Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What If the Government Rejects the Constitution?
Townhall.com ^ | April 12, 2012 | Judge Andrew Napolitano

Posted on 04/12/2012 7:14:38 AM PDT by Kaslin

What if the government never took the Constitution seriously? What if the same generation -- in some cases the same human beings -- that wrote in the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech," also enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts, which made it a crime to criticize the government? What if the feds don't regard the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land?

What if the government regards the Constitution as merely a guideline to be referred to from time to time, or a myth to be foisted upon the voters, but not as a historic delegation of power that lawfully limits the federal government? What if Congress knows that most of what it regulates puts it outside the confines of the Constitution, but it does whatever it can get away with? What if the feds don't think that the Constitution was written to keep them off the people's backs?

What if there's no substantial difference between the two major political parties? What if the same political mentality that gave us the Patriot Act, with its federal agent-written search warrants that permit unconstitutional spying on us, also gave us Obamacare, with its mandate to buy health insurance, even if we don't want or need it? What if both political parties love power more than freedom? What if both parties have used the Commerce Clause in the Constitution to stretch the power of the federal government far beyond its constitutionally ordained boundaries and well beyond the plain meaning of words?

What if both parties love war because the public is more docile during war and permits higher taxes and more federal theft of freedom from individuals and power from the states? What if none of these recent wars has made us freer or safer, but just poorer?

What if Congress bribed the states with cash in return for their enacting legislation that Congress likes, but cannot lawfully enact? What if Congress went to all states in the union and offered them cash to repave their interstate highways, if the states only lowered their speed limits? What if the states took that deal? What if the Supreme Court approved this bribery and then Congress did it again and again? What if this bribery were a way for Congress to get around the few constitutional limitations that Congress acknowledges?

What if Congress believes that it can spend tax dollars on anything it pleases and tie any strings it wants to that spending? What if Congress uses its taxing and spending power to regulate anything it wants to control, whether authorized by the Constitution or not? What if anyone other than members of Congress offered state legislatures cash in return for favorable legislation? What if Congress wrote laws that let it break laws that ordinary people would be prosecuted for breaking?

What if the Declaration of Independence says that the government derives its powers from the consent of the governed? What if the government claims to derive powers from some other source that it will not -- because it cannot -- name? What if we never gave the government the power to spy on us, to print worthless cash, to kill in our names, to force us to buy health insurance or to waste our money by telling us that exercise is good and sugar is bad?

What if we never gave the government the power to bribe the poor with welfare or the middle class with tax breaks or the rich with bailouts or the states with cash? What if we don't consent to what has become of the government? What if the Constitution has been tacitly amended by the consent of both political parties, whereby instead of ratifying amendments, all three branches of government merely look the other way when the government violates the Constitution? What if the president cannot constitutionally bomb whatever country he wants? What if the Congress cannot constitutionally exempt its members from the laws that govern the rest of us? What if the courts cannot constitutionally invent a right to kill babies in the womb?

What if the federal government is out of control, no matter which party controls it? What if there is only harmony on Capitol Hill when government is growing and personal liberty is shrinking? What if the presidential race this fall will not be between good and evil, between right and left, between free markets and central planning or even between constitutional government and Big Government; but only about how much bigger Big Government should get?

What if enough is enough? What do we do about it? What if it's too late?


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: 2012; absolutedespotism; banglist; barackobama; bhofascism; bloodoftyrants; congress; constitution; cwii; cwiiping; democrats; donttreadonme; elections; judgesandcourts; liberalfascism; liberals; longtrainofabuses; lping; nobama2012; obama; progressives; reset; socialistdemocrats; tyranny; usurpations; wethepeople
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-156 next last
To: Kaslin
Things have certainly changed. Many years ago, citizens of states would refer to themselves as a Floridian, a Virginian, etc. Now, they say, I'm from Florida, or from Virginia. Some perhaps still do, but they are a minority[Texans, perhaps]

In the past, persons were loyal to their states first, then the Union. That has certainly changed.

But, I keep hearing this murmur of CW or somethings similar. I just have to sigh. If people don't have the courage to stop voting dem/gop tickets or actually change politics from the local level. Where the hell are they gonna get the courage to enter a CW?

