Two Things: Women; and The Second Amendment

 1.  The anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive, toxic males who hold a majority on the Supreme Court have prevailed.  They essentially have told women:  you do not have the freedom of control over your bodies.  We do.  I easily can imagine them thinking:  that's how it should be...because you still are second class citizens.  After all, "God" made us first; then "He" took one of our ribs and made you.  That should tell you your place in human society.  We males are the Masters of the Universe.  We are the Kings of Humanity.  You are in second place. [Aii-yii-yii!]

On a certain day yet to come this year, I'll be eighty years old.  I won't be eighty years & nine months old.  It is obvious that abortion should not be allowed (with some exceptions) after an embryo of undifferentiated cells grows and develops into a fetus, which occurs approximately eleven weeks after the last menstrual period.  While an embryo, the group of cells appears no differently than does a group of cells from any number of other animals at the same stage of development.  It's a blob of undifferentiated cells.  Yes, it has the potential of becoming a human life; but it's not yet such.

Here's a thought:  human sperm also have the potential (in certain circumstances) of developing into a fully formed human; perhaps the toxic males on the Court should work toward making it more difficult for men to obtain a vasectomy.  Or, how about making masturbation difficult, or maybe a crime.  Oh, those poor dead sperm.  Oh, you masturbating murderers of spermatozoa. 😊  After all, the Bible says not to "spill your seed upon the ground".  [Oh lawdy momma!]

Ridiculous, right?  It's also ridiculous for the High Court basically to say to women:  you have no Constitutional right to have control over your body; that's up to each individual State.  No it isn't.  It's a natural right, and thus a federal matter.

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2.  The Second Amendment consists of one sentence.  The first half of that sentence clearly states the purpose of the amendment.  "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State...".   Our Founders did not trust standing armies, so they promulgated a civilian militia... a well regulated militia.  The amendment had a military purpose.  The right to a weapon was protected so that a person could serve in the military.  It wasn't meant for mentally ill people, or children, or those prone to unwarranted violence.  It wasn't meant to make it easy for people during peacetime to acquire a stockpile of a gazillion rifles and fifty gazillion rounds of ammo.  This is not rocket science; it's simply common sense.

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care  

Forget Trump - Fascism Has Been in the USA For a Long Time

Preface---
A bipartisan legislative bill has been introduced in Congress that will stop warrantless domestic spying by the Fed Gov't.
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INCREDIBLE!  It's nice that Senators Paul, Wyden, Sanders, Warren and several others are proposing a legislative bill that closes a loophole in FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) which "allows" the Gov't to conduct domestic spying--- without a proper warrant --- in the USA.  What's both tragic and outrageous is that for decades the DC politicians apparently have believed the existing "loophole" somehow supercedes the U.S. Constitution.

This proves beyond any doubt that most/all national politicians here do not believe (or are pretending not to believe) that the Constitution is the SUPREME Law of the Land.  According to their actions, both past & current, some Laws passed by Congress somehow over-ride the Supreme Law.  That's obviously not true, but no Repub or Dem ever brings up that fact.  [The only thing that can over-ride the Constitution is an International Treaty.]

It would seem that most voters are unaware of all this, or they don't grasp the danger of allowing any Law to trump (no pun intended) the U.S. Constitution.  I simply cannot fathom how anyone could not see the dangers of warrantless searches/surveillance by the Gov't.  Perhaps they do understand the extreme danger, but think either there's nothing they can do about it OR it never will affect them.  Either way, that's tragic.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

A Review of Some of the Craziness in the Authoritarian, Nonconstitutional USA

The craziness referred to in the title above covers a very broad range.  The text below displays only a few examples of some of it.  I'm calling the USA Gov't "nonconstitutional" (as opposed to unconstitutional) because for many years our leaders have ignored large parts of the Constitution.  It's as though the document doesn't even exist.  Here's some of the craziness, as follows.

