All Entries in the "Politics" Category
Unsustainable and unconstitutional General Welfare spending
According to deficit forecasts in President Barack Obama’s latest budget, the national debt will surpass $20 trillion by 2016. If this occurs (and it is almost certain to occur), then Obama will add more to the national debt during his presidency than all prior presidents combined, despite collecting projected record-high tax receipts each year of [...]
Federal Income Tax turns 100
Although the federal government had successfully operated without an income tax for 124 years under the Constitution, the American people in 1913 chose to ratify the Sixteenth Amendment, giving Congress the “power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived.” It is reasonable to expect that the people would not have granted [...]
The Illegitimate Federal Commerce Power
When the American people were deciding whether to ratify the Constitution in 1787–88, they knew that the new federal government would possess greater authority than that granted to Congress under the Articles of Confederation. But they also expected that federal power would remain limited. After all, James Madison, “Father of the Constitution,” assured the people [...]
Our Bill of Rights: Limiting Federal Power
In 1787, the framers of the Constitution asked the American people to adopt a new political charter for the nation, and in the ensuing debates over the Constitution’s ratification, a common concern emerged among many: the federal government would become too powerful. Skeptics of the new Constitution believed that a stronger national government might threaten [...]
Owning our failures to change our way
On March 1, 1781, the American people ratified the Articles of Confederation to officially establish the United States of America. This was kind of a big deal then, but it’s not something we celebrate today—remarkably, the birthday of our union doesn’t even merit a calendar entry as a simple reminder of its historical significance. All [...]
The Origin of our American Creed
In his second inaugural address, Barack Obama challenged us to live out the meaning of our creed as stated in the Declaration of Independence. But he then redefined those ideals to suit his political aims. Change is necessary, he said, because “when times change, so must we.” Yet our founding principles need no modification. As [...]
Zap: Moat Monster slays Norrishood’s future council dreams?
The Moat Monster’s (aka Kristin Szakos) recent reelection announcement likely was the death knell for fellow Councilor and former running mate Norrishood’s (aka Dave Norris) City Council future. Charlottesville Democrats—in the black community’s “dog house” over the 2011 breach of a longstanding patronage agreement between the two entities—previously had guaranteed a “black” seat on the [...]
On the 2012 presidential election results: down but not out
For those of us hoping to oust Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election, it’s hard not to be frustrated by the outcome. Voting for Obama in 2008 was at least understandable, for he promised to change Washington. But reelecting him in 2012 was senseless, for he was a proven failure in office. Obama failed [...]
Brazen: Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney employee violates state politicking law?
A recent visit to the Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office yielded a surprising find: an employee apparently and openly violating state restrictions on political activities. A bulletin board in the reception area, in clear view of office patrons and directly adjacent to the office of Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney, David Chapman, has flagrantly displayed for several weeks [...]
Barack Obama: So unbelievable
In 2008, Barack Obama ran for president as a candidate for change. Without much of a record to run on, he asked the American people to believe in his ability to turn our fiscal state around. Four years later, his message remains the same. In his 2012 reelection campaign, Obama is asking us to believe [...]
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