UPDATED: See below.
WRSA has linked to a column written by Tom Baugh.
I disagree with several fundamental assertions Tom takes, and have explained them many times before in books, columns, comments and here at the blog. No sense going over them again.
Here's the relevant point: Whether one wants the Constitution or not, getting back to a condition that existed prior to Lincoln's victory in RevWarII will serve as a significant waypoint on the travels back to Liberty.
Let's get to that waypoint, then talk about the next step.
Until then: Restore the Constitution, as ratified, and implemented in the spirit of the DoI and BoR.
Here's the link. Be sure to note Curtis' simple challenge: Draft a document that can self-enforce. It can't be done. And I also contend we do not have the collection of brainpower alive in America today to come to come up with a better document. But, hey - prove me wrong and write it. Anyone? Bueller?
Here's TL's take on it.
Let's all remember that Lysander was just fine with the Constitution until the Union abused it so egregiously and enslaved the entire republic.
It is not perfect. And any argument that it was all a conspiracy fails on so many levels I can't begin, again, to bother. But, here's one: The men who drafted the Constitution and signed their names to it are not the men who imposed it upon the States. No, you see it took years for each state legislature to ratify...so, unless you contend that every State Legislature was part of the conspiracy, and they got away with the world's grandest Conspiracy right out in the open, in a post-Revolutionary War environment where men would not have hesitated to pick up their kit again and go hunting for tyrants in political office...
Damn, I couldn't help myself and prattled on. I'm done.
Kerodin
III
We are often on the same page, friend.
ReplyDeleteDamn it Kerodin! It was a set up from the very beginning!
ReplyDeleteI always either chuckle or get very upset with that garbage.
As far as the militia bit, always go back to discover the meaning of those who made it.
While the militia certainly was to be used as the constitution expresses and that only to uphold lawful constitutional power, our Founders also made sure to remind us that the militia was also a necessary component to keep us free of federal tyranny. That somehow got lost in Baughs article.
To many people read INTO the constitution that which is not there... just like our government.
The world is filled with folks who criticize and fixate on problems. Fewer are those who create and build, and offer realistic answers (or even try).
ReplyDeleteThe Constitution could never be ratified today, and any document better than the Constitution (which I contend can not be written today) would be still-born as a political entity.
If people spent just a portion of their energy on creating and solving rather than finding fault, we'd be a different nation.
And that is simply a bridge too far.
I am finding it more difficult every day to bother showing up.
K
As I commented over at WRSA again... I used to write on this stuff years ago. I spent the time years ago reading on all the men who were influential and not so infuential in the period. If one wants to understand the foundation that this country and its constitution was founded on, then one must READ and understand the reason and logic of the sources. To many people are not willing to do that. It takes a lot of time. Instead, they rely on the Baughs and others to form their opinions. Well, hell... most people rely on blogs for their opinions rather than picking up books.
ReplyDeleteI stopped writing on it long before I met you all and long before there were blogs. Call it burn out or whatever. I just don't have it in me anymore. It has become to taxing for me after all these years. To be honest, all I see in our future is just a replay of years past. I've been doing this for a long time. And as the years... YEARS... go by, it is hard to have faith for tomorrow. Years of hope turns into burnout.
As I commented over at WRSA again... I used to write on this stuff years ago. I spent the time years ago reading on all the men who were influential and not so infuential in the period. If one wants to understand the foundation that this country and its constitution was founded on, then one must READ and understand the reason and logic of the sources. To many people are not willing to do that. It takes a lot of time. Instead, they rely on the Baughs and others to form their opinions. Well, hell... most people rely on blogs for their opinions rather than picking up books.
ReplyDeleteI stopped writing on it long before I met you all and long before there were blogs. Call it burn out or whatever. I just don't have it in me anymore. It has become to taxing for me after all these years. To be honest, all I see in our future is just a replay of years past. I've been doing this for a long time. And as the years... YEARS... go by, it is hard to have faith for tomorrow. Years of hope turns into burnout.
TL's response to Tom Baugh's article says all that needs to be said. If he hasn't given up after his attempts to rouse the III enough to show up on the steps of the Capitol building fell flat, after losing his business and becoming a target for the IRS, I'd indeed have to "hold my manhood cheap" not to hang in there myself. The same with Sam.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly have more reason than most to feel frustrated and burnt out. Any of us who have the slightest appreciation for how badly our government - especially this administration - has trashed the Constitution has to feel both outraged and frustrated by the fact that it is no longer possible to work within the system that the Founders provided.
We know that a Constitutional Convention at this time would mean the death of the already mortally wounded Republic as we know it; re-writing the Constitution would be the outcome of that, and not in the favor of liberty. As Sam and TL and others remind us, it is not the document which is flawed, so much as what we have allowed those who wish to rule us to do with it.
I'm afraid we are going to have fight at some point. If we are lucky, we will only have to do so after the die-off. However, if we "poke the bear" too hard, or too often, it may turn on us _before_ the die-off, when we will be in a poorer position to be effective. We will need to evaluate whether or not pushing something like the Firearms Freedom Act will work to our advantage. Perhaps simply operating within the current limits of an FFL would be sufficient, although a re-elected Obama may doom that possibility as well.
Gird you loins, my friends.The next few years are going to be an "interesting" time.
I can't believe you people just can't effin' get it. It was pointed out in Boston T. Party's Hologram of Liberty...
ReplyDeleteThe Constitution is fatally flawed in that there IS NO PENALTY PROVISION FOR THE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
THINK ABOUT IT, for crissakes.....
If there were such, then there might be something for the government lackies to fear...maybe. As it is, there is NOTHING.
Give yourselves a few dopeslaps to let this one sink in because it is a key point.
And I hope you're not like Vanderboegh (sp?) and will simply delete posts that are contrary to your position.
This 'patriot movement' seems more and more like that Dom Deluise comment from 'Blazing Saddles'....a bunch of sissy Marys....
J. Chleva
Centennial, CO