Category Archives: States rights

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Podcast – The Electoral College – They Brought it Up – Not Us

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by: Brent Smith at the Common Constitutionalist

Okay – here we go again with the Electoral College. Why do we have to keep talking about the antiquated Electoral College?

But we on the right didn’t bring it up. The democrats continue to. I could be discussing other stuff, and really, who cares about the Electoral College. It’s dry and boring and does it really matter anyway?

Well, we better care and care a lot, because if the left wins the propaganda war and eventually somehow amends the Constitution or something, this country is finished. That’s not hyperbole – it’s cold hard fact.

If you want the Founders explanation of why it’s needed, read Federalist Paper, number 68, written by Alexander Hamilton.

I’m just doing it in modern day bad English.

So as long as the left keeps trying to ram pure democracy, mob rule, down our throats, we have to continue to at least try to educate those who might listen to the logic and beauty of our election system. read more

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Does the Constitution Mean Anything Anymore?

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by: Brent Smith at the Common Constitutionalist

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This story goes back about 7 months, but it’s still as relevant today as it was then, and will become more so as we get closer to the 2020 elections. It’s about a lawsuit that struck down a Kansas State voter I.D. law.

I recall reading about it but didn’t give it much more than a passing tisk-tisk at the time. But somehow it recently resurfaced. I thought it was something new so I read it judiciously. And that’s when it hit me. As I’m a States Right guy, I don’t know why it didn’t then, but it sure struck a chord this time around.

In June, 2018, Reuters reported that, “A federal judge struck down a Kansas law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in a decision on Monday that could make voter registration easier in the state in the run-up to November mid-term elections. The ruling ended a two-year legal battle in which Democrats argued that such ID laws targeted voters who typically support their party, such as the young and minorities. Republican proponents of the law said it was necessary to ensure the integrity of elections.”

Yes, the Dems do have a point. What they appear to be saying is that the young and minorities are just too darn stupid and/or lazy to obtain the proper I.D. necessary to register. It sounds harsh, but how can we conclude anything else. According to the Democrat Party, their voters are just that stupid. It’s a wonder they can find their way out of bed in the morning, much less to the polls. read more

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Video Podcast – Schools Need a Lesson on the Fourth Amendment

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by: Brent Smith at the Common Constitutionalist

A civil liberties attorney has a problem with two Indiana public high schools. The schools announced that they will randomly drug test 10 students who wish to engage in extracurricular activities, for 10 drugs.

The attorney claims this is a Constitutional violation under the Fourth Amendment.

Surprise, surprise – I agree, because it is and in today’s podcast I explain the reason why. read more

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There is Little Risk in an Article V Convention of States

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By: the Common Constitutionalist

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It’s not often that I disagree with my fellow conservative authors. And if I do, I rarely if ever outwardly express that disagreement. But I’m making an exception to voice my disappointment of one “conservative” author who wrote about the potential “dangers” of an Article V Convention of States.

The article is entitled “A Convention of States is Not Without Risks.”

Right off the bat, I thought – oh here we go – another attempt at persuading the less informed of the dangers of an out-of control, free-for all, convention. As if anyone can propose anything and the idiot States will just line up in favor, like so many lemmings.

The author begins by attempting to win over the right, by writing that, “Patriots and Constitutional Conservatives across America are sickened and disgusted by our Federal Court Judges and our Cowardly Congress filled with ‘Demon-crats and RINO’s’ who have largely ignored the will and wishes of the citizens and voters for decades.”

This of course will cause “Constitutional Conservatives” to stand up and cheer.

But then he ventures down the road that many fearmongers have by stating that, “We must recognize however, that there will be ‘deep blue liberal’ states present at any such Convention; Deep Blue New York, for example, is, alongside Deep Red Texas are two of the eleven states whose legislatures have called for a Convention of States.”

The 11 States that have made application are, in no particular order, AK, GA, FL, ND, TN, LA, AL, IN, MO, OK, AZ, and of course TX. Funny, but I don’t see NY there. read more

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So Who is Really in Charge of Immigration

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by: the Common Constitutionalist

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It’s obvious and has been demonstrated repeatedly as of late, that the Democrat Party cares less for American citizens than it does for foreign visitors and illegal immigrants.

The Party has also exhibited a willingness to flaunt or outright break the law in doing so.

Being that the Common Constitutionalist is not an actual Constitutional scholar, I cannot say for certain if President Trump’s temporary ban of people from seven foreign nations is or is not Constitutional – anymore than I can say Obama’s was. But I can read…and think.

However, the larger and longer lasting issue is that of illegal immigration, and States and cities refusal to follow federal law. However some would consider this a gray area.

If one were to look to the Constitution, which should always be first consulted, we would see that the word immigration doesn’t appear anywhere. What does is Article I, Section 8, clause 4, which states that, “Congress shall have the Power To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization…” read more

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My WND Weekly Exclusive – How state Republicans are wielding Trump power

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How state Republicans are wielding Trump power

In case you haven’t noticed, the left is in full panic mode. They are rapidly losing what was thought not long ago to be an iron grip on American politics and culture. But Heir Obama has squandered their historic pre-eminence, preferring to concentrate only on his legacy. I suppose we should thank him for this.

Americans have what seems to be a penchant for concentrating only on presidential elections. Maybe because it’s easy. We have two, maybe up to four choices for the office, and that’s it. It requires almost no effort on the part of the electorate to decide between two candidates. read more

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In 2016 – State Elections are of Equal Importance

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by: the Common Constitutionalist

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If we are to believe the polls, it would appear that Hillary Clinton has the 2016 presidential election virtually locked up.

As the election draws closers, polls historically become more accurate. The reason for this is that the companies who conduct polls have in their best interest to not only pick the winner, but to be as close as possible to predicting the margin of victory.

Professional polling companies live and die by polls, so accuracy is key to a good reputation – which leads to elite status amongst pollsters and to many more future contracts.

Early on, pollsters have a lot more leeway to get things wrong and even skew the election to the candidate they prefer. But as time becomes short, their livelihoods depend on getting it right. You will see a shift from polling just “adults,” to polling “registered” and “likely voters.”

Knowing this about polls and barring anything such as a Bradley/Wilder effect, this is Clinton’s election to lose. For those unfamiliar, the above “effect” is a circumstance when those being polled say they are voting for one candidate, due to not wanting to appear racist or sexist, or what they may perceive as peer pressure, but actually cast their ballot for another.

Yes, just saying President Hillary Clinton does lend itself to suicidal thoughts, I know. read more

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Podcast – Obama Administration puts the Screws to Small Business – A Third Secret Agreement with Iran is Revealed

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Obama’s labor department has decided it cannot wait for Congress to act, so it has enacted a rule to demand all employers, who have federal government contracts or who work on federal property, be forced to provide up to seven paid sick leave days per employee. Whether the employers can afford it is not the government’s problem. It’s part of what they claim is a social compact between government and the people.

It was well publicized that the U.S. paid a large ransom to Iran to release the hostages they snatched in January. It was part of two agreements secretly signed in Geneva, Switzerland. What most don’t know is that was another – a third agreement signed and the details have just recently surfaced. read more

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Thank Heavens for the Bill of Rights

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by: the Common Constitutionalist

The Republicans in the Senate do occasionally find their backbones and were able to display them as they rejected four pieces of anti-gun legislation. Thank you Republicans and thank you founders for giving us the Bill of Rights.

Given the current state of the federal leviathan, imagine the condition of our individual and states’ rights without the specific declaration of those protections against federal intrusion. Turns out the anti-federalists were right to insist on a Bill of Rights!

We would have no right to own or carry a weapon of any kind without the language expressed in the Second Amendment. We on the right would have nothing specific to argue against the gun-grabbers of the left. For decades we have debated the language and meaning of the Second Amendment, but without it, our argument would be relegated to the abstract, for nowhere else does the Constitution specifically address this right. Given the nature of today’s courts – that would not be nearly enough. Thanks to George Mason and the anti-federalists, we at least have the Amendment specifying this natural right.

Our freedom of speech, assembly, religion, etc. would all be substantially abridged, if not for the First Amendment. We would have virtually no states’ rights left without the Tenth – and so on. read more

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Podcast – The Common Constitutionalist Dissects Trumps WSJ Op-Ed

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In this episode I sift through, break down and render my own opinion of The Donald’s Op-Ed piece he recently penned in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Let Me Ask You A Question.” In it he makes several points regarding the campaign in general and specifically pertaining to the Colorado primary, such that it was. But what having to do with Trump would be complete without a healthy dose of Cruz bashing. He gave readers plenty of that. The only thing he forgot to mention was his new catch-phrase, “Lyin Ted.” I’m sure that was a mere oversight. read more