Federal Court to WA State - "Imprisoned Felons have a RIGHT to Vote"

Just when you think that the Federal Government has gone too far, the Judicial Branch jumps into the spotlight with a whopper of a violation of state's rights. From the Associated Press:

OLYMPIA, Wash. —
A federal appeals court has ruled that imprisoned felons should be allowed to vote in Washington to ensure that racial minorities are protected under the Voting Rights Act.

Tuesday's 2-1 ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the 2000 ruling of a district judge in Spokane. That judge had ruled that state law did not violate the act, and dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former prison inmate from Bellevue.

The two appellate judges ruled that disparities in the state's justice system "cannot be explained in race-neutral ways."

A spokeswoman says state Attorney General Rob McKenna is weighing the state's next step.

The protection of racial minorities is of more importance than the sanctity of elections, according to the 9th Circuit Clowns. Such a ruling is as intrusive into State's Rights as it is insane. An individual should not be barred from voting based on gender or skin tone, but there are multitudes of legal and justifiable reasons why free citizens would want to bar the most violent criminal minds from helping shape our society!

At this point, I need someone to remind me why we are not immediately instituting a policy of 'tar and feather' - and I am not referring to the felons!

As a devoted 10th amendment supporter, there is nothing that makes my skin crawl more than federal "leaders" meddling in state affairs - UNLESS it is the feds meddling in state ELECTIONS.

Obama's Kangaroo Court

The Kangaroo Court hearing surrounding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is a mockery of the US judicial system, is a mockery of our military tribunal process, and serves no purpose other than to further degrade the character of the United States. The credibility of another branch of the United States Government is being called into question.

Let us consider two topics - one regarding the justification for the claim of a Kangaroo Court, and the other regarding Obama's intent.

A kangaroo court hearing is one in which we simply go through the motions, but where no due process was actually followed, and the outcome is known in advance. What due process are we expecting the KSM trial in New York to follow? By bringing KSM into US Civil Courts Obama has to be prepared to release him onto the streets if he is found 'not guilty' or if there is a mistrial. What other problems may we run into classifying this as a Kangaroo Trial?

1. the right to exclude evidence that is improperly obtained - KSM was water boarded hundreds of times. Water boarding has been defined as torture. All evidence obtained as a result of water boarding or other enhanced interrogation techniques is inadmissible... if it is allowed, the Court is a Kangaroo. Consider the fact that KSM was never given his Miranda Rights - that ALONE is basis for a mistrial!

2. the right not to be tried on secret evidence - the attorneys for KSM could push for the declassification of thousands of documents, procedures, personnel, locations, etc that will pin the US government into a corner - anything they do not declassify cannot be used for trial in prosecuting KSM.

3. the right to exclude judges or jurors on the grounds of partiality or conflict of interest - the very fact that the pool of jurors will be selected from citizens who live mere minutes away from Ground Zero in NYC is grounds for appeal and/or mistrial. To find an impartial NYC jury for a case regarding the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks - fat chance.

Any judge who follows the books to the letter would have to look at the case in one way - there is no possible way that KSM can receive a fair trial in the United States, let alone in New York City.

What will Obama say if a jury acquits him or hangs? What are we going to expect when the cameras and flash bulbs capture the moment when Khalid Sheikh Mohammed walks freely from the doors of the court house and into a waiting automobile, whisking him off to a destination unknown... free as OJ Simpson in 1995.

However - what if the US government refuses to release a man found innocent in the US courts? Obama and AG Holder are refusing to answer, but it appears as if an order has been given prior to the trial, that KSM will not be released... Are we to believe that the trial, then, serves no purpose? What good will come of such a trial?

Obama's motives are clear: destroy the credibility of the Justice System.

There is no faith in our economy. There is no faith in the Congress. There is no faith in the States. Soon there will be no faith in a functioning Justice system. To what end, Mr. Obama? Undoing 300 years of freedom and innovation for what?

When the courts fail, when the states fail, when the congress fails... what are we left with but a nation of slaves? Where has our liberty gone?

