MORE TENTH AMENDMENT MOVEMENT

ON FRIDAY JULY 10, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin signed House Joint Resolution 27 (HJR27), sponsored by State Rep. Mike Kelly. The resolution “claims sovereignty for the state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.”

The House passed the resolution by a vote of 37-0 (3 not voting) and the Senate passed it by a vote of 40-0.

Six other states have had both houses of their legislature pass similar resolutions—Tennessee, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Louisiana—Alaska joins Tennessee as the second to have such a resolution signed by the Governor.

A GROWING MOVEMENT

Passage of this resolution appears to be part of what is now a growing state-level resistance to the federal government on various levels. Similar 10th Amendment resolutions have been introduced in 37 states around the country, and various states are considering single-issue legislation in direct contravention to federal laws.

Most recently, the Arizona Legislature passed a measure for public approval on the 2010 state ballot that would give Arizona voters the opportunity to nullify, or opt out, of any potential national health care legislation.

Since 2007, more than two dozen states have passed legislation refusing to implement the Real ID act of 2005. In response, the federal government has recently announced that they want to “repeal and replace” the law due to a rebellion by states.

Pending legislation in states around the country also includes preventing state law enforcement officials from enforcing federal laws, refusing federal gun regulations, refusing to send a state’s national guard to any duty other than what the constitution authorizes, legalizing marijuana for various purposes and more.

A FIRST STEP

While HJR27 is strongly-word in support of the principles of limited, constitutional government that the 10th Amendment represents, it is a Joint Resolution and does not carry with it the force of law. But supporters say that this is an important first step to get their message out not only to grassroots supporters, but to the media, and legislators in other states as well.

Read the final version of the resolution below:

Relating to the Sovereign Powers of the State

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads, “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”; and

WHEREAS the Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that specifically granted by the Constitution of the United States and no more; and

WHEREAS some federal actions weaken states’ rights protected by the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS the Tenth Amendment assures that we, the people of the United States of America and each sovereign state in the Union of States, now have, and have always had, rights the federal government may not usurp; and

WHEREAS art. IV, sec. 4, Constitution of the United States, reads, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,” and the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads, “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people”; and

WHEREAS the United States Supreme Court has ruled in New York v. United States, 112 S.Ct. 2408 (1992), that the United States Congress may not simply commandeer the legislative and regulatory processes of the states; and

WHEREAS all states, including Alaska, find themselves regularly facing proposals from the United States Congress that weaken states’ rights protected by the Tenth Amendment;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature hereby claims sovereignty for the state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution serves as Notice and Demand to the federal government to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States; the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Mark Begich, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress; all other members of the 111th United States Congress; the presiding officers of the legislatures of each of the other 49 states; and the governors of each of the other 49 states.

FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST PALIN

WITH THE DISMISSAL TODAY of eight complaints in one ruling, the evidence continues to redeem the the great surge of feeling many of us had when we first heard Gov. Sarah Palin speak to the American people that night at the Republican National Convention in Denver. The governor today welcomed the news that yet another ethics complaint against her has been officially found to lack merit and has been dismissed.

Notably, Michael Geraghty, investigator for the State Personnel Board, concluded that there is no need for a hearing on the complaint filed in March by Andree McLeod, who has been a vocal critic of the governor since being denied employment with the state last year.

This is the 13th ethics complaint against the governor or her staff that has been resolved with no finding of a violation of the executive ethics act. A few more are pending.

"While the complaint process under the ethics act can be a useful tool for holding state officials accountable, it's obvious that political opponents of the governor have been abusing the system, attempting to turn their resentments into legal issues," said Bill McAllister, the governor's communications director. "We're grateful that the personnel board and its investigators have taken a rational approach to these matters, finding that the vast majority of the complaints did not even warrant the collection of evidence because they failed to assert any violation of the law."

McLeod's complaint, amended several times since it was first filed, made eight separate allegations against the governor. McLeod said that there were two matters showing an improper connection between the governor's office and her political action committee; that two comments made by McAllister about the governor's travel plans were political in nature; that the governor's trip to Evansville, Indiana, for a right to life event used state resources, and that she improperly accepted gifts there, including chocolate, baked goods and a hockey stick from a youth hockey group; that the governor's daughter, Bristol, used state resources in her efforts on behalf of the Candies Foundation; and that the governor's press release concerning her selection as a vice presidential candidate was improper. Geraghty found all of the allegations to be baseless and not worthy of an investigation.

