Presidential Elections

Can the Democrats re-craft the original intent of the signers of our Constitution from in-person voting to proxy voting, from voting day to voting week(s), from the electoral college voting to direct popular  voting, from known to unknown voters? Below is the revenant clause from our Constitution about presidential voting ... backed by the assumptions and original intent of its signers. You decide if we are moving too far afield from this document’s clear purpose.

Constitution — Article II Section 1 paragraph 4;

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the day on which they shall give their Votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.

STAND UP FOR AMERICA!

Cross Examination

The judge in the General Michael Flynn case, Emmett Sullivan, has gone to extraordinary lengths not to let this case die ... as the Justice Department and the DC District Court have decreed ... see the following for the very unusual steps he has taken: FoxNews Story. Judge Sullivan has even, early-on in this case, called General Flynn a “traitor” in open court ... for which he later apologized ... but in which he still must believe ... else why his recent malign behavior?

Somehow, I strongly suspect Judge Sullivan has learned, maybe from Flynn’s original attorneys, Covington, a piece of extraordinarily damaging “information” about the general ... and firmly believes it ... possibly the same fact or facts  behind what President Obama warned Trump about Flynn ... and, the details of which, have been denied to Trump, Flynn’s current attorney, Sidney Powell or the DC Circuit Court.

Whatever this sub rosa indictment of Flynn might be, it needs to be brought out into the open so that we all can gauge Flynn’s innocence or guilt ... and not rely on the prejudice of a single judge who is sworn to be above such rumored pettiness.

My suspicion — this “heinous act” by Flynn has not been revealed because it would not stand cross examination. This is not the way justice is supposed to work. The Constitution says we all have the “right to confront our accuser.”

See also: Conservative Treehouse Post.

Headlines

California may test state lawmakers before they return to Sacramento

Coronavirus live update: California launches meal delivery program for seniors, US death toll tops 50,000

CBO predicts 10.1% unemployment — through 2021 ...

“Thank you very much’ — Donald Trump leaves briefing without taking questions

Newsom executive order tests Constitutional bounds — and legislative goodwill

Trump tries to walk back speculation about injecting disinfectants to fight coronavirus

Poll: 48% believe gov’t covering up true number ...

Trump administration bars hedge funds and private equity from rescue loans

Deficit to soar to nearly $4T as economy buckles, CBO says

As working from home becomes more widespread, many say they don’t want to go back

The coming deurbanization of USA?

Peter Schweizer: Hunter Biden still owns ten percent of Chinese firm BHR

Enumerated Powers

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives the states sovereignty over all activities and rights not enumerated in the Constitution. One of the rights therein guaranteed was freedom of assembly (First Amendment of the Bill of Rights). Now President Trump has permitted the states to restrict this right under the extraordinary circumstance of the COVID-19 pandemic ... and the states have seized on this relaxation to grab other powers they were not allowed ... viz., restricting gun sales (and, even garden hoses for heaven’s sake) and, one could argue, even denying freedom of religion ... both based upon longstanding loopy Lefty dogma.

Now, we are, hopefully, on the downslope of this pandemic ... and many state governors feel that freedom of assembly has become one of their prerogatives. President Trump has replied, “No way, Jose. I still maintain the absolute power under the Constitution to re-impose freedom of assembly once this crisis has passed.” And, under such authority, the federal government is the determiner of when the crisis has passed.

If the Orangeman were to cave to the governors on this issue ... then, forevermore, the states might feel they could turn off and on this piece (actually, these pieces) of the Bill of Rights. I think Trump’s stated position passes Constitutional muster.

Wite’ Out

From now on, impeachment will be officially known as “Nancy’s snit.” There is even some discussion about using Wite’ Out on the original Constitution document and changing it there.

28th Amendment

Article One of the Constitution gives Congress the exclusive right to declare war. The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to require the president (namely Trump) to defer to Congress before taking any belligerent actions toward a country like Iran ... and 3 Republicans, including Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida voted with the Democrats.