1.  Our politicians appear to believe that this also is in the Fourth Amendment:  "...none of the provisions of this Amendment apply if there's a national crisis or any threat to national security...or if Congress passes any Law that contradicts any part of this Amendment...".  Of course, none of that is in the Fourth Amendment, but that fact seems to matter not at all.  Certain parts of the PATRIOT Act and a few other Laws are in direct conflict with the Fourth Amendment.  Crazy.

2.  Once a week (or so), the President meets with others in the Executive Branch to decide which people in other countries are to be murdered with Hellfire missiles from weaponized drones.  Anyone so killed is automatically designated as an EKIA---enemy killed in action.  It doesn't matter if the person is Joe Suspect's grandmother ("collateral" damage) or Joe's ten-year-old son (more "collateral" damage).  They are all EKIA as far as our Gov't is concerned.  This all happens despite the fact that the Executive Branch has no Constitutional authority whatsoever to issue assassination orders.  That authority belongs only to Congress.  The only exception to that is during a war officially declared by Congress.  [We haven't had one of those since WW II.]  Crazy.

3.  According to a portion of the National Defense Authorization Act, our rights to "due process" and "innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law" are negated if we are suspected of any kind of "terrorism".  [You would be surprised how little it takes to be a suspect in such a case.]  Crazy.

4.  Too many of our militarized Law Enforcement people now do not treat suspects properly.  Instead of innocent until proven guilty, suspects are demeaned, lied to, denied access to rest rooms, or much worse--- sexually abused, shot in the back, beaten or TASED after being handcuffed, or flat-out killed.  No, that isn't rampant in our society, but it's happening way too often.  Here's what's much more common:  nonviolent protesters are pepper-sprayed in the face with no warning, no "order to disperse"...or sometimes their eyelids are held open by one or two officers while another one sprays directly into their eyes... all of this while peacefully exercising their Right to Assembly.  Crazy.

5.  While it isn't yet widespread, small drones have been used by Law Enforcement in lieu of a proper Search Warrant...another violation of our rights supposedly protected by the Fourth Amendment.  Crazy.

6.  Our Executive Branch now bombs other countries, puts combat troops into action in other countries, and in Syria shoots down one of their aircraft...all with no approval of Congress, no involvement of Congress at all, and certainly no declaration of war.  Crazy.

7.  As reported on Democracy Now, since March of this year, U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq have killed about 700 civilians.  All this in a completely unconstitutional war.  Crazy.

8.  Our Military gurus want to send another 5,000 or so ground troops to Afghanistan...to a war with no end in sight...in a land deservedly known as the Graveyard of Empires.  Trump essentially said to Mattis:  go for it.  All ISIS (or the Taliban) has to do is fade back into the woodwork until we leave.  Trump wants to fulfill a campaign promise that's impossible:  "We will exterminate ISIS.".  The Russians couldn't do something similar with 500,000 troops there.  Crazy.
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To any of you reading this who believe you are genuine "Conservatives" (not NeoCons), where is your outrage?  Our country is being destroyed by Militarists, Authoritarians, Corporatists, and Empire thugs...and you appear to be supporting the whole shebang.  Please stop drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid.  What will it take for you to wake up?  To those of you who believe you are genuine "Progressives", what are you doing in the Democratic Party?  Ever since 1992, that Party is firmly in the Land of Corporatism.  Please wake up.  We need organized, opposing political forces in this country so a Middle Way can be determined...instead of the Corporatist Dem v. Repub sham that we have now.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

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

The Powers-That-Be are Lying

The Oligarchs don't lie about everything, but there are several crucial subjects about which they do lie often.  Following are some of those.

1.  Price inflation is stagnant.  The State-Corporate Complex can say this with a straight face because when they figure how much prices have increased, here's what's not included:  the costs of food, housing, and energy.  Those items are not part of what's called "core inflation".  To give credit where it's due, the Powers-That-Be are correct regarding energy costs...even though those are not counted.  Oil has tanked, no pun intended; that's good, but a guy like me drives only about 20 miles per week.  "Low" gas prices don't make up for the constant increases in food and sundry grocery store items.  Manufacturers of those goods either are raising prices outwardly or doing it surreptitiously by shrinking the size of product packages.  Plus, rent for housing in the USA (with a few exceptions) is skyrocketing.  An old dog like me cannot believe how high rental costs are nowadays.

