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The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
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Constitution is a beautiful document
Thursday, October 15, 2009 6:39 AM PDT
Thanks to Audrey Boyd and Patricia Brandon for their excellent letters of Sept. 28. With all the revisionist history being referenced today, it's refreshing to hear historical truth as proof text.
Our U.S. Constitution is a beautiful piece of work, indeed it is the greatest political document ever drafted and implemented. It is a classic solution to the problem of a strong union balanced by states' (people's) rights, i.e., a union without its states losing their independence or individual powers and control over their own local affairs.
Federalism's genius is in delineating central governmental power by dispersing political power amongst various government units. However, the "people" need our fundamental rights or "first liberties" protected from our government, thus, the Bill of Rights, which is a clear stance against stateism and is the rejection of centralized federal government. The result of this magnificent work, the first 10 amendments or Bill of Rights, is the ninth and 10th amendments, which essentially say the Bill of Rights should not be used to deny to the people the God-given rights which we already possess, and the guarantee to the states a substantial amount of sovereignty over local affairs (states' rights), which is simply the limiting of federal government power.
While we recognize and enjoy the unique beauty of our Constitution, we must never forget it's by the prayers and vigilance of the "people" that we will keep the God-given freedoms we so cherish. It is God who provides and/or withholds using the very government He institutes. Sovereignty is an attribute of Almighty God, not of man's frail, imperfect attempt at self-rule.
William Van Amber Fields
Morada
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Lodian wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:53 AM:
Brian: Maybe you could try turning off the radio now and then. You might also try seeing your psychologist to help make the voices go away. "
danielh wrote on Oct 22, 2009 5:06 PM:
Instead, if you take up one position or the other, you are involved, and you are guilty. "
Brian wrote on Oct 20, 2009 7:26 AM:
The idea that the cons can spend eight years using the Constitution as toilet paper and then turn around and try to pretend that they are the defenders of Liberty would be laughable if there were not people like yourself who are so stupid that they believe every right wing lie they encounter. "
-Every night I listen to the lies of the right wing. I have no doubt that it is because of the lies of the right wing
that we have had no terrorists attacks. Isn't it amazing how counter-intelligence can be so effective on our enemies. The Democrats should try it sometime. Sure beats being politcally correct. :) "
danielh wrote on Oct 19, 2009 9:54 PM:
Government cannot pray to god because it is a dead fiction that exists only on paper.
What is important is that we find god. "
danielh wrote on Oct 19, 2009 5:26 PM:
Government cannot pray to god because it is a dead fiction that exists only on paper.
What is important is that we find god. "
LodiFreeThinker wrote on Oct 19, 2009 2:58 PM:
With the minor exception of the date where it is written "in the year of our lord" the words "God", "Creator", "Jesus", or "Lord... dont exist anywhere in the text.
Greater men than you and I had the foresight to establish a government free from the divisive matters of religion, and I am forever grateful for that. "
danielh wrote on Oct 18, 2009 9:06 AM:
Ignore me in the other column, and make cheap, immature comments in this one. "
danielh wrote on Oct 18, 2009 9:05 AM:
Robb wrote on Oct 17, 2009 6:46 PM:
danielh wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:06 PM:
I'll share with you have much I have changed.
Before, you and I could type 200 posts against each other, no problem. How many in this column? Hmmmm....
Boring. "
danielh wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:03 PM:
danielh wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:02 PM:
Life is sweet, full of changes.
Growth is impossible, without change.
Some people claim to be Christian or religious but never change or grow.
People who want to be the same can't be helped. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:20 PM:
Crazy for feeling so lonely
Im crazy
Crazy for feeling so blue
I knew
Youd love me as long as you wanted
And then someday
Youd leave me for somebody new
Worry
Why do I let myself worry
Wondrin
What in the world did I do
Crazy
For thinking that my love could hold you
Im crazy for tryin
Crazy for cryin
And Im crazy
For lovin you
-Patsy Cline "
danielh wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:00 PM:
In George Orwell's Animal Farm, the animals had a magnificent constitution.
I have heard that the USSR / Russia has a magnificent democratic document, also.
The United Nations charter is a good document, but it contains loopholes and most people don't understand it.
I believe that Colonel North and Admiral Poindexter created a government that was accountable unto itself, and its own people believed it was a good purpose or charter.
I believe most of Islam has a magnificent document whatever it is, has magnificent optimism, and it even allows itself to be overruled in cases where religion dictates. Its people believe it is the right thing.
In all of the above, I believe there is scarce understanding for government. "
jeff wrote on Oct 16, 2009 6:22 PM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 5:34 PM:
If your Litmus test is destruction of personal freedoms and enslavement of the American people,
Hmmm.... if that truly were my litmus test, I would surely vote the fascist/conservative party line every time.
