Category Archives: Constitutionality

Just answer the question…

U.S. Senator John McCain gestures as he arrives to address the third session of the Republican National Convention in TampaSenator Ted Cruz (D) Texas, has a political affliction which could be characterized as a form of leprosy in Washington. You see when he speaks, the truth seems to slip out, and when he defines issues in the context of the Constitution he swore an oath to uphold, he is immediately lambasted by cowards on both sides of the aisle. It seems any “Bill of Rights” question he asks is immediately taken as some kind of umbrage by the Liberal recipient. Now I’m pretty sure a working knowledge of our Constitution is somewhat of a prerequisite for the privilege of serving as an elected official, or at least it should be. So why was Senator Feinstein so “offended” when Cruz asked her a simple Constitutional question? The answer itself is simple.

If “We the People” desire a fair and balanced debate on any issue, it should be noted that Liberals are not at all interested in those types of debates. Talking points and (sensationalism for effect) are the time-tested and proven strategies of the Left. Questions and accountability are seen as unnecessary considering their “superior” intellectual abilities and usually elicit a form of annoying whining, inevitably followed by dodging the question altogether, much like we saw in the Cruz/Feinstein exchange.

Considering this political quandary, my message to politicians like McCain, Graham, Reid and Feinstein is, the founding documents were written in part to remind elitist fools who would be masters of the “low information voter”, that they must answer the question. Moreover, if Senator Ted Cruz is a “crazy bird” for asking the tough and relevant questions other politicians run from, then I shall send him an appropriate amount of bird seed so he may continue to defend my son’s Constitution.

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Not just in Rhode Island…

second-amendment-rifleThe fight for Second Amendment rights in Rhode Island is always interesting. The Ocean State’s unique political landscape lends itself to all kinds of curious interpretations. As a general rule, Rhode Islanders tend to be the quintessential procrastinators, prone to reactionary politics. That said, firearms owners in the state are a passionate bunch when roused. Appropriately and for the purposes of this writing, I think it’s important to identify the two opposing groups on the matter of gun control here in Rhode Island.

Firstly, the states entrenched Leftist politicians oppose the right to “keep and bear arms” as outlined in the federal Constitution and reinforced by an even less debatable state application. Their foremost agenda is “registration” as a means to eventual confiscation. Truth be told, if you hang around in political circles long enough, you’ll hear them say that very thing. Regrettably, their media sanitized efforts are often disguised by a blatant mischaracterization of the Amendment itself, as well as the exploitation of murdered innocents as an acceptable means to the aforementioned end. This is the most despicable kind of political gamesmanship, made even more indefensible by a deliberate end run around the Constitution(s) these elected officials swore an oath to defend.

On the other side there are the ardent few defenders on Smith (Capitol) Hill. Emboldened by a rising tide of awakening gun owners, folks like Representative Chippendale (R) 40 and Costa (R) 31 are often hampered by boatloads of media misinformation, political pandering and a lack of understanding on the part of the general public when considering the true intent of the Second Amendment. It’s always troubling when some in this camp go on about hunting and sport shooting, neither of which have anything to do with the Amendment. This ignorance, willful or otherwise, only makes the task of countering a well-organized and focused opposition more difficult. Ultimately, factual unity around the Second Amendment’s true origin and meaning provides the clarity necessary to understanding how “the right” facilitates/protects additional benefits like hunting and other sporting uses of firearms. Moreover, every gun-owner who values his or her time at the range or in the woods should understand that while the Second Amendment was not drafted for “recreational” purposes and/or reasoning, many of these cultural traditions as well as the God-given right of self-defense, are also protected by way of our founders wisdom, experience and the subsequent Constitutional right to “keep and bear arms”.

Please take some time to read “your” founding documents, as well as the letters and papers of those who wrote them. You will discover they are anything but outdated. In fact, the content could not be more necessary and applicable to our current national posture.

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Filibuster Fallout…

john_brennan_apRand Paul put the “represent” back in representation recently, with his old style “filibuster” on the floor of the Senate. Evidently this didn’t sit well in “Obamanation”. Following a very short and terse letter from AG Holder, another Constitutionally challenged glory seeker, basically acknowledging he was asleep in U. S. History class, John Brennan eventually took “the oath” of office for the position of CIA Director with his hand on a copy of the Constitution without Amendments. This crew just can’t get it right, not even when trying to be sarcastic.

