have a tendency to see problems where there are none and then draft solutions to these non-existent problems. The solution tends to create a real problem, thus leading to the need for another 'solution'...a downward spiral. It's the boogey man behind every tree syndrome. They really need to get out more.

Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, U.K.

Mr. Freedland,
Yes, we Americans are about to elect John McCain & Sarah Palin.
Thank God!
Barack Hussein Obama is not running for President of the World.
Please keep your pig-headed ideas out of our election. We yankees do not want to be anything like you people in the old, decrepit world which neither produces or accomplishes anything. And then when you get in a pickle you hide and wait for us to come pull your collective chestnuts out of the fire.Your socialist/communist day has passed.
Get the hell out of our way or be rolled over!

It's 3 A.M.--Who is Your President?

It's 3 A.M. and the phone rings in the President's bedroom. There's a big ugly happening somewhere in the world. Who is answering the phone, Obama or McCain? Does it matter? You bet it does! If one thing is certain in this race, John McCain clearly has the edge over Barack Obama when it comes to national defense. And isn't that really the primary, fundamental and crucial issue when choosing a President? Protecting our citizens and borders from outside aggression is indisputably the most critical role of the federal government. Everything else pales by comparison. If the government does not keep us safe then debates about taxes, spending, abortion and health care are moot. Barack Obama simply does not clear the first and most important hurdle to be President. That's an absolute no-go; he is not qualified by that measure alone. For that one reason it is just too great a gamble to put someone as inexperienced and unsure on national defense as Barack Obama at the end of that telephone. We just can't take that risk in a dangerous world governed by the aggressive use of force. As someone said (Governor Palin I think), 'The presidency is not a journey of personal discovery.'

Anarchists Organize Protest March!

Thinking Can Be Taxing

I just concluded a discussion (debate) with a friend regarding the question of the federal income tax. He was whooped but refused to admit it. The question was on the fairness/constitutionality of the ‘progressive’ federal income tax where the more income one makes the higher percentage tax is paid on it. My point is that the 16th Amendment authorizing the federal income tax does not speak to tax brackets or percentages. Given that, the next place to look for instruction is the 14th Amendment which guarantees that all citizens will be treated equally under the law. Anyone with passing knowledge of logical deduction would conclude that within those constraints all citizens taxed on their income would be taxed at the same percentage rate. Right? But, he replied if you make more you should pay more! Eureka, he just discovered the mother-lode. Egad, how many times have I heard that tired bromide? From each according to his ability, to each according to his need…ooops, wrong country wrong constitution. I desperately tried to explain the scenario that 10% of a million dollars is substantially more than 10% of fifty-thousand dollars. Not enough, he snapped. Says who, says I? Well, the Congress. So is 20% of a million enough, compared with 10% of fifty-thousand I ask? Maybe. Again I remind him of the 14th Amendment and the equal protection concept. He is not moved to enlightenment. So rather than obey the actual letter of the Constitution we should let the Congress arbitrarily set the tax brackets based upon the prevailing political winds of the day. And change them constantly. How’s that for equal treatment? Now the 10th Amendment becomes relevant. If the Constitution does not specifically empower the Congress, it cannot act; but rather must defer to the States acting as agents of the People. So, in carrying out its 16th Amendment power to levy income taxes on the citizens, the Congress must also be guided by the equal protection concepts of the 14th Amendment. To do otherwise would be acting extra-constitutionally or even un-constitutionally. Passing legislation to set progressive tax rates does not and cannot amend the Constitution. Gotcha, I cry! He is unfazed. Ah well, pearls before swine.
The rub is that he really knows that I am technically correct, but that to admit so would begin unraveling a huge quilt leading to the undoing of 50 years of progressive chinks (chunks) in the Constitution. The result would be a federal government about 10% of its current size and power. The States’ power would thus grow proportionally. And it’s much easier to control one capital than it is fifty. Also, under this scenario the importance of Presidential, Congressional and Senatorial races would be greatly diminished. The importance of which party controls the federal government is likewise less critical. There would be very little mischief for them to meddle in and much less damage that they could do to our pocketbooks and our freedoms.
What we are rapidly approaching is a return to simple democratic majority rule, which is of course tyranny of the majority over the minority. Since we have strayed so far from the actual text of the Constitution it has become almost meaningless to many politicians. Why not just take out a lighter and finish the job? Without our constitutional moorings the federal government is free to do anything it pleases without repercussion. That is why it does matter so much these days which party is in power and why these national elections matter so much. Conservatives tend to meddle less than liberals in our pocketbooks and freedoms, but it would be far better to remove the ability and temptation altogether.
Let’s return to the actual Constitution as it is written. And at the same time return to the constitutionally required flat-tax rate for all citizens equally under the law; or just pass a Constitutional amendment to institute a national sales tax (not a V.A.T.).

Barack Hussein Obama/Biden

Barack Hussein Obama, the candidate formerly known for change.

Boss, I Demand a Raise!

With so many tasks beyond Obama'a pay-grade it's no wonder that the Democrats are always trying to increase the minimum wage.

Obama Bumper Snickers

Obama-nation=abomination

Monk for McCain
No Change, Never

OCD’s Against Obama:
Because Change is Just Too Scary
Because Change is, Well, Change
Anything but Change
Because Change is Too Unpredictable
Why Would Anyone Ever Change?
Because Change Changes Things
Change is Just Too Much to Bear

The Stated Case for the States

I have asked many times in this forum how the people can reign in a rogue federal government. The answer of course is that the state legislatures are the true reservoirs of that power. Consider, the states existed before the federal government, they created the federal government and their constitutions existed before they wrote the federal constitution. So why won't the states exert their power and bring the feds back within their limited boundaries? Just follow the money trail. The federal government has diverted the tax flow away from state capitols and instead to D.C. That money is then doled back out to the states as subsidies and federal projects based upon state compliance with federal mandates. Naturally, the federal bureaucratic machine extracts its pound of flesh first, thereby diminishing the return to the states. How clever. It would be much more efficient and responsive to the local needs of the people if the states took responsibility for these tax dollars and projects. The level of government closest to the people (and typically the smallest) that can deal with an issue is usually the best. Think about it, there really are very few problems that demand federal solutions. Maybe a dozen, if that many. So let those of us who yearn for a return to a small, constitutional republic ponder how we can convince the various states to flex their muscles and bring sanity back to the federal monster.

