Symbols of hatred were proudly displayed before the world on every visible inch of his skin. Fortunately, I met him in the one place such people are safely observed—behind the double wire fence of a state prison. Whether inspired by race, gender or eye-color such hatred makes us uncomfortable. We imagine living in a world without hate—where everyone loves everyone else, with no war, no discrimination and no violation of rights. Congress is attempting to create just such a world with HR 262 currently moving through Congress as the Ray Richardson Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Like most liberal legislation this bill will accomplish nothing but the abrogation of our rights.

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It is official, General Motors has declared bankruptcy and when restructured the US government will own 60% of the company. Of course General Motors and Barack Obama are defending this saying that it makes a GM vehicle a better choice because your warranty will be backed by the US government. One thing not being brought out is the constitutional ground for such an unprecedented action. There is nothing in the Constitution that permits the US government to invest in any business in this way. Think about it, the largest American auto maker is largely government owned.

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Many have been scratching their heads wondering if John McCain was as far off the reservation as once assumed. Some who abstained from voting have questioned their actions because of the presidency of Barack Obama. Now, we get an example of the kind of advice McCain was getting. His chief advisor is recommending the GOP drop its opposition to gay marriage. In his view the only reason to oppose it is the Bible and this puts the party in danger of becoming a religious party. How quickly people forget that it was the religious right, pushed into action by Rowe v. Wade, that drove the Reagan revolution. With advisors like Steve Schmidt let’s just hope McCain has given up on the Oval Office and stays home in 2012. I doubt he would even be much good even stumping for anyone. (more…)

Shortly after the attacks on 911, President Bush announced the new Office of Homeland Security. A good friend of mine was frightened by the potential for this new agency, seeing in it a potential for abuse of freedoms. I didn’t agree because I believed the reports that it was just a reorganization to increase communication among various organizations. We were early in the Bush administration and I, like many Americans, still thought he was a conservative. Besides, we had recently learned of glaring security problems through the attack. As a good American son, I have always been watchful of efforts to overstep by the government so I was put off guard by my trust for an individual. I forgot that the man sitting in the Oval Office is not the measure of our government, because that man will change every four to eight years. (more…)

Every member of Congress since 1884 has taken the following oath of office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Those elected to represent a congressional district answer to their people first (as the sovereign body) and then to the people’s document—the Constitution. The founders knew a strong central government was needed to deal with foreign nations and ensure a strong union between the states, but they feared a federal government without restrictions. Besides establishing the branches of our federal government and defining its relationship to the states and the people the main emphasis of the Constitution is to restrain this new leviathan. For example, the navy is a permanent fixture, provided for in the constitution, while the army must be funded with new legislation every two years. The founders, in effect, placed a sunset clause on something as essential as an army to protect the people from abuse by their own leaders. (more…)

In the beginning there was the Three. The three were all powerful and all truth was filtered through the Three. The Three were known as ABC, CBS and NBC. Over time, alternatives to the Three come forward. Conservative talk radio, cable news outlets and the Internet allowed the truths once hidden by the Three to be shouted from the roof tops. Over time, the Three and their cronies in print saw their influence and power wane. It was no longer possible for them to twist the news to meet their political agenda without being called to task for it. Such a change is never welcome to despots. After years of wandering in the wilderness the Three have found their deliverer. The Obama administration along with the Hip-pocket Congress of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are working hard to end free speech in America with the “Fairness Doctrine.” This bold-faced effort to silence those who would stand against their leftist agenda to recreate America in the European image is everything the founders of our country fought against. (more…)

Our nation was founded by men who saw the abuses of Europe as an evil to be shunned. They fought to establish, not a Europe in North America, but a nation of states united for common cause, where sovereignty rested in the people instead of a prince. They understood that the import of European abuses would only lead to tyranny and serfdom so they established a Constitution to define and limit the central government. In effect the federal government is to be a perpetual servant—a slave if you will—of the people and the states. (more…)

The wave of states demanding the federal government pull back to its constitutional limits is surging forward. The latest tally I have found is 33 states that have taken action or are considering doing so. The federal government for two long has run roughshod over the states and the rights of her citizens. It is high time the 10th amendment be bolstered and the cronies in Washington be reminded of its meaning. (more…)

The latest actions of our new president, funding embryonic stem cell research, has brought new attention to the fight over abortion. In the discussion, the amount of smoke blown by those supporting the unrestricted killing of children is amazing. Some will charge that how I framed that last is meant to inflame, but it is the sort of attack used regularly against the pro-life movement. (more…)

It has been popular over the last century to defend populist causes with a fluid interpretation of the Constitution. Attempts to find support for everything from abortion to welfare have been based on a “loose” interpretation of our founding document. This is actually as old as the document itself. Thomas Jefferson demanded a strict interpretation until he became president and loosened up for the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. For decades the largest constitutional battle was over a national bank. With our long history of the Federal Reserve and FDIC insurance we find this surprising, but the battle over this was of great constitutional significance. The problem was that the Constitution does not give Congress the power to create corporations, so according to the strict interpretation based on the Tenth Amendment only states could charter banks. Eventually this battle was dropped as more pressing problems came to the fore—like the Civil War. With the obliteration of the Tenth Amendment during reconstruction those demanding a strict interpretation of the Constitution were forced to retreat. (more…)