Now I can understand why loyal Republicans, including Gaetz and Senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul, would jealously guard the powers given to Congress by the Constitution ... and I sympathize with them. However, we need to be more realistic about this Constitutional power.

The difference, dear reader, boils down to timing. When the Constitution was written, wars tended to develop slowly ... over weeks and maybe months. Today, wars are far more precipitous and can develop over hours and minutes ... soon to be seconds and microseconds ... not enough time for the House to debate any needed war resolution. Pragmatism rears its ugly head.

Therefore, rather than tying the executive branch’s hands when it comes to war powers, it seems rational to amend our Constitution to acknowledge this foreshortening of how our president must react in real time to kinetic threats. I won’t suggest the language of this 28th Amendment here ... after all that is why we elect “lawmakers.” No?

RTFM!

From Powerline blog

Or rather, the Constitution ...

Democracy on Life Support

The impeachment of President Trump is a clear example of the rabid radicalization of the Left. This group is so unhinged that they are willing to sacrifice democratic processes to unseat an elected official whom they detest. The methods that the Democrats used in the House impeachment process were obviously rigged ... yet, for the first time in a long time, these same Democrats hypocritically wrapped themselves, with “great solemnity,” in the flag and the Constitution.

This unsettling trend is also occurring in Great Britain where Boris Johnson just won a huge popular mandate to reestablish this country’s independence by implementing Brexit. Yet there are riots in  the streets of London refusing to recognize this lawful election ... see: Not My Prime Minister!

This is quite an unsettling trend ... progressives, unused to being in the minority, are now on the edge of revolution ... unwilling to accept how their countrymen vote. Yes, Hillary Clinton probably won the popular vote in 2016, so Trump’s election was a fortunate fluke caused by the Electoral College in our democratic Republic. But there is a very good chance that he will win the popular vote the next time around ... at which point the Left’s mouths will go dry with their spittle being excessively flecked.

American democracy then really will be on life-support. Dangerous!

Teeter-Totter

In the long span of American history there have been periods when Liberals ruled and those when Conservatives held sway. So far the US Constitution has almost magically allowed this teeter-totter transition of power to occur without revolution. And this has been a good thing for these periodic changes cleanse the toxins that always accumulate under one-party tule.

It appears that the left now has a partial hammerlock on this process ... and the next time they completely control things may bring an end of this political back and forth. Our last terms of liberal rule came very close.

I can only fear for our future.

Fast Forward

Fast forward to the 2044 presidential campaign: “The U.S. Constitution mandates that everyone should live to 150 ... ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ This is not a privilege, it is a government-guaranteed right!” — President Elizabeth Warren running for her seventh term.

Misdemeanors

Our Founding Fathers crafted an incredible document ... our Constitution. However they made a few mistakes ... the most important was including the word ‘misdemeanors’ in what qualifies as grounds for presidential impeachment. Obviously the meaning of this word has changed over our country’s existence ... a parking ticket can be a misdemeanor today ... so this slip might be forgiven. However, this one word has turned what should be a serious criminal matter into a political food fight. Presidents should only be removed for demonstrable and heinous high crimes like bribery, treason and serious felonies.

Trying to remove a duly-elected President for policy disagreements with the administrative ruling class (Deep State if you wish) is national suicide. The political elites think that the American people are stupid in the affairs of state. Their wishes can be given lip service in campaigns ... but such promises are not to be taken seriously once elected.

Politicians show no shame in misleading their voters ... after all, their voters are deplorable ... clinging to their bibles and their guns. They cannot be redeemed and, therefore, must be misled. The real business of government must be a continuation of the world order that has been crafted by the Davos elites and by the likes of George Soros ... after all money talks and hyphenated Americans have been and should continue to be loyal worker bees serving the queen and her drones.

