Inaugural Balls and Presidential Vacations: Are They Too Expensive

Several new Governors are being criticized for the cost of their Inaugural Balls. Among those who have received negative comments are incoming Governors Rick Scott (R-FL), Brian Sandoval (R-NV) and Mary Fallin (R-OK). Scott is having 26 marching bands and oysters Rockefeller, while Fallin will also have two pre-Inaugural Galas.

Cute and Crazy: Shelly Adams

Shelly Adams joins Kara Russo and Chelene Nighingale in the Cute and Crazy category. She just told me “The Bush Family should all be arrested as War Criminals and Traitors! F–k Jeb Bush!” She wants to abolish both political parties, and posts offensive and antisemitic articles (check out her Notes section), which are absurd.
Her main theme is that “Zionist Jews want to bring their Communism to America.”

Will Sarah Palin Run in 2012?

Her reality show has come to an end, but the TLC network announced today that on April 5th it will release a DVD of all seven shows for $19.98. Based on this week’s polling numbers, I am not sure it still is “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” Her approval rating in the state has dropped by 50%, and it would not be a surprise if the family moved to Arizona to join her daughter Bristol. Her national numbers from PPP and CNN/Opinion Research are not encouraging.

Lisa is a Lesbian, But is She a Liberal?

Lisa Artgal is in the middle of this photo.

My friend of the day is Lisa Artgal of Tuscon. We did not agree earlier this year on the Arizona Senate primary. I believe Sen. John McCain (AZ) is the GOP’s best spokesman on defense and foreign policy issues, and after the 2008 campaign, he has been an outstanding conservative leader. Lisa is an anti-abortion activist and I would never accuse her of not being a conservative.

Trivia Questions: Has a Snow Storm Ever Resulted in a Political Upset?

QUESTION: Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) is now receiving negative news media coverage because he is at Disney World while his state is suffering from a snow storm. His Lt. Governor is also out of state and Democrats are in charge of the emergency. Has a snow storm ever resulted in a major political upset?

Answering The Libertarians: The 150th Anniversary of South Carolina Secession

 

It was 150 years ago yesterday that South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. To mark the occasion a “Secession Ball” was held in Charleston last night.

“Six hundred thousand Americans died in a senseless civil war. President Abraham Lincoln did this just to enhance and get rid of the original intent of the republic. . . I agree with Clyde Wilson that America can’t be saved or returned to its roots until the Republican Party is destroyed.” – Thomas DiLorenzo of the Ron Paul Revolution

The Constitution is silent on the issue of secession, and it would not have been ratified had that provision been inserted in 1787.  The secession issue was one of the reasons legislatures were deliberately kept out of the ratification process. The founders knew the Constitution was not an ordinary law which could be changed by legislative action. To make sure of this, no state legislature approved entry into the Union. Their only role was to establish Conventions to decide the issue.
The issue of secession was raised at the New York convention. Some delegates wanted to amend their ratification with a provision allowing secession. Alexander Hamilton seriously considered this. The issue came to an end because of James Madison’s letter to Hamilton on the question of conditional ratification. Madison basically said once in the Union always in the Union. George Washington also believed secession was wrong, and Thomas Jefferson spoke against this in his first Inaugural.
President James Madison did have to confront this issue. He was the primary author of the Constitution, and after the war of 1812 the New England states spoke of seceding at the Hartford Convention. The scandal that secession had even been mentioned was used by the Democrats to accuse their opponents of treason, and was enough to destroy the Federalist Party. Madison said they had no right to do this. It was also an issue during the 1830 South Carolina nullification crisis.
Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) says the United States seceded from Great Britain so the southern states should have been allowed to break away from America. The founding fathers believed there was a moral authority to rebel against an abusive and controlling government. The framers did not create the British government as they did the US government along with its mean to change itself.  They weren’t even allowed representation in Parliament.
On the other hand, the South controlled the federal government for most of the time between 1801 and 1860. It probably would have continued even longer had the Democratic Party not split into three parts for the 1860 election allowing Lincoln to win. The American people never signed on to the British Empire, but they had created the Union. They had also created the means to change it should that become necessary.
In 1861, Abraham Lincoln’s goal was to stop the extension of slavery into new states and territories. He was not trying to abolish slavery at that time. The Emancipation Proclamation and later the 13th Amendment that ended slavery in the United States were a direct result of the war, not the cause of the war.
In his letter to Horace Greeley, Lincoln said his objective was to save the Union, not to save or destroy slavery. “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.”
The 13 original states came together under the Articles of Confederation which uses the term “perpetual Union” in

Article XIII:  “Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual.”

