Today is Constitution Day, the celebration of the signing of the US Constitution on September 17, 1787, after four long, arduous months of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
It also reminds us of the great statesmen we had two centuries ago, who overcame disputes and conflicts to do what needed to be done for the nation and its future.
When one looks at the sad reality of two Republican Presidential debates so far, and the lack of statesmanship demonstrated, it is very depressing, as we do not have any sign that the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower is capable of dealing with the domestic and foreign policy issues facing the nation in 2015.
Sure, some of the contenders in the CNN and the earlier Fox News debate come across as “better” than the others, but except for John Kasich, and possibly Jeb Bush, none of them possess real Presidential credibility, while at the least, Hillary Clinton and, if he runs, Joe Biden, on the Democratic side, display such credibility.
We have a long way to go in the 2016 Presidential campaign, but we are not likely to find another James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman or William Paterson arising to give us hope that statesmanship is widely available!
I am willing to bet my yearly bonus that during the Democrat Party debate you will hear none of the candidates speak about the Constitution, individual rights, freedom and much less about free market capitalism (unless it is to trash it).
You will be proved wrong,BUT it will be made clear that capitalism NEEDS regulation, due to human nature to steal, lie, exploit when one is wealthy, and that is the reason for government intervention.
You certainly know that the mean spirited debaters last night mouth the words of the Constitution, individual rights, and freedom, but could not give a damn about it, as long as they control the wealth!
I beg to differ. Just because someone is in government, either as a politician or bureaucrat does not mean that they are worthier, more honest, don’t steal or what have you. Human nature is the same. A billionaire is not stealing my money, nor does he/she being a billionaire is the reason I am poor. They do no harm to me. The only harm we suffer is when there is a collusion of big businesses and big government, case in point – the expansion of eminent domain. Otherwise they harm me not.
I beg to differ, as they affect prices, wages, treatment of others competing, corrupt politics!
Stop worshiping money as the be all and end all in life, and realize those who do so at all costs are evil human beings, who could not care a damn about others.
True human beings to be honored are teachers, nurses, social workers, and others who devote their lives to all of us, not their own aggrandizement at the expense of others!
Basically our fundamental philosophical difference can be summed up in two very opposing vision of society or if you wish human relations and the economy. One vision is based on the ethical premise that “Individuals in pursuit of their private interest ALWAYS NECESSARILY UNDERMINE the interests of society as a whole”. While the other vision, which was actually quite revolutionary 300 yrs ago during the enlightenment, is based on the ethical premise that “Individuals in pursuit of their private interest DOES NOT NECESSARILY UNDERMINE the interests of society as a whole”. This first vision in economic terms generally supports the primacy of the state over the individual as a rule, with the interest of the individual are the exceptions. And that has always been the general rule applied since antiquity. While the second vision supports the primacy of the individual over the state as a rule, while state primacy is the exception. And this second vision is what made our constitutional system and thus America exceptional in its founding. That is why we come at this issue from a completely different perspective and vision. And that’s ok. Now that said, it is historically correct to state that our founding fathers were inspired by the second vision, the primacy of the individual as a rule, when they established our Constitutional system. Now you may no like it, you may want to change it, and that is your right, it is the right of the people if they wish to, using the amendment process. Finally this is also why I say that socialism, or any other form of collectivism is incompatible with our constitutional system. As a matter of fact in my humble opinion actually we have been in a post constitutional era for some decades now.
You are correct, Ariel, and we are better for the New Deal and Great Society and the Obama reforms, the most since LBJ!
We are better??? Are these government programs what make America great? Is that the reason millions want to immigrate to America? Today? Maybe. But was that the reason millions immigrated to America at the turn of the 19th/20th century? My father immigrated to America the old fashion way, legally and not because of Social Security, Medicare or Unemployment Compensation. As a matter of fact he rejected unemployment compensation because he felt it was an insult. But I digress, those were different times and different men evidently.
I am not worshiping money? I respectfully ask why is it that liberals seem to confuse the love for individual freedom with the love of money? Every time I write or talk about freedom , individual rights and limited constitutional government I receive and attack on capitalism? I just don’t get it. You seem obsessed with what other people earn.
Ariel, your father was being ridiculous in turning down unemployment compensation if he was entitled to it, as he paid for it in his taxes.
When 95 percent of increased income in recent years goes to 5 percent,. worse than the GIlded Age, YES, I do have a problem with capitalism!
He was not ridiculous, He started baking stuff and selling them in the street and workplaces to earn some money until he got a new full time job. He said he never needed a handout and could support his family as a man should. He never thought life was easy or that anyone owed him anything. As for paying into the system he knew that the money he paid in was given to others while he was working. He did not want to take someone else’s money who was working full time while he was not. He considered that theft as long as he had two arms and two legs. He would tell me that that money was better off given to the helpless paralyzed or mentally handicapped. As I said, other times and other men.
I respect your dad, but he took the wrong view, but of course, that was his right to do, no question about that!
Birtherism is back. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/donald-trump-fails-correct-man-who-calls-obama-muslim
Yes, Princess Leia, the racism and bigotry are rearing their ugly head again, and not only with Trump, but many of the Republican field of Presidential candidates!
So religious freedom is only for Christians, not Muslims or Hindus or Buddhists or other minority sects, because, supposedly, they are not “Americans”. Give it time and it will be said that Jews are not good Americans either, because they do not accept Jesus Christ, a Jew, as their lord!
I don’t agree with McCain’s policies but at least he corrected that woman when the same situation happened in 2008.
Yes, Pragmatic Progressive, McCain proved he had class in the way he handled that crazy woman in 2008, something Sarah Palin did not follow with her crowds during the campaign.