Now any lack of understanding/outright ignorance on the part of President Obama and company in terms of our Liberty and the documents which outline it, should come as no surprise to anyone who is not completely and utterly brainwashed. Leaving out the Bible and any hint of recognition of a higher authority than one’s self however, speaks volumes to the arrogance and abuse of power tendencies of this Administration. What’s more, all efforts made by the White House to frame the argument(s) of our day, make these facts plain. The inmates are clearly running the asylum…

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Holder’s Constitutional Conundrum…

imagesWith every new gadget that makes defending freedom easier for our gallant military, comes the unintended consequences which can sometimes challenge the very same freedom. Whether it’s high-tech computer surveillance, or a “Predator” drone bringing America’s enemies to extreme/fatal temperature by way of a strategically placed AGM Hellfire missile, we must be vigilant to make sure this technology is never used to circumvent the rights of citizens here in the United States. Appropriately, one would think the Constitution addresses these types of questions, and one would be right. Of course this doesn’t apply if you’re Attorney General Eric Holder, the chief law enforcement officer in the land, and someone you’d think would know his Constitution.

I listened recently as Holder came before the Senate Judiciary Committee to explain a letter sent by his office to Senator Rand Paul, advising him the Obama Administration would consider drone strikes against American Citizens. Senator Ted Cruz prodded Holder for a simple yes or no answer to the question of Constitutionality when considering the use drones against a civilian, and in the absence of any “imminent threat” to national security, or due process. Simple right? Not so much…

senate-stakes_jpeg1-1280x960In typical Obama Administration fashion, Holder danced around Cruz’s questions for what seemed like an eternity, obviously struggling with the absolute power he and his boss believe was bestowed upon them via the elections of 2008 and 2012. In the most refreshing display of political courage I’ve seen in some time however, Senator Cruz was relentless in his pursuit of a “straight answer”, and eventually corralled Holder into what kinda sounded like, “ok already, it’s un-Constitutional damn it!”. Bravo Senator. I never thought I’d be writing this, but simple Constitutionality is a breath of fresh air in Washington these days…

And the Liberty death clock ticks on…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGQQOyzWen4

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Lessons for Lefties…

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward

This dust-up between poor “Watergate Bob Woodward” and the White House over sequestration tells the story of what happens when you fall out of grace with the Left Wing Machine. Astonishingly, it appears the lap-dog Obama media have also thrown (one of their own) over the side.

I have said many times that this President and his college sycophants play fast and loose with a Constitution they don’t respect. From the very beginning, President Obama made no secret of the fact he intended to get his way regardless of any “Congressional oversight”. But when I heard Lou Dobbs speaking with Megyn Kelly recently on “Happening Now”, it really kinda hit home. Dobbs was incensed at the lack of outrage over the Administration’s side stepping of Congress and the “work” for benefits clause in the Clinton Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. He pointed out the President has no authority to pick and choose what laws he will abide by. Dobbs commented further on how “patient” Congress has been in similar situations, when the POTUS basically imposed his will at the expense of separation of powers and/or the appearance of any co-equal function of government in Washington.

I think when you look at the last five years in totality, and then listen to the well documented comments made by Mr. Obama and his over-educated but inexperienced side-kicks, you will find they have little regard for a process which empowers “We the People” first. Moreover, it appears they mean to bully and intimidate anyone in their way, including past collaborators.

 

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Lost wisdom at Providence College…

220px-Sheldon_Whitehouse_2010My opinions on Sheldon “Silver Spoon” Whitehouse are no secret, nor is my assertion he is unfit to hold any public office. With that said today, I remain confused at how and why this clearly pro-abortion politician winds up giving a major policy speech at an esteemed Catholic Institution of higher learning. The sort of strange and quasi-historical  “double standard” applied by folks like Rev. Brian Shanley in his press release on the matter, is nothing short of unsettling. Rest assured however, I mean to understand how it is that opportunistic and ideological demagogues like Senator Whitehouse are allowed an unchallenged platform in a place where God’s words “Thou shall not kill” should bar them at the door.

Now I think anyone with half a brain can figure out Whitehouse is looking for a couple of snapshots with the good Reverend to use in future campaigns. The question is, why does Tom Tancredo get the axe because his positions on immigration don’t jive with Bishop Tobin’s, but Whitehouse is allowed in with the blood of the unborn on his hands.

This just doesn’t pass the sniff test for me. The administrators over at PC, (home of my beloved Friar’s), are gonna have to do better than a little press release before they skate on this one.

