Tag Archive for 'Constitution'

The Future of America Can Be Experienced At The Airport

March 1, 2009 1 Comment Tags: , , , .

A recent work trip reminded me that if you want a glimpse into the future of America, all you have to do is fly somewhere.

  • If you make it so far as getting your boarding pass, congratulations for not being on the No Fly list, which contains an estimated one million names.
  • Upon arriving at the security checkpoint, you get to strip down to your socks and if you’re lucky they let you keep your shirt and pants on. Cross your fingers as you step through the TSA scanners, hope a filling or metal grommet on your clothes doesn’t trigger a S.W.A.T. raid.
  • While your body is being checked for dangerous objects, another TSA agent will rifle through your belongings making sure you haven’t brought along anything dangerous, like 4 oz. or greater of face wash or lotion, which can spontaneously combust at high altitudes.
  • If you’re lucky enough to make it through security, you run a high risk of being checked by TSA agents again, usually a half hour before boarding. They’ll interrupt you while you’re reading or checking your email and will wear rubber gloves (in case you’ve suddenly contracted cooties) as they check your boarding pass.
  • Getting thirsty? Too bad you had to dump your drink at the security gate. Water collected outside the airport can spontaneously combust.
  • Fortunately, if you get thirsty or hungry while waiting to board you can visit one of many food chains located near the gate. But be prepared for hyper-inflation, as you are a captive audience. $5 for a bagel and $4 for coffee sounds about fair. But eat it FAST because it is not allowed on the plane, more spontaneous combustion risks. The peanuts and soda they pass out are specially treated and do not run this risk.
  • While waiting to board, you may find it hard to concentrate on a phone call or book because every five minutes you will be interrupted with a loud but friendly message from the Department of Homeland Security reminding you of the day’s current threat level. Five bucks says it’s orange. But DON’T BE ALARMED.
  • As you’re called to board the plane, you run the risk of being singled out AGAIN by a TSA agent for a random pat-down and boarding pass check. In case anything’s changed since the first three checks. They will also look at you menacingly, guilty until proven innocent, the American way.
  • Once on board the plane you will be offered a drink and food menu, but most items can only be acquired through electronic payment, no cash allowed.
  • All of these items will be outrageously priced, but you have no choice, you’re on this plane for hours and your drink from home was confiscated at the security checkpoint long ago.
  • If you survive all the previous steps, you should eventually arrive at your destination, feeling like a criminal that’s evaded capture yet again.
  • What a lovely experience that was! Hard to figure out why air travel is declining…

What have we learned from this little adventure? Hyperinflation, electronic currency, Fourth Amendment violations, and police-state surveillance tactics are all being tested at the great human laboratory we call the Airport.

You’ve probably already experienced these things throughout your day-to-day life, but that was nothing. Just wait til Airport mode comes out of beta — Homeland 2.0!

Oh yeah, and make sure your seat is in the upright position prior to landing. That 5 degree decline really distracts the pilot.

Obama’s First Big Failure: Spending Us Into Oblivion

January 29, 2009 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

It’s official, President King Obama has taken his first steps towards ruining our country, seamlessly picking up where George W. Bush left off.

Last night his $825+ BILLION “Stimulus” bill was passed. NONE of the House Republicans voted for it (for once Ron Paul did not stand alone), and all but 11 Democrats voted for it (including Mary Jo Kilroy, new Representative for Ohio’s 15th District, who will NEVER AGAIN get my vote.)

Congressional Democrats had no problem rushing through a spending bill that they surely didn’t read (it’s 1,588 pages.) It seems all a President has to do now to get their agendas passed is claim that it’s an emergency (DO IT NOW, OR ELSE!!!) and threaten that “it’ll be worse if we do nothing.” Hmm, I think that’s the same line they used to justify rushing the TARP bailout plan through. And look how successful that’s been, aren’t we all much better off now?

