Free Republic

There are many amendments that have been proposed whose sponsors claim will abolish corporate personhood and/or declare that money is not free speech. Here is a discussion of the problems with the four types that have been introduced in Congress and of two that are being promoted by various groups and individuals to address these problems. EDWARDS-STYLE AMENDMENTS TO GIVE CONGRESS THE POWER TO REGULATE CORPORATE “FREE SPEECH” The Donna Edwards amendment is the prototype of a group of amendments that would if passed give Congress the power to regulate corporate money in campaigns. Others falling into this group include...

In "Reconstituting The Constitution: How To Rewrite It," we invited readers to share their own thoughts on how we might change the founding document for 2011. Now the people have spoken. As of Dec. 20, you've chosen to abolish the Electoral College, to limit campaign contributions from corporations, to deny corporations the rights of citizens and to prohibit members of Congress from lobbying once they leave office. In our un-scientific sampling, "ratification" required the support of two-thirds of voters. (You can still add your selections here.)

A showdown begins Monday in the Senate over the handling of terrorism detainees, with the Obama administration pushing to scuttle a bipartisan proposal that would generally put detainees before a military tribunal. A proposal seeks to largely close the door to civilian trials for detainees, such as those at Guantanamo Bay. The proposal, part of Congress's annual spending bill for the Pentagon, represents the latest escalation of a battle between President Barack Obama and lawmakers over detainee policy that began soon after he ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba........

On November 8th, 2011, Texans will have the opportunity to vote on 10 proposed amendments to the state’s constitution. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility offers our views and recommendations. PROPOSITION 1Ballot reads– “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran.” In other words – A surviving spouse of a deceased veteran will become exempt from all property taxes as long as they don’t get remarried, the property is the primary...

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.Article. I. Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. Section. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the...

Rick Perry has many ideas about how to change the American government's founding document. From ending lifetime tenure for federal judges to completely scrapping two whole amendments, the Constitution would see a major overhaul if the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate had his druthers. Perry laid out these proposed innovations to the founding document in his book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington. He has occasionally mentioned them on the campaign trail. Several of his ideas fall within the realm of mainstream conservative thinking today, but, as you will see, there are also a few surprises.

Yesterday, the House passed the largely non-controversial Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations (MilCon) bill for FY 2012. Unfortunately, it is these non-controversial bills which provide a safe haven for meretricious policy initiatives through the rapid fire amendment process. While everyone was focused on presidential politics, the House passed an amendment forcing government contractors to use labor unions on federal construction projects. Oh, and like most bad legislation, this amendment passed by one vote, with the help of 27 Republicans. In 2009, Obama used his signature power grab tool; an Executive Order, forcing all private companies to sign a project labor agreement...

Jim Inhofe to Democrats: 'Get a life'By DARREN GOODE | 4/5/11 3:08 PM EDT Sen. Jim Inhofe has a simple message to House Democratic critics of the Republican plan to derail EPA climate change regulations: “Get a life.” The Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member wasn’t amused by the series of snarky Democratic amendments to rename the GOP legislation preventing EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) offered a series of amendments to the House measure — which Inhofe is pushing in the Senate — to change the title of the...

The barbaric Middle Eastern practice of honor killing has made an appearance on our shores. It happens when men murder members of their own family to avenge purported slights against Islam. For instance, Pakistan-born Muzzammil Hassan allegedly beat and then beheaded his wife Aasiya in Buffalo, N.Y. on Feb. 12, 2009. Six days earlier, Aasiya announced her intention to file for divorce and obtained a restraining order. In another example, Iraq-born Faleh-Hassan Almaleki allegedly ran down his 20-year-old daughter Noor with his Jeep Cherokee near their Phoenix home on Oct. 20, 2009. Noor was killed and the mother of her...

AMENDMENTS - AMENDMENTS AT-A-GLANCE: Sponsors, donors, costs, legislation text, public records, etc. - AMENDMENT #4 in depth - AMENDMENT #4 financed by big Democrat donor who is also behind FL-25 Democrat Joe Garcia - AMENDMENT #5 and #6 in depth (George Soros & leftwing groups financing these Amendments) GUIDES & BALLOT - 2010 VOTER GUIDES: Candidates, Amendments, Judges…for Miami & Florida - SAMPLE BALLOT for Miami-Dade County CANDIDATES FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR: - FL GOV: Rick Scott v. Alex Sink: On the Issues CANDIDATES FOR FLORIDA'S 25TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: - FL-25: Joe Garcia v. David Rivera: On the Issues -...