The proof of this drone class in Washington was best demonstrated recently when those filling $800 bleacher seats for last week’s Washington National’s World Series game booed Trump the same day that our Special Forces took out that ISIS leader al-Baghdadi. Yes, they were booing Trump's sandpaper style ... but, even more so, this stadium of well-paid swamp creatures were booing the man who wants to change the way things are done in Washington ... a way that has accepted our nation’s decline and eventual (hopefully, not in their lifetimes) subjugation.

This policy u-turn, clearly, is Trump’s misdemeanor ... and he must be tarred and feathered and ...  you know the rest.

American Exceptionalism

Sometimes I ponder “why America?” This country is unique in its combination of free-market capitalism, individual self reliance, entrepreneurial spirit, democratic republicanism, battlefield courage, guaranteed freedoms, conservative values, and patriotism. Our Declaration of Independence and Constitution provide a backbone to our exceptional ethos that has managed to propel the United States to a pre-eminant position in the world ... and kept us there for over two hundred years.

Yes, there are other countries that have some of these ingredients ... but none that I can name that have them all. Even our original sin, slavery, is disappearing in the rear view mirror ... to the disappointment of those who prosper by milking this racism cow.

Which bring us, dear readers, to a perplexing question: why do so many short-sighted politicians want to fundamentally change this successful formula?

Globalism

Mostly due to President Trump's skepticism, the Globalist movement is clearly in full retreat. Now, my not being an expert in this area, does not keep me from offering my opinion:

The Globalists moments ... the League of Nations  after WWI and the United Nations after WWII ... grew out of the universal horror of these wars. These organizations were noble but naive attempts because very little thought had been given to how the whole world coiled be governed. The League of Nations quickly died of this malady ... and the United Nations is in the sick bed. I'm guessing that atomic weaponry has had a lot more to do with stopping world wars than those chattering well-fed diplomats on Manhattan's East River.

Now, I cannot design the perfect template for world government nor, it seems, can any group of brainiacs. The contract between the world's people and the Globalists who populate the United Nations (and Brussels) was that, in exchange for the surrender of some sovereignty and treasure, they would get "peace" and prosperity.

This clearly had not happened. Although, much despite the United Nations ' desire, capitalism and energy discoveries have done much to improve the economies of the world. The UN has mostly been a passive observer in the world's conflicts. In fact, the UN white helmets have mostly disgraced themselves wherever  they have been deployed.

Too many nations now see globalism to be another failed experiment ... and, until there is a lot more realism and common sense applied to this effort, atomic weaponry may do more to keep the peace than any naive "world government." The design of an effective Global Union may be impossible...  bu it is well beyond the collective genius of the framers of our Constitution. In the meantime, it's Nationalism.

Birthright

My daughter, like many young women, a liberal, was upset this morning because of Trump's threat to issue an executive order eliminating birthright citizenship. Now, this obviously seems a pre-midrem stunt and likely will not happen. But, as I explained to my daughter, there are lots of foreign women who fly to the U.S., have their baby, then fly home ... giving their child American citizenship ... not fair. However, it is very unlikely that Congress and/or the courts will let Trump have his way with such an executive order.

But, I have a suggestion -- Congress should pass a law or, if necessary, a Constitutional amendment, restricting birthright citizenship to only those who, if born in the U.S. of aliens, must also live here until the age of 5 and cannot have been wards of the state in the meantime.

OK?

Aeriated

Missed ..  thank the stars!

Patoxsyms

Resist the Resistance -- Anon.

I can  think of no better word ... much of this country is experiencing paroxysms of irrational hysteria  over who we are and where we are going. All because Donald Trump has identified and given voice to the unmet cravings of hundreds of millions of Americans. These masses have felt controlled and manipulated by alien forces -- the media, the Washington establishment, the Chamber of Commerce, NAFTA, Wall Street, Hollywood, the UN, George Soros, the environmentalists, professional sports, higher education, the WTO, the tech giants, the Davos poobahs --- and they don't like it ... so they elected Trump.

