101 Constitutional Questions To Ask Candidates

National Center for Constitutional Studies ^ | Unknown | National Center for Constitutional Studies

[eccentric]

Far too complex for most candidates and voters. How about a simple question like "Do you know what the electoral college is?"

[bvw]

And by posting this ... you provided a needed benchmark. To preserve the Constution and founding concepts we need frequent reminders if what the Constitution is meant to be.

Such care for the good legacy handed us by the hard efforts and sacrifices of prior generations who looked forward with benevolence and hope towards our generation and generations to come ... that is the heart of Conservatism.

Thanks!

[King Prout]

the biggest BUMP I can issue

[King Prout]

martian Olympus Mons sized BUMP!

[Travis McGee]

BTTT!

[NittanyLion]

Good post.

[MeekOneGOP]

[King Prout]

ack... ep..ilep...ticsei..zure...ack!

dude.
ack!
ping your list.
ack!
my eyes!
ack!

[eeriegeno]

43. What was the Butler Case? In this decision, Justice Roberts included in his opinion a dictum that the Congress would no longer be restricted in its taxing and spending powers so long as it was in the "general welfare" of the nation. This immediately opened the U.S. Treasury to looting for all kinds of give-away programs which politicians began using to buy votes.

It seems to me, IMHO, that the second sentence of this answer is the root cause of where we are today.

Let me ask question #102: Is it constitutional to limit the term of elected representatives to one term? This was a popular issue a decade or so ago but has been lost in the arguments of abortion and gay marriages it seems........

[King Prout]

was it Alexis deTocqueville who said "the American republic shall endure only until the masses realize they can vote themselves government largesse" (or words to that effect)?

[inquest]

57. Is there a better way [than the current Social Security system]?

Yes. It is called an annuity program. If the money contributed by an employee (and his employer) between 25 and 65 were invested in American industries under an annuity plan, the fund could be built to a quarter of a million dollars by the time he retires. An annuity fund of this kind would permit an employee to retire at $1,200 to $1,500 per month. Furthermore, the money is his. He does not have to be poor to get it. If he dies it goes to his widow and children. He earned it. He owns it.

OK, they say at several points in this analysis that all federal programs that have no basis in the Constitution's grants of power are unconstitutional. But then they turn around and propose this idea. Where's the constitutional basis for any of this that they're talking about?

[inquest]

Is it constitutional to limit the term of elected representatives to one term?

No. The Constitution states that Congressmen are to be chosen by the people of each state, which means that those people are to have complete freedom of choice in determining who their representatives are, subject only to the limitations that the Constitution sets forth.

[King Prout]

you will note that the author does not state that it is the government's job to create the annuity program. the intent is for the taxpayer to have all the money stolen by the gov to use as he sees fit, and that a private annuity program would do a hella better job than SS benefits.

[inquest]

Well then he might have just come out and said that Social Security should be scrapped and let the private market take over. He certainly wasn't shy about saying that when it comes to welfare spending (see 52-54).

I mentioned this because many people have advocated that the government set up some kind of annuity system such as was described, thinking that they're being real conservative and constitutionalist by having that opinion. I see it a lot, and it blows my mind that nobody, even among constitutionalists, seems to have the ability to just flat-out say, Eliminate Social Security.

[MeekOneGOP]

ping your list.

Okay ...

101 Constitutional Questions To Ask Candidates

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[MeekOneGOP]

Autoresponder made that for me. Said it would be an eyecatcher bump.

Are you saying it does just that ?? ;^)

[jedi]

was it Alexis deTocqueville who said "the American republic shall endure only until the masses realize they can vote themselves government largesse" (or words to that effect)?

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."

Alexander Tyler

[Iron Eagle]

4. Which inalienable rights were listed in the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence lists the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I only read this far, but here is an excellent stopping point. I will tell you what was told me by one of the great strict constructionist, Supreme Court Justices:

"The Declaration of Independence is a nice puff piece, but it is not the law!"

That is a direct quote to me in a room full of 30 members of the legal society called, the Thomas More Society. The quote was by Antonin Scalia.

in 30 years, I had never even thought about it. But, it is true, the Declaration of Independence, while a historically spectacular document, it has no legal meaning in the United States. (Obviously anything from it incorporated into the Constitution, has meaning, but the Document has no legal effect.)

[King Prout]

thank you!

[King Prout]

"Well then he might have just come out and said that..."

well, that was my take on that issue in the text, but I may have read into it what I myself believe... I elaborated based on the author's concluding remarks.
I could be wrong.