The two great founding documents in American history are the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Today, more than two centuries after each was written, people often conflate the two. How often have you heard someone say “It’s my right… it’s right there in the Constitution… Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Of course, that phrase is not in the Constitution at all. It’s in the Declaration.
That conflation belies the fact that while both documents are important to our history, they are fundamentally different and do different things. The Declaration of Independence severed the ties with Great Britain, explained the grounds for that split and declared that each state was a sovereign nation unto itself. The Constitution on the other hand articulated how those 13 sovereign nations would come together to form a single nation and how the government would be structured, how powers would be distributed both between the federal and state governments as well as the framework of checks and balances within the federal government itself. A critical element in the passage of that Constitution was the Massachusetts Compromise, without which it would never have passed. It was the Massachusetts Compromise that forged the agreement to add a Bill of Rights as the first order of business when the new Congress met.
During the ratification much of the debate could focus on a Bill of Rights because the checks and balances were already in place within the original document itself: Staggered terms for presidents, senators and congressmen and lifetime appointments for justices; The president’s veto and Congress’ ability to override; The election of congressmen by citizens, senators by states and the president by the Electoral College; Representation in the House based on population and in the Senate by equal numbers, etc.
The whole point of the American Constitution is the United States is a nation of laws, not a nation of men. The founders were too early to have been able to reference John Dalbert-Acton’s famous 19th century quote “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” but they certainly understood the sentiment behind it. As such they gave us a constitution specifically implemented to avoid just that. They were quite clear about how the government can enact laws. Congresses passes bills and the President signs them into law. The Executive Branch then implements and executes them. While presidents have a great deal of leeway, their job is to execute the law, not write it. The whole point of the Constitution was to have the law making power in the hands of the people’s representatives, not in the hands of a would be king.
Unfortunately King Barack doesn’t see the Constitution quite that way. To be sure, Congress has a long history of ceding power to the Executive Branch, largely enabled by FDR’s bringing the Supreme Court to heel, but nonetheless, there is a difference between Congresses’ ill advised delegation of authority to the President and his simply taking it. And that’s what we see in Obamacare.
When laws are somewhat open ended, like the 4,000 word document creating the EPA it should come as no surprise that the Executive Branch takes it upon itself to “clarify” the language as it implements the law. The result today is an EPA that is out of control. While that is a bad thing, it’s easy to understand how it came to be. Obamacare has no such ambiguity. It contains over 400,000 words – half the length of the Bible! And in those almost half a million words you find an employer mandate requirement that stipulates: “Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to months beginning after December 31, 2013.” (Found under the section titled “SEC. 1513. SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYERS.”) There is no ambiguity there. There is no opaque timeframe for the requirements to take effect. But that doesn’t matter to Barack Obama. In July of last year he changed the rules by Executive fiat… but not the law. That’s illegal. That’s unconstitutional. As Charles Krauthammer says, “That’s banana republic stuff.”
And there are many more instances of the same. We’ve known since 2008 that Barack Obama was not a fan of the US Constitution, but now that he is in charge of the reins of power, he seems to think that he doesn’t need to pay any attention to it at all. How many times have you heard him say something like “If Congress won’t act, I will”? Frankly, that’s a scary proposition for a country that has been largely free for two centuries. There’s a pattern here that seems troubling. Unlawfully seizing property from the rightful owners… check. Using the power of government to try and silence opponents… check. Lying to voters in order to gain their support for legislation… check. Then deciding that that law says what he says it says rather than what it actually says… check. That is a textbook definition of a tyrant and a decent into a banana republic. One can’t help but wonder how much time he’s putting into figuring out how to bypass the 22nd Amendment.
See author page
Come on.
He promised to fundamentally change this country. He has done so. He has abolished the laws, and replaced them with his own autocratic rule. He has installed Czars to rule every portion of our lives. He has assigned the Justice Department the assignment to provide for ballot box stuffing. He has designated the IRS as the implementer of restrictions on speech of his opponents. He has charged the EPA with abolishing our use of coal and oil. He has seized our property, under the fiction of protection of endangered species. He has brought down the middle class and enriched his cronies. He has destroyed any chance for black young people to obtain employment. He has trashed our world standing, reducing us to hapless spectating as the world teeters out of control.
