Constitutional Authority

The top 10 violations of the Constitution by Obama and the 111th Congress

At the close of the 111th Congress, America is deeply in the bog of Thomas Jefferson’s prophetic warning: “The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.” Unfortunately, the broken chains of the Constitution have failed to contain the federal government.

By way of review, let’s take a stroll through the junkyard of constitutional violations that have been painted fresh by President Obama and the 111th Congress. Here’s my top-ten list, highly abbreviated for length.

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Tuesday Night Jefferson vs Hamilton

WHAT: Jefferson vs Hamilton Debate
Hamilton (Big Government) vs. Jefferson (Small Goverment) -
Come hear the debate and you make the call.

WHEN: October 26, 2010 from 6:30pm to 8pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm, program begins at 7:00 pm

WHERE: C.E. Curtis Elementary School
3600 W. Hundred Rd.
Chester, VA 23831

TICKET INFORMATION purchases are available at www.chesterpatriots.com for $10.00* each; click on the bookstore page to order

Note: There is no tangible ticket, their name will be on a list and checked at the door.

*Cost of ticket is to pay Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Hamilton for their time and travel expenses.
Mr. Hamilton is traveling from Pennsylyvania for this event

The Patriot Post Reminds Us

Bill of Rights Anniversary

Tomorrow, Dec. 15, is the 218th anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution, as ratified in 1791.

The Bill of Rights was inspired by three remarkable documents: John Locke's 1689 thesis, Two Treatises of Government, regarding the protection of "property" (in the Latin context, proprius, or one's own "life, liberty and estate"); in part from the Virginia Declaration of Rights authored by George Mason in 1776 as part of that state's Constitution; and, of course, in part from our Declaration of Independence authored by Thomas Jefferson.

Read in context, the Bill of Rights is both an affirmation of innate individual rights and a clear delineation on constraints upon the central government. As oft trampled and abused as the Bill of Rights is, Patriots should remain vigilant in the fight for our rights.

More on Cap and Tax

I posted the Heritage Foundation report earlier. This is a follow-up from Beacon Hill Institute and it combines both reports.

*NEW* How Would "Cap and Trade" Affect Virginia's Economy? -- August 2009

How would Virginia's economy be affected by the proposed "Cap and Trade" legislation? The Thomas Jefferson Institute has re-released into one package two new reports independently released by the Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) and the Heritage Foundation demonstrate the devastating impact.
The BHI study shows that by 2020 the carbon tax will cost Virginia more than $3 billion in increased energy costs, more than 65,000 in lost jobs, a loss of real disposable income of nearly $7 billion, annual investment decreases of $911 million and state and local government tax losses of more than $1 billion.
The Heritage Foundation analysis concludes that between the years 2012 & 2035, the proposal will on average lower the state’s gross state product by over $8 billion, reduce personal income by over $3 billion, eliminate over 26,000 jobs, raise electricity price more than $500 per household and gasoline prices by 64 cents per gallon.

This Is Really A No-Brainer

With Zero's and his Sugar Daddy Soros' sudden support of Brazil's Big Oil, (not OUR big oil) and with cap and tax right around the corner, we need to stay informed.

Why We Should Explore for Energy Offshore Now! -- April 2009

On February 19th, 2009, Governor Kaine asked the Federal government to delay oil and gas exploration off the Virginia coast. Attorney General Bob McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling, in separate letters to Interior Secretary Salazar explained why it is in the interest of Virginia and the United States to maintain the current exploration schedule, a position reflecting a large majority of Virginia and U.S. citizens. As this issue has become a political matter, the Thomas Jefferson Institute's Center for Environmental Stewardship has prepared this fact sheet and powerpoint briefing to ensure the debate is based on the best information available.

The Thomas Jefferson Institute is committed to sound science and careful analysis. In preparation of our original fact sheet on Virginia Off-shore Oil and Gas, the Institute made a computational error that our peer reviewers missed. An associate discovered it a few days later and that error has now been corrected. That revised fact sheet is now posted here, but despite the original computational error the important conclusion remains the same: There are significant oil and natural gas resources off our coast, and their development can not only help Virginia create new jobs but add to the state treasury.

View Powerpoint
View "Fact and Fiction" Briefing Paper

Terry McAuliffe and Global Crossing

You should think very hard about allowing a Clintonista anywhere near the Governor's Mansion.

Investment questions dog McAuliffe in Va. gov race

In a governor's race that's all about jobs, Terry McAuliffe is facing questions about huge profits he made from a company that collapsed two years later, leaving 10,000 people unemployed.

The multimillionaire businessman and former Democratic National Committee chairman, a close friend of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, is pledging to use his business savvy to land more jobs for his state than any of his fellow governors.
But since he entered the race in January, he's been dogged by questions about his investments in telecom giant Global Crossing. He faces two opponents in a June 9 primary.

In 1997, McAuliffe sank $100,000 into the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based startup's bold plan to link North America and Europe with a trans-Atlantic fiber optic cable, a super-fast conduit for voice, video and digital data.

"When I invested in Global Crossing, understand that it was a very risky deal," McAuliffe said in an Associated Press interview about his finances. His return was $8.1 million, mostly on the sale of 176,017 shares in 1999, the year Global Crossing stock peaked beyond $60 a share.

He could have made much more _ closer to the $18 million in some published reports _ had he sold all of his shares in 1999. Stock transaction records he provided to the AP show his last shares were sold in January 2002, after the company's stock had plunged to 14 cents per share. And, as McAuliffe notes, he was never a board member or officer of the company.

When Global Crossing filed for bankruptcy protection that year, investors lost $54 billion and 10,000 employees lost jobs. Even after 2008's spectacular Wall Street failures, Global Crossing's bankruptcy still ranks among the largest in U.S. history.
McAuliffe's most bitter primary rival is pounding him on it. State House Democratic Caucus leader Brian J. Moran's only television ad, which debuted last week, accuses McAuliffe of "working insider deals for himself."

Moran maintains the jobs lost at Global Crossing counter McAuliffe's claims that he can generate jobs for Virginia.

Business savvy my ass. Just another greedy, heartless, blood-sucking dhimmicrat who will do more damage to Virginia's economy than Timmy ever thought about doing.

Timmy Is a Moron

The Religious Freedom Act was born in Virginia. It is part of the basis for the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Virginia state troopers put their lives on the line every day. If the chaplains want to invoke the name of Jesus Christ in prayers prior to them going out and keeping our highways safe, then Timmy should let them. After all, it's their lives on the line, not his.

Timmy established himself as the most liberal democrat on the planet when he endorsed the Chosen One (may peace be upon him) and was rewarded with the chairmanship of the DNC.
He is solidifying his secularist progressive credentials by vetoing this bill.

What Timmy should be concerned with is why our lottery pays Donald Trump $250,000 to do a commercial. He should be concerned with why the lottery is not pumping millions into the Literary Fund and the Literary Fund is not pumping millions into our educational system as we were promised when we allowed them to start selling lottery tickets.

Timmy should not concern himself with the day-to-day activities of the Virginia State Police Chaplains.

Timmy will be gone in less than a year and good riddance.

Go ahead, veto the bill Timmy. Leave us with that legacy, just so long as you leave.
Governor McDonnell will fix it when he's elected.

Reference and background links here, here, and here.

God Bless the Virginia State Police and Semper Fi to the former Marine state trooper who decided to cut me a break one night.