61 posted on 04/12/2012 8:58:48 AM PDT by Theoria (Rush Limbaugh: Ron Paul sounds like an Islamic terrorist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: central_va
BS. Right now I the primacy of the Federal Govt. is causing weakness, the accent of the individual state would reverse the enervating effects of tyrannical centralized power.

I call BS right back at you. Division is weakness, not strength. Expect conflict amongst the Disunited States and you will not be disappointed. Expect enemies of the present United States to exploit that weakness for all it's worth.
62 posted on 04/12/2012 9:01:13 AM PDT by Cheburashka (It's legal to be out at night in spacesuits, even carrying a rag dolly. Cops hauled us in anyway.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Personal Responsibility
The founders understood the paramount importance of defining what the government was allowed to do while expressly saying it was not allowed to do anything else. They understood powerful people very well and the powerful people’s mindset has not changed.

Oh really? If they understood so well that powerful people are inclined to mischief, why is it that there was absolutely NO ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM by which officers of the government would be punished for usurpation of power?

Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty! I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt. Patrick Henry, Saturday, June 14, 1788, First speech: Restraint on corruption
63 posted on 04/12/2012 9:04:52 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (The RINOcrat Party is still in charge. There has never been a conservative American government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: dagogo redux

“What if?”

Horse got stolen from barn long time ago.

Now we have to get the gov in line, my tagline says what I think.


64 posted on 04/12/2012 9:04:52 AM PDT by little jeremiah (We will have to go through hell to get out of hell. Signed, a fanatic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Cheburashka

There are times when I think we should encourage the PRC to assume the role of the world “super power.” We could take a rest, and watch as China bankrupted itself through expansion and over-extension of its military.

Failing that, we might learn how to make a being a super power profitable, when its our turn again...


65 posted on 04/12/2012 9:07:52 AM PDT by Little Ray (FOR the best Conservative in the Primary; AGAINST Obama in the General.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Cheburashka
If the 50 states dissolve the present Union they are by definition not standing together.

I guess you have never heard of mutual defense treaties? Look you think like statist, I get you. We are different, I believe in a weak Federal Govt. That doesn't mean I believe in a weak defense structure. You should really read about the founding of our country and the republic. Are you a naturalized citizen? You seem a little behind the curve.

Most Americans when thinking about the USC are hung up on the BOR's. That is a mistake, the MOST important thing the USC did was establish(or try to establish) a limited centralized Federal Govt. I put you in this category. .

66 posted on 04/12/2012 9:11:41 AM PDT by central_va ( I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

THOMAS JEFFERSON, Declaration of Independence


67 posted on 04/12/2012 9:14:36 AM PDT by Lucky9teen (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.~Thomas Jeffer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Maverick68

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters,

We’ve stuck together since the late 1950s, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know that we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and just will not ever agree on what’s right. So let’s just end it right now while we can do it on friendly terms. We can smile, shake hands, chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and each go our own way.

So here’s a model separation agreement.

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by land mass, each taking a portion. That’s going to be the difficult part, but I’m sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy. Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate taste. We don’t like redistributive taxes so you can have those. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. And since you hate guns and you hate war, we’ll take the firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O’Donnell. But you are going to be responsible for finding a biodiesel vehicle big enough to haul them around.

We’ll keep the capitalism, the greedy corporations, the pharmaceutical companies; we will keep Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have the homeless, the homeboys, the hippies and illegal aliens. We will keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, the greedy CEOS and all of the rednecks. We’ll keep the Bibles and we’ll let you have NBC and Hollywood.

You can be nice to Iran and Palestine and we’ll retain the right to invade and hammer anybody that threatens us. You can have the peaceniks and the war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we will provide them with security. You won’t have to worry about it. We will keep our Judeo-Christian values. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley Maclaine. You can also have the UN, but we will no longer pay the bill.

We will keep the SUVs, the pickup trucks and the oversize luxury cars. You can have the compacts, the subcompacts and every Subaru station wagon you can find. You can give everybody healthcare, if you can find any practicing doctors. We will continue to believe that healthcare is a privilege and not a right. We will keep “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the national anthem, and I am sure you will be happy to substitute in their place “Imagine.” I’d like to teach the world to sing “Kumbaya” or “We are the world.” We will practice trickle-down economics and you can give trickle-up poverty your best shot. And since it so offends you, we will keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots. And if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the friendly spirit of parting, I’ll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need whose help in about 15 years.