So what’s in this bill that’s supposedly going to bring back jobs, fix our broken mortgages, and put more money in our wallets? Let’s examine some of the ridiculous things Mr. Obama has deemed urgently necessary:

  • $1 Billion for Amtrak (the federal railroad that hasn’t made a profit in 40 years)
  • $650 Million to pay for digital TV conversion coupons (on top of the billions already doled out)
  • $600 Million for the federal government to buy new cars
  • $150 Million for The Smithsonian
  • $20 Million for new sod at the National Mall
  • $4.5 Billion for Federal management/oversight of the funds (money needed to monitor the money)
  • $2.1 Billion for Offices of Inspector General for management/oversight of funds (more money needed to monitor the money)
  • $25 Million for salaries and expenses for the Government Accountability Office for oversight activities relating to this Act (money to pay the people using the money to monitor the money)
  • $50 Million for watershed rehabilitation by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (is this an emergency?)
  • $1 Billion for Periodic Censuses and Program by the Bureau of the Census (why does the census bureau need a stimulus, they’re already part of the budget?!)
  • $350 Million for salaries and expenses for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (gotta pay the guys that tap our phones and read our emails.)
  • $100 Million for NIST Scientific and Technical Research and Services (these are the guys who can’t recognize a controlled demolition when it’s right in their face)
  • $100 Million for NIST Industrial Technology Services (more for them)
  • $300 Million for construction of NIST research facilities (still more?? Again, is this really an emergency?)
  • $400 Million for habitat restoration and mitigation activities by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (emergency?)
  • $600 Million for accelerating satellite development and acquisition, acquiring climate sensors and climate modeling capacity and establishing climate data records by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (emergency? jobs?)
  • $400 Million for science by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (emergency funding for NASA?)
  • $50 Million for cross-agency support by NASA ($50 million for other agencies to talk to NASA? Haven’t they heard of e-mail?)
  • $2.5 Billion for research and related activities by the National Science Foundation (emergency? jobs?)
  • $100 Million for education and human resources for the National Science Foundation (emergency? jobs?)
  • $400 Million for major research equipment and facilities construction by the National Science Foundation (wow, they really made out nicely!)
  • $4.5 Billion for improvement, repair and modernization of Department of Defense facilities, restore and modernize Army barracks and invest in the energy efficiency of DOD facilities (apparently over half the federal budget isn’t enough for these guys.)
  • $350 Million for DOD energy research and development (they need a lot of money to research how to kill people.)
  • $2.4 Billion to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration technologies by the Department of Energy (that much just to “demonstrate” a technology? How many jobs is this going to create, really?)
  • $500 Million for Defense Environmental Cleanup (stop dropping depleted uranium and you won’t need this.)
  • $200 Million for FEMA emergency food and shelter programs (yay, more FEMA prison camps!)
  • $500 Million for Bureau of Indian Affairs construction (is this an emergency?)
  • $800 Million for EPA Hazardous Substance Superfund Remedial program (is this an emergency?)
  • $200 Million for EPA Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program (I wish this were a joke.)
  • $550 Million for Indian Health Service facilities (is this an emergency?)
  • $3 Billion to establish a Prevention and Wellness Fund (the Era of Personal Responsibility means having the government tell you how to be healthy, and we need yet another federal agency to do this.)
  • $6.0 Billion for DOD Military Construction (MORE for the military?)
  • $500 Million for Native American Housing Block Grants (emergency?)
  • …and the list goes on, I hope by now you get the picture.

Allow me to remind you: it’s NOT the federal government’s job to make sure you have digital TV service, museums, and trains. If you can find this clause in the Constitution, I’ll give you $100. It’s obvious that 98% of these items don’t have anything to do with emergencies or job-creation, they’re just going to expand an already overweight federal government and feed its bureaucracy.