2.  Unemployment in the USA is now 5.X%.  This lie is so egregious as to make one physically sick.  Reputable, credible economists and former Fed Gov't officials all across the political spectrum estimate that the true unemployment rate is somewhere between 20% and 43%.

3.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement will be good for everyday Americans.  The details of that abomination now are finally public; some were released earlier by WikiLeaks, but now we have the entire disaster available for scrutiny.  The critics (such as Lori Wallach of TradeWatch) are saying, "It's worse than we expected.", and they were harsh critics before the full text was released.  I've written about this before, so I won't repeat myself.  The details of this miserable Treaty can be found in lots of places, not the least of which is Citizen.org/TPP.  Promotion of the TPP by many in Gov't, the Corporate Media, and various other Mega Corporations is proof positive that Oligarchs don't give a damn about us.

4.  We are not at War...it's "counter-terrorism"; therefore, Geneva Conventions, Due Process, the Constitution in general, Ethics, and even Morality do not limit us when dealing with "enemy combatants".  That lie is so outrageous and defies Logic so much that I'm beginning to think that George Orwell was the greatest political prophet in all of History...bar none.  The Powers-That-Be are trying to sell us on the concept that the people we're fighting are neither soldiers nor criminals.  Sorry, Oligarchs, they have to be one or the other.  The term, "enemy combatant" is a fiction.  Due Process applies to everyone, even soldiers or criminals.  If it doesn't, we no longer are civilized, ethical beings.

5.  It is necessary to monitor everyone in the National Surveillance State.  Good grief, that is pure, unadulterated Propaganda...it's bullshit to the Nth Degree.  Why people are buying into that is beyond my comprehension.  Have mercy.

6.  We are in an Economic Recovery.  That statement is so blatantly ridiculous it defies not only Logic, but the imagination as well.  All one has to do to see it's not true is take a little time to do a serious, critical study of our economic condition...utilizing a wide variety of credible sources while ignoring Propaganda from the State-Corporate Complex.  The USA, and most of the world, is in a deep Recession and heading for a Depression that very well may be worse than the one in the 1930's.
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It's important to keep in mind that when it's "crunch time", when Institutions are in a bind, any Institution will protect itself rather than individuals or Individual Rights.  Natural Rights, possessed by all people, will be sacrificed by any Oligarchy upon the altar of expediency.  It is Institutions that constantly must be monitored...by us.  Remember the words of an Eastern philosopher:  we be many; they be few.  That is precisely why we are inundated totally with Propaganda from the State-Corporate Complex.  It's important to us and future generations that we think critically, speak out, deny unwarranted power to Institutions run amok, boycott those entities that trash Natural Rights, and do it all peacefully.  Violent actions beget more violence and complete suppression of the individual.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Lack of Knowledge in America about the Constitution

Over the years, I've been astounded at how little (apparently) many Americans know about the Supreme Law in this land.  Example--- In one online discussion/comment venue, a person wrote back to me and said (paraphrased), "But, the Constitution doesn't say the President can't do that; therefore, he's allowed to."... Needless to say, I was flabbergasted.  Another example--- "The President is Commander-in-Chief of the military; that means he can go to war whenever he sees fit.".  Another example--- "Congress passed a resolution giving the President permission to go to war at some point in the future (the time to be determined by the President)."... Good grief.  [That last scenario has taken place for the last few wars we've been in, and it's completely unconstitutional.]

Because of the above, I offer a few truths about our system of government and the U.S. Constitution.  As a preface, let me begin by pointing out that the primary purpose of the Supreme Law of the Land is to limit/constrain/restrain the Fed Gov't.  That's the reason it was created in the first place.

