Posted on 09/24/2007 6:31:31 AM PDT by presidio9
IN 1995, the U.S. Su preme Court over turned a federal law that banned gun possession near schools. For the first time since the New Deal, the court ruled that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce.
A year later, Congress passed the same law again, this time specifying that a defendant can be found guilty of carrying a gun in a school zone only if the weapon "has moved in" or "otherwise affects" interstate or foreign commerce. While 72 of his fellow senators pretended to believe this requirement rendered the law constitutional, Fred Thompson voted against the transparent ruse.
It wasn't the only time Thompson, now a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, found himself on the losing end of a lopsided vote to assert authority Congress doesn't have. With some notable exceptions, the Tennessee Republican's Senate record suggests he may be that D.C. rarity: a politician who means what he says, at least when it comes to the division of powers between the federal government and the states.
-SNIP-
The biggest challenge to Thompson's federalism probably has been the temptation to support socially conservative measures that exceed congressional authority.
Thompson backed a federal ban on human cloning and voted to prohibit "partial birth" abortion, under the same absurd pretext he rejected in the Gun-Free School Zones Act: that the abortion law applies to abortions "in or affecting" interstate commerce.
Regarding gay marriage, Thompson has stuck closer to his principles, opposing a federal ban and saying the matter should be decided by state legislatures. But he recently muddied the waters by
-SNIP-
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The link to the article is here:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09242007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/fred_loves_federalism.htm
Note that the NY Post generally backs Rooty, who is a libertarian except for gun control.
Rooty is libertarian? Bwahahahhahahahaaha!
Socially yes. On other issues, you'll have to wait, because he turned his cell phone off, and he can't remember WHAT he thinks anymore. The isolationists inhabit the Ron Paul wing, but there are just as many conservative isolationists.
Sorry, Ruity is no libertarian by ANY definition. He’s a gun-grabber, and he banned smoking on private property, and those are just two of his numerous nanny-stater qualifications.
Guiliani is a libertarian’s worst nightmare. He has a strong authoritarian streak, and a history of capriciousness about letting it manifest.
He’s a power grabbing authoritarian liberal.
I don’t like Guiliani for a variey of reason, but you can’t lay the blame for the smoker ban on him, that was his successor Bloominidiot.
The smoking ban belongs to Mike Bloomberg.
A character flaw that lies at the heart of most successful libertarians (and liberals, and communists). You do understand that deep down Ron Paul knows for certain what is best for each and every one of us, don't you?
uh did you maybe mean 'Libertine'?
I think that fits him better:
he also may be slightly 'unhinged'. Google 'Rudy and Ferrets'.
Oops, my formatting got goofed up????
Oh well...
Maybe libertine, but the only people he's libertarian for are himself and his partner-of-the-moment.
************
I confess I am puzzled by your remark.
Note that the NY Post generally backs Rooty, who is a libertarian except for gun control.
Right. And gays. And women who want to have an abortion. And illegal aliens. And business owners. And people who believe in free trade, and parents who believe in school choice, And taxpayers. And others. But except for these few, you're right: Rooty couldn't be less libertarian.
Geeze, what is it with all of you people this morning: Are you that determined to defend the libertarian name from Rooty, or are you just apple-polishing?
Rotty is no libertarian.
He has a proven track record of forcing down acceptance of gays and abortion onto the states, private companies, and people, along with grabbing guns and restricting Christian speech (on abortion, gays, and Islam, for example).
He’s a fine Democrat, but a Democrat nonetheless.
“You do understand that deep down Ron Paul knows for certain what is best for each and every one of us, don’t you?”
That’s not libertarian, that’s what you see from liberals and big government nanny state loving quasi conservatives. Libertarians believe in personal responsibility and leaving people alone as long as they don’t hurt other people. I’m not a Libertarian and do not agree with some of the things they push for, but this attribute you are imposing on Ron Paul is not a libertarian attribute. It’s something common in the two main parties.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.