Article

2010-05-12 Europe

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2010-05-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top

#1 Only 55%?

It's like the IRA said to Thatcher: 'we only have to be lucky once; you have to be lucky all the time'. Once in, no one can get out.

Posted by Bulldog 2010-05-12 02:01|| 2010-05-12 02:01|| Front Page Top

#2 "This public debt catastrophe is exactly the kind of crisis the undemocratic EU creates" :Bright Pebbles.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2010-05-12 06:57|| 2010-05-12 06:57|| Front Page Top

#3 Do not go gently into that good night.

Posted by Black Bart Ebberens7700 2010-05-12 07:00|| 2010-05-12 07:00|| Front Page Top

#4 Only 55%

That would certainly never stop Pelosi, Reid, of the announited one.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-05-12 08:16|| 2010-05-12 08:16|| Front Page Top

#5 What happened in Greece will happen here soon enough. Unless we get our budget under control.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2010-05-12 08:27|| 2010-05-12 08:27|| Front Page Top

#6 Cyber Sarge: Too late. Getting the budget under control will only happen once there is a collapse. In the final analysis, the US will no longer have Social Security, Obamacare, Medicare, or Medicaid, and the Defense budget will have to be slashed, as well as the overall size of the federal government, by 50%.

The federal government has become so ineffectual and bloated that it is ungovernable. The three branches have lost control, the political parties as well. Though they *want* to correct the situation, they cannot.

This is why I advocate a constitutional convention. Unlike the public school propaganda that, "It is unthinkable, it would be controlled by radicals", the truth is that the only thing that 38 States can agree on is that State power must be increased at the expense of federal power.

To do this requires a laundry list of changes, some of which have been obviously needed since the ink on our current constitution was still wet. They can be boiled down to this list:

1) Money. Repeal the 16th amendment (Income Tax), and create a new means of funding the federal government. Create a balanced budget and line item veto amendment. Renounce the national debt. Prohibit federal largess.

2) Limit Presidential Power. Constitutional provision authorizing cabinet officers, and that they must be approved by the senate, and impeached and removed like the president and VP. All presidential power flows through the cabinet. (No more memos, signing statements or Czars.) Limits on martial law declaration, establishment of Posse Comitatus and War Powers Act powers.

3) Structural reorganization. Repeal of the 17th Amendment (direct election of US Senators). Actual reduction of size of government and elimination of agencies. Return of federal State land takings. A numeration only census. Congressional and judicial term limits. Single subject bills, and strict limits on "off budget" items. Abolition of the FED. Limitation of federal police and security apparatus. Controls over delegation of authority to the bureaucracy. Abolition of government employee unions.

4) Judicial reform and reorganization. Creation of a Second Court of the US, with one judge appointed by each US State, through which all federal appeals originating in the States must pass. Original jurisdiction for State lawsuits against the federal government. Structural reform of the judiciary. Federal judges no longer able to force State appropriations, or establishment of special masters over States.

5) Other. Oligopoly Antitrust. Corporate Civil Rights as unique from Civil Rights of living persons. Indian tribe and indigenous peoples treaty renegotiation and establishment of commercial law. Administrative corrections to the constitution.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-05-12 10:37|| 2010-05-12 10:37|| Front Page Top

#7 Don't forget enforcement of the 10th admendment. And not 'xxx clause of the preamble...' That means abolishing Welfare, Social Security, EPA, Education, Labor, etc... Push those programs down to the states where they belong (and the people have closer control).

Posted by CrazyFool 2010-05-12 11:36|| 2010-05-12 11:36|| Front Page Top

#8 Moose, the changes you propose can be done any time the electorate gets its mind to it. If the current federal system is ungovernable, I see no reason (why) nor process (the how) by which a constitutional convention can do better. Perhaps the nation as a whole has become ungovernable.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-05-12 11:47|| 2010-05-12 11:47|| Front Page Top

#9 Also include term limits. Not only for congress, but for the Supreme court as well.

And make the Supreme court members impeachable. It would require the president and 2/3 of congress (so a basic act of God), but doable.

Posted by DarthVader 2010-05-12 11:50|| 2010-05-12 11:50|| Front Page Top

#10 And make the Supreme court members impeachable. It would require the president and 2/3 of congress (so a basic act of God), but doable.

That was FDR's project (aiming to no good) and he had well over 2/3 of Congress. So add 2/3 majority in 2/3 of the states and a direct order from God.

Posted by JFM 2010-05-12 12:43|| 2010-05-12 12:43|| Front Page Top

#11 I think at a minimum 8 justices should be able to vote kick one off the bench. The pres and senate could override if necessary.

Posted by BrerRabbit 2010-05-12 14:00|| 2010-05-12 14:00|| Front Page Top

#12 And make the Supreme court members impeachable. It would require the president and 2/3 of congress (so a basic act of God), but doable.

Congress without any help from the Executive can impeach now for 'bad behavior' which is really up to Congress to define. The means are there, just not the will.

As far as a Constitutional Convention, you can get enough states to agree on one big point - ending federal mandates from the legislative, judicial and executive branch. That one act will free the states of massive obligated funding and basically bankrupt the central government if it chooses to run social welfare programs.

Posted by Procopiu2k 2010-05-12 18:25|| 2010-05-12 18:25|| Front Page Top

00:01 JosephMendiola
23:54 gorb
23:34 crazyhorse
23:34 remoteman
23:27 Frank G
23:23 JosephMendiola
23:18 Frank G
23:16 Frank G
23:13 JosephMendiola
23:13 abu do you love
23:10 Jefferson
23:02 abu do you love
23:00 Redneck Jim
22:52 Besoeker
22:49 Barbara Skolaut
22:28 JosephMendiola
22:14 DarthVader
22:03 gorb
22:00 swksvolFF
21:56 JosephMendiola
21:50 swksvolFF
21:48 JosephMendiola
21:45 swksvolFF
21:42 JosephMendiola