The idea that the cons can spend eight years using the Constitution as toilet paper and then turn around and try to pretend that they are the defenders of Liberty would be laughable if there were not people like yourself who are so stupid that they believe every right wing lie they encounter. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 5:31 PM:
" Ah L - You say you evaluate each candidate on their merits. How many conservative candidate have you ever voted for?
Well TJ, conservative candidates tend not to have many merits (if they did, they would not be conservatives).
That said, I have voted against Dianne Feinstein in every election in which I was able. "
t jefferson wrote on Oct 16, 2009 4:35 PM:
t jefferson wrote on Oct 16, 2009 4:32 PM:
From your ramblings on this site I am going to bet zero. If your Litmus test is destruction of personal freedoms and enslavement of the American people, Then progressive have done far more on that part starting with Wilson. Too bad those that support them can be bought with shiny baubles and other things.
As far as your comments about the 2A, can't really verify them or not. But saying you support something and then taking action to hurt that something seem to be in direct opposition to each other. Keep living with that congnative dissonance. I am curious though what led you to believe you do not need to protect yourself? The police have no duty to protect you so if you are relying on them - good luck. I predict you will have a road to Damascus conversion someday.
Ivan - I hope for your sake that BHO is a better friend to Israel that he is making out to be. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:50 PM:
" I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
-AGE OF REASON
Of course, he was wrong about the Jewish part but it all still ought to give food for thought to those knot heads who believe that America was conceived as a Christian nation. "
jeff wrote on Oct 16, 2009 11:24 AM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 10:12 AM:
Leonard wrote on Jan 8,2008 8:55AM:
As I said, I fully support the right to bear arms
Leonard wrote on Jan 8,2008 8:07AM:
" I'm all for the right to bear arms
Leonard wrote on Apr 2,2008 6:01PM:
" Based on what I heard, I think they will find that their is an individual right to bear arms but that it is "subject to reasonable restrictions".
Then we can spend the next 60 years arguing about what "reasonable restrictions" are.
In any case, we will finally be free of ridiculous bans like the ones in SF and DC.
Who knows, maybe California will even have to loosen up its concealed carry laws.
Leonard wrote on Apr 2,2008 8:53AM:
The Right to Bear Arms is very important to me
Leonard wrote on Nov 5,2006 8:23AM:
Shooting sports can be a wonderful hobby and every American should own a gun to protect their home and family
I am not sure how anyone could see much ambiguity here. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 10:00 AM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:58 AM:
Your side and your posts here fly directly in the face of personal freedoms and the 2A, so you must live with congnative dissonance.
This is simply a flat out lie. I have repeatedly and vocally defended the 2nd Amendment on these fora over the course of several years.
You may not be able to avoid soling yourself but I would think that you would at least try to avoid soiling your honor with such transparent and easily disproven falsehoods "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:54 AM:
L - I don't have the time to go back and dig up your post re: UCD, CCW et. al. Suffice it to say, you said it now you are back peddling
TJ, I assure you that you are lying. Be a man and fess up. "
t jefferson wrote on Oct 16, 2009 8:34 AM:
L - I don't have the time to go back and dig up your post re: UCD, CCW et. al. Suffice it to say, you said it now you are back peddling. As far as your support of 2nd AMENDMENT (degrees are for temperature or Karate) rights, never seen it. Your side and your posts here fly directly in the face of personal freedoms and the 2A, so you must live with congnative dissonance. It is a common affliction for progressives that usually gets cured with age but can be hastened by money and certain types of employment. I think you are afflicted also with the latter so my hopes for you are slim to none.
As far as divine right, you are right we could debate it for hours but since you are unwilling to even go look it up, debating you would be like debating a tree. You'll sway in the wind but never say anything of value. "
jeff wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:57 AM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:40 AM:
I could argue with you ad nuaseum but I have come to believe that you are simply to stupid reason with. I have no desire to waste my time, so lets leave it at that. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:38 AM:
As a far as gun control, if it walks like a progressive and talks like a progressive to me it is a progressive and the 2nd is anathema to a progressives. So who is lying?
What an absurd statement. Unlike most conservatives, I am capable of independent thought. I form my own opinion on issues and vote for the candidates that, collectively, seem most likely to represent my views.