This trial is being paraded as Justice and proof that "America will do the right thing". It is nothing more than a Kangaroo Court aimed at damaging the credibility of the United States' Courts. This is a lose/lose situation for the US. Obama, and the US with him, is making a HUGE mistake.

"We the People" - Govt. Relationship Redefined

Congress votes on a bill, it passes. Seems simple enough.

The Senate takes the same bill, votes, it passes. The Senate is simply performing a series of actions perfectly authorized by the Constitution.

The President signs the bill laid before him, and suddenly we have a law. School House Rock would be proud!

Our founding fathers, however... not so much.

This is a law that forces compliance to federal mandates, threatens fines of $10,000 and ten years in federal prison, and advances this nation further from a Government of and by the People into a Government Over the People.

The year is 1934, The law was the Gold Reserve Act. The federal government very literally seized, at gunpoint, the entire wealth of the people of the United States. The government acted as common criminals perfecting their weapons of choice - fear, intimidation, and brute force. It was made a federal crime to own more than 5 ounces of gold, and was severely criminal to use the metal as a source of monetary value for trade. The federal government made themselves very clear - hand over the cash and no one gets hurt.

Under a guise of national security, and with the authority of the Trading With The Enemy Act, FDR and his congress effectively labelled any merchant of gold an Enemy of the State - what would be considered and widely reported in today's media as a terrorist. Suddenly, any free American not declaring their gold and not surrendering it to federal authorities was a TERRORIST.

The year is 2009, the bill in question is the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The federal government is seizing, at gunpoint, the entire Health of the people of the United States. The government is acting as common criminals, forcing submission to their product under the threat of fear, intimidation, and brute force. It will be a federal crime to not purchase a US Government Product - Health Insurance. The federal government is making themselves very clear - hand over the cash and no one gets hurt... unless the end of life counselors determine, on your behalf, that it is in your best interest and the best interest of the country.
Under the guise of national security and economic stabilization, and with the authority of, well, its the Government - who's gonna stop them? Obama and his Democratic Congress will effectively label any free citizen exercising a Natural Right NOT to procure a product as an Enemy of the State, a terrorist.

One has to look at the History of the United States and ask, "How is it that we are considered a Free Society?"

What is the relationship between the People of the United States and their Government?

History would reveal a series of gross offenses by a tyrannical government over a free people. From the Indian Wars for US backed Gold Prospecting, to Japanese internment after Pearl Harbor; from the invasion of Southern States by Federal troops, to the invasion of foreign lands for Imperial resources; from the Gold Reserve Act to the Patriot Act... The list goes on and on, but the result is always the same: The People are absolutely powerless to stop the will of the Federal Government - any resistance will be met with fines, imprisonment, internment, or Death.

Blue Lyon even reported last week on a Washington Post piece finding that Federal Prosecutors are free from legal recourse for FRAMING individuals in order to win cases!

But here’s the twist: The prosecutors say that they can’t be sued for anything they do in their official capacities, even framing suspects.

It is not an argument outside the legal mainstream. The federal government, a majority of states and thousands of prosecuting attorneys are supporting the proposition that prosecutors must receive absolute immunity for their actions at trial to do their jobs properly. And that extends, they say, to any investigative work they do before the suspect is charged.

[...]

There is no “free-standing due process right not to be framed,” Deputy Solicitor General Neal K. Katyal agreed. Having to worry about a potential lawsuit when deciding whether to introduce certain evidence, Katyal said, might cause prosecutors to “flinch” from their duties.

The federal government's corruption is extended across three branches, with power to suspend or ignore the Constitution and those blessed rights preserved by the people, for the people, as we granted limited powers to our government. There is no power to stop the government in their forceful rule of our daily lives or personal property - only fear and intimidation, powerful tools to keep subjects in line.

The relationship between the Government and We the People is no longer what it was intended to be. We find ourselves on this day, and for many days before, born into slavery to a government that is rabid with power, and brutal with enforcement of their laws.

To keep gold - a crime.
To refuse Government Healthcare - a crime.
To use force to obtain property belonging to another individual - a crime sound government policy.