So basically if one does not defend Obama from crazy/unfair attacks then one is a racist? Interesting. So when Democrats and the Obama campaign in 2012 accused Romney of practically causing the death of a woman, then that is ok. Give me a break! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU3aT6P1bew
Did Obama come out and defend Romney against this false accusation by a Democrat PAC? Of course not. HYPOCRITES! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slR_1s7hRho
Never heard of Democrats doing any such smear campaigns in 2012.
Maybe you didn’t watch TV as much as I do. I remember that ad. It was dishonest but important. http://swampland.time.com/2012/08/08/that-priorities-usa-ad-dishonest-but-important/
However, it’s a totally different situation than the racism towards Obama by the Teabags.
You’re right. I wasn’t quite as much of a political junkie then as I am now.
Ariel, it is well known that the Republicans regularly smear Democrats, as with Michael Dukakis in 1988, John Kerry in 2004, and have been constantly unwilling to say that Obama was born in Hawaii and is a Christian.
What happened in 2012 was nothing as compared to what happened with the Bushes and Dukakis and Kerry.
The GOP is the master of slime ball politics and smears, and the Democrats are never as effective at that throughout modern American history!
Ronald, Obama’ s campaign manager David Plouffe said, ““[This is] the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we’ve seen from either party in this election. Obama has had to spend much of the campaign stressing he is a Christian not a Muslim and did not study at a madrassa.” Do you agree with him?
Yes, Ariel, as the GOP has been engaged in fear and hysteria, as they were in the McCarthy era, and except for a few reputable members of their party, have left the impression that Barack Obama is a Muslim, was born in Kenya, etc.
It is not just Donald Trump, but the general refusal of Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, et al to assert that Obama is an American, and to keep the myth alive! No other President has been subjected to so much character assassination and denial of his legitimacy!
And if you deny that, you are delusional, or simply think lying is acceptable, clear and simple!
Ronald, you forgot to mention Hillary Clinton and the Clinton campaign. David Plouffe was referring to Hillary and the quote is from 2007 during the Democrat party primary. So please enough of hypocrisy. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/25/barackobama.hillaryclinton
And lets not forget Democrat “Journalist” Chris Mathews who “for an hour forgot Obama was black” one of the most racist quotes on live television… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oty9yv03vPE
Yes. Ariel. true, but still the GOP is the master of slime!
Wow, Trump had secretly contemplated running in 08! Here is a quote from a memo of his campaign team that was held secret!
“All of these articles about his boyhood in Indonesia and his life in Hawaii are geared towards showing his background is diverse, multicultural and putting that in a new light.
Save it for 2050.
It also exposes a very strong weakness for him — his roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited. I cannot imagine America electing a president during a time of war who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and in his values.
How could we give some life to this contrast without turning negative:
Every speech should contain the line you were born in the middle of America to the middle class in the middle of the last century. And talk about the basic bargain as about the deeply American values you grew up with, learned as a child and that drive you today. Let’s explicitly own “American” in our programs, the speeches and the values. He doesn’t. Make this a new American Century, the American Strategic Energy fund. Let’s use our logo to make some flags we can give out. Let’s add flag symbols to the backgrounds.
We are never going to say anything about his background — we have to show the value of ours when it comes to making decisions, understanding the needs of most Americans — the invisible Americans.”
Yep. So typical of Trump. *rolls eyes in disgust*
Southern Liberal. Oops my mistake. This was a memo from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2007. Part of the weekly strategy review on Hillary Clinton for President Campaign dated March 19, 2007. So typical of Hillary and Democrats *rolls eyes in disgust* LOL! http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2008/08/penn-strategy-memo-march-19-2008/37952/
Not amused by you Ariel.
Clinton started it is the GOTea’s dumbest birther meme. http://www.salon.com/2015/09/21/the_rights_dumbest_birther_meme_hillary_clinton_started_it/
Princess Leia; the Obama campaign though otherwise… http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/25/barackobama.hillaryclinton
FactCheck.org backs up the article that Leia posted. The GOTea’s claim that the so-called “birther†movement originated with the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2008 is revisionist tactics.
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/07/was-hillary-clinton-the-original-birther/
Thank you Pragmatic and Leia for correcting the GOTea’s falsehoods! 🙂
I also thank you ladies for correcting the falsehoods. As FactCheck.org wisely points out, just because some of her supporters passed around some chain email conspiracy theories on the web, doesn’t mean that she endorsed that.
To all. First I never said Clinton started the birther/Muslim rumor. Second I posted a link were David Plouffe of the Obama campaign said it was Clinton and only referred to Clinton. So If any of you have a beef with that, you should talk to Plouffe. Furthermore, granted Clinton was in no way the one who started the rumor, the fact remains she used it. Also, the internal memo had as a strategy to portray Obama as not genuinely American. That is your current Democrat front runner for you.
Not amused by your spin.
Princess Leia: Spin? Did not the Penn Memo exist? What on earth are you talking about?
Rustbelt – Well said!
The thing Ariel ignores about that is that Hillary chose to ignore that Penn guy.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/09/the-front-runner-s-fall/306944/
From the article:
Penn also left no doubt about where he stood on the question of a positive versus negative strategy. He made the rather astonishing suggestion to target Obama’s “lack of American rootsâ€. Clinton wisely chose not to go this route.
Thanks for that Rustbelt! 🙂
Lawrence O’Donnell just debunked the Hillary is a birther myth on his program tonight! 🙂
I also thank you for that Rustbelt. By not going that route, Hillary showed class, which the GOTea lack.
You are very welcome ladies.
Spin = The GOTea cherry-picking stuff, taking things out of context.
Good point about the pro-lifers actually being only pro-birth.
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2015/9/24/on-catholicism-and-the-sanctity-of-life