Normally, I wouldn’t post this type of news.
But it’s critical that you know what’s happening in the U.S.
Today, the Constitution died. Or, more accurately, it continued its slow death.
In fact, the news article on Digg has been “dugg” more than 12,000 times. I think that’s an all-time record (although I haven’t been able to verify it yet).
Here’s the link:
http://digg.com/political_opinion/The_Constitution_Dies_Tomorrow
Also, it’s important to note that President Franklin Roosevelt declared an economic emergency in 1933 to remove us from the protection of the Constitution. This was an important turning point in history.
But today’s historical vote to extend warrantless searches and wiretapping is certainly an acceleration in the loss of our freedoms.
Be watchful.
-Ryan M. Healy
Popularity: 62% [?]
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14 comments ↓
I’m more concerned about activist judges legislating from the bench by changing the definition of marriage, going against voters in california, and protecting foreign terrorist under the constitution of the United States than I am about a bill that allows the government to tap suspected terrorist phone lines.
And older people still look at me like I’m crazy when I say I plan to move out of the country in the not too distant future. I mean, seriously, how bad does it have to get before that doesn’t sound unreasonable to the average person?
People say, “Wait until November. You’ll see. Things will be different.” Given the long history of empires up to this point, I really doubt it… regardless of who wins. Does it really matter if blue is the new red? (Wall-E reference)
First,
Michael…
While I know you mean well when you talk about protecting people against the terrorists… No matter what Fox news tells you, it’s NOT “under the constitution of the United States”. If you really think it’s ok, in five or 10 years please remember that Ryan, I, and others question the direction the government is taking under an umbrella of fear. Remember that it is *changing* the entire basis upon which this country was founded. Remember what civil liberties and privacy you once had, because at it’s current rate of decline you will not have any.
Thanks Ryan, for pointing out the obvious to some, and the truly scary to the rest.
-Tim
PS. Louis, I’m starting to get the same idea. While you may still be crazy (hey, I look at that as a complement!) I’d be surprised if things changed for the better anytime soon.
Hey Ryan,
Here are a couple ideas on what can be done.
1. Take control of your local government — and keep the feds out.
The feds have NO power in local jurisdictions in most cases (and someone correct me if I’m wrong on this).
In other words, take back the school board, the local city council, the county seat, and everything else in the immediate vicinity.
Joseph Farah’s excellent book, “Taking Back America” (www.wnd.com), has a whole process for doing this. Very good reading (and fast — can probably read it in two or three sittings).
Another good book, if you’re in business, is “How To OutFox The Foxes” — it also shows you how to keep some of the gummint goonatics out of your hair.
2. If you’re a Christian, consider the advice in this short blog post about “saving society”:
http://www.voxday.net/archive/2005/071805.html
(NOTE: In full disclosure, the author of the blog post above already left the country a few years back, so maybe he was just ahead of his time…)
Anyway, those are just a couple ideas.
They are probably only worth the computer bytes they’re printed on.
But they might bring comfort to someone concerned about our government using the constitution as toilet paper.
Ben
I used to think there were things we could do to save the country. That’s why I joined the army and later taught in the public schools.
Now, I think we’re well beyond the point of return regardless of who wakes up to what. It was inevitable. It’s what government does. It expands. Very few people realize that all levels of government are a cause of (rather than a solution for) most of society’s ills. Free market solutions always serve more people more effectively.
It’s really not possible to keep the feds out of much of anything important anyway. Local governments would have to do what almost no other government has been able to do… turn away “free” money from an external source. If someone tries to buck the system, they can be replaced.
And who would we take government back from? Ourselves? Government is the people… or at least the people who believe enough in it to draw their paychecks from it and keep it going. They’re good people too for the most part… just trying to feed their families and all.
I haven’t read Farah’s book but I did read Ron Paul’s. He correctly identifies most of the biggest problems that are never debated. Even so, I don’t think his solutions are anywhere near adequate. It would be like trying to plug a leak in a mostly sunk Titanic.
The only solution I can fathom is letting the market make its correction. The inevitable correction is that this empire has become unsustainable and needs to be allowed to collapse. There’s no way to stem its appetite for warfare and welfare. None of the most vocal change proponents are calling for less spending.
If you’ve invested your life or property in this empire, weigh the cost/benefit potential of moving it somewhere more friendly to liberty. At least that’s what I’m doing.