The Right to Bear Arms is important to me but only in so much as it allows me to protect my other rights. In my experience, the candidates who are likely to defend my right to bear arms are usually determined to either abridge or destroy my other rights. There are exceptions, of course, but, when given the choice, I usually vote for the man or woman who is most likely to defend my freedom in toto. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:34 AM:
CCW, you stated yourself that you were getting one in TX months ago. As a far as gun control, if it walks like a progressive and talks like a progressive to me it is a progressive and the 2nd is anathema to a progressives. So who is lying?
Again, I never said that I was applying for a CCW, I said that I had considered it but decided not to. In any case, I have been a consistent champion of 2nd degree rights on these fora and a consistent critic of the Democrat Party's position on this issue.
In other words, yes, it is you that is the Liar. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:30 AM:
" L,
Let's see.
Never said you attended UCD, just said you worked there (based on your comments here about loyalty oaths) janitor is my inference based on your statue and statemet
Again, this is a blatant lie since I never said that I worked for UCD. I did work for several summers at another UC doing construction work when I was in college, but never as a janitor. "
t jefferson wrote on Oct 16, 2009 6:51 AM:
If my statement were inaccurate then I do apologize. Let's see.
Never said you attended UCD, just said you worked there (based on your comments here about loyalty oaths) janitor is my inference based on your statue and statements - I apologize to all janitors if I have sullied thier name.. CCW, you stated yourself that you were getting one in TX months ago. As a far as gun control, if it walks like a progressive and talks like a progressive to me it is a progressive and the 2nd is anathema to a progressives. So who is lying? Me or your own statements on this blog. Unlike you I don't make stuff up I just remember what people have said and call attention to it.
Wow L - even you can't be that dense to not understand the founders beliefs about the origin of rights and their view on government. No this country did not begin with Lincoln and FDR and the trampling of those rights. I believe Austin has a continuing ed program, I suggest a class in natural philosophy - especially Locke, Hume et. al. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 5:42 AM:
We will wait and see how TJ chooses to rectify his errors. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 5:40 AM:
"We the people" established our own government to serve our own purposes. God is not even mentioned, much less attributed. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 4:54 AM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 16, 2009 4:53 AM:
Dogs - I give up when L stops spreading progressive lies. His background is legend from his Loyalty oath while a janitor at UC Davis, to being related to Ivan Dixon, to applying for a CCW in TX but still thinking Gun Control is necessary in CA
Somehow, lying about me makes TJ feel better about his own miserable existence.
For the record, I have never attended UC Davis, I have never worked as a janitor, I have never applied for a CCW permit in Texas and I do not think that Gun Control is necessary in California.
The only thing TJ even came close on is Ivan, who is, in fact, my father, a fact that neither of us have ever concealed and that is known by pretty much everyone other than TJ on these fora. "
t jefferson wrote on Oct 15, 2009 8:43 PM:
t jefferson wrote on Oct 15, 2009 8:42 PM:
Dogs - I give up when L stops spreading progressive lies. His background is legend from his Loyalty oath while a janitor at UC Davis, to being related to Ivan Dixon, to applying for a CCW in TX but still thinking Gun Control is necessary in CA. Oh Yes L has a storied history here in Lodi, too bad he left to infect other states with his beliefs, bet TX wins in the long run though. "
dogs4you wrote on Oct 15, 2009 7:22 PM:
Leonard wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:10 AM:
BTW L where do you live, the other day you made it sound Austin, if you two keep this up, a shoot out at the OK corral will be necessary. "
Man dogs, I have answered this 4 times but I guess you had already abandoned those blogs by the time I responded.
I was born and bred in Lodi but now I live in Austin, TX. "
dogs4you wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:37 AM:
BTW L where do you live, the other day you made it sound Austin, if you two keep this up, a shoot out at the OK corral will be necessary. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:20 AM:
You really must improve on your public school education
Come on TJ, let's lay off the pretensions.
I don't know whether you were a just legacy at a decent school or whether you parents simply purchased you a place at some ivy draped diploma mill but the fact remains, you can buy a diploma but you can't buy an intellect. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:11 AM:
Our Founding Fathers believed that we humans could do it on our own.
You may wish that history was different but wishing does not make it so. "
t jefferson wrote on Oct 15, 2009 6:19 AM:
Kings believed in "divine right to rule", the constitution on the other hand was separate from this concept in that it believed that peoples right were endowed by the creator and separate from any man given right.
Wouldn't expect you to understand how the two are different, in that it flies in the face of your political belief that the government is the answer to all problems.
You really must improve on your public school education and stop drinking the Kool Aid. It's not befitting someone of your low stature. "
Leonard wrote on Oct 15, 2009 5:19 AM:
Sovereignty is an attribute of Almighty God, not of man's frail, imperfect attempt at self-rule.
Funny, I believe that was King George's argument as well.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to make fools of themselves in public. "
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