I call that fundamental change. And the lame-stream media LOVES IT!
It’s only tyranny if it doesn’t work for the good of the country. Obama, the Progressive Socialists, and the mob know what is best for the country; that is why we are supposed to sit back and watch him weave his magic. If you speak out, you are an evil bigoted racist, and they have you dead to rights there; since minorities have been given dispensation and are more equal than the dreaded white race, the pigs who once owned slaves. So it is only fitting that a Black man should dismantle this country and rewrite it so that the premise of being more equal than others is written into sacred documents.
I have been laughed at for saying Obama has a staff looking into getting around the 22nd Amendment .
Apparently others are thinking the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@tommyboy:
Indeed.
@tommyboy: In my heart I hope this doesn’t happen, but I have for a few years thought that it may happen that he decides, like putin to make himself president for life. However, I do believe that will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and this temporary federal employee will be ousted. Either peacefully or violently. However since obama has had built a huge bunker in the basement of the WH (I saw it being built), that he will hunker down. God help us. We need it.
Not to worry. It’s the most transparent administration evah.
“If I Were the Devil
If I were the Prince of Darkness I would want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.
I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree.
So I should set about however necessary, to take over the United States.
I would begin with a campaign of whispers.
With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whispers to you as I whispered to Eve, “Do as you please.”
To the young I would whisper “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that “man created God,” instead of the other way around. I would confide that “what is bad is good and what is good is square.”
In the ears of the young married I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be “extreme” in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.
And the old I would teach to pray — to say after me — “Our father which are in Washington.”
Then I’d get organized.
I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull, uninteresting.
I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies, and vice-versa.
I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing, less work. Idle hands usually work for me.
I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could, I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction, I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the Devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions; let those run wild.
I’d designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts and I’d get preachers to say, “She’s right.”
With flattery and promises of power I would get the courts to vote against God and in favor of pornography.
Thus I would evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the Houses of Congress.
Then in his own churches I’d substitute psychology for religion and deify science.
If I were Satan I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg
And the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
If I were the Devil I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. Then my police state would force everybody back to work.
Then I would separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines and objectors in slave-labor camps.
If I were Satan I’d just keep doing what I’m doing and the whole world go to hell as sure as the Devil.”
Those words of warning in 1965 were prophetic. Now we see people who go to their state, get permission to build a stock tank (pond to you Yankees), construct it according to rules, being faced with over $70,000.00 a day in fines because the EPA thinks they had no right to build a pond which they stocked with fish and to use for horses.
Your state laws don’t matter anymore. You have watched as your Bill of Rights has been abolished. First the 4th Amendment, then the 1st Amendment, the Marxist in the Oval Office is desperately working on killing the 2nd and the 10th. Your rights, given you by God and guaranteed by our Constitution, will be determined by some unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D. C., and if you object, you will face financial ruin, or jail, or both.
And what will become of us? The answer is in history. Greece, Rome, China, the result is clear.
Indeed, after the 2008 election, back when Obama was still being promoted as the most intelligent man to hold the office, his Lemmings and PR men were running around saying it was time to do away with presidential term limits. Since the facade of extreme intelligence has eroded away, the calls for a perpetual president seem laughable; although, he does seem comfortable in the WH, the planes and choppers are nice, and it is fun putting on private concerts at taxpayer expense. Still, we should remember, five decades of Socialist indoctrination through our public school system has turned out several generations who think it might be groovy to have a perpetual preezy.
obama (more correctly his puppeteers) are following the procedures that worked to turn other countries into non-free countries. Since the public schools aren’t teaching things like this any more, the kids are being brainwashed to believe whatever their government is telling them.
I live in a small town, and it surprised me how many homeschooled kids there are. THESE KIDS ARE THE HOPE OF OUR FUTURE. If you are not satisfied with your kid’s schooling, please look into homeschooling them. From what I understand, it is easier than it has ever been, since you can now pick from many programs over the Internet.
