Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Amendment 3
"Amendment 3 - Quartering of Soldiers. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.'
Pretty self-explanatory.
Posted by bob at 7:36 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 2
"Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
This Amendment was meant more for the citizens to protect themselves from an over-reaching federal government, as much as defence from invasion.
Posted by bob at 7:32 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 1
Ah, finally, the Amendments. The 1st 10 are very key, as they were added by our Founding Fathers, and are called "The Bill of Rights".
"Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The Founding Fathers used very specific language in framing these 10 Amendments, because they wanted to be sure that our rights would not be jeaprodized.
No laws respecting religion and No prohibitions on exercising one's religious beliefs. Or "abridging" the freedom of speach. Webster's defines "abridge" as follows;
"
1 a archaic : deprive b : to reduce in scope : diminish This makes "free speech zones" unConstitutional!
Posted by bob at 7:19 PM
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Amendment 10
"Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
In other words, if its not covered in the Constitution, the federal government has No right to interfere. Mandatory health insurance is UnConstitutional! The Founding Fathers wanted as little government as possible and wanted to keep government out of our private lives, out of our bedrooms, out of our personal matters!
Posted by bob at 4:31 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 9
"Amendment 9 - Construction of Constitution. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
One part of the Constitution can not be used to deny other Constitutional rights to USA citizens.
Posted by bob at 4:28 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 8
"Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted"
Torture is UnConstitutional!!!!
Posted by bob at 4:27 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 7
"Amendment 7 - Trial by Jury in Civil Cases. Ratified 12/15/1791.
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."
When a judge lowers a jury-awarded settlement, the judge is violating the 7th Amendment!
Posted by bob at 4:25 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Amendment 6
"Amendment 6 - Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses. Ratified 12/15/1791.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."
Gitmo and the "Patriot Act" are made invalid by this Amendment. The UnConstitutional "patriot act" allows the government to use "secret" witnesses and testimony against an accused without allowing the accused to face the accusers! And, sitting in Gitmo waiting for justice for several years is also a violation of the 6th Amendment!
Posted by bob at 4:16 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Anendment 5
Ah, the famous, 'I plead the 5th'. This Amendment protects us against double jeopardy and self-incrimination.
"Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
Posted by bob at 4:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Amendment 4
"Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
FISA is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!! PERIOD. Obama and Bush, and probably a lot of other ex-presidents and VPs, and the execs of a lot of communications companies should be found guilty of violating our rights, because of their illegal spying on us.
Posted by bob at 7:37 PM
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Before we go any further, let me make one correction involving just who, "We the people" meant to our Founding Fathers. The majority of them considered only male landowners should have a say in running the government. In the 1820s, Jackson expanded this group to include all free white men. The Civil War technically openned the door to black males to vote, but the repression of that segment of the voting population continues even today, under the USA's 1st black president. Women wouldn't get the vote until the 1900s, and by that time, it really didn't matter much anymore, because the upper class white males had pretty much gained hold of the upper echelons of both major parties and control of the voting system. That control is maintained today through the use of fraudulent electronic voting machines, the corporate mainstream media, the electoral college, and in the bush case, the criminals on the Supreme Court.
Posted by bob at 1:11 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
US Constitution piece by piece
I think we need to go through the Constitution and understand just what our Founding Fathers intended for the USA; and they wanted to make it so the common man could understand it, so the language is very simple and direct.
Let's start with the Preamble, or introduction; this is basically a summary of what the Founding Fathers hoped to achieve with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The key words here are, "We the people...." These words state that we have a government made of all Americans. We are the government, not a king, not an upper class, and not the rich.
2nd, "in Order to form a more perfect Union" means that we want the best we can get for all, so that all members are as satisfied as possible without causing detriment to any.
3rd, "establish Justice"; justice involves fairness in the legal field, based on the "Golden Rule" of doing unto others as you would have others do unto you.
4th, "insure domestic tranquility" means to keep our nation safe and peaceful for all.
5th, "provide for the common defence"; keeping everyone safe from foreign attack.
6th, "promote the general Welfare". Now, this part is usually glossed over and given little attention. What it really means is that the gov't. should be used to make the nation stronger, healthier, happier, and smarter because the Founding Fathers knew that a healthy, strong, and smart people are key to the success of the nation.
7th, "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity". This means that Americans should have as much freedom as possible to live their lives the way they want to without harming others in the process, and prosperity should be available to all.
8th, "do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
this is the law of our land.
Next time, Article 1:
Posted by bob at 7:11 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Saturday, December 26, 2009
So, how do we solve the problem? Well, other than revolution, there is no 'quick fix'. We have to invest in the long-term. We must educate our children! Every high school freshman should have at least one full semester in social studies or history that should focus completely on the original Constitution and the Bill of Rights!!! Another full semester should be dedicated to the writings of our Founding Fathers, including Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Madison, Monroe, etc.
Only after we have a fresh mindset about what our Founding Fathers really intended in their great democratic experiment called the United States of America, will we be able to return to their best intentions, and continue that great experiment, despite the greedy monied interests!
Posted by bob at 3:18 PM 0 comments Links to this post
The 'traitors' amongst us, Congress! Congress has All kinds of power guaranteed it by the Constitution, but it has illegally 'chosen' to abrogate those powers time and time again. It has given its war powers to the executive branch since WW11, it created a national police force in direct conflict with the Constitution, and more!
"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."
Posted by bob at 2:59 PM 0 comments Links to this post
"The Congress shall have Power"
"To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures"
Thomas Jefferson on the banks;
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.
Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed)
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)"
James Madison in opposition to a 'national bank';
"History records that the money changers have used
every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible
to maintain their control over governments
by controlling the money and its issuance."
And, many other Founding Fathers opposed monied interests influence on government. That's why Congress was given power over the government's, (hence, "We the people"),
monetary and finance systems. Congress had No right to violate the Constitution, by abrogating that power to the private monied interests!
This was where "We the people" began to lose control of our gov't.
Posted by bob at 2:34 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Let's face it, folks, our gov't. is broken!
They want to blame it on everything else; "the healthcare system is broken", "the education system is broken", and so on. But, these are only symptoms of the real illness, our broken government.
The biggest problem is comprehending just how big the problems are and how far back into history they go, and exactly what's at the root of our problems. A lot of the 'baby-boomer' generation might trace our problems back to the 60's, but, in truth, the roots go much further back in history, to the Anti-bellum Period, just prior to the Civil War.
After the 'American Democratic Experiment' began, in 1776, the nation was feeling its way forward. No one knew for sure if it would work or not, and no one even knew how to go about ruling a nation, based on democratic principles. And, its true, the Founding Fathers limited "democracy" to the land-owning males. But, Jackson would expand "democracy" to even the poor males in society, and the number of voters multiplied within a 4-year election span. The biggest battle the US government faced up to that time, was the battle over a "national bank". And, until the 1840s or so, the banking interests mostly lost the battles. Jackson, like Jefferson and many of the Founding Fathers, feared the potential power and corruption of a legitimized national bank. (That was a big reason for puting the minting of money into Congress' hands only.)
Posted by bob at 12:00 PM
