To Whom do you Pledge Allegiance?

MoonHowler

Unfortunately, way too many people are confusing nationalism with patriotism. Nationalism is what led countries like Germany, Japan and Italy down that slippery slope–that slope that led to the slaughter of millions of people during WWII. The same misplaced nationalism had reared its ugly head prior to WWI. We all know how that worked out. The “War to End all Wars’ simply provided a petri dish for evil to germinate.

Are we on the cusp of this same destructive national phenomena? Did January 6, 2021 not show us clearly what was headed our way if calmer, wiser heads don’t prevail? I might not agree with much of anything that comes out of Liz Cheney’s mouth from a policy standpoint but I respect her for her tough stance on the truth and her efforts to preserve our democracy.

Senior policy advisor says powers of the president will not be questioned

MoonHowler

telegraph.co.uk:

The court ruling against Donald Trump’s travel ban is “a judicial usurpation of power,” the White House said on Sunday, as one of the president’s closest advisers strongly defended his troubled policy.

“Our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see, as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned,” said Stephen Miller, Mr Trump’s senior policy director.

The 31-year-old, who began his rapid rise to power with attacks on multiculturalism, criticism of women’s protests against pay inequality, and urging against political correctness, was dispatched on Sunday to hammer home the president’s point of view on television chat shows.

On ABC News, he argued that the Judge James Robart, the Washington state judge who blocked the travel ban on February 3, had made his ruling for political reasons.

Apparently Mr. Miller, the chief policy director of Donald J. Trump needs a civics lesson. Any president can be questioned and overruled by the courts.   It appears that not a week goes by that there isn’t some Constitutional crisis brought on by this administration.

What if a policy advisor of Obama had said the same thing?  I can only imagine the uproar.  This administration holds the greatest amount of cry-babies and authoritarian personalities I have ever seen.  Trump needs a reset with personnel.  Stephen Miller needs to be fired immediately, rather than getting an “atta boy.”

 

Senator Feinstein gets a lecture from Ted Cruz

MoonHowler

WARNING: Graphic simulations included regarding the Sandy Hook massacre.


Rachel Maddow reports on how much easier high capacity magazines made the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.  She takes us step by step though the 5 minutes where 30 people are killed.

 

Ted Cruz has the audacity to speak down to Senator Dianne Feinstein.  Cruz is no stranger to rudeness.

Dianne Feinstein’s bill that includes high capacity magazine restrictions as well as restrictions on certain weapons was voted out of committee by Democrats.  No Republicans voted for her bill.

 

How long will the hysteria last?

MoonHowler

I have listened to people’s hysteria over ACA for several years now.  Part of it escapes me–the hysteria that is.  Health care is horribly expensive.  Insurance companies rip people off all the time and often one’s treatment depends on what is deemed appropriate by the insurance company, not by the medical community and the patient.  People are excluded from health care because of pre-existing conditions.  All the things I have mentioned are not good for the average person.

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Giles County reposts the 10 Commandments

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com

PEARISBURG, VA. – Nearly 12 years ago, in the aftermath of the shootings at Columbine High School, officials quietly posted the Ten Commandments on the walls of Giles County public schools. It was a natural reaction, said residents of this rural county peppered with churches, to such an alarming moral breakdown.

There the commandments stayed, within nondescript frames that also featured the first page of the U.S. Constitution, stirring little controversy until December. That’s when an anonymous complaint prompted the superintendent to order the removal of the displays. The decision sparked such passionate community backlash that the county school board voted to post them again in January.

Giles County is down on the Virginia/West Virginia border, just for a location.  It is in the heart of Virginia’s bible belt.  In fact, it is so bible belt that they run a bible bus to Christian classes during the school day, according to the WaPo:

The district also runs a so-called “Bible Bus” so that students can get privately organized Christian instruction off site during the middle of the school day.

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Low Hanging Fruit

MoonHowler

The other day, I got an email from Delegate Jackson Miller, trumpeting all the work he is doing to stop illegal immigration.  I expected to read that he had taken up personal vigil down on the border considering all the fanfare.  Such was not the case.  In part, his email stated:

 

During the 2011 Virginia General Assembly Session, we will be debating many issues that are important to the Commonwealth, but one issue of particular significance to me is illegal immigration.  As a former police officer with almost two decades of experience, I have seen firsthand the effect that illegal immigration can have on a community.  As your Delegate, I am working hard to find solutions to the many issues and challenges that illegal immigration has presented in our communities and in our Commonwealth.  

 Recently, I appeared on Fox News Channel’s morning program, Fox & Friends, to defend a bill on which I am a co-patron.  This bill, HB1465,   (click for full text)  stipulates that illegal aliens will not be eligible for admission to Virginia’s colleges and universities.  Higher education is a privilege, not a right, and placement in Virginia’s colleges and universities has become increasingly difficult for legal residents of our state to obtain.  This bill will require that all prospective students submit appropriate documentation showing proof of citizenship or a student visa for eligibility for enrollment. 

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The Reading of the Constitution: Blame the Virginians

MoonHowler

Tomorrow the Constitution of the United States will be read before Congress opens it 112 session.

According to Foxnews.com:

Though it has been inserted as text into the Congressional Record before, the supreme law of the land has never been read aloud before in the body known as “the People’s House.”

The man responsible for the exercise, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says it’s more than just a simple civics lesson.

“This is a very symbolic showing to the American people,” said Goodlatte, “and it’s a powerful message to members of Congress. We are a nation of laws, not of men.”

One has to ask, how long will this reading take and who will read it?  Will they all take turns?  Will only Republicans be allowed to read?  This exercise sounds about as interesting as watching paint dry or grass grow.  How often will this exercise happen?  Ah, here are the answers:

Though it has been inserted as text into the Congressional Record before, the supreme law of the land has never been read aloud before in the body known as “the People’s House.”

The man responsible for the exercise, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says it’s more than just a simple civics lesson.

“This is a very symbolic showing to the American people,” said Goodlatte, “and it’s a powerful message to members of Congress. We are a nation of laws, not of men.”

It appears that some folks are confusing the Constitution with the Bible.  Additional rules have been approved:

The emphasis on the Constitution won’t end with the reading of the document. The House on Wednesday approved a package of rules for the 112th Congress, put forward by Cantor, that includes a provision mandating that all bills cite their constitutional authority.

Now this is beginning to sound like the SOL objectives.  It’s going to be a long 2 years before everyone gets sick of all this.  I wonder how many of those rascals will being the newspaper and a smart phone to play with?  I hope no one gets caught napping.

Those Rascally Founders

MoonHowler
The Constitutional Convention painted by Howard Chandler Christy
The Constitutional Convention painted by Howard Chandler Christy

We have heard a lot in the past year or so about what the Founding Fathers  intended and  about their vision for us. Many folks have a very romanticized idea of the original Constitution and how it came to  be.  People keep saying what the founders intended for all of us. I am not so sure many of those  people who are making these statements  would  have even be allowed to vote.

After our Constitution was first ratified, there were significant changes.  For instance, senators were not directly elected.  The  vice president was elected differently also.   Many of the  fundamentals have changed.   Do we really know what those early leaders thought?  We can only tell from their essays.  letters and of course, deeds.

 
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