As I typed the above sentence, I wondered if this could be one reason obama wants to give control of the Internet to others. It is SUPPOSED TO BE given to a private organization, but what if the wrong people are running the organization, or in the future the wrong ones will be? The organization would be able to shut down ANY person, company, organization, or country they choose.
As long as there are people like this, people like Obama will continue to get elected.
@retire05, who do you think you are? Paul Harvey? Your piece reminds me very strongly of what the eminent Mr Harvey said some years ago.
Very nicely done!
Whose quote was that? Goldwater? It is oddly familiar. And most of it has come true. Sigh.
How do you think Obama and his comrades will want to use the next �serious crisis�?
The betting window is now open.
Make a guess and place your bets – we all know it’s on it way, the next crash is going to happen sooner or later, it just a question of what the left will try to do to not waste another “serious crisis”
Think about it – the Fed is Printing money.. .excuse me “Digitizing” – they can’t even go through the motion of spitting out worthless paper that diminishes our savings, they have to add insult to injury with that sort o chicanery
Let’s face it, somewhere in the deep dark crevices of the leftist mind, they have their socialist national wish list, waiting to be sprung on the country at the right opportunity.
And what would be better than a Serious crisis they create and they can unleash at any time.
Yellen Punt Prompts Panic – Fed chief isn't changing anytime soon, but even a hint of a taper is enough to scare people.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/373751/yellen-punt-prompts-panic-tim-cavanaugh
Yes, I know they are those who think the current occupant of the oval office is an incompetent neophyte
Recent events in Florida have highlighted that there is a very good chance that Obamacare will be an anchor around the neck of the DNC.
Ask yourself – what will happen if the GOP retakes the senate?
Most assuredly Obama will want to continue with his pen and phone retinue, and at some point the GOP will have to step in to stop him.
The ‘they won’t even dare impeach the first black president’ can only go so far. At some point history and freedom will mandate that those who support the cause of liberty will have to do just that.
Let’s list these possibilities by their probabilities coupled with how outrageous they are – a close correlation I might add.
Odds on Favorites
1). Another “Stimulus” – this almost goes without saying.
Obama and his comrades’ love redistributing other people’s money – and it would be easy to see them trying this given this opportunity for them.
2). Debt write off – this is also a great way for the national socialist left to do an instant wealth redistribution scam.
It would an instant way of rewarding those in debt and royally screwing those who hold this debt.
3). ‘One-Time’ wealth taxes or taxes on savings – again another easy form of wealth redistribution.
They would do as was done in Cyprus taking a ‘haircut’ of people’s savings.
[I say ‘one time’ because with the , one time is never really one time]
Are the Democrats Coming After Your Savings?
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/02/025646.php
IMF paper warns of ‘savings tax’ and mass write-offs as West's debt hits 200-year high
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/10548104/IMF-paper-warns-of-savings-tax-and-mass-write-offs-as-Wests-debt-hits-200-year-high.html
4). Nationalizing 401 K’s – this has already been batted around. Let ‘s face it – there are huge piles of money they droll over and they will steal it and hand it out to their parasite voters if given the opportunity.
Democrats Are After Your 401(k)
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/11/29/democrats_are_after_your_401_k
The left has already made noises about written off debt and forgiving loans – after all it would be great way for them to instantly transfer trillions in wealth.
5). Raise Taxes – yes, this should be number one, after all the knee jerk reaction the have to any issue is to raise taxes and increase regulation.
6) Draconian regulation – this goes hand in hand with raising taxes. They will go through the motions of investigation why the economy blew up – and lo and behold, if all you have is a hammer ( and sickle) everything looks like a nail
Expect them to decide is our freedom that lead to this unfortunate events and fully expect them to call for a clamp down on that freedom – for the common good of course.
7). Carbon Taxes on Carbon ‘pollution’
8). Mortgage bailouts – what better way to screw the banksters and reward Obama’s friends with easy mortgage money?
With clock ticking on mortgage relief, homeowners wonder what’s ahead
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/with-clock-ticking-on-mortgage-relief-homeowners-wonder-whats-ahead/2014/03/10/8482830e-a2df-11e3-a5fa-55f0c77bf39c_story.html
9). Student loan bailouts – again, it’s all about spreading that wealth around.
