The Constitution

[RobinFromIreland]

I quite liked this article from the WSJ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523872418278233.html?mod=djemEditorialPage).

...In a radio interview in 2001, then-Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama noted -- somewhat ruefully -- that the same Supreme Court that ordered political and educational equality in the 1960s and 1970s did not bring about economic equality as well. Although Mr. Obama said he could come up with arguments for the constitutionality of such action, the plain meaning of the Constitution quite obviously prohibits it.

Mr. Obama is hardly alone in his expansive view of legitimate government. During the past month, Sen. John McCain (who, like Sen. Obama, voted in favor of the $700 billion bank bailout) has been advocating that $300 billion be spent to pay the monthly mortgage payments of those in danger of foreclosure. The federal government is legally powerless to do that, as well...


The US Constitution is something a (very) few of us here in Europe strongly admire, however it disappoints me to see its nature ignored so many times.

My question is this:

As Americans, how do you feel about the Constitution as a governance document in the present day? Is it the foundation of your beliefs in what a government should be, or is long past its sell-by date in the modern world?

[George Sands]

My question is this:

As Americans, how do you feel about the Constitution as a governance document in the present day? Is it the foundation of your beliefs in what a government should be

It's the foundation of my belief in what a governing document should be. As for the actual government we get, I think we pretty much get the one we deserve--a thought I find depressing as hell.

[Dave Schwartz]

I have a good friend who is a lawyer. His heart lies with our constituition.

He told me that he is voting for OBama because, as a former constituitional law professor, he must believe in upholding it.

LOL

I'll let you know how this works out.

[pandy]

I believe in the constitution and the founding fathers vision for America. Big government is moving farther and farther away from that vision. The government is supposed to work for us, not the other way around. I don't know what type of taxes you pay in Ireland (although I've heard that the business taxes are low now), but the average middle class person pays around 40% to the gov't here, and the founding fathers started a war over a 3% tax. Unfortunately, half the population doesn't understand that taking people's money is anti-American.

[mostpost]

I was taught in school that the American Revolution was fought over "Taxation Without Representation" (see Boston Tea Party) not over taxation itself.

[JustRalph]

I was taught in school that the American Revolution was fought over "Taxation Without Representation" (see Boston Tea Party) not over taxation itself.

why do you think they wanted the representation? So they could get the tax repealed.............that's why!

[Tampa Russ]

As Americans, how do you feel about the Constitution as a governance document in the present day? Is it the foundation of your beliefs in what a government should be, or is long past its sell-by date in the modern world?

My best estimate is that about than half of our present day population has almost zero knowledge of our own constitution, including our school teachers. I was fortunate to have stumbled upon one good history professor back in my college days. The flip side is I now feel the cause is almost hopeless. Yes, I believe strongly in our constitution.

[jonnielu]

I quite liked this article from the WSJ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523872418278233.html?mod=djemEditorialPage).



The US Constitution is something a (very) few of us here in Europe strongly admire, however it disappoints me to see its nature ignored so many times.

My question is this:

As Americans, how do you feel about the Constitution as a governance document in the present day? Is it the foundation of your beliefs in what a government should be, or is long past its sell-by date in the modern world?

It is the most forgotten document that we have. You probably know more about it then the average guy on the U.S. street.

He is completely unaware that our Constitution is the cage that we were supposed to keep the monster of our federal government in. We are the keepers/stewards of the key.

The modern American is unaware that he unhanded his authority to the criminal element that sits in D.C., and has not the balls to simply take it back as his "representatives" use his own authority to sack his house and gamahooch his entire family.

He has been weakened by his dependence, to the point that he can only look on, and hope that he doesn't get in any trouble, while two new criminals debate on TV about how they propose to run his pathetic life.

All because he is now too scared to invoke his own authority that so many gave their lives in order for him to hold. Scared of losing something, when he has nothing left to lose.

jdl

[pandy]

I was taught in school that the American Revolution was fought over "Taxation Without Representation" (see Boston Tea Party) not over taxation itself.

That's true, but the tax that started it was only 3%. The point is, they knew that they had no representation and thus no control on how much the taxes could be increased, or how they would be spent. Based on history, if the Founding Fathers were alive today, and saw the middle class paying 40% of their income to gov't, they'd be ready to raise some hell.

[jonnielu]

I have a good friend who is a lawyer. His heart lies with our constituition.

He told me that he is voting for OBama because, as a former constituitional law professor, he must believe in upholding it.

LOL

I'll let you know how this works out.

Dave,

The onus to uphold it is on us, it always has been. Obama, and the rest of the criminals in D.C. don't have to spend 5 minutes of study to find the path around the Constitution. Have your buddy read the 14th amendment, and ask him if he could lawfully impose it on anyone.

jdl

[jonnielu]

I believe in the constitution and the founding fathers vision for America. Big government is moving farther and farther away from that vision. The government is supposed to work for us, not the other way around. I don't know what type of taxes you pay in Ireland (although I've heard that the business taxes are low now), but the average middle class person pays around 40% to the gov't here, and the founding fathers started a war over a 3% tax. Unfortunately, half the population doesn't understand that taking people's money is anti-American.

That is why they don't take the money, you are suckered into giving it. You are made to believe that you are a citizen of congress, and you use your own authority to tax yourself.

Who writes the amount in the box next to "taxable income", you do.

Who signs the form, you do.

Has anyone connected with the federal government ever put it down on paper that you, specifically "must" pay a tax on your income? No

Why, because the legal authority for such a determination can only come from YOU.

The same way that you could use your Constitution to walk right out of the federal income tax system.

If, you could scrape up .005% of the guts the the 56 had.

jdl

[Tom]

The constitution is what separates us from the rest of the world. It is what allowed a bunch of displaced European farmers accomplish here what they could not in their homelands. It is a living document, that limits what government can do and specifically prescribes what it can. It's major flaw is that it did not provide for term limits.

Obama and his party of traitors will move us away from the very concepts that founded this great nation and regress us back to the mean, that being Europe. Sad.

[jonnielu]

The constitution is what separates us from the rest of the world. It is what allowed a bunch of displaced European farmers accomplish here what they could not in their homelands. It is a living document, that limits what government can do and specifically prescribes what it can. It's major flaw is that it did not provide for term limits.

Obama and his party of traitors will move us away from the very concepts that founded this great nation and regress us back to the mean, that being Europe. Sad.

The major flaw is that you do not understand that the federal government can not do a damn thing without you authorizing it to do so. Through your Constitution.

What is sad, is that because you have a Constitution, you don't have to lock and load, or put on a disguise to rebel without risking your life and the lives of your family. You do not have to put same on the line just to declare and have your authority. You only need to stand up and excert it... without any cannon pointed at you.

The princes in D.C. hold a monopoly money $20 over your head and you fold up like a 50 cent lawn chair. That is sad.

jdl

P.S. What separates us from the rest of the world is the Declaration of Independence, nothing has overcome its power, only you can leave it lay dormant and powerless.