UPDATED: Anti-Federalists Prophesied The End Of Freedom (Gave Us The Bill Of Rights)

Constitution, Federalism, Founding Fathers, History, Political Philosophy, States' Rights, The State

“Anti-Federalists Prophesied The End Of Freedom” is the new column, now on WND. An excerpt:

“On the eve of the federal convention, and following its adjournment in September of 1787, the Anti-Federalists made the case that the Constitution makers in Philadelphia had exceeded the mandate they were given to amend the Articles of Confederation, and nothing more. The Federal Constitution augured ill for freedom, argued the Anti-Federalists. These unsung heroes had warned early Americans of the “ropes and chains of consolidation,” in Patrick Henry’s magnificent words, inherent in the new dispensation. …

… As “strong advocates of States’ Rights,” Anti-Federalists held that “self-government, independence, and individual liberty were best protected at the local level. A distant and powerful central government,” the kind cooked up at the Philadelphia convention, was anathema to these “cherished values.” To that end, Anti-Federalists fought to preserve the “loose-knit relationship” that had existed between the “Confederation government and the States.” …

… As the saying goes, “a prophet is not without honor save in his own country.”

To observe Obama (and predecessor) in action is to realize that Massachusetts delegate Elbridge Gerry and New York Anti-Federalist “Cato” were prophets who deserve a lot more honor in their own country. Both forewarned of an imperial presidency in the making. “‘The president,’ wrote “Cato,” has so much power that his office ‘differs very immaterially from the establishment of monarchy in Great Britain.'”

Indeed, President Barack Obama habitually “uses executive orders to circumvent federal legislation.” He exempts his “friends or political cronies” from oppressive laws his subjects must obey. And he orders the suspension of “duly enacted [immigration] law”—even “barring enforcement”—because he does not like the law.

A propagandized population has a hard time choosing worthy heroes. It is high time Americans celebrate the Anti-Federalists, for they were correct in predicting the fate of freedom after Philadelphia.

To deny that the Anti-Federalists were right is to deny reality. …

The complete column is “Anti-Federalists Prophesied The End Of Freedom.” Read it on WND.

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UPDATE: BILL OF RIGHTS. The Anti-Federalists gave it to us. Absent their insistence on instantiating individual liberties in the Constitution, we’d have been without the the Bill of Rights.

The Plus Side Of The President’s Proctology (I.E., Zero Care)

Barack Obama, Constitution, Founding Fathers, Healthcare, Law

Although it might serve to plant a meaningful suggestion in American consciousness, it is somewhat meaningless for Beltway libertarians to fuss over the sundering of the U.S. Constitution under this president.

The Constitution has been a dead letter for ever.

Michael Cannon, Cato Institute’s Director of Health Policy Studies, “testified before a congressional committee about the constitutional limits imposed on the presidency and the implications of President Barack Obama’s disregard for implementing the Affordable Care Act as written.”

“The consequences of the president’s behavior were potentially grave,” warned Cannon. “… the precedent set by Obama could eventually lead to an armed revolt against the federal government.”

And that’s a bad thing?

Complacent cowering America is overdue for what Thomas Jefferson called “a little rebellion.”

“A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”

Meanwhile, to a standing ovation from his staffers—who are not true users of Zero Care, because subsidized to the tune of thousands a year—“the president declared that his signature health care reform law was not going to be repealed”:

Obama said that ACA opponents’ alternative to the health care reform law is to champion repeal and going back to the health care delivery system status quo ante. He specifically cited Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who he said was asked directly for an ACA alternative and refused to provide one.
“He just repeated repeal over and over again,” Obama said. “And we heard that from a lot of folks on that side of the aisle.”
“Look, I’ve always said I will work with anybody to implement and approve this law effectively,” the president continued. “You got good ideas, bring them to me. Let’s go. But, we’re not repealing it as long as I’m president.”
With this, the attendees and the president’s staff rose to their feet and delivered a 20-second ovation for the president.

Administration Hits Gov.Con’s Tiny Target. Or So It Claims.

Business, Free Markets, Government, Healthcare, Internet, Technology

CNN cracks me up. Reports of “continued problems with the 2010 Affordable Care Act” they call “anecdotal.” The writer also chortles that the “website deadline” has been met. The administration promised to fix Gov.Con by November 30.

Although insurance companies dispute that the fix is in—as the latest claims-making has it, the site is working for the “vast majority” of users. It is said to “now handle its original intended volume of 50,000 concurrent users.”

(“Insurers are still getting enrollment files that are duplicative and have missing or inaccurate information,” Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for health insurance industry trade association group America’s Health Insurance Plans, said in a statement to CNN. “In some cases they are not getting the enrollments at all.”)

Imagine worrying whether you’ll be able to purchase an item on Amazon or eBay when you want to, because you could be the 50,001th customer. Such commercial sites handle millions upon millions of customers all at once.

A Bum’s Rush To Pope Francis

Capitalism, Christianity, Intellectualism, Intelligence, Private Property, The State, Uncategorized

In his 1998 encyclical, “Faith and Reason,” Pope John Paul spoke with unhectoring clarity about the errors of relativism in modern thought. While Karol Wojtyla’s role in the fall of communism is likely exaggerated, he was no communist. Pope Benedict XVI was—still is— a great intellect, who took a risk in attempting to explain why “Islam may be a closed and irrational system, impermeable to reform.”

Pope Francis, the new Holy See, is no match to his predecessors. In fact, Jorge Bergoglio is shaping up to be more of a bumpkin than expected.

Courtesy of conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh comes Pope Francis’ “latest papal offering”:

Pope Francis attacked unfettered capitalism as ‘a new tyranny’ and beseeched global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality, in a document on Tuesday setting out a platform for his papacy and calling for a renewal of the Catholic Church. … In it, Francis went further than previous comments criticizing the global economic system, attacking the ‘idolatry of money.'” … “Pope Francis said that trickle-down policy…” We hear about trickle-down policies? “Pope Francis said that trickle-down policies have not proven to work.”

Preached Pope Francis: “I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: `Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs,’ said Francis, quoting the fifth-century St. John Chrysostom.”

In other words, the livelihood for which a successful man labors belongs not to him, but to the poor and their benevolent proxy: the government. Some doctrine that is.

Rightly, Rush rails against the Pope. Read on.