Sincerely,

John J Wall

Law student and an American

P.S. You can also have Barbara Streisand and Jane Fonda


68 posted on 04/12/2012 9:16:22 AM PDT by Lucky9teen (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.~Thomas Jeffer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Bookmark


69 posted on 04/12/2012 9:16:56 AM PDT by Manic_Episode (Politics is fake. I think it's owned by Vince Mcmahon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Personal Responsibility
The tools and trappings of man has changed but the nature of man has not.

We are on the same page. . . Same Hymn. . . . .

70 posted on 04/12/2012 9:17:10 AM PDT by DeaconRed (Cold War Veteran. . . . US Army Security Agency 1964-1968)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]




Click the Pic

That reminds me!
Free Republic could use a fill-up too


Donate monthly to help abolish FReepathons
Sponsors will donate $10 for each new monthly sign-up

71 posted on 04/12/2012 9:22:05 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; Eaker; Absolutely Nobama; afnamvet; AK2KX; Ancesthntr; An Old Man; APatientMan; ...

CWII Ping!

About the CWII Ping List The CWII Ping List is short for Civil War II. It is NOT a list of people advocating another Civil War in America. It is a list of people who are interested in the parallels between the Civil War (or War Between the States, if you prefer) and our current situation, or more generally are noting the references to a 'coming Civil War' that are made in the press, or in comments on articles here on Free Republic.

FR rules do not permit advocating for the overthrow of the Republic, and I am not aware of anyone doing so on the list. Still many do see that as the political climate worsens we may be heading in a direction that makes such a conflict all but inevitable, particularly if other avenues for resolving our differences are taken away. Such as widespread vote fraud by leftists making elections meaningless, or a small cadre of judges over-ruling all attempts to end destructive policies over the clear will of the people.

The correct keyword tag for the Civil War II ping list is "CWII".

Please Freep Mail me to get on the list

72 posted on 04/12/2012 9:22:38 AM PDT by Jack Black ( Whatever is left of American patriotism is now identical with counter-revolution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Oh man......opened a can of worms there.

Uncle Sugar will be a listening in boy’z. Watch what’ya say!


73 posted on 04/12/2012 9:24:13 AM PDT by servantboy777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: knarf

74 posted on 04/12/2012 9:24:19 AM PDT by Lucky9teen (Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.~Thomas Jeffer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: sam_paine
"An amendment? The fundamental check on the government power was the second afterthought?"

We know that it wasn't an "afterthought," because the Federalist Papers show the debate that occurred between the issue of forming a standing army vs. the check on it via the local militia, and how this interplays with the fear of an unscrupulous executive.

See my summary from 2006 in this thread.

-PJ

75 posted on 04/12/2012 9:26:31 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you can vote for President, then your children can run for President.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Carry_Okie
why is it that there was absolutely NO ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM by which officers of the government would be punished for usurpation of power?

Nonsense.

The enforcement provision was built in. It's called impeachment for judges and officers of the executive branch.

It's called elections for congressmen and senators. They can also be expelled by a majority of their own house.

That impeachment has become almost entirely a dead letter is not the fault of the Founders. It's the fault of cowardly congressmen, more interested in re-election than the good of their country.

I sometimes think we'd have a better country if about every fourth president had been impeached and removed from office.

76 posted on 04/12/2012 9:30:19 AM PDT by Sherman Logan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

“If”??


77 posted on 04/12/2012 9:33:42 AM PDT by Only Sane Man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sam_paine
The fundamental check on the government power was the second afterthought?"

Not second. The original Bill of Rights had 12 Amendments. What is now the 2nd was the 3rd (or 4th) when drafted.

78 posted on 04/12/2012 9:39:33 AM PDT by Jotmo (Whoever said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." has clearly never been stabbed to death.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: central_va

Excellent plan for us here in Texas. Who is going to attack us for it?


79 posted on 04/12/2012 9:40:12 AM PDT by Quickgun (Second Amendment. The only one you can put your hands on.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: sam_paine
The fundamental check on the government power was the second afterthought?"

Not second. The original Bill of Rights had 12 Amendments. What is now the 2nd was the 3rd (or 4th) when drafted.

80 posted on 04/12/2012 9:40:22 AM PDT by Jotmo (Whoever said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." has clearly never been stabbed to death.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-156 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson