We really need Trump to drain the swamp.

It is no surprise how corrupt most in DC are. When we hear "establishment" we all need to understand there is not a Dem establishment and a separate Repub establishment. It is The Establishment and many if not most are aligned with it. There may be separate party leaders but as I've said in the past, they are all in it together. And I maintain that the Repubs were absolutely happiest when they were in the minority. They had all the "goodness of DC" and absolutely no pressure to do anything. What a life! Just reading the leaked recording of the Rino's all crying about repealing Obamacare. As though there is no good solution! The Government has NO business being in the business of Health Care Insurance! It is not as hard as they think. Private marketplace for insurers, no state boundary restrictions, removal of barrier regulations. That alone will provide the lowest and best health care insurance in the world. As for the "uninsured" we already have and those people were already on Medicaid. Just focus on improving it (hint: increase payments to doctors or more tax incentives).

I hope Bush and whoever is left with morals really pushes for term limits for all of them. DC has become a cesspool and it really needs to be flushed.



http://canadafreepress.com/article/wikileaks-hillary-clinton-bribed-republicans-to-influence-election

The author is a fairly conservative person with a good reputation and has been on several of the conservative shows.

In my mind, our best chance is an Article V Convention of the States to amend the Constitution. Now is the time to strike with 60% Republican Governors, and nearly 60% GOP State Legislatures. Washington is never going to rein itself in, but the States can use the amendment process to impose term limits, budget restraints, and other smart checks on the federal government, and the GOP control of the States would serve to check more liberal amendments (i.e. LGBTQ rights).



Strike while the iron is hot.

imuakahuku wrote:
It is no surprise how corrupt most in DC are. When we hear "establishment" we all need to understand there is not a Dem establishment and a separate Repub establishment. It is The Establishment and many if not most are aligned with it. There may be separate party leaders but as I've said in the past, they are all in it together. And I maintain that the Repubs were absolutely happiest when they were in the minority. They had all the "goodness of DC" and absolutely no pressure to do anything.

Yup. It's why I can never get on board with the repubs. They're all talk and backward walk. Very few honest people in DC right now. It's why Trump was a breath of fresh air. (Romney could have provided as much or more bang but he got too caught up in toeing the line for republicans). Republicans/Democrats, doesn't matter, both parties have decreased personal liberties a plenty. On the flip side, I'll support an R or a D if they are willing to help in the cause of liberty.

Agreed. I have been saying for awhile that the states need to do the amendment.

scott715 wrote:
Agreed. I have been saying for awhile that the states need to do the amendment.

Is there any reason for concern that if the states called for a Constitutional Convention that anything and everything may be on the table, including parts of the Constitution that are pretty important for protecting our freedoms, like the Bill of Rights?

BlueK wrote:

Agreed. I have been saying for awhile that the states need to do the amendment.

Is there any reason for concern that if the states called for a Constitutional Convention that anything and everything may be on the table, including parts of the Constitution that are pretty important for protecting our freedoms, like the Bill of Rights?

Of course. Our current Constitution was beyond the bounds of what the Convention of 1787 was convened to accomplish. The ratification of the States cured that "oversight".



There is always risk of a Convention running amok, but the States serve as the check on how far it strays through their ratification or lack thereof of the amendments that come out of the Convention. 3/4 of the States would have to ratify the amendments (either by the legislatures or state level ratification conventions). An Article V Conventions is technically a convention to propose amendments to the constitution, which proposals then need that 3/4 stamp of approval.



I find that risk more palatable given the conservative makeup of 60% of the States---a liberal/progressive amendment (e.g. editing the 2nd Amendment to limit the right to bear arms to state- or federal-government-run militias) is extremely unlikely to pass at an Article V Convention and is even if it somehow does, it would be even less likely to be ratified by enough States to be enacted.

Ok so that said, how should such a convention, if held, change the Constitution? I'd be very cautious of changing it. I'd rather they just followed better what is already there.

Mark Levin's proposed "Liberty" Amendments (the gist---I don't want to copy the text of the proposed amendments from his copyrighted book):



1) Term Limits: Limit service in both the House and Senate to 12 years.



2) Repeal the 17th Amendment: Eliminate popular voting for Senators and revest States (through governors or legislators) with the power to select senators as originally established by the framers of the Constitution.



3) Limits on Judiciary. Limit service to one 12-year term, and grant both Congress and the state legislatures the authority to overturn court decisions with the vote of three-fifths of both houses of Congress or state legislative bodies.



4) Limits on Taxation and Spending: Balanced budget amendment, limiting spending to 17.5% of GDP and requiring a three-fifths vote to raise the debt ceiling. Also limit the power to tax to 15% of an individual’s income, prohibiting other forms of taxation, and placing the deadline to file one’s taxes one day before the next federal election.



5) Limiting bureaucracy: Limit and sunset federal regulations and subject the existence of all federal departments to stand-alone reauthorization bills every three years.



6) Define the Commerce Clause: While technically unnecessary, practically required to restore the original intent of the Commerce Clause. Clarify that the commerce clause grants not power to actively regulate and control activity; rather to prevent states from impeding commerce among other states, as Madison originally intended.



7) Further curtail Federal power to take private property through eminent domain and regulatory takings.



8 ) Allow State Legislatures and easier path to Amend the Constitution: Allows state to bypass Congress and propose an amendment with support of just two-thirds of the states (instead of three-fourths) and without convening a convention.



9) State Authority to Override Congress: Allow states to override federal statutes by majority vote in two-thirds of state legislatures.



10) Protect the Vote: Require photo ID for all federal elections and limit early voting.



I would add an 11th:



11) Get the Federal Government out of Marriage. Prohibit the federal government from establishing policies on the basis of marital relationships or the lack thereof, including through tax structures, and expressly define marriage as a state right the states are free to define if/as they wish without federal intervention or oversight. Allow for cohabiting adults where one works and the other remains at home to care for minor children or disabled family members to claim the at-home adult as a further dependent for tax purposes.

snoscythe wrote:
Mark Levin's proposed "Liberty" Amendments (the gist---I don't want to copy the text of the proposed amendments from his copyrighted book):



1) Term Limits: Limit service in both the House and Senate to 12 years.



2) Repeal the 17th Amendment: Eliminate popular voting for Senators and revest States (through governors or legislators) with the power to select senators as originally established by the framers of the Constitution.



3) Limits on Judiciary. Limit service to one 12-year term, and grant both Congress and the state legislatures the authority to overturn court decisions with the vote of three-fifths of both houses of Congress or state legislative bodies.



4) Limits on Taxation and Spending: Balanced budget amendment, limiting spending to 17.5% of GDP and requiring a three-fifths vote to raise the debt ceiling. Also limit the power to tax to 15% of an individual’s income, prohibiting other forms of taxation, and placing the deadline to file one’s taxes one day before the next federal election.



5) Limiting bureaucracy: Limit and sunset federal regulations and subject the existence of all federal departments to stand-alone reauthorization bills every three years.



6) Define the Commerce Clause: While technically unnecessary, practically required to restore the original intent of the Commerce Clause. Clarify that the commerce clause grants not power to actively regulate and control activity; rather to prevent states from impeding commerce among other states, as Madison originally intended.



7) Further curtail Federal power to take private property through eminent domain and regulatory takings.



8 ) Allow State Legislatures and easier path to Amend the Constitution: Allows state to bypass Congress and propose an amendment with support of just two-thirds of the states (instead of three-fourths) and without convening a convention.



9) State Authority to Override Congress: Allow states to override federal statutes by majority vote in two-thirds of state legislatures.



10) Protect the Vote: Require photo ID for all federal elections and limit early voting.



I would add an 11th:



11) Get the Federal Government out of Marriage. Prohibit the federal government from establishing policies on the basis of marital relationships or the lack thereof, including through tax structures, and expressly define marriage as a state right the states are free to define if/as they wish without federal intervention or oversight. Allow for cohabiting adults where one works and the other remains at home to care for minor children or disabled family members to claim the at-home adult as a further dependent for tax purposes.

I approve of this message. :)



Just the first two would result in a huge change. If the dems hadn't used deceptive methods to get the 17th passed, Obamacare would have never passed. It needs to die. It was never meant to be a popular vote for the senators. Completely neutered the states.

imuakahuku wrote:

Mark Levin's proposed "Liberty" Amendments (the gist---I don't want to copy the text of the proposed amendments from his copyrighted book):



1) Term Limits: Limit service in both the House and Senate to 12 years.

I approve of this message.

Why does anyone think this is a good idea? It makes people think the problem is the elected government when the problem is the government. It gives more power to bureaucrats and lobbyists, not less.

Well if the congressmen were there for a short time maybe they would get something done instead of kicking the can down the road. I also think they should not be paid or maybe a small stipend.

scott715 wrote:
Well if the congressmen were there for a short time maybe they would get something done instead of kicking the can down the road. I also think they should not be paid or maybe a small stipend.

So they're even more dependent on kickbacks - oops I mean lobbyist jobs - when they're out of office.

Here comes war with Iran.

BlueK wrote:
Here comes war with Iran.

And Mexico.

hawkwing wrote:

Here comes war with Iran.

And Mexico.

Actually I think we avoid war with Mexico. Developments over the last 2 days with Iran and China are troubling though. And Russia is starting to crank up in Ukraine again.

And it keeps getting better. Anyone taking money from Soros needs to go. There is no excuse for taking money from this evil man who is only focused on destroying the USA and all countries for that matter so he can raise up a government of his design to "manage" the earth. I really liked Rubio and Ryan but somewhere in there they lost their souls. I guess that would happen if Jeb were your mentor. I sure hope the people in AZ finally open their eyes and get rid of Mccain. But if they are anything like those here in Ohio with Kasich, they can't see the forest for the trees. Just a bunch of blind mice walking around listening for a fife.



http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/02/06/records-soros-fund-execs-funded-paul-ryan-marco-rubio-jeb-bush-john-mccain-john-kasich-lindsey-graham-in-2016/

If Elliot Abrams become deputy SoS we'll know Trump has no intention of draining any swamp.



http://rare.us/rare-politics/rand-paul-do-not-let-elliott-abrams-anywhere-near-the-state-department/