Posted on 06/18/2015 4:02:50 PM PDT by JOHN W K
CLICK HERE for the list of House Republicans who spat upon our Constitution today and ignored its expressed requirement for a two thirds approval vote for any deals cooked up by our president with foreign powers. In effect, these Republicans have unconstitutionally lowered the two thirds requirement to a simple majority to approve deals consummated by our president with foreign powers and engaged in the same despotic action the President has engaged in when signing Executive Orders that violate statutory law and/or our Constitution’s written provisions.
These Republican turncoat and lying scoundrels tell us that the Pacific Rim deal is not a treaty and therefore they are not required to observe the two thirds approval required by our Constitution for a treaty. But their lie is exposed when recalling the words of our founders with regard to the meaning of a treaty as they used and understood the word. So, what is meant by a “treaty” as expressed by our Founders?
In Federalist No. 64 Jay defines a treaty as a “bargain” . He writes:
”These gentlemen would do well to reflect that a treaty is only another name for a bargain, and that it would be impossible to find a nation who would make any bargain with us, which should be binding on them ABSOLUTELY, but on us only so long and so far as we may think proper to be bound by it.”
And in Federalist No. 75 Hamilton tells us with reference to a treaty, Its objects are CONTRACTS with foreign nations, which have the force of law…”
Finally, In Federalist No. 22 Hamilton talks about “a treaty of commerce” as follows:
”A nation, with which we might have a treaty of commerce, could with much greater facility prevent our forming a connection with her competitor in trade, though such a connection should be ever so beneficial to ourselves.”
The irrefutable fact is, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement falls within the meaning of a treaty as the word was used and understood by our founding fathers, and as such, requires a two thirds vote to become an enforceable contract, or bargain with the nations involved.
Our founding fathers, who lived under a despotic King, were fearful of creating an omnipotent president when framing our Constitution, and they carefully limited his powers significantly by a number of provisions in our Constitution, one being the two thirds vote requirement as mentioned above for treaties. And to give an example of how much our founders feared an omnipotent president, they even refused giving the President Line-Item Veto Power! And with respect to the reasons for this denial of power to the president, Benjamin Franklin, on June 4th of the Constitutional Convention reminds the delegates how they suffered under that power. He says:
'”The negative of the governor was constantly made use of to extort money. No good law whatever could be passed without a private bargain with him. An increase of salary or some donation, was always made a condition; till at last, it became the regular practice to have orders in his favor on the treasury presented along with the bills to be signed, so that he might actually receive the former before he should sign the latter. When the Indians were scalping the Western people, and notice of it arrived, the concurrence of the governor in the means of self-defense could not be got, until it was agreed that the people were to fight for the security of his property, whilst he was to have no share of the burdens of taxation.''
So, here we are today, and instead of our Republican members in the House being loyal to their oath of office, they reject a constitutional provision designed to insure there is a substantial support for any deals made by our president with foreign powers before they can become enforceable law. Not only have these 190 Republicans violated their oath of office, but they have engaged in a despotic act of tyranny!
We have been amply warned in THE OLD GUARD, A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF 1776 AND 1787, that:
"When a free people submit to oppressive acts, passed in violation of their constitution, for a single day, they have thrown down the palladium of their liberty. Submit to despotism for an hour and you concede the principle. John Adams said, in 1775, Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud. It is the only thing a people determined to be free can do. Republics have often failed, and have been succeeded by the most revolting despotisms; and always it was the voice of timidity, cowardice, or false leaders counseling submission, that led to the final downfall of freedom. It was the cowardice and treachery of the Senate of Rome that allowed the usurper to gain power, inch by inch, to overthrow the Republic. The history of the downfall of Republics is the same in all ages. The first inch that is yielded to despotism __ the first blow, dealt at the Constitution, that is not resisted is the beginning of the end of the nation’s ruin."
