Over the course of the past few weeks, it has come to my attention that many Americans lack a "working understanding" of our government.
Allow me to share some of the "left-wing" education I gleaned in college. Per the United States Constitution, our government is to be divided into three seperate branches, each with equal power, and a system of checks and balances between the three of them.
The legislative branch exists to introduce and make the law; the judicial branch exists to interpret the Constitution and the law generated by the legislative branch, and the EXECUTive branch exists to EXECUTE the law (not people).
With that said, these branches were not created to mingle with one another. The legislative branch has no business in the courts, the courts have no business creating laws, and the executive branch has no business creating laws nor stepping into court decisions.
This is the system established by our forefathers and favored by the liberals; it allows for a truly democratic (with a little "d") society. It is a system favored by many conservatives (with a little "c") as well, but not favored by the Conservatives (with a big "C").
The Big "C" Conservatives are the big government, religious Republicans who wish to legislate every part of your life. I've read the Constitution many times and never have a read a part that gives the government the right to legislate morality. The name of God is NEVER invoked in the Constitution. A higher power is never referenced; in fact, Amendment one of the constution begins with, "Congress shall make NO law RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
Conservatives have the fale impression that liberals, like myself, want to ban religion. We simply believe religion belongs in church, not in the government or in ventures supported by the government. Conservatives counter with the Bible teaches them to take their Word with them into the world; we fight back with "your rights end at your nose," refer back to the clause that reads "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION". I would also refer you to the Treaty of Tripoli in which United States officials proclaim that the United States is not in any way a Christian nation. Biblical rules are null and void in the realm of politics.
With that said, we respect each persons right to worship as theyh choose as long as their "worship" doesn't violate another person 14th Amendment rights. Since Republicans don't much care for the 14th Amendment, I will share it with you ..."...No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, LIBERTY, or property, without the due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Intrepreting the 14th Amendment is where the real split begins in America. It is extremely broad. When a judge INTREPRETS, remember that's what the judicial branch is prescribed by the Constitution to do, the 14th Amendment as saying that blacks should have the same rights as white people, well a lot of people in the Jim Crow south of the 60's jumped up and down and screamed "reactionary judges. When courts INTREPRET the 14th Amendment as saying that homosexuals should have the same rights as straight people, Christian extremists jump up and down and yell "Reactionary judges." Nevermind the fact that the 14th Amendment explicitly defends a persons right to LIBERTY. Websters defines "liberty" as " the power to do as one pleases", including sexual orientation.
Of course there have to be restraints, remember the illustration of "your rights end at your nose". You cannot take from another person, that's beyond your nose. You cannot harm another person, that's beyond your nose. It's called common sense in the absence of religious morality.
We as liberals believe the government's place is in Washington, NOT our bedrooms. We believe congressmen should stay on Capitol Hill, NOT at hospices. We truly believe in less government, emphasis is placed on PERSONAL LIBERTIES and NOT moral values, again values are oppinion NOT fact.
Now people are going to say, "But Josh, you pinko's want to raise taxes." Yes, we do believe the wealthy have an obligation to help out those less fortunate in our society. Our LACK of rules allowed them to HAVE the money they do, some of it deserves to go back to the source to lift others out of the pit of poverty. We also have an obligation to educate our young people. Currently, the United States ranks 49th...let me repeat that 49th in the world in literacy, only slightly ahead of Mexico. Taxes are necessary to fund our schools, help our poor, keep our air clean, etc. If you become rich in the United States, it's because the law, which represent the people, allowed you accumulate that wealth. This makes the American people collectively, investors, and they deserve returns for their investments. Those returns are called taxes.
Allow me to share some of the "left-wing" education I gleaned in college. Per the United States Constitution, our government is to be divided into three seperate branches, each with equal power, and a system of checks and balances between the three of them.
