Listening to Dan Carlin's latest podcast, "Searching for Security", my mind kept wandering beyond what he was talking about. The point of the first half of the show was the erosion of the fourth amendment of our constitution. In case you haven't read it lately, here it is:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Dan was talking about the warrant less wire taps, illegal searching using "bots" to find people that look at certain types of websites, even seizing of library records and searching of Internet service providers e-mail records for suspicious words and phrases.
The question ended up being whether the fourth may or may not be outdated in today's society. He spoke about Louis Freeh, the FBI Director under president Clinton. He used a quote from Freeh that loosely said "if you ask someone if it is acceptable to tap their phone, they will absolutely say NO. If you ask them if they want a device to help find where their children are, they are all for it."
All the while, I was thinking, "Wow, think about the rest of the constitution and where that has gone too?" The first amendment. Freedom of press, religion, assembly, speech and petition. These words too, have been slowly bastardized to the point of being nearly useless. It too often seems that all laws have to be completely anti religion today. The press is pressured to not be the watchdogs of government. Check out this link: http://www.iptv.org/iowajournal/story.cfm/31 . In order to assemble where we live, there are countless permits and costs. You can't just organize a good ole sit in and not be arrested. Hundreds of thousands of people did manage to make it through the red tape on April 15th only to be played off by the major media outlets as right wing extremists, and as one major unnamed news outlet (name looks like it could mean Communist News Network) said "tea bagging rednecks". Suppose they may have felt a little pressure from the administration or the "party"? Don't even talk about how well you shot at the sporting clays range yesterday while you are in the airport today.
The second amendment. Probably THE most attacked part of the constitution, other than the tenth amendment. I happened across Huckabee's show on Fox News today. He had Charles Grodin on to talk about his new book. Grodin hadn't even been completely introduced yet when he went into a tirade about gun violence. Was the Clinton gun ban an erosion? Is the following proposed bill http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h45/text an erosion of the constitution? I find it ironic the guy proposing it , long time Clinton family friend and Chicago's own Bobby Rush, is a co-founder of the Illinois Black Panthers and went to jail for felony possession of firearms.
The list goes on. There are examples of infringement on every piece of the Contract that our nation was founded upon. At times, the document is used against itself. In today's age of mass transportation and instant information, the necessary and proper clause and the interstate commerce clause are used consistently to destroy the tenth amendment. Read the text of the gun ban proposal at the link above for a classic example. Interstate commerce of firearms is used as the excuse for national licensing. The Second and Tenth are taken away, as they are written, in favor of a part of the body of the text.
This document is the foundation of our nation. Although it is written in far more proper English than we are used to reading in today's lowest common denominator (the bottom number in a fraction for you lefties) age, it is still pretty straight forward and forthright. Why it needs to be "interpreted" has always bothered me. If it outdated, let's not just chip away at it. It's illegal to do so. Let's man up and change it according to the law.
I believe, as Dan said, that the American people would never go for this and the politicians know it. What he left unsaid however, is the fact that politicians are smart. They have figured out that the American public is largely full of people who feel they are too busy to pay close attention. Law is boring and complex so it's extremely easy for them to get around that little stumbling block that holds our Nation together. My fear is now that folks appear to be waking up, it may be too late. The difference between left and right seems to be more like the difference between Valencia and naval oranges rather than apples and oranges.
We have to remember the body of the document had zero chance of passing until a Bill of Rights was included. These ten items secured a small national government free of tyranny in favor of strong local governments of the people. This security is only possible if we the people ensure OUR EMPLOYEES (the Congress and President) live up to the law.
Please check out Dan Carlin's Common Sense and Hardcore History podcasts. He truly is half Ann Coulter and half James Carville. You can find him at http://www.dancarlin.com/ . He never fails to make me think; a lot.
A couple pertinent quotes from Ben Franklin:
"He that lives upon hope will die fasting."
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
There's power in them there words!
Showing posts with label states rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label states rights. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Poor County Votes Repiblican
An old friend from high school recently made a comment that I couldn't let go of...She spoke about being part of a VERY poor community that kept voting Republican. She just couldn't understand why these people kept voting against their own economic well being. I too live where things are tremendously depressed. According to the 2000 census, 44% of my county's population made less than $25,000 a year. and 62% made less than $35,000. The median wage was just $27,000. I would venture that the median is actually a little deceiving, because there are a few of us that travel for work. By travel, I mean make a minimum of an hour commute every day because we are fortunate enough to have jobs that pay us enough to do so.
I have a theory about why we vote Republican when it wouldn't seem natural to do so. We don't want a hand out. We also know that as long as Kalifornia and USSNY exist, we will never get a proportionate share of our pay in to the Feds. Big cities equal big payouts from the Federal government, and we understand that the Republicans are our only hope (as little as there is) for keeping taxes low.
Our government was established upon a "United States". In other words, each state was its own country. The Constitution was to be a treaty amongst the states in order to provide a common defense and a set of ground rules for us all to get along. This document was ratified with a bill of rights in order to establish a "Union". If we take this as a truth, there are some things that have been corrupted within our current government.