What Obama hasn’t told you is that this bill has added an additional $6,700 of debt for every man, woman, and child in this country. Do you really want new sod that badly? What about your kids, how do you feel about enslaving them without their permission? It’s been said the tax cuts in this bill will put an extra $12 a week in the wallet of every American. Which number is bigger: 12 or 6,700? At $12/week it would take 10+ years to get that $6,700 back, and you can bet it will be worth WAY less than it is now thanks to inflation.

Needless to say, I’m beyond angry at this point, our political “representatives” (along with the American people) are RUINING this country with their apathy and lack of education on basic economics. Piece by piece we are building our own graves, and people are actually applauding it. The basics are simple to understand, and yet Americans still can’t grasp how it works. We are $10+ TRILLION in debt (counting unfunded obligations, that number is $50+ trillion), so Obama proposes tax cuts and spending INCREASES? He never once considered spending LESS on our military budget, pre-emptive wars, and empire-building, of course. I suppose once you get above $10+ trillion, the number is incomprehensible anyway, who cares how much higher it goes, right? (Unless you’re aware of what happens when you expand the money supply by trillions of dollars.) Americans see nothing wrong with this. We can spend, spend, spend, it’s all okay!

No, it’s NOT okay. Let me try making an analogy using these same principles, free from political terms that confuse and turn off most Americans:

Joe the Plumber is $500,000 in debt. He ran up his credit cards buying a bunch of things he didn’t need, lives in a house that he can’t afford, and financially supports a family in another neighborhood that constantly tries to attack the people next door to them. He’s lived this way for years and years but suddenly now he’s FREAKING OUT because he can’t make his monthly payments so the credit card companies are getting very angry, threatening to take away all of his assets, and the power company is threatening to turn off his electricity. He had to fire his pool boy, the dog’s private yoga instructor, and his private chef. Times are tough.

Joe comes up with a plan to fix this problem: he’s going to take a pay-cut at work and spend $100,000 using another credit card. He uses that $100,000 to buy a fancy new BBQ grill, some new trees for his yard, a new car, presents for the family in the other neighborhood, and other non-essential amenities. Joe the Plumber is now making less money each month, and is another $100,000 in debt. Do you think his plan will work? Will Joe wake up next week and suddenly be debt-free, with his pool boy and Spot’s yoga trainer back on the job?

If you support Obama’s plan, I have 3 assignments for you:

  1. Find where in the Constitution it says the federal government is allowed to use tax-payer money for these things.
  2. Read the Stimulus Bill for yourself. All 1,588 pages.
  3. Report back to me in a few months and tell me how many jobs have been created and how much better off we are thanks to this emergency pillaging.
  4. EXTRA CREDIT #1: Research how FDR’s New Deal programs actually prolonged the Great Depression.
  5. EXTRA CREDIT #2: Research the Weimar Republic and how hyperinflation affected them.

The kicker of this whole thing is that Obama has said over and over again that it’s time for an Era of Personal Responsibility. This means NOT RELYING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU.

If you really want to follow the King’s advice, quit begging for help from the government and then crying even louder when they make it worse. Quit asking for more debt. Quit asking for less control over your life. Try some COMMON SENSE, America.

Immediate Action Item: Oppose the $825 Billion Stimulus Package!

January 28, 2009 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

A vote is expected today on Obama’s $825 billion economic stimulus package (H.R. 1). Check out this list of 200 Economists who are opposed to this bill, something neither Obama or Congress wants you to see.

All Americans who are concerned over the fiscal irresponsibility of Congress and the inflationary effects of its trillion dollar deficits, trillion dollar bailouts, and trillion dollar stimulus package, MUST contact their representative immediately in opposition to H.R. 1, the economic stimulus package.

“There is a lot of stimulus and growth in this bill – that is, of government.  Nothing in this bill stimulates the freedom and prosperity of the American people.  Politician-directed spending is never as successful as market-driven investment.  Instead of passing this bill, Congress should get out of the way by cutting taxes, cutting spending, and reining in the reckless monetary policy of the Federal Reserve.”

