Alex Croley's Blog
About the Author
Nothing fancy, just thoughts and ideas that have run back and forth through my head.
Its the Primaries in Kentucky, so no matter who you want as Governer, you won't have a say if you don't VOTE!!!!
As important as the Articles, the Amendments are the most argued parts of the Constitution. There are twenty-seven currently Amendments which can not be stricken, can be superseded by later Amendments to the Constitution. Wording and interpetation has been argued from the cornerstore to the Supreme Court.
The first Amendment has the phrase, "Congress shall make no law respecting... or prohibiting... or abridging..." which the wording is crystal clear saying what the Legislative body how this Amendment was executed. In seven Amendments that say, "The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." which limits what the Legislative could achieve by Law. One example is Untied States v Eichmann where the Supreme Court struck down the Congress's Flag Protection Act, as unconstitutional based on the First Amendment.
The second Amendment, which speaks of militia and arms, is an example of the vagueness of the Amendments. With no phrases which specifies what the Legislative abilities are, the translation of the Amendment becomes ambiguous. Rulings by the Supreme Court, depending on the disposition its members, had to interpret these Amendments. Roe v Wade, was an interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, the rights of privacy. Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote in 1973, "We feel that it is founded in the Fourteenth Amendment's concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action. We further conclude that this right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but we emphasize that the right is not unqualified and that i must be considered against important state interests in regulating abortion." Yet, there are laws that have been upheld in the Supreme Court limiting the same right to privacy.
Our Amendments, partuclarly the Bill of Rights were created to be interpetated by an ever changing world. Therefore, our forfathers purposefully made allowances for vague wording. It is the responsiblity of the Legislative and Judicial parts of our Government to protect this document. It is our responsiblity to see that our Government takes heed to the Constitution and become accountable for enforcement and its abuses.
The first Amendment has the phrase, "Congress shall make no law respecting... or prohibiting... or abridging..." which the wording is crystal clear saying what the Legislative body how this Amendment was executed. In seven Amendments that say, "The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." which limits what the Legislative could achieve by Law. One example is Untied States v Eichmann where the Supreme Court struck down the Congress's Flag Protection Act, as unconstitutional based on the First Amendment.
The second Amendment, which speaks of militia and arms, is an example of the vagueness of the Amendments. With no phrases which specifies what the Legislative abilities are, the translation of the Amendment becomes ambiguous. Rulings by the Supreme Court, depending on the disposition its members, had to interpret these Amendments. Roe v Wade, was an interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, the rights of privacy. Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote in 1973, "We feel that it is founded in the Fourteenth Amendment's concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action. We further conclude that this right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but we emphasize that the right is not unqualified and that i must be considered against important state interests in regulating abortion." Yet, there are laws that have been upheld in the Supreme Court limiting the same right to privacy.
Our Amendments, partuclarly the Bill of Rights were created to be interpetated by an ever changing world. Therefore, our forfathers purposefully made allowances for vague wording. It is the responsiblity of the Legislative and Judicial parts of our Government to protect this document. It is our responsiblity to see that our Government takes heed to the Constitution and become accountable for enforcement and its abuses.
The Constitution of the United States of America, which is a cornerstone of our Government and Laws, is mixed with complexity and ambiguity.
The Articles, for example, are what the structure of government is and how it is organized. This is the most challenging read of the Constitution, with the Constitution in one hand and a Webster's Dictionary in the other providing an understanding of wording.
The first two Articles provide rules for prerequisites of who can and can not run for Legislative and Executive Office. These Articles also provide rules for both creating Law and disciplining themselves. They provide a Code of Conduct, Attendance and appointments to Vacancies.
The third Article provides information for the Judicial Branch, including definitions what is brought before 'the one supreme Court'. This Article also states what Crimes can be tried by Jury as well as the definition of Treason.
The fourth Article explains how States are formed, and public records of proceedings in the United States Government. The Article, though not in the word itself, gives the definition of Extradition and how new States are admitted into the Union.
Article five gives a definition of how a Amendment is ratified. It is interesting to point out that ratifying an Amendment needs not only the Congress and Excutive approval, but the approval of individual State Government.
