Monday, June 28, 2010
We Don't Need no Stinking Constitution!
For those who believe our Constitution is an old crusty document meant to be changed to reflect the growing enlightenment of our times, you are probably giddy with excitement with the way this Obama administration is quietly ignoring it completely.
For those who feel that the Constitution is the basis of the people granting the role of government to do only that which is specifically granted to it, we are surely appalled by the actions of our leaders this past year.
Our Constitution grants powers to the federal government explicitly and reserves most powers for the states or the people. The federal government derives ALL of its powers from us not the other way around. Government does not grant us rights. Government does not have unlimited power to do whatever its power brokers desire.
We are a Nation of Laws! We do not allow one administration to impose its will on us. We do not allow one man to turn the rule of law on its head when it is politically advantageous or expedient to do so. But our current president has no such beliefs. He truly believes he is above all of that nonsense and he truly does know best what is in our best interests and to hell with the Constitution if it gets in his way.
He loves to talk large and he loves it more when he is on a grand stage, pontificating his grand ideas on an international level because he is just so chock full of wisdom that no one could possibly disagree with his conclusions or his method of accomplishing his goals. Law be damned!
An Ivy League education earns no points in practical experience. Book learning will get you nowhere if you ignore the hard lessons of practical experience. And Mr. Obama ignores everything that doesn't advance his socialist agenda.
For him to take control of Chrysler and General Motors and turn a lawful bankruptcy proceeding on its head and put compensation for his union buddies ahead of the shareholder rights and creditor claims is not an example of our Constitution at work. It is an example of one man putting himself ahead of the rule of law.
When the laws of entry into this country are ignored and when the federal government decides to sue a state for creating a law identical to the federal law, how should we feel about the rule of law? Who gets the last laugh? Is the state wrong to protect its border when the feds have been reluctant to do so? Why is that wrong? How does Obama justify coming down hard on a state who chooses to protect its citizens, a job that the feds have decided not to do? Is it because he is guided by his own law?
That makes it the rule of man. And the rule of man has been tried hundreds and thousands of times in this world and it never ends well. It is the reason our forefathers deliberated so intensely for years over the look and structure of our Constitution. It is intended to keep the rule of man at bay and to decide things based on the rule of law. When we throw out the baby with the bathwater we have gained nothing.
Most men may not truly desire liberty but merely wish for a just master. That is not the prevailing attitude in America. It has never been the prevailing attitude but as that attitude grows in our society through the dumbing down of our citizens and the clamor of what more government can do for ME, we slide farther and farther towards the socialist states of Europe and the evils of third world dictators imposing their own version of what is good for the government to the detriment of its peoples.
Wake up America! Wake up now or kiss your freedom goodbye. As Jack Bauer says on his show "24", "We're running out of time."
OH
For those who feel that the Constitution is the basis of the people granting the role of government to do only that which is specifically granted to it, we are surely appalled by the actions of our leaders this past year.
Our Constitution grants powers to the federal government explicitly and reserves most powers for the states or the people. The federal government derives ALL of its powers from us not the other way around. Government does not grant us rights. Government does not have unlimited power to do whatever its power brokers desire.
We are a Nation of Laws! We do not allow one administration to impose its will on us. We do not allow one man to turn the rule of law on its head when it is politically advantageous or expedient to do so. But our current president has no such beliefs. He truly believes he is above all of that nonsense and he truly does know best what is in our best interests and to hell with the Constitution if it gets in his way.
He loves to talk large and he loves it more when he is on a grand stage, pontificating his grand ideas on an international level because he is just so chock full of wisdom that no one could possibly disagree with his conclusions or his method of accomplishing his goals. Law be damned!
An Ivy League education earns no points in practical experience. Book learning will get you nowhere if you ignore the hard lessons of practical experience. And Mr. Obama ignores everything that doesn't advance his socialist agenda.
For him to take control of Chrysler and General Motors and turn a lawful bankruptcy proceeding on its head and put compensation for his union buddies ahead of the shareholder rights and creditor claims is not an example of our Constitution at work. It is an example of one man putting himself ahead of the rule of law.
When the laws of entry into this country are ignored and when the federal government decides to sue a state for creating a law identical to the federal law, how should we feel about the rule of law? Who gets the last laugh? Is the state wrong to protect its border when the feds have been reluctant to do so? Why is that wrong? How does Obama justify coming down hard on a state who chooses to protect its citizens, a job that the feds have decided not to do? Is it because he is guided by his own law?
That makes it the rule of man. And the rule of man has been tried hundreds and thousands of times in this world and it never ends well. It is the reason our forefathers deliberated so intensely for years over the look and structure of our Constitution. It is intended to keep the rule of man at bay and to decide things based on the rule of law. When we throw out the baby with the bathwater we have gained nothing.
Most men may not truly desire liberty but merely wish for a just master. That is not the prevailing attitude in America. It has never been the prevailing attitude but as that attitude grows in our society through the dumbing down of our citizens and the clamor of what more government can do for ME, we slide farther and farther towards the socialist states of Europe and the evils of third world dictators imposing their own version of what is good for the government to the detriment of its peoples.
Wake up America! Wake up now or kiss your freedom goodbye. As Jack Bauer says on his show "24", "We're running out of time."
OH
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sympathy for the Devil
The title comes from a 1968 Rolling Stones song off the album Beggar's Banquet. Mick Jagger sings as Lucifer asking for some courtesy, sympathy and taste or he'll lay your soul to waste.