On another note, if you’re helping other people become more self sufficient, that’s a step towards liberty too. The more people that don’t need government (and eventually learn not to want it either), the more liberty we’ll have.
Of course if the boat’s already sunk, it’s sunk.
Tim,
Are you saying the constitution was made for people of the United States? Are you suggesting it was drafted as a document to protect people of other countries?
For those who would like to leave the country, where would you go? For Christians looking for a Judeo-Christian society, while the U.S. has it’s problems, there really isn’t a better country to go to.
Well, I guess Jay Leno was right — we should have just given our constitution to Iraq back when we were drafting theirs.
After all, it worked well for us for 200 years and we’re not using it anymore…
Ben
Michael - I’m guessing Tim’s point was that the Constitution was made to limit the powers of government. If we give up habeas corpus and start arbitrarily assigning classifications like “enemy combatant” or “terrorist,” who’s to say where that will stop? Pretty much anything tried out overseas on “them” comes back home to be used on political dissenters and eventually “us.”
Personally, I’m planning to start in Panama… the Switzerland of the Americas. That’s one the Sovereign Society recommends. Who knows after that? In saying there’s not a better country to go to, it totally depends on what you’re looking for.
How do you define a Judeo-Christian society? One whose laws were founded on someone’s interpretation of those values? How about one with a Christian version of sharia? Or one with the most practicing monotheists (presumably excluding Muslims)? Or the ones with the most non-violent behavior? It really depends on your criteria.
Ben - I thought we did give Iraq a version of our Constitution. At least a modern “living” version… except the part about being able to bear arms. Even though there are roving execution squads, no law biding Iraqi would need a gun, right (ahem… begin sarcasm)?
Isn’t that what the US is doing there… protecting Iraqis? I mean over a million dead Iraqis can’t be wrong… or… wait a minute… scratch that. But at least we got control of their oil so we could pay for the war and get cheap gas… uh… er… never mind. Good thing the Democrats are making good on their campaign promises to impeach Bush and/or Cheney for war crimes… what?… they’re not?
Well at least they’re not trying to shut down free speech on that infernal Internet thingamajig with all those subversive fringe bloggers… [cue the music] “and I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free… and I won’t forget the men who died to give that right to me…”
wow, you guys are all doom and gloom. I digress, I’ll just go back to being an evil capitalist.
On the other hand, if Obama wins, I may consider leaving the country for four years
I’ll come back when he gets thrown out, that is if there is anything to come back to.
Excellent comments, guys. I appreciate all of your perspectives.
I linked to this article because the President is charged, first and foremost, with protecting the Constitution, NOT the country or people itself.
The President is not responsible for OUR physical safety, but for the safety and preservation of the CONSTITUTION.
The oath the President takes is this: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The current President is not very much interested in honoring his oath. For proof, just look at how many Constitutional rights are being eroded or entirely dissolved.
First there was the Motherland (Russia). Then there was the Fatherland (Germany). And now there is the Homeland (U.S.A).
From gulags, to concentration camps, to internment camps (a carryover from imprisoning Japanese-Americans during WWII).
Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Love some of the comments here, especially the clueless ones from those who’ve only ever lived in and received their info from the USA.
It doesn’t matter who shuffles the deck or how many times — all the cards are jokers.
Supporters who fell for “change” are in for a rude awakening when their crooked Chicago Democrat (sorry for the redundancy) continues on the path of the crooked big oil puppet.
We’ve already seen some “change”… the flip flopped promises. Lots more to come, folks.
Other than to cross over now and then for less expensive beer and clothing, I prefer to watch the empire decline from the relative safety of a neighboring country.
It’s not all bad news.
The good news is that the market works no matter who says otherwise. Voluntary association works better than regulation whenever fairly given a chance.
The socialist countries (including the US) are already feeling the heat of tax competition from offshore jurisdictions. Hopefully when the time of the collapsing empire passes, enough people will have learned what real liberty is and build a better society… not one designed by the smartest bureaucrats but one designed by every individual pursuing their own highest and best self. Otherwise we’ll pull an Animal Farm and have to start the lesson over again until we get it.
Canada is only “safe” relative to actually being the US. With the North American Union in the works, Canada will more or less merge with the US and take on the same issues. It won’t be relatively safe too much longer.
This is a great discussion
It’s not all bad news. It’s all about bad people
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