Monday, July 4, 2016

What Happened to the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution?


Essentially, those Amendments have disappeared... due to the fact that they both largely are ignored... by elected and appointed national officials, both Republicans and Democrats.  Here's what the Amendments looked liked when once upon a time they were visible---

The Ninth Amendment---

"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
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Notice it doesn't say, certain rights granted in the Constitution; rather, it says certain rights listed in the Constitution.  The Supreme Law of the Land does not grant rights.  It merely enumerates some of them.  So, what are these "others" (other rights)?  There are hundreds of thousands of them.  For example, we as individuals have the right to go to sleep when we so choose... etc., etc., etc.  [If we're at work and choose to exercise that right, there may be dire consequences related to being employed; but nevertheless, that still is our right.]  Those all are Natural Rights; they belong to all individuals at birth.  They are not granted by governments.  Because there are so many Natural Rights, we need a general rule-of-thumb to identify them.  I like this one:  we are free to do whatever we wish, as long as those actions do not infringe on the genuine rights or property of another being.

The Tenth Amendment---

"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."
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Notice that any powers the Fed Gov't possesses have been delegated by the Constitution.  Ours is a government commonly referred to as one of Enumerated Powers.  If the power is not listed in the Supreme Law of the Land, then the Feds do not possess it.  This is a relatively simple concept; it's not rocket science.
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If people don't like the Constitution the way it is now, no problem...lobby to get it changed.  There are two, and only two, legal ways to change it--- by Amendment or Constitutional Convention.  Both methods purposely were designed to be difficult.  Frankly, I don't care if the document is changed or even dumped, as long as it's done legally.  The one thing that's not permitted under our system of gov't is ignoring the Supreme Law of the Land.  That document is the very basis of our method of governing.  Politicians should never be allowed to ignore it.  [Years ago, a Congress person stated in an interview:  "Half of what we do is unconstitutional."...the implication was---so what, who cares?]

For decades, both Republicans and Democrats elected to national office largely have ignored all the concepts described above... and yet, we keep electing them.  Something like 58% of Americans don't want either Trump or Clinton as President.  It's way past time for a change.  Boycott all Neoliberals... that means boycott the overwhelming majority of D.C. politicians...and Corporatists in the private sphere.  They have exported jobs & manufacturing, debased the Dollar, supported a global, supranational economic & financial cabal/cartel, eliminated freedoms, promoted war, and generally flushed this great Land down the drain.  Haven't you had enough of Republicans and Democrats yet?

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

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