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Getting The Constitution’s Attention

Getting The Constitution’s Attention

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Next to the Holy Bible, the US Constitution is probably the most important document you will ever come in contact with. Some may argue whether the Bible actually takes precedence, but that's a discussion for another time. But few would debate that that, in a world where we put aside our differences with regard to faith, the document hammered out in 1787 to replace the failing Articles of Confederation is the most important bullwork to protecting our liberties. And yet, without the accepted social contracts that the Constitution implies we operate under, and the willingness of those who "lead" our nation to maintain the integrity of the purpose and protections the Constitution affords us, we would likely drift into chaos. But as long as we can point longingly at that document and proclaim it's efficacy to protect our rights, we are safe. Oh dear. On Saturday, I spent my usual morning perusing my favorite daily periodical, the Wall Street Journal. As I began reading an interesting piece by David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey on the D.C. Voting Rights Act (an excellent treatise on the issue), my dear wife (who likes to [...]
Getting The Constitution’s Attention

Thank Goodness The Media Are Unbiased

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A friend of mine (John Bloom) shared a "letter to the editor" that his brother (William S Bloom) wrote to the Quad City Times. For those of you that are outside Iowa and Illinois, the Quad Cities are Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline in Illinois. Anyhow, the piece, as edited by the newspaper, can be found on their web site at this link. The text of the original letter is below. Although I understand the concept of editing letters to conserve space, and a few of the edits made sense in that regard, there are still some key parts that were cut out. You be the judge... starting with the second paragraph (the first one was rewritten by the editors) I have used strike-out to highlight the text below where it was cut.

Are Americans Once Again In The Wilderness?

Last Sunday, I was listening to "Father Joe" (Father Joe Scalisi, Trinity Church, Rock Island), as he gave his Sermon for the first Sunday of Lent. Father Joe was talking about the role of "the Wilderness" in the Bible. How sometimes people hid there, how Jesus [...]

The Conservative Reader

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As we continue our inexorable national slide into socialism, as our freedoms begin to slowly, but surely, be taken away, I have made the following observations (while I still can). President Obama promised the following during the 2008 Presidential campaign:
  • Fiscal responsibility/no new earmarks. Apparently someone has forgotten to tell him about the 8,500 earmarks in the current omnibus spending bill and the projected $1.9 trillion (that's trillion with a "t") budget deficit.
  • Bi-partisanship. I'm not sure what that looks like, but I'm sure the Republicans don't feel like anyone is listening to them and addressing their concerns right now (other than Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins).
  • Economic growth. After less than two months in office, my retirement plan can't take much more of President Obama's "economic growth".
The markets are nervous, and it reflects in current stock market indices. As I write this, the Dow is [...]
Getting The Constitution’s Attention

Obama’s Optical problems

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On the morning of February 17th,I was standing in line getting coffee at the little cafeteria at my day gig. Behind me were two guys that had obviously been in heated discussion for some time. I don't know either of them. I can't vouch for the conversation being word for word, but here it is from my memory:
So, let me understand this. Obama's going to Denver, today... several days after the bill he was so much in a hurry to sign that none of Congress could actually take the time to read it, was placed on his desk. Why did he wait all that time after the vote? So he could vacation? Well, no, so he could fly out to Denver, I guess. Why Denver? So that he could sign it in a plant that makes Solar panels. He wants to be seen as a 'green' president. But what does it take to make this happen? How's he getting there? Well, he's got to fly Air Force One out to Denver. Doesn't that mean he's flying at least four planes? Air Force One, plus the military escort, PLUS a second plane for a decoy, and likely more escorts for the decoy? I guess so, why? How much fuel does that take? Oh, I heard [...]
Getting The Constitution’s Attention

Getting Around The Constitution

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Some like to use the Court System. Some like to use creative Congressional Legislation. Some even like to use Executive Orders. Others seek a coalition of states to enact laws to just circumvent the Constitutional system. Today we look at a bill before the Iowa General Assembly (House version, Senate version). This same bill has already been enacted into law in Maryland and New Jersey. It is still in the "Study Bill" state (in a committee for review), and will essentially cause Iowa to select Electors based on the National Popular Vote results instead of Iowa's Popular Vote results. Once enough states opt into this coalition to cover 270 electoral votes (the number of votes currently needed to win the Presidency), the law would go into effect. In case it's not obvious, the point is to make the College meaningless. I am very concerned about this bill. I’ll start by saying I support the Electoral College structure that we have in place today to mange the electing of the President, and although I could use this space to explain my support for it, my concern with the bill is not in the value of the College, but rather in the Compact that this bill places Iowa in. This bill, in concert with the same language in other states’ codes, is intended [...]
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