1.  Ours is a government of Enumerated Powers (Google it.)  We the People delegated certain powers to the Fed Gov't...and only those powers.  If the power isn't listed, then the Feds don't have it.  That's how they are restrained, not by listing everything they can't do...that list would be endless.  The Gov't can gain new powers only by Constitutional Amendment or by a Constitutional Convention.  There are no other legal ways unless martial law is declared.

2.  The Bill of Rights (the first ten Amendments) does contain a few prohibitions that apply to the Gov't..."Shall not infringe upon...".  Perhaps that's why some people got the idea that everything the Feds can't do is listed in the Constitution.  Nope.  Also, some people have the idea that the Constitution GRANTS us certain Rights.  That's absolutely false.  Instead, the document is enumerating (listing) a few of the Natural Rights that all people possess.  It's saying that in this country, those rights will be protected ---not granted.  The difference is important.

3.  Yes, the President is Commander-in-Chief; however, that doesn't mean he gets to decide when to put us at war.  There are enumerated Constitutional restraints regarding uses of the military.  Only three such uses are permitted by the Constitution.  I listed them in this blog more than once; they are very straightforward...no other "interpretation" is reasonably possible.  One doesn't have to be a judge or attorney to figure out what the Founders meant.  It's crystal clear.  None of the permitted uses includes being the world's police force.  Such a use is blatantly unconstitutional.  Those who believe our military should be the world's police force need to lobby for an Amendment to that effect.  Either that, or propose it at a Constitutional Convention.  The way it is now, it's illegal.

4.  I've stated this next item over and over in past posts:  no Law supercedes the U.S. Constitution.  That's what "Supreme Law of the Land" means.  The Oligarchs in the Fed Gov't know that full well.  That's why they ignore the Constitution and instead point to the War Powers Act (or some other law) to justify having the President decide when and with whom we're going to war.  They know that if they try to get that authority from the Constitution, they'll be out of luck.  That's also why they rely upon the PATRIOT Act to allow FBI Agents to write their own search warrants, or allow the NSA to spy on people with no probable cause or proper warrant.  Those are not activities delegated by We the People to our Fed Gov't.  That means our Gov't, at the highest levels, consists of outlaws...they are violating the Supreme Law of the Land.  They also are violating this portion of their oath of office: ...to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.

5.  For this country to be (constitutionally) at war, Congress must declare war, not pass a resolution saying, hey, Mr. President, we approve of you putting us at war at some point in the future.  That's why, in the beginning, both the Korean and Vietnam "wars" were called "conflicts".  The Oligarchs in Gov't knew that the Constitution required a Declaration of War by the Congress, so they figured they'd make things more palatable to the public by calling both of those wars "conflicts".  As the years passed, Gov't became bolder and simply dropped all pretenses regarding the Constitution.  They ignored the document.  And, lo and behold, very few people seemed to give a damn.  That's why, more than once, I've suggested that we throw out the Constitution...because ignoring it has the same effect.

People have said to me, this just can't be...you must be misinterpreting the Constitution somewhere, some parts of it.  My answer usually goes like this:  I spent a fairly significant portion of my full-time working life interpreting the most complex, convoluted U.S. laws and regulations in existence, the Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials laws and regs...and the Occupational Safety and Health laws and regs.  [To prove my claim regarding their complexity, Google:  40 CFR 261.3 - Definition of Hazardous Waste.]  Compared to those laws and regs, the U.S. Constitution is a second-grader's textbook...it's longwinded in parts, but it's very plainly written.  If you can read and have any common sense at all, you can "interpret" it.

As I said in my previous post, I think most people know that the Game is rigged, and so, they figure the whole situation is probably hopeless.  That's true only if we continue to rely on "voting" to save us, and that's because about 99% of all national political candidates (Republicans and Democrats) are chosen, groomed, and financed by the Oligarchy. There are other peaceful ways to bring about significant change.  First, though, we have to stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid...part of that Kool Aid is the lie that Republican and Democrat policy-makers are significantly different.

Partly just my opinion.
Happy Trails