Right about now you may be expecting me to lead into a diatribe about our president, likening him to the devil and begging for some sympathy, courtesy and taste for him because he is certainly in way, way over his head in this job and we're stuck with him for 2 1/2 more years. That would be one way to go, but I have a different Lucifer in mind. Tony Heyward. The face of BP in the Gulf oil spill disaster until today. He has become the devil in the eyes of many Americans but he deserves our sympathy.
I don't mean because he was removed from his high profile position. He'll be fine and it was bound to happen. And I don't mean because he made some stupid comments during this process, everyone does that anyway. And I don't mean anything about what he knew or has done before or during the last two months.
The reason I have sympathy for Tony Heyward is because he endured hours and hours of torturous questioning and lambasting and denigration and contempt from our esteemed legislators who are all too happy to grandstand for the public over one evil entity or another. I commend him for keeping his composure during that ridiculous display of pomposity.
I have sympathy for this man because no one should have to be subjected to a room full of angry, ill-informed legislators who pass laws that don't make sense and that they don't read and that their constituents don't want. Who the hell are they to be using events like this to further their status in life or to grab a few minutes of fame? Who is going to grill Congress for their lack of oversight and responsibility for not performing their jobs properly?
Who is going to drain this swamp? Certainly not Nancy Pelosi. LOL. This swamp is expanding exponentially with no end in sight. Holier than thou attitudes are not what I expect from our elected leaders. Neither do I expect them to pass a stupid bill without reading it. So what does that say about my expectations?
Not wanting to let this crisis go to waste after basically ignoring it for two months, Obama used his Oval Office to tell us to follow him to somewhere, he's not sure where, or how we'll get there, or what we'll do once we get there, but he knows we'll get there and oh, btw, it will cost us much more money but, trust him, it will be worth it. Smashing! What a message. Just like health care!
I have absolutely zero sympathy for this devil. He is more dangerous to our way of life than any politician I know. And I used to say that about his primary opponent, Hillary Clinton. Who knew someone so inexperienced and so smooth-talking with no leadership experience or abilities could actually become president? Huh. Only in America?
We are supposed to be a nation of laws not of man. It is what sets us apart from every other country. It is what has made this country so great for so long. To see these laws being ignored and watch the rule of man being flaunted before our eyes is disgusting. To further watch the showboating of Congressmen to gain a few talking points and to witness a virtual shakedown by the White House of a private, foreign company just boggles my mind. I agree with Congressman Barton, Tony Heyward deserved an apology. Despicable behavior is still despicable behavior no matter the underlying circumstances.
Anyway, so long Tony Heyward. I, for one, hope you get your life back.
OH
Right about now you may be expecting me to lead into a diatribe about our president, likening him to the devil and begging for some sympathy, courtesy and taste for him because he is certainly in way, way over his head in this job and we're stuck with him for 2 1/2 more years. That would be one way to go, but I have a different Lucifer in mind. Tony Heyward. The face of BP in the Gulf oil spill disaster until today. He has become the devil in the eyes of many Americans but he deserves our sympathy.
I don't mean because he was removed from his high profile position. He'll be fine and it was bound to happen. And I don't mean because he made some stupid comments during this process, everyone does that anyway. And I don't mean anything about what he knew or has done before or during the last two months.
The reason I have sympathy for Tony Heyward is because he endured hours and hours of torturous questioning and lambasting and denigration and contempt from our esteemed legislators who are all too happy to grandstand for the public over one evil entity or another. I commend him for keeping his composure during that ridiculous display of pomposity.
I have sympathy for this man because no one should have to be subjected to a room full of angry, ill-informed legislators who pass laws that don't make sense and that they don't read and that their constituents don't want. Who the hell are they to be using events like this to further their status in life or to grab a few minutes of fame? Who is going to grill Congress for their lack of oversight and responsibility for not performing their jobs properly?
Who is going to drain this swamp? Certainly not Nancy Pelosi. LOL. This swamp is expanding exponentially with no end in sight. Holier than thou attitudes are not what I expect from our elected leaders. Neither do I expect them to pass a stupid bill without reading it. So what does that say about my expectations?
Not wanting to let this crisis go to waste after basically ignoring it for two months, Obama used his Oval Office to tell us to follow him to somewhere, he's not sure where, or how we'll get there, or what we'll do once we get there, but he knows we'll get there and oh, btw, it will cost us much more money but, trust him, it will be worth it. Smashing! What a message. Just like health care!
I have absolutely zero sympathy for this devil. He is more dangerous to our way of life than any politician I know. And I used to say that about his primary opponent, Hillary Clinton. Who knew someone so inexperienced and so smooth-talking with no leadership experience or abilities could actually become president? Huh. Only in America?
We are supposed to be a nation of laws not of man. It is what sets us apart from every other country. It is what has made this country so great for so long. To see these laws being ignored and watch the rule of man being flaunted before our eyes is disgusting. To further watch the showboating of Congressmen to gain a few talking points and to witness a virtual shakedown by the White House of a private, foreign company just boggles my mind. I agree with Congressman Barton, Tony Heyward deserved an apology. Despicable behavior is still despicable behavior no matter the underlying circumstances.
Anyway, so long Tony Heyward. I, for one, hope you get your life back.
OH
