As a Republican I seek a return to our traditional roots.  Now before you start thinking, "Oh, no, another paleo-conservative rant about Barry Goldwater and Robert Taft!" let me assure you, we needn't go so far back to grasp what I'm talking about.  Just take a look at the GOP's 1996 platform.  There are many things in it that could be considered purely rhetorical, and there are things in it I'm not that enthused about, but have we forgotten things like this:

"As a first step in reforming government, we support elimination of the Departments of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Education, and Energy, and the elimination, defunding or privatization of agencies which are obsolete, redundant, of limited value, or too regional in focus."

Or:

"In addition, we support Republican-sponsored legislation that would require the original sponsor of proposed federal legislation to cite specific constitutional authority for the measure."

And who can forget:

"We will end welfare for lobbyists. Every year, the federal government gives away billions of dollars in grants. Much of that money goes to interest groups which engage in political activity and issue advocacy at the taxpayers' expense. This is an intolerable abuse of the public's money."

Our best hope for the future is to conserve those things from the past that have helped make us great.

Long Live The Spirit of '96!

This is my first blog post here at Town Hall.  Apparently, I have to use a pre-defined topic.  If could create my own this one would fall under "U.S. Constitution,"  but I suppose "Safety & Security" is close enough considering that the Constitution is designed to protect liberty and liberty is the surest source of safety & security that exists.

At any rate when I think and talk about politics and government in the United States, it is the Constitution that I use as my primary standard.  It is, after all, the supreme law of the land.  Insofar as our elected leaders abide by it, the are governing lawfully and should be supported; insofar as they ignore or contravene it, they are governing unlawfully and should be opposed.

Whenever someone proposes a new law, for whatever reason--noble or base--the true test to apply is that of Barry Goldwater who said "I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is ‘needed’ before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible."

Since the Founders respected the rule of law I think it fitting to show their intentions for those who write our laws.

Article I, Section 8 - Powers of Congress

(1) 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;

(2) To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

(3) To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

(4) To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

(5) To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

(6) To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

(7) To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

(8) 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;

(9) To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

(10) To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

(11) To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

(12) To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

(13) To provide and maintain a Navy;

(14) To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

(15) To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

(16) 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;

(17) 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 Building* of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

(18) 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.

Amendment 9 - Construction of Constitution.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

*Building is not really the word that appears here, but the Town Hall nannybot seems to think the word pronounced ih rehk shen  is "unacceptable."  Political correctness has become pervasive and ubiquitous.  Even here.  Sigh.