Student debt may hurt housing recovery by hampering first-time buyers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/student-debt-may-hurt-housing-recovery-by-hampering-first-time-buyers/2014/02/17/d90c7c1e-94bf-11e3-83b9-1f024193bb84_story.html
Remember this isn’t all about grabbing power, it’s also about using a crisis to buy votes and future constituency loyalty – and what better way to do than with other people’s money?
Even money – these are the less obvious items on the socialists national wish list. Items they haven’t tried before but given the seriousness of the “Crisis”, are likely to be trotted out
Getting down into the more outrageous solutions – and that term outrageous being relative to the degree of the crisis.
1). Delaying the midterm elections – Obama has already set a precedent in doing this in other areas – with a sufficiently big enough crisis, this might be in the cards…
Of course this would depend on when the crisis occurs, but would anyone put ti past them to read the tea leaves about their impending political doom and trigger a crisis to forgo this ‘unfortunate’ event?
This idea was already floated as a trial balloon a few years ago
Perdue: Cancel congressional elections September 27, 2011
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0911/Perdue_Cancel_congressional_elections.html
Apparently she drew the short straw to put this out there to foreshadow the idea and see what kind of reaction it gets.
And this is why:
Why a Republican Wave in 2014 is Looking More Likely Now
http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/why-a-republican-wave-in-2014-is-looking-more-likely-now-20140311
2). Universal amnesty AND instant citizenship – this has been knocking around capitol hill for quite awhile now.
It’s like the monster in a B grade horror movie that keeps on coming back to life just when you think it’s dead.
Amnesty is dead! No its alive! Now it’s dead..
You can expect then to come out with this – it’s on their wish list, it’s just a question of just what they think they can get away with.
3). Nationalizing other industries besides healthcare and automobile.
Firearms? Oil and energy companies?
4). Granting voting rights to felons (something Obama is going to do for himself futurewise)
5). Pushing through National Socialist healthcare
Long shot
1). Declaring martial law [presumably after some coincidental] civil disturbances or terrorist attacks
2). Suspending the Constitution
Pen and a Phone anyone?
3). Banning and Confiscating guns in civilian possession
You know this has to be on their wish list
4). The creation or coalescing of state security apparatus
Obama civilian national security force.
5). Foreign UN ‘helpers to keep order
How do you think Obama and his comrades will want to use the next ‘serious crisis’?
The betting window is now open.
Make a guess and place your bets – we all know it’s on it way, the next crash is going to happen sooner or later, it just a question of what the left will try to do to not waste another “serious crisis”
Think about it – the Fed is Printing money.. .excuse me “Digitizing” – they can’t even go through the motion of spitting out worthless paper that diminishes our savings, they have to add insult to injury with that sort o chicanery
Let’s face it, somewhere in the deep dark crevices of the leftist mind, they have their socialist national wish list, waiting to be sprung on the country at the right opportunity.
And what would be better than a Serious crisis they create and they can unleash at any time.
Yes, I know they are those who think the current occupant of the oval office is an incompetent neophyte
Recent events in Florida have highlighted that there is a very good chance that Obamacare will be an anchor around the neck of the DNC.
Ask yourself – what will happen if the GOP retakes the senate?
Most assuredly Obama will want to continue with his pen and phone retinue, and at some point the GOP will have to step in to stop him.
The ‘they won’t even dare impeach the first black president’ can only go so far. At some point history and freedom will mandate that those who support the cause of liberty will have to do just that.
Let’s list these possibilities by their probabilities coupled with how outrageous they are – a close correlation I might add.
Odds on Favorites
1). Another “Stimulus” – this almost goes without saying.
Obama and his comrades’ love redistributing other people’s money – and it would be easy to see them trying this given this opportunity for them.
2). Debt write off – this is also a great way for the national socialist left to do an instant wealth redistribution scam.
It would an instant way of rewarding those in debt and royally screwing those who hold this debt.
3). ‘One-Time’ wealth taxes or taxes on savings – again another easy form of wealth redistribution.
They would do as was done in Cyprus taking a ‘haircut’ of people’s savings.
