We Thought We’d Have More Time

The longest-serving Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia has died at age 79.

Justice Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in September 1986. He was considered to be one of the most conservative constitutionalists on the court. He was an originalist believing that the Constitution was to be interpreted according to what the Founders meant at the time the Constitution was written ~a far cry from those who believe that the Constitution is a living breathing, evolving document that should change with the times.

Of course the president gets to nominate Supreme Court Justices so that means Obama will have another big opportunity to enshrine his ‘fundamental transformation’ of America. The Senate must confirm the nominee but can we be at all sure that this Senate led by Senator Mitch McConnell will do anything other than give Obama exactly what he wants as he has done from day one?

All I can say is we certainly thought and hoped that a Constitutional Conservative would be elected as our next president and that would mean more conservatives on the Supreme Court. Many of the groundbreaking high court decisions of the past few years have been 5-4 decisions (Obamacare & same-sex marriage are but two, basically amounting to one very, very powerful person making landmark decisions that affect every one of us.

Many very important cases are on the docket this session and it’s anyones guess now how those will now be decided. How do you think Justice Sotomayor is going to rule on Obama’s  policy of deferring deportation for millions of immigrants illegally present in the United States? The Court just recently temporarily blocked the implementation of the administration’s Clean Power Plan which gives the EPA the power to shut down coal plants and shutter numerous energy related businesses. Under the Constitution, the EPA has no power to make laws, but how will this case be adjudicated now without Justice Scalia?

This is a sad surprise we didn’t need before the election.

Aloha, Mikie ~just a blogger (fightin’ like a girl)

~Psst, tired of politics? Check out Travel in the Categories drop down menu (right side panel) for my blogs posted from interesting locations during my travel adventures.

Constitution Day Quiz, Part 1, Test Your Knowledge!

1.  Q:  Has the Constitution always guided the country?

Ans:  No, originally the nation functioned under the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation. But after 11 years under the Articles, the U.S. Constitution was written, agreed to, and ratified by nine states (all eventually ratified but only nine were needed to have it take effect).

2.  Q:  Does the Constitution allow the Supreme Court to make law?

Ans:  No. The beginning of Article I states, “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States.” Any Supreme Court decision is the law of the case and it binds only the plaintiff and the defendant. The meaning of the word “all” has not been changed.

3.  Q:  Does the Constitution allow the President to make law?

Ans:  No. Executive Orders issued by the President that bind the entire nation are illicit because, as noted above, “All legislative powers” reside in Congress. An Executive Order that binds only the employees of the federal government is proper because the President should be considered to hold power much like the CEO of a corporation who can issue rules to his employees. But the entire nation is not in the employ of the President.

4.  Q:  Does the Constitution give the federal government any power in the field of education?

Ans:  No, none.

5.  Q:  Where in the Constitution is there authorization for foreign aid?

Ans:  Nowhere is there such authorization.

6.  Q:  What are the 3 branches of government named in the Constitution?

Ans: Legislative, Executive & Judicial. 

7.  Q:  Does the Constitution require a minimum age requirement for a Senator?

Ans:  Yes, one must be 30 years old.

8.  Q:  What are the Constitutional requirements for a person to be President?

Ans:  A President must be a natural born citizen (not an immigrant who became a citizen), must be 35 years of age, and must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

9.  Q:  Did the Constitution give the federal government power to create a bank?

Ans:  No, it was given power to “coin money,” meaning the power to establish a mint where precious metal could be shaped into coinage of a fixed size, weight and purity.

10.  Q:  Can treaty law supersede the Constitution?

Ans:  No.

11. Does the Constitution allow a President alone to take the nation to war?

Ans:  Absolutely not. The Constitution states very clearly that only Congress has the power to take the nation into the war.

12.  Q:  Are there any specific crimes mentioned in the Constitution?

Ans:  Yes:  treason, bribery, counterfeiting, and piracy.

How’d you do? How do you think would our politicians do? Part ll will be posted tomorrow.

Aloha, Mikie ~just a blogger (fightin’ like a girl)

PS -if an ad appears below my sign off, I had nothing to do with it. WordPress wants to force me into an upgrade which will contain no advertising.

When Free Speech Isn’t

Good little Christian soldiers?

The Westboro Baptist Church had their day in court and won. Now emboldened by the Supreme Court 8-1 decision upholding their protests and actions as free speech, they vow to quadruple their protests at military funerals. As much as I hate giving Westboro Baptist free license to continue their vile messages of hate, it’s nice to see the Supreme Court upholding the Constitution.

WBC hates the military, gays, Jews, the Academy Awards, and among many others -Elizabeth Edwards who after her son died, had in vitro fertilization!

Nor do I like to see some imbecile burn the Stars & Stripes, but that’s what makes America great. We have the right to say those things in the name of the First Amendment- okay, maybe except for Representative Peter King who took a lot of heat for holding the House hearings on the Radicalization of American Muslims last week. Certain members of his own committee, many Democrats, and liberals all over the place labeled him racist and showed utmost disrespect for those Muslim Americans who did come forward giving very compelling and moving testimony regarding their children who had been recruited and radicalized through Mosques in America.

Oh yes, there’s also that free speech case lingering in Detroit, Geller Vs. Detroit where the City of Detroit caved to Islamic pressure and refuses to run paid advertisements on city buses shown below. Apostates (those who leave Islam) are commanded to death in the Qur’an and the law of Islam recognizes no national borders. This ad is sorta like those giving refuge from domestic abuse, but so far the city of Detroit won’t allow them. What happened to free speech there?

Detroit has the largest Muslim population in the USA and refuses to run these ads

Aloha, Mikie

Dare2Kerr@gmail.com

Dodge & Parry; Go Around Congress To Get What You Want

As we have learned, this administration is fairly deft at getting what they want even if Congress, the Supreme Court and ‘We The People’ say differently.

Our 2nd amendment rights are being threatened as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that the

“Obama Administration will be working hand-in-glove with the United Nations to pass a new “Small Arms Treaty.”

This is naturally couched in terms of fighting terrorism, insurgency, and international crime syndicates (get a clue– secure the border and start profiling those you know are likely to be terrorists!), but it’s really a massive, GLOBAL gun control scheme.

What do you think Ted would have say about ‘Hil’s idea? This Small Arms Treaty will enact tougher licensing requirements (duplication, added cost and paperwork), confiscate & destroy all unauthorized firearms and create an international registry. Our only hope is to stop it in the Senate because the President will never veto this.

According to the Washington Times, he has already by executive order, banned the re-importation of American made M-1 Garand and Carbine rifles used during the Korean War and stored in South Korea. These are considered antique, collector rifles and popular with history buffs and the Civilian Marksmanship Program which has bought them to teach kids about shooting, history and gun safety.

Lest you think this is overblown and unimportant, don’t forget during Hurricane Katrina law enforcement officials went door to door confiscating privately owned, legally registered guns from the public.

Attorney General Eric Holder has said he does not believe the 2nd Amendment gives individuals the right to bear arms. What about you? Take this USA Today pole.

Aloha, Mikie

Dare2Kerr@gmail.com