I ask you, my reader, my fellow citizen - what is the trigger... what is the catalyst... what is the offense that is so egregious that it will be THE ONE to make the citizenry rise up and demand that they simply STOP - that we want nothing more than to be left alone!

"...experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed..." - The Declaration of Independence

When do we say "Enough". How do we stop these elected officials from further eroding our Natural Rights? How do we ensure that We the People are the keepers of the power, and that the Government should fear us - Not the other way around?

We support the most debilitating punishment for a government - the Right of the people to Opt Out... the right of the States to Opt Out... we support with the fullest power of our body and mind the freedom of a group of people to say "No More".

The United States applauded the secession of the Soviet Republics 20 years ago, when the Iron Curtain fell and with it the Berlin Wall, but in America the thought of secession is criminal. Scholars and paupers alike will tell you that the Right to Secession was lost when the South surrendered during their war for independence. Does the rule only apply to enemies of the US, or are we subject to the same rules of Natural Law? Is there any wonder why Obama downplayed the anniversary of the collapse of a Socialist Power and the secession of her states?

There is a very simple, very clear message being sent by the US government: Every Knee Shall Bow.

Democrats Can't Turn it Off! Propose ANOTHER $150 Billion "Economic Bail-out"

In January I posted a blog ripping the United States for the "entitlement" bail-out, and the Fed's answer of simply "printing more money" to stimulate the economy.

The $500 Billion was distributed. The gas prices continued to rise and the economy continued to teeter. The debt incurred did nothing to save the economy, just buy off the Plebs.

In March, I complained about Secretary of Treasury, Henry Paulson's, plan to "streamline" the economy by turning over the US treasury to the Federal Reserve. I stated:

"What Paulson has done here is set a dangerous precedent, in that the failure of private industry is no longer going to be allowed to happen. What is going to happen instead is that the government will subsidize failing businesses to keep them open, and keep their employees working... on an indirect government salary.
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE COLLAPSE OF THE FREE MARKET."

The government was intended to be inneficient, so as to protect the people from spontaneous and bad legislature, which would lead to heavy burdens of Tyranny. Streamlining the government is an overt attempt to sidestep the intentions of the Founding Fathers.

In June I warned about Socialists in the Democratic Party, and their intentions to nationalize the oil industry - following in the footsteps of Hugo Chavez. I suppose I should have also warned of the Socialists in the Republican Party, and their overall intention of seizing absolute power over the United States, and ultimately the world through markets, then politics.

In July I angrily declared my wavering allegiance to a socialist tending government, led by the most liberal Big Government President in the History of the United States, GW Bush.

"The treasury is being plundered to the thunderous applause of the masses. The burden to bail-out the vain and covetous leeches of our society is being placed on our own pocketbooks... We are being given marching orders by a government that won the vote, but represents no more than 1/4 of the population respectively - that marching order is "On to the Gallows!" - for in this day we are seeing the death of the last best hope in the world."

In September, I warned of the dangerous parallel between the recent actions of the United States and the death of the Roman Republic in favor of the Roman Empire. It should also be noted that the same process was followed, legally, in Germany, leading to the rise of the Nationalist Socialist party. Extreme Debt, National Pride, Government Hand-outs and Bail-outs buying allegiance - then the rise of Socialist Hitler to cap it all off.

"The value of the US dollar has decreased by 96% since the inception of the
Federal Reserve, the Federal Debt has gone from $0 to nearly $10 Trillion in the
same amount of time (and has continued to increase an average of $2.32 billion per day since September 28, 2007!) , and the Federal Government is making no plans to stop spending (especially under Obama). The taxpayers of the United States seems not too concerned about this debt, as we have been cultured into a "credit" state of mind, and distracted by commercialism and reality TV constantly demanding that we "watch and vote" - as if it made some sort of a difference in the world! The burden of the debt is over $30,000 per US citizen - more than a years pay for most Americans. Such a burden forces the citizenry into a state of "constant work" in order to survive - thus removing the mind of the masses."

This month, I have discussed the increased occurrence of violation of the Federal Government's contract with America, the Constitution. The people's liberties are being cast aside in favor of consumerism. Consumerism, of course, is the rally cry for a one-world government supporting perpetual production, consumption, and taxes for political power.