[I say ‘one time’ because with the , one time is never really one time]
Are the Democrats Coming After Your Savings?
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/02/025646.php
IMF paper warns of ‘savings tax’ and mass write-offs as West's debt hits 200-year high
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/10548104/IMF-paper-warns-of-savings-tax-and-mass-write-offs-as-Wests-debt-hits-200-year-high.html
4). Nationalizing 401 K’s – this has already been batted around. Let ‘s face it – there are huge piles of money they droll over and they will steal it and hand it out to their parasite voters if given the opportunity.
Democrats Are After Your 401(k)
5). Raise Taxes – yes, this should be number one, after all the knee jerk reaction the have to any issue is to raise taxes and increase regulation.
6) Draconian regulation – this goes hand in hand with raising taxes. They will go through the motions of investigation why the economy blew up – and lo and behold, if all you have is a hammer ( and sickle) everything looks like a nail
Expect them to decide is our freedom that lead to this unfortunate events and fully expect them to call for a clamp down on that freedom – for the common good of course.
7). Carbon Taxes on Carbon ‘pollution’
8). Mortgage bailouts – what better way to screw the banksters and reward Obama’s friends with easy mortgage money?
9). Student loan bailouts – again, it’s all about spreading that wealth around.
Student debt may hurt housing recovery by hampering first-time buyers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/student-debt-may-hurt-housing-recovery-by-hampering-first-time-buyers/2014/02/17/d90c7c1e-94bf-11e3-83b9-1f024193bb84_story.html
Remember this isn’t all about grabbing power, it’s also about using a crisis to buy votes and future constituency loyalty – and what better way to do than with other people’s money?
Even money – these are the less obvious items on the socialists national wish list. Items they haven’t tried before but given the seriousness of the “Crisis”, are likely to be trotted out
Getting down into the more outrageous solutions – and that term outrageous being relative to the degree of the crisis.
1). Delaying the midterm elections – Obama has already set a precedent in doing this in other areas – with a sufficiently big enough crisis, this might be in the cards…
Of course this would depend on when the crisis occurs, but would anyone put ti past them to read the tea leaves about their impending political doom and trigger a crisis to forgo this ‘unfortunate’ event?
This idea was already floated as a trial balloon a few years ago
Perdue: Cancel congressional elections September 27, 2011
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0911/Perdue_Cancel_congressional_elections.html
Apparently she drew the short straw to put this out there to foreshadow the idea and see what kind of reaction it gets.
2). Universal amnesty AND instant citizenship – this has been knocking around capitol hill for quite awhile now.
It’s like the monster in a B grade horror movie that keeps on coming back to life just when you think it’s dead.
Amnesty is dead! No its alive! Now it’s dead..
You can expect then to come out with this – it’s on their wish list, it’s just a question of just what they think they can get away with.
3). Nationalizing other industries besides healthcare and automobile.
Firearms? Oil and energy companies?
4). Granting voting rights to felons (something Obama is going to do for himself futurewise)
5). Pushing through National Socialist healthcare
Long shot
1). Declaring martial law [presumably after some coincidental] civil disturbances or terrorist attacks
2). Suspending the Constitution
Pen and a Phone anyone?
3). Banning and Confiscating guns in civilian possession
You know this has to be on their wish list
4). The creation or coalescing of state security apparatus
Obama civilian national security force.
5). Foreign UN ‘helpers to keep order
@spooky1: #13
obama and his puppeteers won’t be happy until the economy is run like it is in Russia with the farmers. The farmers take their crops to the government, then go home and wait to see how much they get. That is what obama is hoping for in the USA, only for ALL workers.
The democrats know that raising taxes leads to a lower economy, and lowering taxes leads to a higher economy. There are charts showing the tax rate compared to the economy, and EVERY TIME taxes go up, the economy goes down. The democrats know this, so they want the economy to go down.
I would be in favor of canceling congressional elections if that means that NONE of them would be members of congress any more.
More and more people are suggesting this as a possibility.
This is why I suggest gun-friendly states start their own militia. The US Constitution says each state can have a militia, and they can be armed. Ask your state’s politicians to start a state militia.
As I started to read your comment, that is one of the first things I thought of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s