- Congressman Ron Paul

Rep. Ron Paul issued a statement yesterday regarding this bill which makes it clear what type of bill it is and some of the reasons why we must oppose it. Here are some highlights:

  • “In reality, this bill is just an escalation of a government-created economic mess. As before, a sense of urgency and impending doom is being used to extract mountains of money from Congress with minimal debate….. We are again being promised that its passage will help employment, help homeowners, help the environment, etc.  These promises are worthless.  This time around especially, Congress should know better than to pass anything of this magnitude without first reading the fine print.”
  • “At least $4 billion is allocated to expanding the police state and the war on drugs … and the COPS program, both of which are corrupt and largely ineffective programs.”
  • “To help Big Brother keep a better eye on us and our children, $20 billion would go towards health information technology, which would create a national system of electronic medical records without adequate privacy protection.”
  • “$79 billion bails out states that haphazardly expanded their budgets during the bubble years, but refuse to retrench and cut back, as their taxpayers have had to, during recession years.”
  • “Of course the bill is rife with central planning projects.”
  • “This bill delivers an additional debt burden of $6,700 to every American man, woman and child.”
  • “There is a lot of stimulus and growth in this bill – that is, of government.  Nothing in this bill stimulates the freedom and prosperity of the American people.  Politician-directed spending is never as successful as market-driven investment.  Instead of passing this bill, Congress should get out of the way by cutting taxes, cutting spending, and reining in the reckless monetary policy of the Federal Reserve.”

The bottom line is that Americans need to help preserve their freedom and prosperity by opposing this nearly trillion dollar economic stimulus package.

Speak out against this, contact your Representative immediately!

Update on Ohio’s HJR 8 Call for Constitutional Convention

December 10, 2008 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Thanks to Infowars and The New American for picking up this story!

12/22 Update #3: The fight against the Ohio Con-Con now has its own website: StopTheConCon.org, check it out!

12/12 Update #2: Thanks to Anthony from We Are Change Ohio here are videos our testimonies (7 total):

12/12 UPDATE: Just got this update from Teri, one of the ten who testified on Monday — THE CONSTITUTION HAS PREVAILED! …But only for now. This battle WILL resurface next session, which means we must KEEP CALLING AND EMAILING, be ready for January!!

I have personally gotten confirmation from both Senator Carey’s office (chairman in Senate committee) as well as Representative Huffman’s office (sponsor of House bill) that neither committee will be having any further meetings or votes on the con-con bills for the remainder of this legislative session.

It appears that the Con-Con is dead – at least for this legislative session. But we still need to keep our eyes open and keep the pressure on until the end of the year when the legislature adjourns.

“Anything can happen until the general assembly adjourns sine die,* which may be held off until the very end of the year, given the instability of the state’s budget…they may, or the governor could, call an emergency session to deal with issues, so we need to stay on guard until that last gavel drops on the 127th G.A.” – Barry Sheets of the Institute for Principled Policy.

I had a lengthy conversation with Lisa Valentine of Huffman’s office regarding what they expect to do in the next general assembly. I will be posting that next. In short, they will be re-introducing the legislation in the next assembly.

We MUST stay on top of this, keep calling and emailing our Reps and Senators, keep making YouTube videos, be ready for the next legislative session! This is not “The End”, this is only “To Be Continued.”

——————-

12/11 UPDATE: THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER YET, remain vigilant!

The Senate version was introduced on Tuesday and could potentially have a hearing next week. Anyone in Ohio, please GET THERE and TESTIFY against it!

If you can’t make it here to Columbus, I strongly urge you to use the Ohio Freedom Alliance e-mail tool, SLAM (State Liberty Action Mailer), to contact all the Ohio Senators and tell them to vote NO: http://www.ohiofreedom.com/SLAM/issue.php?issueid=3. It’s so easy and will only take a minute of your time, please use it!