The last two Articles includes any Treaties that had been made before the Constitution was ratified, and Oaths or Affirmation, to support this Constitution. The last Article provides the final Ratification of the Articles of the Constitution of the United States.
While we argue Amendments in the Constitution, it must not escape us to realize that the Amendments are only apart of a greater whole. Understanding Government and how it works, we must first read the Constitution as a whole and respect it as such. Only then can 'We the People' come to argue the complexities and ambiguities in which our forefathers created over two hundred years ago.
The Articles, for example, are what the structure of government is and how it is organized. This is the most challenging read of the Constitution, with the Constitution in one hand and a Webster's Dictionary in the other providing an understanding of wording.
The first two Articles provide rules for prerequisites of who can and can not run for Legislative and Executive Office. These Articles also provide rules for both creating Law and disciplining themselves. They provide a Code of Conduct, Attendance and appointments to Vacancies.
The third Article provides information for the Judicial Branch, including definitions what is brought before 'the one supreme Court'. This Article also states what Crimes can be tried by Jury as well as the definition of Treason.
The fourth Article explains how States are formed, and public records of proceedings in the United States Government. The Article, though not in the word itself, gives the definition of Extradition and how new States are admitted into the Union.
Article five gives a definition of how a Amendment is ratified. It is interesting to point out that ratifying an Amendment needs not only the Congress and Excutive approval, but the approval of individual State Government.
The last two Articles includes any Treaties that had been made before the Constitution was ratified, and Oaths or Affirmation, to support this Constitution. The last Article provides the final Ratification of the Articles of the Constitution of the United States.
While we argue Amendments in the Constitution, it must not escape us to realize that the Amendments are only apart of a greater whole. Understanding Government and how it works, we must first read the Constitution as a whole and respect it as such. Only then can 'We the People' come to argue the complexities and ambiguities in which our forefathers created over two hundred years ago.
When I was a child I had many people who I admired. A small list were: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King JR., JFK, Dan Rather, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Ozzie Smith, Micheal Jackson and Madonna.
Some of them over the years have proved their worth, solid rocks who have helped shape my beliefs. Others became paper dolls, those who I have little respect for, with one reason or another.
One of the those who had become a paper doll was Senator Mitch McConnell.
Now to understand why I admired him takes a bit of explaining.
Before he became a Senator of Kentucky, he was the County Judge Excutive of Jefferson County back in the 80's. This was the equivalent to a Mayor of a city. He advocated for the missing and exploited children, which became surfaced after a young girl named Ann Gotlib was kidnapped from a shopping mall. He helped to established an orginazation for the missing and exploited children in Jefferson County/Louisville. In my opinion, at that point in time, he was a good man.
What happened to him between then, and now, is unknown. (To me at the very least) I still admired him as a Republican when he stated that flag buring was protected by the Constitution, and was silly to have as an amendment to protect the flag.
The man had at the very least, principles, even if I didn't agree with his politics.
These days, the man who I once admired as a child and respected as a young man, has for the lack of a better term 'drunk the kool-aid'.
As a matter of fact he probably when for a second pitcher, following the Neo-Cons hijacking of the Republican Party. While this happened back in the Reagan Presidency, it became even more prevalent during the 'Contract for America' farce. The man I admired became more concerned with his power, and backing that he forgot one simple fact.
He works for us, not the other way around.
I guess that hurt the most for me, because I'm an idealist, who became a cynic, hiding behind under the cloak of a realist. I needed to see our Republic, working in a way that was for the people. Passing laws that protected us as a nation, not just some individuals. Debating without the need to sandbag the other guy to get your point across. Government, actually being accountable for their actions, whether or not they were legal, moral, or ethical.
Now I see a Government who doesn't even read their own bills, much less a newspaper before deciding, nor listening to the people who elected them.
Some time ago, I read an article that stated that Sen. Mitch McConnell had refused to even read a bill for the withdrawal of our troops. That's not only sad, that its Government cloaked in ignorance, but now, its just another glaring reason why he has to be replace with someone who will remember the simple little rule that seems to escape Government these days.
They work for us, not the other way around.
Mitch and those like him have to go. Whether you are Democrat, Republican, or Independant, it is time to rise up and demand accountablity for our Government. Liberals, Conservatives, and those of us in-between, its time to strip the labels that have been placed on us and challenge the Government to see us as a UNITED nation.