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The truth, brought to you by real world experience…

Even M. Todd stared down evil and gave justification for his life to the devil manifested. I for one will respect his experience in place of President Obama’s opportunistic and ideological politics every time…

Evan M. Todd

Evan M. Todd

Unedited from “The Blaze” –

Mr. President,

As a student who was shot and wounded during the Columbine massacre, I have a few thoughts on the current gun debate. In regards to your gun control initiatives:

Universal Background Checks

First, a universal background check will have many devastating effects. It will arguably have the opposite impact of what you propose. If adopted, criminals will know that they can not pass a background check legally, so they will resort to other avenues. With the conditions being set by this initiative, it will create a large black market for weapons and will support more criminal activity and funnel additional money into the hands of thugs, criminals, and people who will do harm to American citizens.

Second, universal background checks will create a huge bureaucracy that will cost an enormous amount of tax payers dollars and will straddle us with more debt. We cannot afford it now, let alone create another function of government that will have a huge monthly bill attached to it.

Third, is a universal background check system possible without universal gun registration? If so, please define it for us. Universal registration can easily be used for universal confiscation. I am not at all implying that you, sir, would try such a measure, but we do need to think about our actions through the lens of time.

It is not impossible to think that a tyrant, to the likes of Mao, Castro, Che, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and others, could possibly rise to power in America. It could be five, ten, twenty, or one hundred years from now — but future generations have the natural right to protect themselves from tyrannical government just as much as we currently do. It is safe to assume that this liberty that our forefathers secured has been a thorn in the side of would-be tyrants ever since the Second Amendment was adopted.

Ban on Military-Style Assault Weapons

The evidence is very clear pertaining to the inadequacies of the assault weapons ban. It had little to no effect when it was in place from 1994 until 2004. It was during this time that I personally witnessed two fellow students murder twelve of my classmates and one teacher. The assault weapons ban did not deter these two murderers, nor did the other thirty-something laws that they broke.

Gun ownership is at an all time high. And although tragedies like Columbine and Newtown are exploited by ideologues and special-interest lobbying groups, crime is at an all time low. The people have spoken. Gun store shelves have been emptied. Gun shows are breaking attendance records. Gun manufacturers are sold out and back ordered. Shortages on ammo and firearms are countrywide. The American people have spoken and are telling you that our Second Amendment shall not be infringed.

10-Round Limit for Magazines

Virginia Tech was the site of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Seung-Hui Cho used two of the smallest caliber hand guns manufactured and a handful of ten round magazines. There are no substantial facts that prove that limited magazines would make any difference at all. Second, this is just another law that endangers law-abiding citizens. I’ve heard you ask, “why does someone need 30 bullets to kill a deer?”

Let me ask you this: Why would you prefer criminals to have the ability to out-gun law-abiding citizens? Under this policy, criminals will still have their 30-round magazines, but the average American will not. Whose side are you on?

Lastly, when did they government get into the business of regulating “needs?” This is yet another example of government overreaching and straying from its intended purpose.

Selling to Criminals

Mr. President, these are your words: “And finally, Congress needs to help, rather than hinder, law enforcement as it does its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns with the express purpose of turning around and selling them to criminals. And we should severely punish anybody who helps them do this.”

Why don’t we start with Eric Holder and thoroughly investigate the Fast and Furious program?

Furthermore, the vast majority of these mass murderers bought their weapons legally and jumped through all the hoops —  because they were determined to murder. Adding more hoops and red tape will not stop these types of people. It doesn’t now — so what makes you think it will in the future? Criminals who cannot buy guns legally just resort to the black market.

Criminals and murderers will always find a way.

Critical Examination

Mr. President, in theory, your initiatives and proposals sound warm and fuzzy — but in reality they are far from what we need. Your initiatives seem to punish law-abiding American citizens and enable the murderers, thugs, and other lowlifes who wish to do harm to others.

Let me be clear: These ideas are the worst possible initiatives if you seriously care about saving lives and also upholding your oath of office. There is no dictate, law, or regulation that will stop bad things from happening — and you know that. Yet you continue to push the rhetoric. Why?

You said, “If we can save just one person it is worth it.” Well here are a few ideas that will save more that one individual:

First, forget all of your current initiatives and 23 purposed executive orders. They will do nothing more than impede law-abiding citizens and breach the intent of the Constitution. Each initiative steals freedom, grants more power to an already-overreaching government, and empowers and enables criminals to run amok.

Second, press Congress to repeal the “Gun Free Zone Act.” Don’t allow America’s teachers and students to be endangered one-day more. These parents and teachers have the natural right to defend themselves and not be looked at as criminals. There is no reason teachers must disarm themselves to perform their jobs. There is also no reason a parent or volunteer should be disarmed when they cross the school line.