And don’t forget, we must keep up the House front of this fight as well, please use the SLAM tool to email the Ohio House too: http://www.ohiofreedom.com/SLAM/issue.php?issueid=2

If you prefer calling and emailing individually, here are the numbers and email addresses for the House Judiciary Committee and Senate Finance Committee members, where the bills have been assigned:

HOUSE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE
Louis W. Blessing, Jr. (614) 466-9091, district29@ohr.state.oh.us
Kevin Bacon (614) 644-6030, district21@ohr.state.oh.us
William G. Batchelder (614) 466-8140, district69@ohr.state.oh.us
William P. Coley, II (614) 466-8550, district55@ohr.state.oh.us
Larry L. Flowers (614) 466-4847, district19@ohr.state.oh.us
Josh Mandel (614) 644-6041, district17@ohr.state.oh.us
Sandra Stabile Harwood (614) 466-3488, district65@ohr.state.oh.us
Armond Budish (614) 466-5441, district08@ohr.state.oh.us
Stephen Dyer (614) 466-1790, district43@ohr.state.oh.us
Mark D. Okey (614) 466-1464, district61@ohr.state.oh.us
Michael Skindell (614) 466-5921, district13@ohr.state.oh.us

SENATE FINANCE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS COMMITTEE
Keith Faber (614)466-7584, SD12@senate.state.oh.us
Tom Niehaus (614)466-8082, SD14@senate.state.oh.us
Joy Padgett (614)466-8076, SD20@senate.state.oh.us
Mark Wagoner (614)466-8060, SD02@senate.state.oh.us
Capri S. Cafaro (614)466-7182, senatorcafaro@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Eric H. Kearney (614)466-5980, Senatorkearney@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Tom Sawyer (614)466-7041, senatorsawyer@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Jason H. Wilson (614)466-6508, senatorwilson@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Good news: we were all able to testify against the bill today, and we gave them a response they weren’t expecting. There were 10 of us who spoke out against it, ZERO who spoke in support.

Members from Campaign for Liberty, Ohio Freedom Alliance, We Are Change Ohio, John Birch Society, Institute for Principled Policy, Constitution Party of Ohio, and the Libertarian Party of Ohio showed up in support, most of them testified.

After seeing how many of us came, Committee Chairman Blessing changed his mind and decided not to vote on it today. In fact, he acted like it was a mistake that the paper said “possible vote.” Teri (OFA, JBS, CPO) thinks it’ll probably be voted on at the next committee meeting (which will also probably not include further testimony) so we’ll need to keep watching. The Senate version (SJR 9) was introduced yesterday as well, but last I heard it hasn’t yet been assigned to a committee. Still another thing to keep an eye on.

The committee had some questions and a couple repeatedly voiced concerns, enough so that I definitely think we have a good shot at getting this defeated.
Continue reading ‘Update on Ohio’s HJR 8 Call for Constitutional Convention’

Ohio to Vote for Constitutional Convention TOMORROW, Tell Them NO!

December 9, 2008 1 Comment Tags: , , , .

[UPDATES BELOW ORIGINAL POST]

ConConLogo.jpg picture by cpofohio

On December 3rd, the Ohio House of Representatives introduced HJR 8, a resolution calling for a Constitutional Convention, provided for by Article V of the U.S. Constitution.

This is one of only two legal methods for amending the Supreme Law of the Land. This nation is only a few states away from having application of the requisite 34 states needed to convene a Constitutional Convention.

It is worth noting that many states which have called for a Constitutional Convention in the past have since withdrawn their requests (Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and others) after realizing the danger of such an event.

If a Constitutional Convention is called, our Constitution and Bill of Rights would be up for grabs and open to any and all changes.

It is clear that this con-con call is being quickly pushed through the lame-duck legislature before most Ohio citizens learn about it. The legislation was referred to the House Judiciary Committee and they are voting this Wednesday to determine whether to send it to the house for a full vote — only a week after its introduction!