Krispy Kreme Krusade

Governor Arnold, a ban on trans-fats? Good grief. There is not a scintilla of evidence that trans-fats harm or kill anyone. However, yesterday people died in California because of alcohol and tobacco, they will die today and they will die tomorrow. Where is the ban on alcohol and tobacco?? I thought not. There is too much money and power politics involved with those. So pick on wimpy trans-fats. They have no lobbyists. Boy this takes courage. Why don't you grow some gonads (destroyed by steroids?) and do the right thing? This is just more of the nanny state run by you girlie men. You are nothing more than a cowardly neo-communist. If I ever come back to your pathetic excuse for a state I am going to bring in tons of trans-fats and walk down the street eating donuts. You gonna' arrest me sheriff? You frauds are eroding our personal freedoms and liberties one by one. But mark my words, you and your ilk's day of reckoning is coming. The people are going to take our country back from the likes of you.

Don't Shoot Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes

It is sad that the liberals seem more comfortable killing an innocent unborn baby in its mother’s womb than killing terrorists, or even treating them harshly at Gitmo. How reckless and pathetic. They are simply not mature enough to govern. In this dangerous world we must have the resolve to go after terrorists wherever they hide around the world and before they strike us. This means we must be ready to carry out pre-emptive defensive strikes around the globe. Unfortunately the libs think that the term ‘pre-emptive defensive strike’ is an oxymoron. If a bad guy has a gun to my wife’s head and I shoot and kill him before he pulls the trigger I have taken a pre-emptive defensive action. Would the liberals demand that I wait until he pulls the trigger before I shoot? Well, that is no different that terrorists telling the world that they are acquiring weapons of mass destruction and intend to use them against us at the earliest opportunity. We must go to them and kill them first. Simple.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It is an embarrassement and a total insult to the intelligence of the American voter for the Democrat party to put forth this incompetent racist moron as a Presidential candidate. Come back Hillary!

Double-Talk

Liberals are all for Big Government, but not Big Business, Big Oil, Big Pharmaceutical or Big Tobacco. They are all for Choice when it comes to abortion but not for schools. They are all for Fairness when it comes to the media but not with regard to affirmative action.

The Right Rights

I am more interested in the federal government respecting my rights than the "rights of the planet and the environment."

It's a Race Race!

According to Comrade Junior Senator Barack Hussein Obama it is de facto racist for the Republican Party to even run a candidate against him. This sounds more each day like a high school student council presidential election. He is becoming a pathetic, silly, comical cartoon caricature. It's hard to take him or this race seriously any more. What's next, free candy in the lunchroom? He's not qualified for hall monitor. I truly believe that the Clinton's are behind the scenes egging the media on to provoke him to make these goofy remarks. By the time Denver rolls around I think that there will be enough delegates who won't be able to stomach this guy and the thought of losing the White House that Hillary will be able to stroll in and 'save' the day, claiming the Democrat nomination at the convention.

The Tiger Roars!

Why is Tiger Wood's such a champion? The video clips of him and his father which aired during the U.S. Open talked of mental toughness. Saturday evening at the post-round press conference Tiger was asked about his knee. His short reply was an encyclopedia on success. He simply said, "yeah there's pain, but so what, it's only pain." Champions control their circumstances rather than being controlled by them. For the vast majority of the rest of the world it's just the opposite. Tiger has pain but continues to act according to his plan. His plan was to win the U.S. Open. Knee pain was not going to get him off his plan. The rest of the world has pain and immediately begins to react to the pain and get completely off of their game plan. Their plan now is no longer to win but to try to control the pain. That's why there are so few Tiger's.

Rein in the Robed Renegades!

We must get these nine robed pooh-bahs in the Supreme Court down from the ivory pedestal on which they have been placed. There is nothing mystical about a 5-4 ruling, or any of their rulings for that matter. The Court CANNOT amend the Constitution. Their rulings can be easily overturned by the Court itself or by Congress. See the attached exercpt Article 3, Section 2. Also, please understand that the Supreme Court does not have an exclusive duty to interpret the Constitution. The President and Congress have an equal duty to interpret it as well.

"U.S. Constitution - Article 3 Section 2
Article 3 - The Judicial Branch
Section 2 - Trial by Jury, Original Jurisdiction, Jury Trials
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make."

Bumper Snicker

"Believe in climate change, because we can, my friend."
--John Hussein McBama '08

Neophyte Neo-Commie

Barack Hussein Obama, the Junior Senator from Illinois who is running for President sounds like someone running for a local school board position when he speaks. And he's not even qualified for that. He has absolutely no resume for President. When you can glean a small tidbit of a policy position from his flowery nonsensical speeches that turns out to be just another illegal federal nanny program funded by higher taxes. He is the quintessential cradle-to-grave socialist manipulator. This guy is a blatant neo-communist. He is in the direct lineage of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and Castro. He must be stopped!

Subsidize This!

Could someone please direct me to the specific section of the U.S. Constitution that authorizes and empowers the U.S. Federal Government to take money from me and give it to farmers? I am deadly serious about this. These constitutional authority questions are leading to an ultimate confrontation with the Federal Government. If we can subsidize farmers we can subsidize anyone. Why not subsidize police officers, teachers, grocery clerks? Why not susidize me? May God have mercy upon us all.

Welcome DNC!

Just read the article on your catering requirements for your convention. Hey, this is Colorado. We grill beef and bison, fry potatoes and drink Coors. We drive SUV's and would never eat anything BLUE! We carry concealed to scare off the bad guys and don't go in for homosexual marriage. The thermostats will be set on 72 and we don't much care what the rest of the world thinks. You are our 'guests' here so behave, watch your step, be grateful for whatever you get and clean up after yourselves. Boy Scouts always leave the camp-site cleaner than they found it. Abide what you say and use good manners. Remember we have Bibles and guns. Enjoy your stay in beautiful Colorado!