And NOW, the Democrats are proposing ANOTHER $150 Billion in bail-out moneys to be paid to the states in order to continue funding failed social programs within those states. Luckily, House Republicans are fighting this additional bail-out - but we have seen how easily these clowns buckle if tax breaks are offered to archery shops and bicycle commuters.

Look, readers - I am going to be blunt. This crap has GOT to stop!

The federal budget last year was $2.6 Trillion - and next year's budget is over $3 Trillion. This DOES NOT include the $1.5 Trillion in bail-outs that the Federal Government has raped from the "treasury" in the name of "fairness" or "stabilization". This maneuvering has nothing to do with security or stability... it has everything to do with circumventing the Constitution, creating an expedient government, and granting that new government unlimited power - see Paulson's new role.

Our government has failed, and we are losing our liberties. The government is mired with corruption, greed, and incompetence - and they are using their skills to imprison us in debt - ensuring continued subjugation under this government take-over.

What power do we have to stop these actions?

We have a vote in November, but I fail to see an end with a new Congress. Many incumbents will come back to hen house, foxes all. And the new Congressmen in races across the United States show no drive and no ability to stop this monster.

We have the ability to petition our government for redress of grievances. Alas, no court would uphold a fight against what the government is doing.

And we have the right to take powers from the federal government, granting them to the states in special elections and state constitutional changes - challenging the federal government on their authority over state's sovereignty.

There is a dangerous trend. There seems to be no stop in sight.

So I ask, what are YOU willing to do to secure freedom?

Martin Luther King Jr, while detained in the Birmingham Jail:

"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers. If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country's antireligious laws."

I would draw on the spirit of this rebellious attitude. I would use this quote to declare:

We are living in a New Socialist Society, where certain principles dear to freedom loving individuals, such as our civil liberties, are being suppressed - and I am openly advocating disobeying this countries coming anti-freedom laws! There will come a time when we all must chose - do what is right, or do what is easy. The Declaration of Independence reads: all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

Are you willing to stand up for this country, or live by the new "laws"? Is the loss of freedom so sufferable that you will openly applaud the actions of this federal government in your silence?

Are there no true patriots left in this nation?

Is there no-one willing to do something?

How a Republic becomes an Empire - ROME v. US

Beginning October 1st, this WEDNESDAY, the US Army will assign The 3rd Infantry’s 1st Brigade Combat Team on ACTIVE DUTY inside the United States - dubbing it "Consequence Management Response Force" operating in the United States - operating out of Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

This combat brigade has spent 35 of the last 60 months operating in heavy combat in Iraq - now they are being stationed as part of an active combat operation within the United States.

Though this is not the first time an active operation has taken place within the borders of US proper, this is the first time that an unprecedented active and permanent deployment of US combat troops has been deployed in the United States.

I cannot help but recall the early days of the Roman Empire, when defending the Republic was the mantra of those in command, however Rome became a place of martial law and eventually an Empire under the Caesar's. Roman law stated that no Roman Army could cross the Rubicon River - Yet, when Julius Caesar marched his army south and into Rome, a new age began in which Rome ceased to be a Republic and set the stage for the Roman Empire.

Yet, Caesar's deployment of combat troops to Rome was not the only act that ended the Republic - it was Caesar's bribery of the troops, the citizens, and the wealthy with gold from Rome's treasury. These payments came as goodwill signs that Caesar was intent on ruling on behalf of the people - yet the Civil Wars that ensued ensured the death of the Roman Republic.

Parallel to the United States in the new century... After the attacks of September 11th, Homeland Security was created, giving rise to the day-to-day existence of authoritarian government officials in our daily lives. This is the sign of the unrest of the nation - just as the unrest existed with the growing concerns in Ancient Rome when Pompey and Julius broke their friendship. The United States handed out a $600 per person payment from "the treasury" to show a sign of goodwill to the Plebs - just as Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar did on many occasion to ensure domestic jubulance. The United States Federal Government has taken an authoritarian stance towards the states, and the citizens, now stationing active combat troops inside the United States and tramping on state's rights - just as Julius Caesar stationed troops inside of the city walls of Rome, as well as throughout the countryside, instituting martial law and military authoritarianism.

