July 18, 2012
Crickets
Alright. On August 12th-ish, the URL of this blog will revert to www.oldgloryfirst.blogspot.com . It likely won't be much after that that the blog disappears altogether. It seems I don't have much original to say about politics. At least not enough to spend the time saying it, and especially spend the money for a domain name.
June 25, 2012
Enumerated Powers - The Munchies
Where does the Constitution grant the federal government the power to spend tax dollars on health and fitness programs and grants?
June 4, 2012
Enumerated Powers - Foreign Aid
Where is the federal government granted the power to remit tax dollars to other nations in the form of aid, barring a treaty ratified by Congress?
May 31, 2012
Enumerated Powers - Education
Where, constitutionally, is the federal government granted the power to regulate, or otherwise influence, education?
May 30, 2012
Federal Powers - Environment
Where in the US Constitution is the federal government granted the power to regulate emissions, pollution, or any other environmental concern? Mind you, I have no doubt that these things need be concerns of all of us. However, I do not see where this power is not left to the states, or the people. Please discuss.
Enumerated Powers Revival
I have done a shameful job of writing this year. I hope to turn it around with some questions. Everyday (or as close as possible) I am going to pose a question about the power granted the Federal Government by the US Constitution. I am not a lawyer, nor much of a constitutional scholar. Therefore, these are not rhetorical questions, and I hope to receive answers in the comments. I do not expect to find an answer like "interstate commerce" as an answer in and of itself to be acceptable, however. I hope to advance some dialog this way, and bring OGF back to life. I hope readers will find the discussion interesting. Below are the Articles of the CONUS most often cited as the enumerated powers of Congress:
Article I, Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Article IV, Section 3
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Amendment XVI
(Ratified February 3, 1913.)
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
January 31, 2012
On a Personal Note
Since I don't take the time to post anything relevant anyway, I will share an epiphany I just had. The great thing about riding a motorcycle to work is....I don't have lunch, I have recess. And that is alright.
January 14, 2012
January 8, 2012
Same Candle, Different Day
I meant to post my more usual EDC yesterday. Here's another candle for the victims of violence, along wroth some suggested means of prevention. Glock 26 wears leather by Okie Don Hume, and a SOG Twitch XL for the slicing.
January 6, 2012
Light a Candle to Stop Violence
I guess the Brady Bunch have decided that lighting a candle today tomorrow (can't wait) is a good way to stop "gun violence". Weer'd Beard had a better idea. No candle stops violence nearly as well as a good firearm. So along with Weer'd and Jay G at MArooned, I'll light a candle against violence. Maybe we'll follow up with some more candles, and guns too. Here's my M&P .45 Full size that rides in a High Noon IWB...against violence.
December 22, 2011
Old Man Winter
It's winter everyone! That means it's time to break out the sweaters, apple cider, and wool socks. Oh, and let's not forget the magnums, +Ps, and extra barrel length on those carry guns! You got more clothes to cover it, and the bad guys have more layers to penetrate!
If you need help with that, the boys at the Box O' Truth can surely help.
December 11, 2011
November 27, 2011
November 11, 2011
On the Lighter Side of 11/11/11
JayG cranks it up!
Why didn't I think of that? Thought it was funny enough for a shameless link with nothing original to add.
Why didn't I think of that? Thought it was funny enough for a shameless link with nothing original to add.
November 4, 2011
October 31, 2011
No Shave November
The before. I have a sensitive girly face, and traditionally don't make it far into beardville, but it's for a good cause so it's worth extra effort. Anybody else?
Just realized that this is generally a 'stache thing. I think I'll start with the whole thing and weedeat down as desired.
October 27, 2011
European stocks soar on news of debt deal
Not sure why this is considered good news – the actions described have been listed in the mid-to-worse case scenarios in discussion to date. I think they are just glad that something has been decided.
- The hair cut options that I read about were 20%, 50% and 60%, so at 50% the investors are going to get slammed. I don’t see how this is going to not impact the French and German banks, and then US banks, unless those are the “institutional investors” mentioned and they are getting a special deal (at the expense of the common investors who are getting the 50% hickey. I thought the markets were supposed to be a level playing field for those involved. How is it level when “special” people don’t have to deal with the consequences of their bad decisions, but the peasants do?).
- The leveraging of the rescue fund sounds to me like trying to put out the fire with gasoline. The hugely leveraged market is part of the problem – so how do you restore confidence with funny-money?
- I guess there is more to the plan than the article covers. Before they start patting themselves on the back, I’d like to hear how they are going to deal with Portugal, Italy and Spain, which are going to be much bigger problems than Greece was.
Slg
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/europe-stocks-soar-on-news-of-debt-deal-2011-10-27?siteid=bnbh
European stocks soar on news of debt deal
Private bondholders will take 50% haircut on Greek debt
By Polya Lesova, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stock markets soared Thursday, with bank shares posting huge gains, as investors cheered a wide-ranging plan that lays the groundwork for lowering Greece’s sovereign debt, strengthening the financial sector and preventing contagion.
EU summit debt crisis deal analysis
Market reaction to the EU summit deal and a look into what this means for banks, bondholders and the possible involvement of the Chinese.
Bank shares — which had taken a beating recently on escalating debt worries — registered double-digit percentage gains.
[snip]After hours of negotiations that started Wednesday evening and ended early Thursday, euro-zone officials presented a plan aimed at reducing Greece’s debt-to-gross-domestic-product ratio to 120% by 2020.
Private investors will take a “voluntary” 50% write-down on Greek bonds, while international lenders will arrange a new financing program for Greece by the end of the year. Also, the leaders in Brussels agreed to leverage the euro zone’s rescue fund, thereby increasing its firepower to around $1.4 trillion, and reached a deal on a recapitalization plan for European banks. Read more about the European plan.
“These are very positive steps in the right direction which re-enforces our view that European politicians are willing to take unprecedented action to keep the European Monetary Union together,” said Azad Zangana, European economist at Schroders, in emailed comments.
Pivotal development
While many details are missing from the plan, the deal should help reduce volatility in financial markets, Zangana noted.
“We expect the euro-zone economy to slow significantly by the end of the year, though the deal done may have helped avoid a second global credit crunch and a very deep recession,” he said.
In Athens, the ASE Composite index GR:GD +4.82% gained 4.8% to 811.11, with shares of National Bank of Greece GR:ETE +6.11% /quotes/zigman/250383/quotes/nls/nbg NBG +12.62% trading up 6.1%.
October 23, 2011
Hope?
Well, the Telegraph predicts other than doom and gloom for America in the next 5 years. Citing fracing technology and a resurgence of manufacturing as the future. Oh how I want to believe.
World power swings back to America - Telegraph
October 21, 2011
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