Hey That's Rad, Man!

A radical may be someone who is right, but 50 years too soon.

Staying Alive

Oh how I long for the days when we are less concerned with whether or not the rest of the world likes us and more concerned with whether or not they fear us. Those countries that have no reason to fear us will come to respect us for our strength in standing up to tyranny and injustice. From that grows a friendship much more substantive than one based merely upon what we give them. Peace through strength. Trust, but verify (keep your powder dry). Speak softly and carry a big stick. Slogans to live by. The key word being 'live.'

Oil, Oil Everywhere and Not a Drop to Refine

Tired of the price of gasoline? Write your Congressman and tell him you want this immediately:

1. Begin drilling in ANWR, off the East and West coasts, in the Gulf of Mexico and anywhere else around the country there is oil or oil-shale.
2. Start building refineries.
3. Begin extracting payments from Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait in oil for the cost of us pulling their chestnuts out of the fire.
4. Demand that Mexico send us one barrel of oil every day/week/month (you pick) for every illegal Mexican alien in the United States (about 20 million). This will help defray the costs foisted on the American people to take care of these illegals. If Mexico refuses send in the 82nd Airborne and take it.

Think About It

• Why is there so much misery and poverty in fertile, resource-laden countries around the world?

1. Bad Government Ideas
2. Bad Economic Ideas
3. Bad Religious Ideas

• The only reason that one person or people-group can be angry with another person or people-group is if they will do not what you want them to do, won't stop doing something you want them to stop doing, won't think/believe what you want them to think/believe or won't stop thinking/believing something you want them to stop thinking/believing.

Playing Chicken With Oil

For the past couple of decades the Democrats have opposed new drilling for oil in ANWR and various off-shore sites around the country, as well as building new refineries. We are now more dependent upon foreign oil and tinpot dictators than ever before and are seeing skyrocketing gasoline prices. It would seem that THE DEMOCRATS' CHICKENS...ARE COMING HOME...TO ROOST!

Separation of School & State --Selwyn Duke

Yesterday I heard Selwyn Duke talking about the homeschool issue in California. A state appellate court has ruled that homeschooling parents must have a state teaching certificate or put their kids back in public (government) schools. This is nothing more than a bold attempt to get kids back into these socialist indoctrination chambers while denying them an education. Their primary purpose is to turn out liberal voters for the Democrat Party. Kids who graduate (if they do) are barely literate, have no idea what truth is and cannot think for themselves. They are malleable pawns in the calculated slide to socialism, used to vote in the liberal pied pipers while being distracted with bread and circuses. The education of our children is the perogative of parents not politicians. It is indeed time to demand a Separation of School and State!

Prescription for Disaster

The results of your study (59% of doctors support national health care system, Dr. Ronald Ackermann and Dr. Aaron Carroll, University of Indiana School of Medicine, March 31, 2008) reported in the media yesterday are rather intriguing. I find in talking with colleagues that doctors are not so much enamored with a national health care system as they are simply frustrated with the current authorization and reimbursement mess (much of that government created). What they don't realize is that the devil that you know may be better than the devil that you don't know. The simple truth is that the federal government lacks the constitutional power and authority to be enmeshed in any sort of federal health care system or insurance program, including by the way Medicare. I have raised this point with several sitting Congressmen and Senators as well as all of the current Presidential candidates and none have been able to refute the point. The mood seems to be that we'll do whatever we want, hang the Constitution. Without a legal foundation we are headed for anarchy. Doctors are simply unwitting pawns in the overall equation. My experience over the years in things political is that doctors by and large are woefully uninformed and disengaged from that arena. Which is why the liberal-leaning A.M.A represented three-fourths of U.S. physicians 30 years ago but today barely speaks for a third. The current system needs reform, but not the kind that would lead us into the disaster which is evident in all countries with any sort of nationalized health care insurance or delivery system. We must run in the opposite direction. But don't expect doctors to be leading the charge. They know medicine, not business or government. Don't look to them for validation or leadership on the topic. Your study only tells me that 59% of doctors don't know what the heck they are talking about! As Anatole France said, 'If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."

S.O.S. from the U.S. Constitution!

First the feds wanted to nationalize health care, now the banks. My tax dollars are being used to bail out lenders and borrowers who made bad decisions and entered into private contracts without consulting me first. I am beginning to feel like I have been transported back to 1930's Germany during Hitler's rise to power. I don't know my country any more. Personal liberties and States' Rights are laughed at by those in power. The rest of the great unwashed masses don't even know what you're talking about if you bring them up. Glazed over deer-in-the-headlights stares. The idea of a Constitutional Republic is poo-pooed as so old school. The federal government can give us anything that we want, or rather what that they want to give us. Can we possibly save ourselves from ourselves? The Constitution, the document that gave this country life was supposed to keep the federal government in check. But now it seems more like check-mate. Unfortunately, we're just the pawns. I keep screaming, how do we mere pawns enforce our Constitution upon an unwilling federal government??? It seems that the only thing left to do is to roll the darn thing up and use it to shoot darts at the politicians. S.O.S. !!!!

P.T. Barnum Call Your Office

A con-man’s job is not to convince skeptics but to enable believers to continue to believe what they already do and want to believe.