Read more here.

While we're on this topic, let me speak plainly. For all her supposed flaws and refreshing common sense which suffers in short supply these days, I still like this woman. I hope to see her taking aim at a few mooseheads along the campaign trail, circa 2012. Who knows? I might even vote for her again, given the right opportunity. As for those who scorn her and laugh at her precious Jesus of Nazareth, well, we at the Two-Fisted Quorum have regrettably seen it all before.

Let's see those same yippie yappers cringe at the Mohammed of Medina (who according to the Qu'ran was made victorious by terror) with the same feckless generosity of spirit they reserve for Gov. Palin and her family. Nope. Didn't think so.

SHUT UP ALREADY, PALIN IS QUALIFIED

ALL THE NOISE FROM THE LEFT leaves me with one realization when speaking of vice-presidential candidates and their levels of experience and readiness: the Left is not very swift. I found this at another website.

Need a reason that the Republican VP candidate is more qualified for President that the democrat presidential candidate?

Question: What is America ’s first line of missile interceptor defense that protects the entire United States?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.

Question: What is the ONLY National Guard unit on permanent active duty?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard

Question: Who is the Commander in Chief of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

Question: What U.S. governor is routinely briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter terrorism?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska

Question: What U.S. governor has a higher classified security rating than either candidate of the Democrat Party?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska. According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

ALASKA'S OCTOBER SURPRISE WILL FLOP

THANKS TO JIM NANCE FOR THIS BIT of political volleyball gone bad. According to Nance, writing over at Desert Conservative the Democrats will toss another smoke bomb at Governor Sarah Palin in October in hopes of ripping her off the mojo she's earned as a housecleaning politician not a shady dealer (like their own Candidate Y).

As if the Barack Obama biography doesn't reek from an entire career spent skinning the cat...

On Oct. 10th, the Alaskan Democrats hyped up investigation of Palin will release its report. Obviously, these yahoos will do anything to damage Palin. Here are some points about the kangaroo court running the investigation of Palin:

1. The Democrat State Senator pushing the investigation has said that the report will be an October surprise and will be quite damaging to Palin. But one is forced to wonder how does he know the conclusion unless the outcome is already planned by him?

2. The lead investigator and the Democrat State Senator in-charge of the investigation have conflicts of interest because both are friends with the commissioner who resigned. Neither the senator nor the investigator disclosed this fact before the investigation started.

3. There is a picture of the three top Democratic investigators meeting in Obama’s Alaska headquarters.

4. The lead investigator has expanded the investigation beyond its authorized scope and has opened a tip line to get any rumors and gossip of dirt to add to his report.

5. The investigator is planning to use testimony from known anti-Palin political enemies who are offering hearsay that is not supported by any other evidence.

6. The final report will be written by the same Democratic State Senator that has already has found Palin guilty before he has received a report from the lead investigator.

7. The investigator is conducting secret depositions that Palin’s lawyer will not be able to see until after the report is released by the bias Democrat State Senator.

8. This whole thing is about a trooper who has already admitted to using a taser on his own 11 year-old step-son but he has never been charged on assault charges or disciplined for that tasering.

9. Supposedly, the lead investigator is to be independent but the Democrat in-charge of the investigation is directing him on which witnesses to question.

10. The head investigator might have lied in testimony to the committee on Sept. 12th. He said he has received no evidence that Todd Palin has called for the trooper’s firing. Yet, on national TV the resigned commissioner has pushed that claim. This indicates that the investigator is attempting to hide his attacks on Palin until Oct 10th. This proves that the investigator is part of the Democrats’ attempt to destroy Palin.


Democrat in-charge of the committee:
Senator Kim Elton
Senator_Kim_Elton@legis.state.ak.us
State Capitol, Room 506
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
907-465-4947
fax: 907-465-2108

Democrat in-charge of investigation
Senator Hollis French
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us
State Capitol, Room 417
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
907-465-3892
866-465-3892
fax: 907-465-6595

Idiots and confidence men, all of them!

GRAVEL ON PALIN

JUST WHEN YOU THINK the political ball couldn't bounce any wackier, here comes former Senator Mike Gravel (D-AK) with a lot of good things (and zero BAD THINGS) to say about the pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate. Indeed, quite a shocker! Thanks Senator. I was appalled at an earlier rant I heard from you a few months ago, but this interview is the most level-headed piece of political speech I have witnessed from the peace movement Left in quite some time.

