Getting The Constitution’s Attention
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 [...]
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Effective immediately, you can follow The Conservative Reader on Twitter. Go to: http://twitter.com/TCR_Main, and click “Followâ€. If you don’t have a Twitter account yet, you’ll need to open one first.Thank Goodness The Media Are Unbiased
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
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".
Obama’s Optical problems
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 Around The Constitution
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 [...]
The Charlatan: Barney Frank
I found this article today on RealClearMarkets.com, but Caroline Baum. It bears reading in its entirety. Here's the link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_baum&sid=a5UrNNsvQepQ Someday, Chairman Frank will be exposed for the creep he clearly is.President Doom and Gloom
I caught bits and pieces of the press conference held by President Obama last night and I heard the subsequent reviews. My analysis suggests that our national media threw President Obama a bunch of softballs. President Bush would have held a lot more press conferences if the questions were that easy, I bet. Bill O'Reilly called the President "boring". No kidding! And then some!
Here's what's starting to grate on me. For the last 18 months, all we've heard from President Obama is how terrible things are, and now "this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression". Bad news is his mantra. I'm not sure if he can handle good news. It makes me wonder how he responded to the news he was going to be a father. Did he say "Great! Another mouth to feed"?
Americans, for the most part, are an optimistic lot. For us, the glass is always half full. According to President Obama, there is no glass, primarily because the greedy Wall Street types stole it. He can't even discuss the whole Alex Rodriguez steroid thing without calling it "depressing".
Eventually, the American people will tire of President Obama's negativity. That day is getting closer. Three weeks into his administration, it's already clear he's in way over his head. Talk about above his pay grade! And by his own admission.
We're looking at [...]
The Stimulus That Wasn’t Gets Passed
Bruce McQuain, this morning at Q&Q:
Well there’s an agreement on the Generational Theft Act of 2009. The squishy middle has capitulated. As expected, just enough Republicans have signed on to ensure its passage. Names? Specter for one:Which, doubtless, will be endlessly touted by the Democrats over the following two years. And, forever, for that matter, each time the amount of debt incurred by this mess turns up as a discussion point on online venues, or talking head programs. The problem is obvious; it is what Bruce describes as the “squishy middle†. I’ve been telling you people for nearly a decade now that it is the centrists among us that are going to kill us off as a nation. If this [...]Specter said Friday night that action was “very necessary,†and this bill, though not perfect, is better than inaction. “I think no one could argue with the fact that the situation would be much worse without this bill,†Specter said at a news conference.And of course, Susan Collins is the other (and Olympia Snowe is also reportedly going to vote for it). Voinavich and Martinez bailed. They’ll give this the veneer of bi-partisan legitimacy.
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