Schoolyard Bullies

What has become of adult society that makes it impossible to deal appropriately with children’s behavior? Take three boys in middle school, ages 12-14. One is of mixed racial descent. The other two boys are verbally taunting and ridiculing him. So he puts one in a headlock. There ensues an altercation. What happens? The one child is charged with assault and the other two with racial harassment. All are in court!! Good grief. We hear other stories of 8 year-olds being charged with sexual harassment for playground antics. These kinds of stories go on and on. What has happened to parents, teachers and principals? In the 60’s when I was in grade school, events like these would have resulted in a trip to ‘meet’ with the coach and a call to my parents who would have reinforced the coach’s teaching when I got home. That followed by a round of public apologies to the offended parties. We would have all learned our childhood lessons, moved on and been the better for it. No waste of law enforcement, court and lawyer time and resources. I know what has happened. It’s a combination of baby-boomers and way too many hungry lawyers. Not to mention the wacky parenting principles that came with the narcissistic boomers. I am embarrassed to be counted among that goofball generation. Instead of teaching children right and wrong, good and bad, behavior and consequences; boomers were told not to force values into their children, but rather build their fragile little self-esteem. Wrong! That’s not how the real world works. Unfortunately this cockeyed mindset has carried over into the adult world. Boomers think that they should never have to be offended and that nothing in life should ever hurt. If it does it must be someone’s fault and that person or company must be sued to compensate me for having my delicate sensibilities and self-esteem bruised. Suck it up and get over it! Life hurts and people are rude. Always have been and always will be. God save this country from my generation!

Like a Dimestore Lawyer

(Tune sounds like Rhinestone Cowboy, sung by John Edwards)
Dedicated to personal injury lawyers, trial lawyers and class action lawyers...

I've been walkin' these halls so long
Singin' the same old song
I know every crack in these dirty hallways and courtrooms
Where hustle's the name of the game
And nice guys get washed away like the snow and the rain
There's been a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me

Like a dimestore lawyer
Riding out on a Caddy in a star-spangled legal show
Like a dimestore lawyer
Getting checks and letters from people I don't even know
Settlement offers comin' over the phone

Well, I really don't mind the strain
And a frown can fake all the pain
But you're down when you're tryin' the claim that's takin' the long way
And I dream of the things I'll do
With a subpoena and a cervical collar tucked inside my shoe
There'll be a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me

Like a dimestore lawyer
Riding out on a Caddy in a star-spangled legal show
Dimestore lawyer
Gettin' checks and letters from people I don't even know
Settlement offers comin' over the phone

Like a dimestore lawyer
Riding out on a Caddy in a star-spangled legal show

(FADE)
Like a dimestore lawyer
Gettin' checks and letters from people I don't even know

Doing the Luddite Lindy

There is a movement afoot, particularly amongst fundamentalist Christians to disavow science and embrace everything wacky. From acupuncture to goofball ‘nutrition’ to herbs to magnets to magic water the Christian Luddites are on the march. Even some physicians and scientists are not immune, though financial gain may be a factor for them. If people are going to buy into this stuff anyway and it won’t hurt them why not get a piece of the action? But is all of this really harmless? How many people delay getting real medical help for real medical problems because they are detoured by some charlatan or snake oil? While there is no serious science to support any of these products’ claims, the lay literature is replete with anecdotes and personal testimonials that they will cure everything from dandruff to lumbago. And if you just sign up in their business they might even cure your financial woes. Ah, P.T. Barnum would be so proud. If all of these claims were true there would be multiple Nobel prizes awarded, emergency world science symposia in Geneva and news flashes on FOX and CNN. All of the medical and science textbooks would have to be rewritten. Do you see any of that happening? Is that a hint? If it looks and sounds too good to be true… It’s sad and amusing to listen to people untrained in anything scientific lecture real doctors and scientists on why their product is for real and the real science is phony. There's almost a gleeful smugness about their 'in-your-face' ignorance. Now that’ll set us back 200 years. “We don’t need rigorous scientific studies; my grandmother’s warts fell off! You must be part of the grand medical, science, big pharmaceutical conspiracy.” Flush the black helicopters. Wanting something to be so does not make it so. And if all of that fails they resort to the final argument. “Well, this is so advanced that real scientists don’t understand it and can’t explain it, thus it threatens their current positions and beliefs so of course they will try to discredit us. The fact that they are trying to discredit us proves that they are wrong and we are right. And of course the big pharmaceutical companies who control the world won’t let the scientists and doctors tell the truth. If we stop taking their drugs they will lose all of that evil profit. Now please buy our product.” E.T. phone home. Oh well, for them that have ears.

The Meaning of Life

Someone recently remarked to me that they're not crazy about people because there are so many crazy people. The older I get the less patience I have for foolishness. And it seems that foolishness is always increasing. Unfortunately it also seems that there is really little that we can do to stop foolishness from increasing. Outside of one's religious faith, life really comes down to great food, great wine, great company, great music, great art, great literature and beautiful sunsets.

William F. Buckley, Jr. RIP

My prayers and sympathy go out to Bill's family, friends and the staff at National Review. He will be greatly missed. Our loss is Heaven's gain. Now at least God has someone to talk with!! Just kidding, I think Bill would love that. (wry grin!)

It's None of Your Business!

What is the primary purpose of a private U.S. business?

1. Provide jobs and benefits for people
2. Make the best product possible
3. Generate a profit for the owners
4. Collect taxes for the government
5. Boost the country's economy
6. Provide products/services for customers

What is the one best answer?