Conspiracy Theory or not? There are now too many coincidences for a conservative libertarian like myself to ignore. Without discrediting myself, I want to take a moment and question the intentions of this United States Government.

1. Presidential Directive 51 - In order to maintain an "Enduring Constitutional Government", the President has the sole power (where it used to take an act of congress) to take over all functions of the government in the event of a "catastrophic event" to provide "leadership visible to the nation and the world". This gives the President absolute power to mandate certain operations to ensure "stability" as he sees fit.

2. Telephone Tapping Infrastructure - Since 9/11, the US government has been conducting a surveillance of telephone conversations in search of intelligence regarding terrorism in the United States. This tapping debate was led by the battle cry "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" - regardless of the implications to civil liberties. One thing that was not also considered was the building of the infrastructure to tap the general public. Now the infrastructure exists to listen to, and record every conversation via telephone services - less Blackberry because Canada refuses to cooperate with tapping.

3. Inflation and Distraction - The value of the US dollar has decreased by 96% since the inception of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Debt has gone from $0 to nearly $10 Trillion in the same amount of time (and has continued to increase an average of $2.32 billion per day since September 28, 2007!) , and the Federal Government is making no plans to stop spending (especially under Obama). The taxpayers of the United States seems not too concerned about this debt, as we have been cultured into a "credit" state of mind, and distracted by commercialism and reality TV constantly demanding that we "watch and vote" - as if it made some sort of a difference in the world! The burden of the debt is over $30,000 per US citizen - more than a years pay for most Americans. Such a burden forces the citizenry into a state of "constant work" in order to survive - thus removing the mind of the masses.

4. Digital Television Infrastructure - Beginning Feb 2009 all televisions will be on a digital signal, allowing interactive information sharing between the TV and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. This allows, initially, an exact tracking of what each TV is watching - trends, stations, etc... even volume information may be available as digital TVs are asked to deliver certain information to the Federal Agency. In the future, as Orwellian as it may seem, Televisions may be constructed with a voice and/or picture recording device (so you can webcam on your tv) - however, those cameras would also be able to be activated through a digital signal - thus monitoring conversations of every household in America.

5. Intersection Cameras - National Surveillance is already underway. I challenge my readers to go to any Colorado intersection and NOT see a camera. I am not just talking about the Red Light Ticket Cams - I am talking about "traffic cameras" used for general surveillance of motorists. Every minute of every day these cameras are active - and it is not much of a jump to suppose that these cameras can be networked or operated by a federal/national agency. Add to those cameras the ATM cameras across the nation, and other cameras hardwired to the net, and tie in facial recognition technology (I got scanned at the Denver Airport two weeks ago by a facial recognition booth on my way to security) and the government can track you anywhere at any time.

6. FEMA camps - As a part of REX 84 (Readiness Exercise 1984), in which the Federal Government has planned for the mass arrest and detention of US citizens in the case of civil unrest, the FEMA camps are those mass detention centers. This Link provides a list of the FEMA camp locations - including the refurbished Trinidad Camp in Colorado where German and Italian Americans were detained during WWII and the Canon City Japanese internment camp. Don't forget about the corresponding FEMA Coffins - now this may be conspiracy theorist garbage, but I have to question the existence of millions of coffin liners popping up near the FEMA camps.

7. Active Deployment of Combat Troops - The deployment of combat troops for the purpose of putting down civil unrest within the United States is the last reality of the Authoritarian Society in which we now find ourselves.

Call me crazy, or a Conspiracy Theorist, or call me a realist and a patriot for questioning the actions taken by the Federal Government. As we move further toward a nationalized marketplace and a Federal Authoritarian government, I am left contemplating the words of the late Benjamin Franklin: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both"

What ARE the intentions of the US government?

I don't want to have the children of tomorrow's generation look back on this time and ask "Why didn't anybody do anything?"