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED ASAP!

  1. Get educated on the facts of a Constitutional Convention by watching Beware Article V (4 parts) which was created by state legislators to educate other legislators. Stay updated and join the discussion at The Ohio Freedom Alliance Forum.
  2. Contact the Legislature. Send an email to your Rep as well as all of the members of the Judiciary Committee all at once using the Ohio Freedom Alliance SLAM tool. Or telephone your Representative and 11 Committee Members.
  3. Join us at the Committee Meeting on Wednesday morning at 9:30am at the statehouse in Columbus to give testimony or just to show your support for the legislation’s withdraw. A large attendance will bring this issue into the spotlight and prevent a hasty, uninformed vote. Details here.

SUMMARY OF THE DANGER:
A Constitutional Convention has no limitations!

Once Congress calls for a Constitutional Convention Article V grants that assembled convention the exclusive power to propose amendments regardless of the original reason for its call. By its very definition a Constitutional Convention is a sovereign body and therefore cannot be limited.

Recall that the first Constitutional Convention was held simply for the purpose of amending the Articles of Confederation under Article XIII, which indicated that the consent of all State legislatures is required for amendment. Instead, delegates – having met in total secrecy for several months – emerged with a new fundamental government design, which stipulated that only nine of the thirteen states would have to ratify for the new government to go into effect.

Everything in the current Constitution could be tossed, and replaced with whatever the delegates decide. A new convention could even decide not to bother having the states ratify what it produces. A constitutional convention has no limitations. With today’s hostile and divided political climate, can we trust that our rights would be secure?

For questions, please contact:
Teri M. Owens
libertyinlaw@gmail.com
740-816-0933

Beware Article V

Part I, 10 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za8_pdJ1dPo

Part II, 10 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flHJrcdfbBg

Part III, 11 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly1Lh3bqtYM

Part IV, 8 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5jKAlgvCgg

UPDATE #1: We’ve just learned that the public is being denied testimony on HJR8, please call the Chairman now!

There is concern that it could be sent to the House floor for a full vote in the afternoon tomorrow and that a Senate companion bill will be introduced.

No one is answering the phones at Chairman Blessing’s office and voicemails are not being returned. Please call, email AND fax the Chairman to request public testimony before there is a vote taken by the committee. Be polite, but firm. These are OUR government servants — not our representatives from government.

Louis W. Blessing, Jr. (R), Representative District 29
Tel: (614)466-9091, Fax: (614)719-3583, Email: district29@ohr.state.oh.us

Tired of not getting answers? Call the rest of the committee.

UPDATE #2: Good news — according to Rep. Larry Flower’s secretary, there WILL be public testimony PRO and CON tomorrow morning!

Please use the “ShareThis” button below to email this alert to your friends and family, as well as vote it up on Digg and Reddit!

Happy Constitution Day Part II: Bonus!

September 17, 2008 0 Comments Tags: , .

As a bonus on this joyous holiday, I thought I’d share with my readers this Constitution quiz. Let me know how well you score! Better yet — give this quiz to your Congressperson or favorite Presidential candidate and see how qualified they are to represent you.

24 Constitutional Questions Every American Should be Able to Answer

Adapted from “A Quiz About the U.S. Constitution” By John F. McManus, writer and narrator of “Overview of America.”

1. Q: Has the Constitution always guided the country?
A: No, originally the nation functioned under the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation. But after 11 years under the Articles, the U.S. Constitution was written, agreed to, and ratified by nine states (all eventually ratified but only nine were needed to have it take effect). On September 13, 1788, the Continental Congress proclaimed that the Constitution had been properly ratified and it ordered the new government to convene on March 4, 1789.

2. Q: Does the Constitution allow the Supreme Court to make law?
A: No. The beginning of Article I states, “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States.” Any Supreme Court decision is the law of the case and it binds only the plaintiff and the defendant. The meaning of the word “all” has not been changed.