The legislative branch exists to introduce and make the law; the judicial branch exists to interpret the Constitution and the law generated by the legislative branch, and the EXECUTive branch exists to EXECUTE the law (not people).
With that said, these branches were not created to mingle with one another. The legislative branch has no business in the courts, the courts have no business creating laws, and the executive branch has no business creating laws nor stepping into court decisions.
This is the system established by our forefathers and favored by the liberals; it allows for a truly democratic (with a little "d") society. It is a system favored by many conservatives (with a little "c") as well, but not favored by the Conservatives (with a big "C").
The Big "C" Conservatives are the big government, religious Republicans who wish to legislate every part of your life. I've read the Constitution many times and never have a read a part that gives the government the right to legislate morality. The name of God is NEVER invoked in the Constitution. A higher power is never referenced; in fact, Amendment one of the constution begins with, "Congress shall make NO law RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
Conservatives have the fale impression that liberals, like myself, want to ban religion. We simply believe religion belongs in church, not in the government or in ventures supported by the government. Conservatives counter with the Bible teaches them to take their Word with them into the world; we fight back with "your rights end at your nose," refer back to the clause that reads "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION". I would also refer you to the Treaty of Tripoli in which United States officials proclaim that the United States is not in any way a Christian nation. Biblical rules are null and void in the realm of politics.
With that said, we respect each persons right to worship as theyh choose as long as their "worship" doesn't violate another person 14th Amendment rights. Since Republicans don't much care for the 14th Amendment, I will share it with you ..."...No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, LIBERTY, or property, without the due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Intrepreting the 14th Amendment is where the real split begins in America. It is extremely broad. When a judge INTREPRETS, remember that's what the judicial branch is prescribed by the Constitution to do, the 14th Amendment as saying that blacks should have the same rights as white people, well a lot of people in the Jim Crow south of the 60's jumped up and down and screamed "reactionary judges. When courts INTREPRET the 14th Amendment as saying that homosexuals should have the same rights as straight people, Christian extremists jump up and down and yell "Reactionary judges." Nevermind the fact that the 14th Amendment explicitly defends a persons right to LIBERTY. Websters defines "liberty" as " the power to do as one pleases", including sexual orientation.
Of course there have to be restraints, remember the illustration of "your rights end at your nose". You cannot take from another person, that's beyond your nose. You cannot harm another person, that's beyond your nose. It's called common sense in the absence of religious morality.
We as liberals believe the government's place is in Washington, NOT our bedrooms. We believe congressmen should stay on Capitol Hill, NOT at hospices. We truly believe in less government, emphasis is placed on PERSONAL LIBERTIES and NOT moral values, again values are oppinion NOT fact.
Now people are going to say, "But Josh, you pinko's want to raise taxes." Yes, we do believe the wealthy have an obligation to help out those less fortunate in our society. Our LACK of rules allowed them to HAVE the money they do, some of it deserves to go back to the source to lift others out of the pit of poverty. We also have an obligation to educate our young people. Currently, the United States ranks 49th...let me repeat that 49th in the world in literacy, only slightly ahead of Mexico. Taxes are necessary to fund our schools, help our poor, keep our air clean, etc. If you become rich in the United States, it's because the law, which represent the people, allowed you accumulate that wealth. This makes the American people collectively, investors, and they deserve returns for their investments. Those returns are called taxes.
posted by Texas Cynic at 7:43 PM
2 Comments:
Do you think the 10 Commandments should be removed from Courthouses? A display of a document is far from CONGRESS making a LAW that respects an establishment of religion.
Come on W. William Melton,
As a Christian, I know you are well aware of the story in the Gospels where the disciple "came unto" Jesus and asked him, "which commandment is the greatest?" Jesus replied, Verily I say unto you keep these laws above any other...place no other god before me and to love thy neighbor as thyself.
I think those two commandments cover ever thing we need. We don't need to flaunt the Ten Commandments around to badger the non-Christian. Do we really need to extol the value of not making any graven images?
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