USSA - The Union of Soviet Socialist Americas

While the right hand of the conservative movement fights for a more Libertarian country on the Healthcare front, the left hand of the conservative movement is cutting off the right hand by moving towards a completely socialized and over-regulated financial system. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has announced the plan of the Treasury in regards to the financial crisis... give it all to the Federal Reserve!

This plan gives sweeping new powers to the Federal Reserve over the free market. This plan would give the Federal Reserve the power of "moderator" to the financial markets, and grant it power to ambiguously "step in" if it determined that there was some sort of a financial crisis. The plan also "streamlines" the institution, in a sense consolidating financial power:

Under the proposal, the Securities and Exchange Commission, which ensures the functioning of financial markets and is responsible for protecting investors, would merge with the Commodity Futures and Trading Commission, which regulates the trading of futures contracts. Meanwhile, the Office of Thrift Supervision would be folded into the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The proposal would also establish a new federal regulator for the mortgage industry, affecting both lenders and brokers, which now follow a patchwork of state regulations. Paulson's plan includes other bold moves, including bringing previously unregulated financial entities like hedge funds and private equity firms within the reach of federal authorities and federalizing the oversight of the insurance industry.

In his closing remarks, Paulson warns of over-regulation... but this is exactly the tool that he is allowing the Fed to use!

So where do I begin on this one?

First, as I understand Paulson's strategy, is the further regulation of the market, moving us further away from a Free Market, so as to "save ourselves from ourselves"... I love the "Government can fix it" mentality! Paulson's strategy is the gateway to socialism... not that we aren't already two feet in THAT door!

Look... investing in anything is risky... especially something as unstable as real estate has been over the last decade. When banks "bet the bank" on the goodwill of folks, offering non-traditional high risk loans, they make a business decision that could provide huge profits upfront, but cause their company to collapse in the long run... this is exactly what has happened. And there is nothing that states that the US Federal Government shall bail out thy stupid! Let alone regulating PRIVATE equity firms!

What Paulson has done here is set a dangerous precedent, in that the failure of private industry is no longer going to be allowed to happen. What is going to happen instead is that the government will subsidize failing businesses to keep them open, and keep their employees working... on an indirect government salary. THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE COLAPSE OF THE FREE MARKET.

This proposal is going to be sent before congress... congress, whose approval rating is in the teens, is the last line of defense against socializing the free market.

When the next generation asks "how did we let it happen?" they will look back on moments like these.

I urge you to contact your congressman, contact your senator, call the White House and the Treasury Department... e-mail them, fax them, show up on their doorsteps... Let them know that we WANT to be able to take responsibility for our own actions, we WANT the free market to fix itself, and we WANT the government to STOP regulating and subsidizing the (for now anyway) PRIVATE financial institutions... failing or not!

Military reveals plans in prep for Dem cut-backs after November win

The Pentagon has begun creating new procedures as preparations for military budget cutbacks. These new procedures outline new tools, protocol, and equipment that will be available with the impending budgetary cuts should the Democrats win the election in November 2008.

Said an anonymous source within the Department of Defense: "We are taking it all back down to bare-bones, square-one... I mean, last time these guys were in power they made the army wear pretty little berets!"

Photos of the training taking place in preparation of the new equipment were released, and I have posted them below.

God Bless our service men and women! (and God save the US!)

Marriage, the Government, and Liberty

As an advocate for traditional marriage, I often ponder my role in the marriage debate. In fact, I find myself considering anyone's role in the marriage "debate". And time and again I find myself coming to the same conclusion: It's the constitution!

The Establishment Clause of the 1st amendment to the United States Constitution clearly states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof".

Marriage has always been a religious or spiritual bonding of two people together. Under the guise of being in the best interest of the general social welfare, US states began issuing marriage licenses. The purpose was to protect spouses from STDs (which is why some states still require blood tests), to keep accurate historical records, and to provide the couple to be married ample tome to consider the bond which they are making (with divorce rates upwards of 50%, I think this last one has lost meaning!). So with good intent, the states had intervened and begun regulating marriage.