First, federal representatives have far too much status. State members of the house should have far more power than a than a US Senator. Being a state Senator or Governor would be of a status next to the President himself.... Think about that one...
Federal congresspeople today believe it is their duty to "bring it home" to their state. They should actually be fighting to keep it from leaving their state in the first place. FDR saw to it that we never again would be able to fight for that. I just spoke heresy to my liberal readers, but sometimes the truth hurts.
What about projects for the "greater good"? Omnipotent health care, education, someone mentioned US highways. The real question is what about the Individual and the Constitution? I would LOVE to have someone take care of all my social needs. How Awesome? Well, I am not prepared to live in accordance with their belief system in order to have their programs. If I want to have a cigar and a glass of wine after a big steak dinner, I don't want a vegan telling me I can't because it will affect their health care. No cheeseburgers, I don't think so! You have to give up chocolate, because I don't think its good. Before long, we are all living on tofu and water, and running three miles a week. that may be a little far fetched, but really, where does one persons right to pursue happiness end for the greater good? Who decides? If we say society decides, the line will move every election cycle. You can smoke for the next two years. Then you have to stop and eat only fish for protein for two years. Again, far flung, but where is the line?
I say leave it ALL to the states. If you want universal health care, move to Massachusetts. Gay marriage, got to Connecticut. Good schools, the Midwest makes sense. Reverse the state versus fed income tax, and let the states decide. We can take care of defense, highways, and trade alone for far less than is paid now. The folks in a particular state want to forgo taxes at the cost of their schools or highways, it's all good. They will suffer the consequences by having industry leave and their tax base dry up. It really is that easy.
The majority of folks in low population, low income areas don't want a hand out. They want the Federal government out. They are used to operating without a net, and are happy to do so. Far and away more square miles of this country vote conservative than liberal. By four to one. Check it out here:http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008_election_county-by-county/
We rednecks simply don't like to be told what to do or how to do it. We also know control of our liberties is exactly what the leftists want. The county by county map may not have any bearing on the election outcome, but it does shed light on why small town folks vote the way they do.
Even if your political views are different than mine, PLEASE check ://www.the912project.com/
Until next time, don't let the financial news get you down. Keep your head high, your powder dry and your eyes open.
I have a theory about why we vote Republican when it wouldn't seem natural to do so. We don't want a hand out. We also know that as long as Kalifornia and USSNY exist, we will never get a proportionate share of our pay in to the Feds. Big cities equal big payouts from the Federal government, and we understand that the Republicans are our only hope (as little as there is) for keeping taxes low.
Our government was established upon a "United States". In other words, each state was its own country. The Constitution was to be a treaty amongst the states in order to provide a common defense and a set of ground rules for us all to get along. This document was ratified with a bill of rights in order to establish a "Union". If we take this as a truth, there are some things that have been corrupted within our current government.
First, federal representatives have far too much status. State members of the house should have far more power than a than a US Senator. Being a state Senator or Governor would be of a status next to the President himself.... Think about that one...
Federal congresspeople today believe it is their duty to "bring it home" to their state. They should actually be fighting to keep it from leaving their state in the first place. FDR saw to it that we never again would be able to fight for that. I just spoke heresy to my liberal readers, but sometimes the truth hurts.
What about projects for the "greater good"? Omnipotent health care, education, someone mentioned US highways. The real question is what about the Individual and the Constitution? I would LOVE to have someone take care of all my social needs. How Awesome? Well, I am not prepared to live in accordance with their belief system in order to have their programs. If I want to have a cigar and a glass of wine after a big steak dinner, I don't want a vegan telling me I can't because it will affect their health care. No cheeseburgers, I don't think so! You have to give up chocolate, because I don't think its good. Before long, we are all living on tofu and water, and running three miles a week. that may be a little far fetched, but really, where does one persons right to pursue happiness end for the greater good? Who decides? If we say society decides, the line will move every election cycle. You can smoke for the next two years. Then you have to stop and eat only fish for protein for two years. Again, far flung, but where is the line?
I say leave it ALL to the states. If you want universal health care, move to Massachusetts. Gay marriage, got to Connecticut. Good schools, the Midwest makes sense. Reverse the state versus fed income tax, and let the states decide. We can take care of defense, highways, and trade alone for far less than is paid now. The folks in a particular state want to forgo taxes at the cost of their schools or highways, it's all good. They will suffer the consequences by having industry leave and their tax base dry up. It really is that easy.
The majority of folks in low population, low income areas don't want a hand out. They want the Federal government out. They are used to operating without a net, and are happy to do so. Far and away more square miles of this country vote conservative than liberal. By four to one. Check it out here:http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008_election_county-by-county/
We rednecks simply don't like to be told what to do or how to do it. We also know control of our liberties is exactly what the leftists want. The county by county map may not have any bearing on the election outcome, but it does shed light on why small town folks vote the way they do.
Even if your political views are different than mine, PLEASE check ://www.the912project.com/
Until next time, don't let the financial news get you down. Keep your head high, your powder dry and your eyes open.
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