And it is time for the paper dolls of our Government, from McConnell to McCain, those who claim to be heroes and advocates and yet do nothing to perserve our Constitution and Values, to leave our hollowed halls in Washington D.C. and learn a humbling lesson in Democracy.
They worked for us, not the other way around.
Some of them over the years have proved their worth, solid rocks who have helped shape my beliefs. Others became paper dolls, those who I have little respect for, with one reason or another.
One of the those who had become a paper doll was Senator Mitch McConnell.
Now to understand why I admired him takes a bit of explaining.
Before he became a Senator of Kentucky, he was the County Judge Excutive of Jefferson County back in the 80's. This was the equivalent to a Mayor of a city. He advocated for the missing and exploited children, which became surfaced after a young girl named Ann Gotlib was kidnapped from a shopping mall. He helped to established an orginazation for the missing and exploited children in Jefferson County/Louisville. In my opinion, at that point in time, he was a good man.
What happened to him between then, and now, is unknown. (To me at the very least) I still admired him as a Republican when he stated that flag buring was protected by the Constitution, and was silly to have as an amendment to protect the flag.
The man had at the very least, principles, even if I didn't agree with his politics.
These days, the man who I once admired as a child and respected as a young man, has for the lack of a better term 'drunk the kool-aid'.
As a matter of fact he probably when for a second pitcher, following the Neo-Cons hijacking of the Republican Party. While this happened back in the Reagan Presidency, it became even more prevalent during the 'Contract for America' farce. The man I admired became more concerned with his power, and backing that he forgot one simple fact.
He works for us, not the other way around.
I guess that hurt the most for me, because I'm an idealist, who became a cynic, hiding behind under the cloak of a realist. I needed to see our Republic, working in a way that was for the people. Passing laws that protected us as a nation, not just some individuals. Debating without the need to sandbag the other guy to get your point across. Government, actually being accountable for their actions, whether or not they were legal, moral, or ethical.
Now I see a Government who doesn't even read their own bills, much less a newspaper before deciding, nor listening to the people who elected them.
Some time ago, I read an article that stated that Sen. Mitch McConnell had refused to even read a bill for the withdrawal of our troops. That's not only sad, that its Government cloaked in ignorance, but now, its just another glaring reason why he has to be replace with someone who will remember the simple little rule that seems to escape Government these days.
They work for us, not the other way around.
Mitch and those like him have to go. Whether you are Democrat, Republican, or Independant, it is time to rise up and demand accountablity for our Government. Liberals, Conservatives, and those of us in-between, its time to strip the labels that have been placed on us and challenge the Government to see us as a UNITED nation.
And it is time for the paper dolls of our Government, from McConnell to McCain, those who claim to be heroes and advocates and yet do nothing to perserve our Constitution and Values, to leave our hollowed halls in Washington D.C. and learn a humbling lesson in Democracy.
They worked for us, not the other way around.
As it stands, according to the mainstream media, Pro-Life is considered Anti-Abortion. While this may be true, there is a considerable amount of Life, that most Neo-Cons have assured us are 'proper sacrifices' for the greater good, that has been taken away because of the United States actions.
However, take for a moment to consider an alternative to the definations for the term Pro-Life:
1) Being against the Death Penelty.
2) Being against the senseless violence in Iraq that has not only destroyed countless lives, but has caused directly a Civil War, and force several million Iraqis from their homes.
3) Being against using Nuclear Missles as an option in all situations.
4) Being against torture, of any sort that is used, and legalized by the United States today.
I am sure there are a number of others that could be listed, but, the point is, you can not be Pro-Life, if you are not for life.
However, take for a moment to consider an alternative to the definations for the term Pro-Life:
1) Being against the Death Penelty.
2) Being against the senseless violence in Iraq that has not only destroyed countless lives, but has caused directly a Civil War, and force several million Iraqis from their homes.
3) Being against using Nuclear Missles as an option in all situations.
4) Being against torture, of any sort that is used, and legalized by the United States today.
I am sure there are a number of others that could be listed, but, the point is, you can not be Pro-Life, if you are not for life.
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