Enter the federal government. Tax code, all 60,000+ pages of it, mention marriage. Since the states had found a way to regulate marriage as a non-religious and purely record keeping process at the state level, the US government took clear advantage. This was the key to skirting the Establishment Clause. The US government regards marriage as little more than a business contract, and as such has made tax laws regarding this business matter.

C'mon... we all know we got married for the tax benefits, right! And that is why we will have kids too... another deduction, yeah!

Instead, what has happened is the systematic undoing of the most sacred and spiritual bond that two people can make to one another. And this state regulation of religion into some form of a business matter has allowed the federal government to not only make laws respecting an historically religious event, but now there is talk of a marriage amendment to the constitution.

Please allow me to apply the brakes gently for a moment.

The very people who are fighting to "save marriage" are playing into the hands of those have destroyed it's original intent... and the original intent of the constitution for that matter!

To use the constitution to define marriage is to acknowledge that marriage is not a religious or spiritual bond. If you believe it to be, then the 1st amendment would not allow such an amendment to exist... unless, of course, you intend the Constitution to regulate our religion in this nation. And again, as with the 18th amendment, the constitution would be used to limit liberties.

If marriage is as sacred as those fighting to protect it believe it to be, they should start by fighting the tax codes/laws respecting this religious bond. They should fight a legal battle challenging the US government's laws regarding this religious right. They should further fight the state's regulation of marriage, and limit the state's role from "granting marriage licenses" to "recording marriage for historical accuracies". The efforts of the defenders of marriage are doing little more than attempting to establish a religious rule in the Constitution, and is doomed to failure under a truly free society.

The constitution is a means to say the government cannot impose themselves on us in these manners, and should warily be used to say we want the government to impose themselves upon it's people in these other manners. It is a document who's intent is to limit government, not create cause for increase and regulation of our lives BY government.

It is well known that the right thing is often the hardest thing. For those fighting for a marriage amendment to the US Constitution, look into your hearts and find why this is right. Are we a society that limits the liberty of our fellow citizens, and do we want to be a society where the government is allowed to regulate our religions? When you answer these questions, you will find the answer... and it is not in a liberty limiting amendment.

A free people, A limited federal government, A pipedream?

What IS the definition of a free person?

Has freedom in America been reduced to the freedom to select between Comcast or Qwest? McDonalds or Wendy's? K-Mart or Walmart?

Has our freedom been reduced to a limit of consumer choices?

Even with politicians... Which President do you want to buy? The inexperienced African American, the Battle-Ax Ex-First Wife, or the Cross Dressing Mayor from NYC?

Why is it that I hear less and less about local governments? About 18 people vying for the spot of Governor in the state of Colorado?

I will tell you why... The federal government is taking steps to reduce the power of the local and state government, and turn everything (literally) into a federal case. Imagine a federal government that works to limit itself, reducing it's own power back to a more constitutionally appropriate role... and letting the states be free?!?

Imagine if the Federal government said "This is not a federal issue, please handle in the states"... This would take care of marriage, abortion, education, transportation, etc, etc...

If there were no income tax breaks on a federal level, then there would be no marriage tax benefit, and thus no need for the federal government to "recognize" marriage. Families can form within the accordance of the local lifestyle... and what makes sense in San Francisco would not have to make sense in St Louis.

If privacy rights were regulated on a state level, then folks who are pro-abortion or anti-abortion could choose to live within communities or states that felt the same way...

Education would be a local issue... and "My two mommies" would not have to be mandatory classroom study for a Des Moines first grader, as it may be in Seattle or New York.

People live in America because we have the freedom to choose... We choose to live in certain communities because we want a certain lifestyle for our families. Why then is EVERY issue a federal issue? Why is EVERY special interest group pressing a federal agenda? What role does our new federal government play with respect to the constitution?

I will tell you, they overstep the constitution on just about every issue... We are in a constitutional crisis... where our freedoms are being peeled back one by one... and the federal government is to blame. It has made itself an overseer of the people... not a vessel for communication, but for ruling.

So at what point do we, as the last vestige of freedom, say that enough is enough, and demand that the federal government withdraw from the states... limiting itself to it's constitutional boundaries?

My guess is that we will not see an outcry on the level that is needed until it is too late...