MEET CHRISTOPHER FINDLATER - BIG DEMOCRAT DONORLefty Godfather behind Amendment #4 and FL-25 Democrat Candidate Joe Garcia. As reported last month, Chris Findlater and other leftists were behind the attack ads against GOP candidate David Rivera to benefit their beloved candidate, Democrat Joe Garcia. Findlater is also behind the proponents of Amendment #4, the group Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc., PAC. He created a group Hometown Democracy Fund which has $2 millions on hand and donated $200,000 to Florida Hometown Democracy. More on Christopher Findlater and his groups: - Hometown Democracy shares the same address with Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc.,...

Leftwing Radical George Soros, Unions, and Lawyers are behind these Amendments Check who has donated to the proponents: here. SUPPORTERS & DONORS: These measures are supported and bankrolled by lawyers, unions and true-leftist Democrat Party loyalists like ACLU, NAACP, the League of Women Voters, etc. Charlie Crist. George Soros George Soros behind the Amendments: The proponents, Fair Districts for Florida, "amassed a war chest of almost $7 million, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday. Most of the money has come in six-figure checks from liberal special interests including teachers' unions, trial attorneys and America Votes, a get-out-the-vote group...

U.S. Sovereignty – Amendment XXVIII No person residing within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have an illegal citizenship status, nor obtain any support, funding, or benefits provided to citizens of the United States. No child of parents who are illegal residents shall be considered a citizen of the United States at birth. No citizen of the United States shall be a citizen of another nation. Citizens of the United States who are also citizens of one or more foreign nations must declare their allegiance to the United States on or before their 21st Birthday. Citizens who do not...

Floridians are holding dozens of house parties across the state Saturday with hopes of publicizing their support for two amendments that could be overshadowed on the November ballot by high-profile statewide races for U.S. Senate and other offices. Sponsored by FairDistrictsFlorida.org, activists planned 56 parties at homes or in some cases restaurants or coffee shops to educate others about Amendments 5 and 6. Each would make it harder for lawmakers to draw districts that favor any particular party or incumbent. The amendments are intended to protect minority voters and are backed by the NAACP. Spreading the word through house parties...

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia won his seat in Congress campaigning as a strict defender of the Constitution. He carries a copy in his pocket and is particularly fond of invoking the Second Amendment right to bear arms. But it turns out there are parts of the document he doesn't care for — lots of them. He wants to get rid of the language about birthright citizenship, federal income taxes and direct election of senators, among others. He would add plenty of stuff, including explicitly authorizing castration as punishment for child rapists. This hot-and-cold take on the...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Earl Taylor has spent 31 years teaching that "the Founding Fathers have answers to nearly every problem we have in America today." Only in recent months has he found so many eager students. On a recent Saturday, he held the rapt attention of 70 of them. The eight-hour seminar held at a roadside inn here was one of half a dozen "Making of America" sessions nationwide that day, all sponsored by a little-known organization based in Idaho. Two years ago, Taylor, president of the National Center for Constitutional Studies, made about 35 trips to speak to small...

A look at the nine amendments on Florida's ballotBy Howard Troxler, Times Columnist In Print: Sunday, May 30, 2010 There are nine proposed amendments to our state Constitution on this November's ballot. Nine! That's gonna take some reading in the voting booth. Some people blame it on all those citizen petitions going around. That's why the Legislature has tried to crack down on petitions in recent years. But wait. Of this year's nine amendments, only three were proposed by petition. Six were placed on the ballot by the Legislature itself. Ready? **SNIP** Amendment 9 is the Republican Legislature's answer to...

There can never, not ever, exist a true one-person, one-vote Democracy. Unless one is on a desert isle with six other mentally capable adult castaways, there will always be children, infants, the insane, the comatose, the demented, the despicable, and so forth, none of whom can vote. The point of mentioning this trivial truth is that we always—always—must draw arbitrary lines of suffrage. Because these lines grow so familiar that they are no longer seen cannot be an excuse to ban revisiting their justification. And so, repeal the 17th! That amendment was adopted in 1913 (a year of insanity); it...

Article V of the United States Constitution discusses the concept of amending the Constitution. Most people are familiar with the traditional way of amending the Constitution – 2/3 of each house of Congress proposes amendments, which then have to be ratified by the state legislatures or by conventions in 3/4 of the states. But there is another way to amend the Constitution, and it has gotten increased attention in recent days: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of...

The United States government should not provide Viagra to sex offenders. That should be a very easy statement to agree with, even for Democrats who strongly favor the far-left Obama agenda. But thanks to Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Senate Democrats may have to publicly vote against an amendment to health care legislation entitled "No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs To Sex Offenders."