Comrade Chairperson Hillary's Healthcare Highwaymen

Knock, knock, knock.
Shuffling noises inside, door opens.
Mr. Workerbee, “Hi, can I help you?”
Agent #1, “Good morning and greetings from your federal government wealthy contributor.”
Mr. W., “Well, I don’t know about the wealthy part. I work for Home Depot, my wife is a school teacher and we have four children. And why are you wearing sidearms?”
Agent #2, “Pay no attention to the guns, they are for your protection citizen. Now trust me, you are wealthy. We are here to collect your contribution for your neighbor’s hip replacement. Mrs. Hap E. Retiree down the street is tired of maneuvering her government-supplied Hoveround power chair around the Cripple Creek casinos and would like a new hip. Could you please get your checkbook.”
Mr. W., “Wait a minute. Why should I pay for her hip replacement? I have four hungry kids to feed. If I contribute to her surgery that’s less milk that I can buy for my family.”
Agent #1, “No problem. When we talk to her we will collect voluntary federal milk program contribution. But I am troubled by your lack of compassion for fellow American.”
Mr. W., “Why can’t she buy private health insurance to cover these things? People who want to participate pay premiums and in return they get benefits. If you don’t want to pay you don’t have to, and you don’t get the benefits either. You take care of your own health needs. It’s a voluntary choice.”
Agent #2, “Sir, you try our patience. If Mrs. Retiree had to pay premiums herself she would have less money to double-down on split 10’s. You have no respect for our venerable senior citizens.”
Mr. W., “Where does the constitutional authority for this program come from?”
Agent #1, “Um, er it comes from the, um new healthcare amendment.”
Mr. W., “I don’t recall hearing of any such amendment.”
Agent #2, “It’s the Smith & Wesson Amendment. You ask too many questions. Now write the check or we go talk to your employer.”
Sounds of hurried scribbling of pen on paper with sound of cold steel locking and loading in background.
Agent #1, (smiling broadly) “Your government and neighbor thank you for your compassionate voluntary contribution. Now please get to work. I will be needing colonoscopy soon.”
Door slams.

Government, Mend Thyself?

How do ‘We the People’ rein in the runaway federal government? My how things have changed in just over 200 years. What started as a compromise between thirteen fledgling colonies to provide a few functions that they felt could be accomplished more efficiently collectively rather than individually, has become a monstrous doomsday machine, devouring everything and everyone in its path. It has its long bony finger in just about every pot in the country. As the old saw goes, a government that has the power to give you anything you want also has the power to take everything you have. And don’t think it’s not trying. From your money to your kids to your freedoms, nothing is safe from its reach. In the midst of this why are so many people so complacent?

Undoubtedly the sad state of education over the last 50 years, whether accidental or intentional has led to a pervasive misunderstanding of our nation’s history and governmental structure. While the progression of our founding started with settlements which became colonies which became states which begat the federal government, many people don’t really understand this. I think that there is a belief amongst too many that the states are merely subunits and extensions of the federal government. Nothing could be further from the truth. The states created the federal government to serve them. In fact, the states had to have individual state constitutions before they could draft a federal constitution. The federal government is actually subservient to the states. Well, at least it was originally intended to be that way. That is why U.S. Senators were originally elected by the states, not the people. The President is actually the President of the United States of America, not the people directly. This explains the existence of the Electoral College. The people elect their respective states’ slate of Presidential Electors who meet and select the President. They usually vote the wishes of the people of their state, but are not bound to and on occasion have not. The President, and originally the Senate represented the states, not the people of the country at-large. Truth be told, the election of the President should be a relatively minor event. Given the President’s relatively minor role in the day-to-day running of the federal government, the things that really impact the average citizen’s life on a daily basis; I am amazed at how much time, money and attention is focused on that one election. It’s the state elections that should really be the battleground since the states wield most of the power in the country. After state elections the election of federal Representatives should occupy more of the people’s interest. After all, the House of Representatives was designed to be the People’s House. That is why tax and spending bills must originate there. It is the people’s balance to the states’ representation.

A strict reading of the Constitution and Bill of Rights is a sobering and eye-opening experience. You can’t read those documents and fail to come to the conclusion that probably 80% or more of the meddling of the federal government is simply unauthorized and furthermore expressly prohibited. The Ninth and Tenth Amendments are the most ignored tenets of the lot, while the Fourteenth is one of the most misinterpreted and misapplied. The Founding Fathers had a strong fear of powerful centralized government, a la King George (no, not Washington). Thus, these amendments stipulate that powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to the states and the people. Today it seems that the federal government has the position that it holds all power and grants some limited power at times to the states, and none to the people. And the band played The World Turned Upside Down. For example, look at the metastatic bastardization of the infamous Interstate Commerce Clause. This innocuous little passage has been twisted so as to give cover to the Feds to regulate virtually anything and everything on a whim. The Founders realized that every future situation could not be addressed at the time of the writing of the Constitution so methods of amending it were written into the document. That process has been utilized 26 times since ratification. Sadly, the various branches of the federal government have taken it upon themselves to simply ignore these established legal procedures and in effect ‘amend’ the Constitution anytime following its edicts becomes obstructive to their agendas. The recent Kelo Supreme Court decision granting eminent domain authority for private rather than public use is perhaps the most egregious example of adverse illegal ‘constitutional amendment’ in memory. The protection of private property was a central motivation for the establishment of our nation and the Constitution. I sincerely believe that the five justices who voted in favor of Kelo committed an impeachable offense and rightly should have been impeached and removed from the bench.

So what are we suffering masses to do? Well, I see several possible responses.

The simplest and by default the current state of affairs is to do nothing and tolerate whatever abuse we are handed. This is the response of ignorance and apathy. By taking this course of inaction we will have effectively repealed our Constitution and become a nation ruled by the whim of the government. All of our rights and protections will be null and void for all practical purposes. The federal government will be free to take whatever it wants at any time and to regulate any and every aspect of our lives. This would usher in creeping socialization of many aspects of our lives and ever-increasing taxes and regulations. Productivity will invariably falter and businesses will begin to move off-shore and overseas, with resultant loss of jobs and shrinking tax base. As more and more illegal aliens pour across our non-existent borders, the strain on social services and the shrinking tax base will be disastrous for the economy. The preeminence of the United States on the world stage will decline to no more than the level of the decrepit European socialist states, producing little and providing no incentive to its citizens to achieve more than long vacations and short work weeks.