OBAMACRATS GRASPING AT STRAWS

DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN STUMBLING all over themselves in the last few days, trying to somehow stop the inevitable bump that McCain has already gotten from naming Sarah Palin as his VP pick. Unlike Obama’s VP choice, Joe Biden, who actually had him lose points in all of the relevant polling, Sarah Palin has given an initial 2 point bump for McCain, and today’s number will show an even better prospect.

After trying to paint Palin as an “inexperienced” candidate, a clearly ridiculous attempt since their main candidate fares far worse than her in this aspect, they are now trimming down their attack to only one complaint: “She doesn’t have ANY National Security experience!”

Apparently, they had to get specific with their attacks when they realized that the majority of people still see her as better suited to be President than both Democratic candidates, all thanks to her 13 years of executive experience (no matter how minimal, since they have NONE). The question then is: Is this new line of attack and criticism accurate? NO!

It turns out that the attacks are NOT consistent with her record:

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.

As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden’s. She’s also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security’s counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country’s defense. Given Alaska’s proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don’t even know about. According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

In other words, her security clearance and experience in these matters exceeds even Mr. Biden’s, who parades himself as a “National Security Expert”. Of course, this by far surpasses Mr. Obama, who can only find out about National Security matters by watching CNN and/or by Googling the pertinent terms on his laptop.

Read it all.

Howard Dean and his cohorts want to remake the Democratic party by ending the New Deal coalition and courting small business and high-tech workers instead of labor. The strategy is to cultivate the West and jettison those bitter white working class losers in the South and places like Ohio and Pennsylvania:

There is an irony in the party of the downtrodden becoming the party of America’s economic winners, but in fact Democrats are doing better among voters in places that are prospering, like Colorado and New Mexico, and losing ground among voters in regions that are experiencing hard times, such as West Virginia or parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio. A Democratic turn toward the West would accelerate this trend.

A party of the Western megapolitans and resort communities would be a party less and less like the party of FDR, Truman, Kennedy, and LBJ. It would be more oriented to the haves than to the have-nots. It would rely more on educated voters. Its approach to social issues would be more matter-of-fact, and candidates would be less fearful of alienating the most reactionary evangelicals.

It would be more oriented toward small businesses and thus more skeptical of workplace regulations. It might become a party that puts more emphasis on achieving energy independence and combatting global warming than on providing universal health care and social justice.

“It’s a party that becomes more Hispanic, and less African-American,” Kenneth Baer, the co-founder of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, said. “More oriented toward high-tech workers and less towards labor. It’s the end of the New Deal coalition.”

More...

OR WAIT, PERHAPS IT'S ALL JUST ONE BIG ILLUMINATI NEW WORLD ORDER CONSPIRACY.

But let's keep it sane (even if there is some pernicious blood-sucking conspiracy bigger than GOD behind all this madness.)

The Confluence states, "The reason that some of us will support Palin, even though we may not agree with all of her political positions, is that she is not an illegitimate candidate. She did not steal votes from her opponent. She did not smear us with charges of racism. She actually has a lot in common with some of us (mother, businesswoman, athlete, et cetera). And the man who will be her boss showed us that he is at least listening and aware of our presence. He didn’t flick us off his shoulder and tell us we weren’t needed. He didn’t play the abusive boyfriend and say “where else are you gonna go babe?”

Because it doesn't stop there.



Barack Obama contends that he is more experienced in executive matters than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin because he has managed his presidential campaign for the past 18 months. Speaking on a cable news channel Monday night, the Democratic presidential nominee said he is better prepared to handle a disaster like Hurricane Gustav because of his pursuit of the White House.

“Well, my understanding is that Governor Palin’s town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We’ve got 2,500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. You know, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month. So I think that our ability to manage large systems and to execute I think has been made clear over the last couple of years,” Obama said.

John McCain’s spokesman called the suggestion “laughable.”

“For Barack Obama to argue that he’s experienced enough to be president because he’s running for president is desperate circular logic and its laughable. It is a testament to Barack Obama’s inexperience and failing qualifications that he would stoop to passing off his candidacy as comparable to Governor Sarah Palin’s executive experience managing a budget of over $10 billion and more than 24,000 employees,” said spokesman Tucker Bounds.