Free Republic

The Budget Control Act offers an opportunity for lawmakers to net real spending reform - serious conservatives should not miss their chance.Americans for Tax Reform continues to support the Budget Control Act of 2011 after CBO released an updated estimate of the bill's budgetary impact. The only serious proposal that addresses the country's debt crisis, the Budget Control Act institutes real cuts, establishes enforceable spending caps on discretionary spending and requires a vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution in Congress.Most importantly, it fulfills the pledges made by House Republicans throughout the entire debt limit debate: No "clean"...

...The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation and the National Federation of Independent Business appeared as “friends of the court”, arguing that placing the amendment to the state constitution on the ballot is permissible under the US Constitution because they claim that it does not change the definition of “public use” or grant new rights to property owners, but rather codifies existing definitions in order to protect property-owners from abuse and provide certainty. Karen Harned, a spokesperson for the NFIB legal center, stated that “"It's one thing for government to take private property for long-standing and well-agreed public uses, but it's just...

Will the House Republican plan to solve the debt limit impasse lead to a tax hike? In a word: No.The release yesterday of the House Republican plan to solve the debt limit debate in a two-step process has raised questions as to whether the second step in the proposal will lead to a tax increase. After an initial debt extension of lesser value than cuts enacted, the proposal enacts a Select Committee that is responsible for finding $1.8 trillion in savings before more borrowing authority can be exercised in the spring. The Select Committee will be comprised of twelve members,...

-TWR- Canadian-born writer Mark Steyn’s new book is set to make international waves. Entitled, After America: Get Ready for Armageddon, it’s also bound to inform and humor fans and newbies alike. And who told us Canadian-born men hated capitalism? The Steyn Line, his popular website, also sells Mark’s books, music, special offers, t-shirts, apparels, mugs, and other items. His website announces, “If you enjoyed Mark’s last apocalyptic blockbuster, you’ll appreciate this one even more. From budgets to the border, diversity to disease, manufacturing to manhood, Steyn looks at the American undreaming, and provides a glimpse of the post-American world. There’s...

The Convention adjourned yesterday in order for the Committee of Detail to smooth the resolutions passed to date. Members will reconvene on August 6th. Experienced Constitution writers and legal theorists composed the Committee. There were two Northerners, Nathaniel Gorham & Judge Oliver Ellsworth, two Southerners in Governor Edmund Randolph and former Governor John Rutlidge and a Middle Statesman in the Scots born James Wilson. All were of the Nationalist bent; no small state advocates like Luther Martin or William Paterson were there. Very little is known of the proceedings of the committee. George Mason’s great granddaughter found some of the...

Democratic lawmakers in Washington State sued the state yesterday in a desperate attempt to establish a means of raising taxes on Washingtonians. This myopic lawsuit will overturn Initiative 1053, a voter-approved requirement that two-thirds of the Legislature must approve tax increases. The Democrats falsely and outrageously believe the voter-approved two-thirds requirement unconstitutionally prevents lawmakers from sucking the money out of Washingtonians wallets for government funded projects. This lawsuit bucks the Washington State Constitution and the will of the people of the Evergreen State. According to the Washington State Constitution, Article I, Declaration of Rights, Section 1, Political Power: “All political...

President Obama made yet another address to the country last night (7-26-2011), just three days after he addressed the nation in a press conference about raising the debt ceiling. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very unique and interesting time in our nation’s history. We have never been in a situation like this before, ever. The president is out there making things up as he goes, portraying himself as a sort of “victim” of “circumstance,” in his pursuits to rally his supporters and get what he wants. He is threatening to cut benefits to seniors and veterans to “scare” them...

Hard-hitting reporting of higher education has been so abysmal for so long that when newspapers cut back on their coverage of it, readers seldom notice. Too many reporters were inclined to merely parrot the press releases of the colleges and universities they cover. Now that readers can obtain this information for themselves on the internet, that approach is particularly superfluous. More than honorable mention on this score must be given to Scott Jaschik, co-founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed.com. As well, recently I had a chance to see the formidable Amanda Ripley in action. A contributor to Time and...

Seven Ways to Elect an Executive. Term Limits. Property Requirements. Appointment by National Legislature to Single Seven Year Term. Virtuous Voters. Landed Debt. Seat of Government. Resolutions Submitted to Committee of Detail. In Convention. Col. [FN1] MASON. In every Stage of the Question relative to the Executive, the difficulty of the subject and the diversity of the opinions concerning it have appeared. Nor have any of the modes of constituting that department been satisfactory. 1. [FN2] It has been proposed that the election should be made by the people at large; that is that an act which ought to be...

The debt limit debate has only produced one serious proposal to rectify the government's spending problem: the Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011. This bill, which passed the House and received unanimous Republican support in the Senate was rejected by Senate Democrats who would prefer to bankrupt the country than reform spending. The Cut, Cap and Balance Act would implement spending cuts next year, establish statutory spending caps and require the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to the Constitution before any new borrowing authority can be exercised. The Cut, Cap and Balance Act is important in that...