3. Q: Does the Constitution allow the President to make law?
A: No. Executive Orders issued by the President that bind the entire nation are illicit because, as noted above, “All legislative powers” reside in Congress. An Executive Order that binds only the employees of the federal government is proper because the President should be considered to hold power much like the CEO of a corporation who can issue rules to his employees. But the entire nation is not in the employ of the President. The President does have a role in lawmaking with his possession of a veto. He can veto a measure produced by Congress (which can still be overturned), sign a law produced by Congress, or simply allow a measure to become law by doing nothing within ten days “Sundays excepted.”

4. Q: Does the Constitution give the federal government any power in the field of education?
A: No, none.

5. Q: Where in the Constitution is there authorization for foreign aid?
A: Nowhere is there such authorization.

6. Q: What are the three branches of government named in the Constitution?
A: Legislative, Executive and Judicial.

7. Q: Does the Constitution require a minimum age requirement for a Senator?
A: Yes. One must be 30 years old.

8. Q: What are the Constitutional requirements for a person to be President?
A: A President must be a natural born citizen (not an immigrant who became a citizen), must be 35 years of age, and must have lived in the U.S. at least 14 years.

9. Q: Did the Constitution give the federal government power to create a bank?
A: No. It was given power to “coin money,” meaning the power to establish a mint where precious metal could be shaped into coinage of a fixed size, weight and purity.

10. Q: Can treaty law supersede the Constitution?
A: No.
Continue reading ‘Happy Constitution Day Part II: Bonus!’

Happy Constitution Day!

September 17, 2008 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Constitution

As the wars and occupations wage on, more and more banks fail, stocks dive, and we edge nearer and nearer to an all-out Depression, it’s all the more imperative that Americans revisit the document our country was founded upon: The Constitution.

The Constitution is not a “living, breathing document.” Quite the opposite, in fact — it’s a 221 year-old set of rules, written in stone, our FOUNDATION. Its principled stability and inability to compromise is for OUR protection and to control the inevitable corruption that follows power.

Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party candidate for President, has written an excellent article for today: “A Salute to Our U.S. Constitution.” Downsize DC has also written a great article: “The Unknown Holiday.” I recommend checking them out.

As great as the previously mentioned articles are— if you’re limited on time, I implore you to at least READ THE CONSTITUTION TODAY! I’ve included it below, it’s not that long, I promise. Your country will thank you.

Remember: There is nothing new under the sun.

Our Founding Fathers knew what would happen if we let our Republic go unattended. If you think the problems of tyranny, endless war, empire building, and financial mess are unique to the 21st century— you’re wrong. It’s all addressed in our Constitution. Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ, we’ve always had the power to go back home, we just need to realize it for ourselves. My friends, it’s long past time we start clicking our heels!

It’s not too late to RESTORE OUR REPUBLIC!

Constitution for the United States of America:

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.

Article. I.

Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons [Modified by Amendment XIV]. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof [Modified by Amendment XVII], for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies [Modified by Amendment XVII].

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section. 4. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December [Modified by Amendment XX], unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Section. 5. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Section. 7. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States;[2] If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section. 8. 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;

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;

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 Offences 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.

Section. 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Section. 10. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it’s inspection Laws; and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

Article. II.

Section. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President [Modified by Amendment XII].

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected [Modified by Amendment XXV].

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: — “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Section. 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section. 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article. III.

Section. 1. The judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section. 2. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; — to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; — to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; — to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; — to Controversies between two or more States; — between a State and Citizens of another State [Modified by Amendment XI]; — between Citizens of different States; — between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

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.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

Article. IV.

Section. 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section. 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due [Modified by Amendment XIII].

Section. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.

Article. V.

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.

Article. VI.

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Article. VII.

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

“…cause this is how a true Patriot acts, even if it violates your Patriot Act.”
- Truth Told