Another solution that is widely discussed by those actually concerned about our current course is that of trying to recruit and elect better politicians to national office. On the surface it sounds promising but history does not bode well for this fix. We have been doing just this for over 200 years and I believe that the situation is growing worse at an ever-accelerating pace. Even if we can somehow get ‘better’ people to Washington, most of them are devoured by the inside-the-beltway culture and overrun by the perpetual bureaucracy within a short time. This is one argument against term limits. That process does not address the underlying problem of bureaucratic indoctrination. While bad politicians may be thrown out, good ones are given the boot as well. Then, nothing protects newly elected replacements from being quickly corrupted. On first blush I believe that the idea of somehow getter ‘better’ people to Washington is, by itself a very dubious proposition. Keeping them ‘better’ for any period of time in that D.C. cesspool is virtually impossible. The dirty little secret is that so much of our federal government has become entrenched as self-fulfilling bureaucratic behemoths. These agencies and programs have lives of their own that exist for decades as administrations, political parties and legislators come and go. They are not affected by the prevailing political tilt of the day. They are not changed by the politicians, but rather they shape and mold the politicians to suit their ongoing needs. The bureaucrats that run these agencies and programs control huge budgets and will be in their positions long after the President and Congress change hands. They wield great influence over the legislators. By convincing the legislators to perpetuate the bureaucratic status quo, theses bureaucrats provide the illusion of great power and influence via the power of the purse to the egotistical legislators. Furthermore, legislators themselves soon become focused on their own political survival and obtaining territorial power rather than doing what is right for the country and the people that they ostensibly represent. They are unlikely to pass reform that refocuses the federal government on its rather limited constitutional responsibility and turn power (and money) back to the states and the people. Human nature being what it is they are much more inclined to seek to broaden their power and influence, not limit it. Why would they voluntarily relegate themselves to the political sideline and give the States the limelight?

So what legal recourse do ‘We the People’ have over the various branches of the federal government to hold them accountable to the Constitution? They have demonstrated repeatedly that the concept of the balance of power between the three branches has broken down. It has become an unholy triumvirate. Each enables the others so that they will in turn be enabled. With a wink and a nod they turn a blind eye to the abuses of one branch, knowing full well that branch will do the same for them. In this way, each is assured of being able to ram through its unconstitutional agenda unencumbered by any fear of checks and balances. When the police will not police the police, what are we to do? If we sue one of the branches of government for its perceived illegal activity, the case will ultimately wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court, one of the parties to the scam. How can we get justice? The fix is in. What are the penalties for a branch of the federal government violating the Constitution? It is the supreme law of the land, right? Can and would the states step up to the plate and take action? But what action? Some have put forth the idea that county sheriffs evict federal agencies from offices and buildings within their respective counties. We could defund the federal government by withholding federal income tax payments. This would be a gargantuan undertaking given that approximately 95% of income taxes are withheld from paychecks. The cooperation of businesses big and small across the country would be required and probably very difficult to secure. How about a Constitutional Convention to draft amendments to provide enforcement power and real legal sanctions against unconstitutional activity by any of the three federal branches? Do the States have the chutzpah to pull that off?

Could an armed rebellion against the federal government ever occur again here? Texas retains the right to actually legally secede from the United States and factions there have discussed that possibility. How seriously and widespread is anyone’s guess. For historical reference the opening passages of the Declaration of Independence lay out the reasons for the Colonies forceful separation from Great Britain. Similar justifications would certainly be required to convince the world and our citizens of the necessity for such drastic action, following long suffering and other peaceful attempts to redress grievances. While I am not advocating a violent overthrow of our federal government, history teaches that this is a common end to governments gone awry, even to this day. What this nation would look like after such a conflagration and depending upon what faction prevails would be anybody’s guess. The outcome would probably have a lot to do with which side the military allies, which is why many of these coup d’etats are led by generals and result in military dictatorial governments. The interesting twist in this instance is that no new Constitution would need to be drafted. The current constitution would simply be enforced and the government reconstituted according to its specific dictates. In essence, a return to normalcy. A return to the federal government that we used to have and should have. Simply put a civil war to ‘throw the bums out.’ Hopefully, we would get getter bums. We might need a few correctly enacted Constitutional Amendments to avert future similar diversions. One I can think of is William F. Buckley, Jr’s., ‘there are no penumbras or emanations.’

“Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?”

Dear, I Think We're Lost...

The federal government has wandered so far off of the Constitutional reservation that I don't think they could find it with a Tom-Tom.

Senator Salazar, Esq. to the Rescue!?

Greetings Senator (Ken) Salazar, D-Colorado;

Thank you for responding to my question about federal healthcare programs. Out of all of the people I contacted you are the only one to take time to write back. My question went to the root of the constitutional authority for the federal government to implement, run or oversee such programs, whether ‘mandatory’ (such as Medicare) or voluntary. From your letter it seems that you look to the Preamble to empower the federal government in these programs.

“Congress has the right to provide for the general welfare of the people whom they serve and it is clear that the general welfare of children lacking health care coverage is significantly and negatively affected.” -Senator Ken Salazar, January 17, 2008

Is that what they teach in law school classes on constitutional law in Michigan? That the Preamble empowers Congress? Under that theory there would need be no additional substance to the Constitution. The Preamble would empower Congress to do anything it wants relative to the ‘general welfare.’ How convenient. But there is much more to the Constitution than the Preamble. Why so? Perhaps because most (nay, all) constitutional scholars maintain that the Preamble is merely a statement of purpose, an explanation of why the constitution is being offered. It is a prelude to the actual empowering language that is to follow. It authorizes and empowers not a wit. Congress’ powers reside and are limited to Article 2, Section 8.

Pre-am-ble: noun: an introductory statement (as to a contract); especially: the introductory part of a constitution or statute that usually states the reasons for and intent of the law. Note: While preambles do not state law and therefore are not judicially enforceable, they are used to determine legislative intent when interpreting statutes. –Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law

So, upon perusal of Article 2, Section 8 I am still at a loss to find any empowering language for federal healthcare programs. Can you possibly further instruct?

Don't Argue with One Who Commands Lightening

Anything done by man, can be undone by man. Only things done by God cannot be undone by man. And nothing done by God can be undone by man.

Kooks Unite!