BTW, here is the list of Senate Republicans who are acting in concert with the above mentioned Republican House members who are working to circumvent our written constitution and its documented legislative intent:
Alexander, Tenn.; Ayotte, N.H.; Barrasso, Wyo.; Blunt, Mo.; Boozman, Ark.; Burr, N.C.; Capito, W.V.; Cassidy, La.; Coats, Ind.; Cochran, Miss.; Corker, Tenn.; Cornyn, Texas; Cotton, Ark.; Crapo, Idaho; Cruz, Texas; Daines, Mont.; Ernst, Iowa; Fischer, Neb.; Flake, Ariz.; Gardner, Colo.; Graham, S.C.; Grassley, Iowa; Hatch, Utah; Heller, Nev.; Hoeven, N.D.; Inhofe, Okla.; Isakson, Ga.; Johnson, Wis.; Kirk, Ill.; Lankford, Okla.; McCain, Ariz.; McConnell, Ky.; Moran, Kan.; Murkowski, Alaska; Perdue, Ga.; Portman, Ohio; Risch, Idaho; Roberts, Kan.; Rounds, S.D.; Rubio, Fla.; Sasse, Neb.; Scott, S.C.; Sullivan, Alaska; Thune, S.D.; Tillis, N.C.; Toomey, Pa.; Vitter, La.; Wicker, Miss.
JWK
" I believe that there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." ___ Madison Elliot`s Debates, vol. III, page 87
Sounds kinda sweaty/greasy/oily/ugly- against who? Our Country, being the people who count Our Nation’s values as being- the primary basic of continuing Human life... Right?
No, we're not. We oppose secret agreements, and we are suspicious of this panicked rush to stack the deck for a sweeping trade treaty whose provisions are being hidden from us. We smell a rat when untrustworthy GOPe leaders like Boehner and McCarthy want Congress to neuter its Constitutional powers to prevent a bad agreement from becoming law -- forfeiting its rights to filibuster or amend whatever a president puts in front of them. We have wized up to the "spin" of Republicans who have proven to be just as bad as any Democrat. Fool me six times, shame on you...
You are correct -- except that the number is only 50 since the Vice President can break any tie. TPA stacks the deck for later passage of whatever trade agreement a president wants passed. No filibuster, no amendments and only 50 votes required. This was a sellout to the corporate fascists who control the Republican Party, and it is time to recognize them for what they are.
My US rep voted for it. He is Boehner’s mini me.
ping
Well if you say so.
Rubio voted with Cruz. Is he a goner too?
“There must be big forces at work here causing these conservatives to go right along with a treaty that will be detrimental to United State sovereignty. “
No it won’t....the unions won’t like it, but it does NOTHING that is detrimental.....nothing.
That was not my comment. I was responding to it.
Free Traitors. These Republicans have sold out to lobbyists and are free traitors.
In with Trump. Out with these chumps. Rubio is awful on immigration too. Every trade treaty of the last 25 years has made it worse for average Americans and has increased our trade deficit. This TPA is not any different
-
-
The other Biblical principle that comes to mind is those signing onto this have been given over to a powerful delusion. They believe the lie.
We could do that easy. This is America. Should have been done decades ago.
Of course under the right leadership we’d have to make our fence bigger and badder than the Israelis fence. A little rivalry makes good competition.
Eventually we could make Mexico a good trading partner.
But that shouldn’t include being looted or taken for a sucker while winking and nodding at millions of your people who routinely disrespect our rules, laws and sovereignty. Thing like our social services meant for Americans who actually need help, are near total collapse from Mexico’s weight. As well as from other countries all over the planet.
Like Trump said, how stupid is that?
I’d work for Trump cheap. I’ll be his Department of Transportation Director. I’d make sure many of those folks in D.C. get a ride back to where they came from. All done cheaply and quickly.
I guess that settles it - if Cruz is the last man standing, then the only “principled” thing to do is to refuse to vote for him and let Obama II continue the destruction of Freedom of the People. And we call those on the Left stupid.
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.