The Constitution did not supersede the Articles. It amended them, and this included a complete revision of the then political arrangement.  In no place does the Constitution say, “The Articles are rescinded.” The Constitution does not say, “The formerly perpetual union is now temporary and transitory.” The Preamble of the Constitution is: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” Not a less perfect Union. There’s not a word about abolishing the the perpetuity of the Union anywhere in the Constitution. In the Constitution it does not say what the name of the country is.  The country was named “The United States of America” in the Articles of Confederation.
The states which voted for secession could have followed a legal route by calling for a Constitutional convention, or passage of an amendment allowing them to secede. To bring about change they would have need a two-thirds majority of the states. They decided to seek change by armed rebellion against the legitimate government. Lincoln said the Southern states could leave, but only if three-fourths of the states approved. He got that figure from Article V, which pertains to the amendment process.
As Madison intimated, the Constitution is a compact between two parties (The state and the union). If one wanted out of it, they had to do more than simply choose to opt out. There is no opt out clause in the constitution. Even in a divorce, both parties have to work out a settlement. One party cannot simply choose to not be married.
The federal government had every right to protect the union and to secure the liberty of the enslaved people. Lincoln and the Republicans wanted to do this through peaceful and political means.  What is a government for if it is not there to protect the natural God given rights of it’s people?
Congressman Paul also says “Slavery was phased out in every other country of the world. And the way I’m advising that it should have been done is do like the British empire did. You buy the slaves and release them. How much would that cost compared to killing 600,000 Americans and where it lingered for 100 years? I mean, the hatred and all that existed. So every other major country in the world got rid of slavery without a civil war. I mean, that doesn’t sound too radical to me. That sounds like a pretty reasonable approach.”
This suggestion was tried several times beginning with Thomas Jefferson’s administration, but the South had no interest. America also had a voluntary slave export program. As usual, Ron Paul makes everything  sound easy. What was the government to do if people did not want to sell their slaves?

Ford Finally Beats Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord by Gregory Hilton

It has taken decades, but the United States has finally beaten Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord in the all important reliability category. The data comes from Consumer Reports which gives its highest possible distinction, the Excellent Rating, to the Ford Fusion.
They describe Fusion as a car that performs 60% better than its peers, and will last for 200,000 miles. It is the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award.

Welcome Aboard Walker, We Are Pleased to Have You

The election was over two months ago but the change continues. Since November 2nd, 22 state legislators have switched parties. Probably the most important was State Rep. Walker Hines of New Orleans. He is only 26, but has been a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for the past three years.
He represents an urban district which is home to rapper Lil Wayne.

Christmas at the White House: Historical Trivia Questions

President George W. Bush and his family gather for the last time at Camp David on Christmas, December 25, 2008. Seated front row, Lauren Bush, Ashley Bush, Ellie LeBlond, Gigi Koch, Elizabeth Andrews, Marshall Bush, Pace Andrews, Walker Bush. Second row, John E. Bush, George P. Bush, Barbara Bush, Pierce Bush, former President George H.W. Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Jenna Hager, Top row, Mandi Bush, Sam LeBlond, Neil Bush, Ally Bush, Maria Bush, Bobby Koch, Doro Koch, Margaret Bush, Marvin Bush, Columba Bush, former Gov. Jeb Bush, Henry Hager, Noelle Bush, and Robert Koch.

QUESTIONS: When did the first Christmas Tree appear at the White House? Who sent the first Christmas cards? When was the first Christmas Party, the first tree lighting ceremony, the first official message and the first tree with a theme? Which President banned Christmas trees? Which President avoided all Christmas celebrations? Which President ordered the tree to be immediately decorated 26 days after Christmas was over? Are religious ornaments banned at the White House?

The True Meaning of Christmas by Gregg Hilton

My parents have passed away but at Christmas I am reminded of our family traditions. When I was young my mother read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Her message was neither unique nor especially profound. She felt it was important for a small child to understand why Ebenezer Scrooge was so unhappy. He had every…thing as far as material wealth was concerned, but had been miserable for decades.