Executive Electors. Foreign Influence and Bribes. Madison Speech and Popular Election. More National v. State Legislature v. Popular Election Debate. In Convention. [FN1] Clause relating to the Executive [FN2] again under consideration. Mr. ELSEWORTH moved "that the Executive be appointed by the Legislature," except when the magistrate last chosen shall have continued in office the whole term for which he was chosen, & be reeligible, in which case the choice shall be by Electors appointed by the Legislatures of the States for that purpose." By this means a deserving magistrate may be reelected without making him dependent on the Legislature....

Executive Electors. Twenty Year President. Single or Multiple Executives. How Many Terms? Impeachment. State Legislatures or Congressional Appointment. G. Morris Speech. Roll the Dice. Committee of Detail. Pinckney and NJ/Patterson Plans Discharged. In Convention. The appointment of the Executive by Electors [FN1] reconsidered. Mr. HOUSTON moved that he be appointed by the "Natl. Legislature," instead of "Electors appointed by the State Legislatures" according to the last decision of the mode. He dwelt chiefly on the improbability, that capable men would undertake the service of Electors from the more distant States. Mr. SPAIGHT seconded the motion. Mr. GERRY opposed it. He...

Amendments. Oaths. Mason Speech on Popular Ratification. Retained Powers. Secession. Ratification by Legislatures. G. Morris, Madison and Judicial Review. Oaths to State Constitutions. Two Senators per State. Per Capita Voting. Executive Electors. Export Taxation Ban. In Convention. Mr. John Langdon & Mr. Nicholas Gilman from N. Hampshire, took their seats. Resoln.: 17. [FN1] that provision ought to be made for future amendments of the articles of Union, [FN2] agreed to, nem. con. Resoln. 18. [FN3] "requiring the Legis: Execut: & Judy. of the States to be bound by oath to support the articles of Union," [FN2] taken into consideration. Mr....

I just ran across this handy little device and wanted to share with my fellow Preppers: This washer uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through the clothes, without excess friction (which also reduces the wear on your clothes). This washer uses minimal water and because of the agitation motion, less soap. Use in a bucket, sink or tub. It also rinses your clothes using fresh water. A great item to have with your emergency and outdoor supplies.

...The Net Neutrality rules prevent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from managing network congestion and prioritizing data—including data-heavy applications (e.g. Skype, Netflix, etc.) – not to slow speeds, but to make network efficiency gains. Thus, as the rules turn ISPs into “dumb pipe” broadband providers, this then forces the companies to hike their prices in order to create more throughput as they are unable to manage their own or others’ data. This week, KPN announced that in order to comply with the rules set forth by Parliament, they would have to significantly raise rates for mobile Internet customers, and other Dutch...

Senate Democrats refused to solve the debt limit debate on Friday, rejecting the Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 which would cut spending, restrain future outlays and require passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. The Senate then adjourned for the weekend, without offering any way forward in the debt limit debate. While taxpayers have been balancing their household budgets by restraining their own spending, every Senate Democrat present voted against requiring the federal government to do the same. Voters understand Senate Democrats rejected a solution for America’s debt problem without offering any plan of their own....

Yet another Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension passed the House of Representatives yesterday, the 21st time the agency has been reauthorized by a short-term measure after its authorization expired in 2007. We have warned in the past that the FAA’s wasteful and inefficient programs make it an ideal place to look for potential taxpayer savings. And today, Republican members of the House will endeavor to do just that, scrutinizing legislation that has gotten a free pass for four years by reforming the Essential Air Service (EAS). The EAS provides subsidies that make air travel to remote, formerly unprofitable, locations available...

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, another costly regulatory package that has stunted economic growth. As we noted at its passage, Dodd-Frank does nothing to mitigate a future potential crisis while imposing over 400 job-killing regulations cloaked in empty rhetoric about consumer protection. With new business creation at a 17-year low, its time for the House of Representatives to revisit some of the key provisions of Dodd-Frank, an overhaul we reviewed in our 2010 Cost of Government Day Report. This afternoon, House members will have the chance to do just...

...Most notably, the announcement by TSA comes just five days after a Federal Court of Appeals ruling that the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act and must work through a public comment and rulemaking period, something the agency failed to undertake before placing scanners at airports. The move by TSA is a likely attempt to head off a period of media attention and strong public opposition to individual-specific images surrounding the comment proceedings. The case, brought by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), also centered on whether TSA scanners violated the Fourth Amendment and other federal statutes. However, such claims...

Judicial Veto and Judicial Review. Madison & G. Morris Speeches. Strength to Veto Bad Bills. Transfer Payments, Remission of Debt. Executive Veto, Two Thirds Override. Executive nomination of Judges w/Senatorial veto. Luther Martin, George Mason and Judicial Review. What is Proper Law? Senatorial Appointment of Judges. In Convention. Mr. WILLIAMSON moved that the Electors of the Executive should be paid out of the National Treasury for the Service to be performed by them." Justice required this: as it was a national service they were to render. The motion was agreed to Nem. Con. Mr. WILSON moved as an amendment to...