Does anyone else out there get the feeling that politicians think it is serious business to endlessly debate the fine points of some silly, insignificant legislation, but raising a question of the constitutionality of some government action or program is laughed off as quaint and irrelevant? They tend to relegate people who ask such questions to the fringes of the process, labelling them as unwashed hicks, historical daydreamers or frank kooks. In fact, many of these people are serious intellectual heavyweights. And the question of keeping the federal governement within the constitutional guardrails is of supreme importance. After all, the constitution is the supreme law of the land, is it not? It is the document which really does define what the federal government can and cannot do. Many serious people believe that much, if not most of what the feds engage in is in fact unconstitutional. Such discussions, however get in the way of activist politicians and judges advancing their personal agendas. So the agreed upon ruse is to just pretend that the constitution really does not exist, it really does not mean what it says and, you know it's really intended only for a long-gone era, not the present modern day. It's interesting to study as history, but no one of any real substance takes it seriously these days. Besides, only we elevated and enlightened members of the political intelligentsia can interpret the mysterious and deep hidden inner meanings of the constitution and find penumbras and emanations that mere mortals can never see. Those people who run around waving it their faces are just goofballs from fly-over country. Ignore them and they will go back to hunting and attending church, harmless and pointless activities. With politicians in collusion with judges on the scam there is no threat that the federal juggernaut will be reigned in. I hear the Founders calling from their graves for justice!

Casting Stones

I believe that it is a sin to compare sins.

Tradition!

I feel a bit like Tevye in 'Fiddler on the Roof' vis a vis the Republican party and the conservative movement. One by one his core traditional values were stripped from him. Finally near the end of the play he cries 'enough!' and will not accept any further erosion of those values. I believe that it is time for the true conservatives to draw a line in the sand and refuse to cross it. Since 1988 we have been told by the Republican establishment that if we will just hold our noses and help them get their candidates elected (because you know this is the best we're going to get right now), then they will advance some of our causes. Year after year we go along and hold up our end of the bargain only to be shafted every time when it comes time to really do something conservative. George W. Bush squandered the time that he had both houses of Congress. Oh, we get a little lip service from time-to-time, but we never saw any real movement on true tax reform, abortion, illegal immigration or reform of Social Security and Medicare; just to name a few. Why should we keep up this farce? The emperor has no clothes! Our nation has wandered so far off of the Constitutional reservation that I don't think we could find it with a Tom-Tom. I believe that it is time for conservatives to let the Republican party fall flat on its face without them and then either form a third party or come in and reconstruct the Republican party on the foundation of true conservatism.

National Conservative Party

It is now time for a third party, the National Conservative Party.

Who's Your Daddy?

We make way too big of a fuss over electing a President. You would think that we are selecting a King. Or Queen. No, that would still be a King. Well nevertheless you get the point. How is it that we have come to expect our President to be our daddy, big brother, grandfather, uncle, mother, soldier, statesman, preacher, doctor, teacher, banker and all around best friend? The President's constitutional role is actually rather limited, as is that of the entire federal government really. More akin to a city manager than a potentate. Yes, he should inspire us to greatness and represent the country on the world stage; but not have a plan and a program for every single aspect of our lives. He runs the military, negotiates treaties and enforces the federal laws. He can propose budgets, but taxing and spending bills actually originate in the House. Have you grilled your Congressman on all of the various federal programs and spending priorities to the extent that you have the Presidential candidates? I doubt it. The President really represents the interests of the states, not the people. The Congress represents the people in Washington. His power to affect our daily lives is not that great. Bureaucrats have more power to make us miserable or happy in our everyday lives than the President ever will. And we don't even know who they are. This process has become a farce; nothing more than high comedy. We need to refocus on the right priorities. That would begin with teaching and understanding the Constitution.

McCain=McNasty=Perot=NUTS!

Hey Juan, when you have all of these squirrels around you admit it, you are a NUT! I must agree with Limbaugh and Dobson, I cannot and will not support McCain. If McCain or Obama or Clinton are going to make a mess of the country I would rather have a Democrat to blame it on. Reagan rose from Carter's ashes.

Cheshire Cat

What is it with that goofy smile that McCain flashes at the most inappropriate times? It's freaky.

Sit Down John!

Sit down John,
Sit down John,
For God's sake John, sit down!

John you're a bore,
We've heard this before;
Now for God's sake John,
Sit Down!

(1776)

Bite of the Night

The best sound bite from the candidates' comments after last night's Florida Republican primary came from Mitt Romney: "We won't change Washington by sending the same people back just to sit in different chairs."

The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg

A bill under consideration in Colorado would compel religious non-profit organizations that accept State funds to comply with State non-discriminatory hiring practices. This would of course conflict with the tenets of many religious organizations on matters such as homosexuality and couples living together in sin, to name a few. With regard to the specific question in this bill, organizations must realize that the Golden Rule applies; whoever provides the gold makes the rules. No government largess comes without strings attached. Since any government financial gift is really the accumulated tax dollars of all of the citizens of the State, some money given to say a Catholic charity is coming from die hard atheists.
The solution is two-pronged. First, why should governments be in the business of giving tax dollar subsidies to such private organizations? These governments lament that they are chronically short of funds and many run regular deficits. Why not cut out these gifts? Secondly, I believe that private organizations should seriously consider refusing any government handouts. They should live within the means provided privately by citizens who truly support their causes, not those coerced into 'donating' their tax dollars by the government. Furthermore, why should non-profit organizations operate in a tax-free status with regard to say property and sales taxes? Again, along with such gifts can come undesirable constraints imposed by those bestowing the gifts. If we did away with the tax breaks and government subsidies perhaps taxes could be lowered for all thus giving people more money in their wallets to then donate to the charities that they personally support. It would also be a much simpler and more direct system, providing more net funds to the receiving organizations. When government collects taxes and then doles out gifts there is a steep administrative cost that reduces the amount that is ultimately handed out. Cut out the middleman!
The principle at issue here is a launching pad for a much broader discussion of how and why governments treat people and organizations differently. In a nation founded on the idea that all men are created equal, we have certainly come to a place where some men are treated more equally than others. We have government dictated hiring practices that require special consideration be given to certain sexes and ethnic groups. People with different income levels are taxed at different rates. Some businesses and industries are given government subsidies, tax breaks and protection from imports. People who commit 'hate crimes' are treated more harshly than people who merely commit what I suppose are 'love crimes.' And the list goes on. Doesn't the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee all U.S. citizens the equal protection of the laws? Apparently not.