Ironically enough, these paroxysms are occurring more to preserve these desmal institutions than those wishing their destruction. Donald Trump is the one rethinking and reshaping the world more to their liking. And be not confused ... those that Trump represents are a huge number and growing ... not as sophisticated and vocal and violent as the Resistance or Robert Mueller ... but much bigger ... that "silent majority' of days past.  And now that they have a champion in Trump, they feel that they are being heard ... and they really like it. Their muzzle is off ... so be careful those of you who want them gone.

You have a dangerous task ... one that can only be won by the abrogation of our Constitution. That would truly be the end.

Freedom of the Press

Our Constitution guarantees freedom of the press. This means that our media is free to report the news with whatever slant they wish. They are free  to emphasize certain facts and events and omit others. They are even free to lie and act like churlish children. Our courts have even ruled that our media can disclose government secrets if it is "in the national interest."

However, the media's freedom, like any freedom, is not absolute. This freedom does not stand ahead of freedom of speech or freedom of assembly ...  also in the First Amendment to the Constitution. If the media tries to suppress other constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, then they have stepped over the line and need to be reminded of their transgressions. I suppose that they can't be rightfully stopped ... but they can be reminded by others with communication outlets to the people (Trump) of their failings. It will then he up to the people to decide. If the people give a media outlet the thumbs down, then that  outlet can either self-correct or go out of business. This is the ultimate democracy ... people using their free market decisions if any media outlet has moved onto the dark side.

It would only be an unconstitutional infringement if our government tried to influence this process with funds or favors. If our government were to fund its own radio (NPR) or television (PBS) stations, then this would certainly be unconstitutional. No?

Headlines

Trump falsely claims he never told the House Republicans to vote for the immigration bill

Iran urges OPEC members to refrain from unilateral actions

Portland riots: ANTIFA attacks right-wing activists ...

Twitter bans cancer victim for replying rudely to a hate tweet

Senate Democrats demand Supreme Court nominee not be too influenced by U.S. Constitution

Protesters flood cities to rail against Trump immigration policies

LONDONSTAN: [Mayor] Khan called 'jihadist' by Tommy Robinson supporters

Maher: Trump will still be in the White House even if he loses 2020 election

Poll of Puerto Ricans in Florida show that Scott is better liked than Nelson

Retaliation for tariffs on Canada take place Sunday-- and focus on ketchup, whiskey and soup

9 injured in mass stabbings at Idaho apartment complex ...

[David] Brooks: No 'massive overturn of Roe v.Wade'

Pardon Me ...

Obviously, I am not a lawyer.  But I do have some legal thoughts about Rudy Giuliani's comment that President Trump could pardon himself if need be. My logic also involves the answer to another conumdrum -- whether a president can be indicted. I think this is clearly unconstitutional because the constitutional cure is impeachment for "high crimes, etc."

Let's assume that President Trump invites James Comey to the White House where he shoots him dead.  He cannot immediately be indicted for this crime. Constitutionaly he would first have to be impeached by the House and then convicted in the Senate to be removed from office (a process I am pretty certain that SCOTUS would not permit him to pardon himself from.) This should be a very quick event. Only then could he be indicted and brought to justice in our regular criminal system.

But here is the rub. Trump could not then pardon himself because he no longer would be president. And, I could be wrong, but I don't think that Trump could give himself a prospective pardon ... before the above die process was completed ... while he was still president.

Therefore, all this hot air about him pardoning himself is just that ...hot air.

Glockophobia

A Glock handgun

"Only criminals, dictators and Democrats fear armed citizens" -- Mostly Cajun blog

A gun is not just an equalizing weapon between physically weaker persons and ones who would do them harm ... but an armed citizenry also keeps its government from oppressing its people. Those who pooh-pooh this latter possibility are ironically usually the same ones who claim that Trump wants to become a despot. Such thwarting of possible tyranny was the genius of our founding fathers when they penned our Second Amendment ... a right only subservient to that of freedom of speech in the FirstAmendment to our prescient Constitution.

This freedom understanding is built into the DNA of most Americans and those trying to annul this right need to rethink their Glockophobia.