This is your chance to correct history and restore liberty. This simple act of restoring freedom will deter would-be murderers and for those who try, they will be met with resistance.

Mr. President, do the right thing, restore freedom, and save lives. Show the American people that you stand with them and not with thugs and criminals.

Respectfully,

Severely Concerned Citizen, Evan M. Todd

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True Intent…

Feinstein thinks these folks buy their guns at gun stores.

Feinstein thinks these folks buy their guns at gun stores.

It’s always noteworthy how the wacko Left is so fixated on antagonizing law abiding gun owners instead of pursuing and prosecuting criminals. Truly they are more frightened of an empowered free citizen than some parolee “gang-banger”. Well, that is until that gang-banger shows up in their living room demanding cash and their daughter, and then they start wishing they had their own equalizer.

The idea that Maine’s Governor LePage must now seek an emergency injunction to stop a local news rags attempt to snag personal data on legitimate “carry permit” holders, should be sufficient evidence to any reasonable observer of the Left’s true intent. This fight has not and will never be about crime, but rather it remains an ideological struggle with law-abiding gun owners in one corner and Constitutionally challenged, political opportunists in the other.

The good news is that with every passing day the “gun-grabbers” argument grows more and more strained under the weight of fact and reason, and the Presidents assertions that gun owners “are siding with him” falters against the scrutiny of truth and context.

It appears all of our crises of late are bringing the U.S. closer to a national epiphany certain to set us back on freedoms course, or at least I hope so…

 

 

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“Skin in the game”…

Dr. Benjamin Carson is the kind of man we should be sending to Washington. If not for the fact he is a doctor (a pediatric brain surgeon no less), and we are in such short supply of doctors because of Obamacare, I would start a petition today to draft him for a political run. Why do I say this, you ask?

175974_5_I caught just a bit of his remarks at the recent National Prayer Breakfast where he lectured and President on healthcare and then schooled him on tax reform. This man has two things which are clearly in short supply in Congress these days, character and common sense. His basic premise on taxes (as described in his book, “America the Beautiful”),  is a “flat tax” for all, very much like a “religious tithe”, would dramatically simplify the tax code and solve most of Washington’s spending vs. revenue issues. It would also go a long way to rooting out the political evil which now presides over our finances. Simply put, an across the board percentage of one single and mutually agreed upon “denomination” would be applied to every working American (and collecting one). Obviously, if you have some “skin in the game”, you are naturally more inclined to be concerned with how “your” money gets spent. Moreover, the incentive to better ones fiscal position, is reinforced by the notion that you are treated no differently than any other tax payer. The flip side of that coin of course, is that you should expect no different accommodation.

The videos and web page below are about as sensible an approach as I have heard in some time. There is no dark political objective, and no prevalent ideology with the exception of that which is our cultural, and undeniable national origin. I must agree, a “flat tax” would be the single best solution to our financial troubles to come along in over eighty years, and would return our nation to its Constitutional foundations. Politicians take note, “We the People” are gonna get this message eventually. Unfortunately, the rest of what Dr. Carson has to say is only for those who love and appreciate their country.

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-a-budget/282211-dr-ben-carsons-tithing-wisdom

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2161630388001/does-the-bible-endorse-a-flat-tax

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4fkBb3_E_g

 

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“Saving American lives”…

anwar-obama-drone-460x307Listening to “School Boy Jay Carney” talk about these drone strikes is like watching a Jason Bourne movie. “Your missions will save American lives”. Good grief…

The problem is this administrations track record in terms of the Constitutional rights of “We the People”. Everything they do stinks more of political reasoning than anything else. All roads seem destined only to prop up this President, usually by way of an end-run around the (Bill of Rights). Hell, they vaporized al-Awlaki’s 16-year-old son along with him.

You know, I listen to Libs every day fight with me about how the POTUS was sent by God to right the wrongs of GW and Ronald Reagan. Frankly, all I have been able to discern with clarity, is that he’s an inexperienced community organizer from Illinois, who doesn’t know the first thing about actually being President. I see a man, ideologically content to remake the office into his own personal shooting gallery, with American citizens now clearly on the “kill list”.

I am all for the use of these drones as an effective way to light up these terrorist bastards when they least expect it. That said, and given President Obama’s propensity to gorge himself at the trough of power, I think it’s time for some serious oversight.

Hey, do you hear something??? Oh sxxt…….—————————

 

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