It's mine, no it's mine. No, Mine. MINE!

So who does the Constitution belong to? The federal government? No. The President? No. The Congress? No. The Supreme Court? No. It belongs to the people. The people, acting through their States wrote the Constitution which created all of these federal entities. The thing that is created cannot own the thing that created it. The creator is always greater than that which is created. Think about it. God and Man. The people giveth and the people can taketh away.
The people can amend the Constitution; not the President, not the Supreme Court (though heaven knows they in essence have), not the Congress alone. The people created the federal governement and set the constraints, the boundaries within which it must operate and not stray beyond. The people hold all of the power and granted the federal government a small, limited slice of that power for the collective good of all people. They then set a fence around the federal government. Power does not flow from Washington to the people, but rather from the people to Washington.
The rights of the people set out and protected in the Constitution came from God and the natural state of human freedom, not from the federal government. It is not the role of government to confer rights upon people but rather to protect the rights that the people already enjoy. It is the people who tell the federal government what rights it has, not the reverse. And the people can change those rights bestowed upon the government, but the government cannot alter the inalienable rights of the people.
It is not the role of the federal government to interpret the meaning of the Constitution to the people. The people, who wrote the Constitution can interpret it for themselves and to the government. No government entity, particularly the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of what the Constitution says and means.
The challenge for the people is enforcing the Constitution upon the federal government. The various branches and institutions have shown that they clearly have no compunction about flagrantly violating the letter and intent of it. Sadly though, while brazenly ignoring and violating the fundamental and supreme law of the land the very same government expects the people to obey every obscure and obtuse rule and regulation that it promulgates. And beyond the lengthy and difficult amendment process, the people have precious little power to force the government into compliance. After all, the government is the police power, not to mention the tax and spend power. If we try to sue the government we wind up in courts and before judges that are essentially representatives of the people that we are bringing suit against. They are all complicit and in league together, thus enabling and providing cover for the other branches of government. Where is justice?
The people need a sheriff.

Sanity is not Statistical

"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
--Anatole France

Frosty the Snowman

It was six degrees below zero with a windchill of 24 degrees below zero this morning in Colorado Springs. I propose that we bring Algore up here, strip him down to his undies, chain him to a light pole and make him chant all night, "I do believe in global warming, I do believe in global warming." Let's see if that keeps his hiney warm!

Last Person to Leave Please Turn Out the Lights

Mercury light bulbs. Government remote-controlled thermostats. When are the good, hard-working people of California going to tell the Hollywood nut crowd to jump in the ocean and swim? Pretty soon, I think. Speaking of Hollywood, has anyone really missed the writers? I don't think so. The world is still revolving on its axis. No one is really missing those pitiful shows.

Constitutional Amendments

"Article. V. - Amendment
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate."
Let's see, can the President amend the Constitution by Executive Order? No.
Can the Congress amend the Constitution by simple legislation? No.
Can the U.S. Supreme Court amend the Constitution? No.
Then who can amend the Constitution? Well what do you know, it's the States. I wonder why that might be...

Department of Education Responds

--- Original message ---
From: "Freid, Steve"
To: Subject: Response to Inquiry
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:42:15 -0500
Dear Sir:
This is in response to your recent electronic message to the Secretary of Education. In your message, you write that "there is no authorizing language in the Constitution for a federal Department of Education, and thus [the Department] is truly illegal" and should be abolished. You further state that "[e]ducation is truly a local function." Thank you for writing to us.
This Department's web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html contains an overview of the Federal role in education, which recognizes that "[e]ducation is primarily a State and local responsibility in the United States" and that "[i]t is States and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds, that establish and schools and colleges, develop curricula, and determine requirements for enrollment and graduation." Because education is primarily the responsibility of State and local governments, the law establishing the Department of Education generally prohibits the Department from interpreting the laws it administers in a manner that would result in exercising "any direction, supervision, or control" over matters such as curriculum and the program of instruction in public elementary and secondary schools. 20 U.S.C. 3403(b).
The Department's web site also notes that the Department's current mission is to "promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access." The Department carries out this mission in two major ways--by playing "a leadership role in the ongoing national dialogue over how to improve the results of our education system for all students" and by administering Federal education programs. As you suggest in your message, there is no one provision in the Constitution that specifically authorizes the establishment of the Department of Education (or any other Federal Department for that matter). However, the Constitution does give Congress the power to lay and collect taxes and provide for the "general Welfare of the United States" (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1) and "to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution" the other powers enumerated in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18). These provisions of the Constitution are consistent with the creation and role of the Department. I hope that this information is responsive to your concerns. Sincerely, Stephen H. Freid Assistant General Counsel Division of Elementary, Secondary and Adult Education Office of the General Counsel U.S. Department of Education

Greetings Mr. Freid,
Your explanation in the last paragraph of your note is clever but unconvincing. By your logic there is virtually nothing that the federal government cannot engage in. This is in direct conflict with the intent and words of the Founders in the Constitution. If a duty is not specifically authorized in the Constitution then the federal government is prohibited from engaging in that duty short of an actual amendment. That duty is then reserved to the States. Unfortunately the incorrect and expansive power that you cite has been growing exponentially over the last many decades and has led to a huge, bloated and dangerous federal behemoth. If the people cannot enforce the Constitution upon the federal government we are indeed doomed. The authorized powers of the federal government are specific and yes, quite limited. The true power resides with the States, which created the federal government in the first place. Our current federal government rules by fiat and fear, and is quite illegal and unconstitutional in most actions.
God save the people.
Warmest regards,
December 28, 2007

"Who says A must say B." --WFB,Jr.

The best way to defeat someone in a debate is to force them down the path of their own argument.