Citizen Tom

The Constitution does not use the word God.  Nonetheless, He is present in the document.   As a prerequisite to assuming office, each of our elected officials is required to bind themselves in support of the Constitution. Here is what Article VI, Clause 3 says:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. (from here)

The language Article II, Section 1, Clause 8, is quite specific for the President.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:–”I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  (from here)

To emphasize the character of the oath, George Washington added these words, “So help me God.”  Then he kissed the Bible (see here and here).

Unfortunately, whereas Washington forswore power for its own sake, too many of our leaders now grasp for it no matter what it costs their souls.  They swear on the Bible, the Koran, or whatever suits their fancy.  Then they promptly do whatever they feel the public will allow.   And by allowing them to break their oaths, we too become culpable.

How have they broken their oaths?  The Constitution is a short document written in plain language.  The intent of the document is also plain.  The Founders intended to the Constitution to restrain the power of the Federal Government.   In fact, the Constitution enumerates the powers of Congress in Section 8 of Article I, the first article.  Yet in spite of the Founder’s obvious desire that government remain close to the People — that the People would primarily rely state and local entities for government services — our grasping leaders now use every excuse to consolidate power in Washington D. C.

How has this happen?  We have allowed ourselves to be bought.  Their latest escapade is that fraudulent “economic stimulus bill,” and it too is about money.  Like King Midas, our congressmen crave gold.  Unlike King Midas, they crave gold to spend and buy our votes, and what they hoard is debt.

Signs Of The Times

California’s Cash Crop

California is running out of money.  That state projects a deficit of over $41 billion (see here).  So what is one solution?  Some politicians would like to legalize and tax the “weed.”

Marijuana is California’s largest cash crop. It’s valued at $14 billion annually, or nearly twice the value of the state’s grape and vegetable crops combined, according to government statistics. Indeed, a recent report pegged marijuana as two-thirds of the economy of Mendocino County, a ganja hotbed north of San Francisco. That’s not surprising—it costs $400 to grow a pound of pot that can sell for $6,000 on the street.  (from here)

Just as with state lotteries and gambling casinos, with the politicians, it is the money, not the morality, that matters.   And cutting spending not an option.

Because it has become impractical to enforce laws against using marijuana, we may want want to change our laws.  However, do we really want to legalize marijuana just so politicians can tax it?  Just because we have a so-called economic crisis — created by flagrantly wasteful government spending — are we now entitled to drop any consideration of ethics?

Happy Days For Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton

That some believe that the Constitution says whatever they want it to say cannot be better illustrated than Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s quest to secure a seat for the District in the House of Representatives.

Legislation that would grant the District a representative in Congress with full voting rights is scheduled to go before the U.S. Senate next week, a potential milestone in the long battle to secure a seat for the District in the House of Representatives.

Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) decided Friday night to send the bill to the Senate floor for debate Feb. 23, the first major bill on tap after Congress returns from the Presidents’ Day break. A preliminary vote is scheduled for Feb. 24.  (from here)

This legislation is clearly unconstitutional (See here George Will’s take on the current attempt and here for what I said during the last attempt.).  Unfortunately, we have in power a majority party that will clearly do whatever it takes to retain its grip on power.  If the Democratic Party can get two more senators out of DC, they will.  Giving the District of Columbia a congresswoman would be the first step.

UPDATE:

Risk Free Capitalism

Bearing Drift (here) explains how car dealers plan to make the bailout work for them.

The Fairness Doctrine and Free Speech

Smash Mouth Politics (here) features Camille Paglia blistering Democrats for pushing a return to the ‘Fairness Doctrine.’

Environmentalism And The Cult Of Death

Below the Beltway (here) explains the motive for the environmentalist’s attack on our right to life.

Regulating Internet Speech

84RULES (here) wonders whether whether bloggers are next.   What if “those in power in the Federal Government don’t like what 84rules or any other blogger or on-line information source is writing?”

A Bible Passage From Jeremiah

Jeremiah is not especially pleasant reading.  He predicted the conquest of Judah and its major city, Jerusalem, by the Babylonian Empire, and that is what he wrote about.   So he explained to the People what was to come and why.

Is Jeremiah applicable to our time and place?  No.  Not Exactly.  Still, there is something to be learned from it.

Jeremiah 9:3-7 (New International Version)

“They make ready their tongue
like a bow, to shoot lies;
it is not by truth
that they triumph in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
they do not acknowledge me,”
declares the LORD.

“Beware of your friends;
do not trust your brothers.
For every brother is a deceiver,
and every friend a slanderer.

Friend deceives friend,
and no one speaks the truth.
They have taught their tongues to lie;
they weary themselves with sinning.

You  live in the midst of deception;
in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the LORD.

Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says:
“See, I will refine and test them,
for what else can I do
because of the sin of my people?

The Cartoons

Our elected officials do keep faith with that in which they believe.

When we elected Barack Obama, we already knew he would not respect the Constitution.

A government of Law, not men, has made our capitol the shining beacon of the world.  Powerful people would change that by ignoring the Constitution.   Consider a simple alternative.   If the vote is what the Democratic Party wants to give the residents of the District, then the residential areas could be ceded back to Maryland, but that constitutional alternative is not even being considered.