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans were girding for battle yesterday as they plotted new strategies to try to take down President Obama's health plan, repeal it, or tie it up in legal knots. Just hours after the House passed a landmark overhaul, Republican strategies to fight back were emerging, even as Obama and the Democrats savored their biggest victory yet. "There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year," fumed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on an Arizona radio station. "They have poisoned the well in what they've done and how they've done it." "Outside the Beltway, the American people...

To the leaders of the Republican Party, I think it's essential that we Republicans develop a simple, coherent, and easy-to-articulate national platform to channel the massive rage awakened by the Obamunists. We must not lose the opportunity for effecting positive, permanent change that this rage can bring about. We must give this rage a positive focus, namely a goal to permanently take back our country from the radical left. I'm not talking about simply repealing Obamacare. The repeal issue is necessary but not sufficient. I'm talking about permanent, visionary change. Namely, I think the national Republicans should develop a small...

Senate Republicans have a counter attack ready if, despite the president's allegedly bipartisan summit, Democrats try to pass Obamacare via mis-use of the reconciliation process. While that process requires only a simple majority to pass a bill and limits debate time, it does not limit the number or content of proposed amendments to a reconciliation bill and Republicans could offer hundreds of them, forcing Democrats to vote on each one. On the surface this may seem like a bad idea - just postponing the inevitable and annoying the American people with a display of the meaningless gamesmanship that all too...

Jefferson City, Mo. (AP) - Although President Barack Obama's push for a health care overhaul has stalled, conservative lawmakers in more than two-thirds of the states are forging ahead with constitutional amendments to ban government health insurance mandates. The proposals would assert a state-based right for people to pay medical bills from their own pocketbooks and prohibit penalties against those who refuse to carry health insurance. In many states, the proposals began as a backlash to Democratic health care plans pending in Congress. But instead of backing away after a Massachusetts election gave Senate Republicans the filibuster power to halt...

Proposition 2 (HJR 36 - #1) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead." Proposition 3 (HJR 36 - #3) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes." Proposition 11 (HJR 14 - #1) The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: "The constitutional amendment to...

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee defeated Republican efforts Wednesday to strengthen provisions in a sweeping health-care reform bill aimed at restricting federal funding for abortions and denying government benefits to illegal immigrants.

How can Dems say there won't be cuts or rationing in health care if they vote against amendments specifically addressing those and other issues?Just as Democrat party line votes against GOP amendments in House Committees drafting health care legislation gave the lie to Obama's claim that abortions and illegal aliens wouldn't' be covered the same is true in the Senate. This week, the Senate Finance Committee is drafting the Senate's version of Obama Care. Once again Republicans on the committee offered a series of amendments which would have made Democrats live up to their promises. They were rejected on party...

(Text of Amendments and Votes @ link) Democrats Refuse to Let Americans Keep the Insurance They Have and Like 2 out of 3 will lose their health insurance Democrats voted against an amendment offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) to strike the government-run plan. When speaking before the American Medical Association, President Obama stated that, “If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” However, the Democrats government-run plan breaks this promise. According to two independent studies: The government-run plan will result in...

July 12th casts a shadow on our July 4th celebrations. Happy Birthday, America! This July 4th marks your 233rd birthday! God bless us all! There is another birthday, a centennial, on July 12th. The 16th Amendment turns 100. It is hardly an occasion to celebrate, but rather to mourn. That seed grew into the suffocating IRS monster that tramples on our God given dignity, rights, and prosperity. If our forefathers were alive today, they would declare it a Day of Mourning. As it is they must be spinning in their graves! They had warned that giving Congress the power they...

Summary,3.18.09 HR1388, H. RES. 250, VETERANS AMENDMENTS, Hunter, Hill, and Teague 1:52 P.M. - DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 250, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Hunter of California amendment. Amendment offered by Mr. Hunter. Amendment numbered 3 printed in House Report 110-39 to remove veteran's educational benefits from being taken into account when calculating the maximum award an individual could receive for participating in one of the national service programs. On agreeing to the Hill amendment Agreed to by voice vote. Who were the 39 people who voted against...

Senator John Ensign of Nevada offered his amendment to repeal D.C.'s draconian gun ban today. But Senators John Thune of South Dakota and David Vitter of Louisiana have also stepped up to the plate. They filed an amendment that would result in REAL national concealed carry reciprocity -- without adversely affecting no-permit states like Alaska and Vermont. So now the battle lines are drawn! By the end of the week, the Senate will vote on whether to rule these two pro-gun amendments out of order. The vote could come on a so-called "cloture" motion to cut off debate (and thus...

Proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution 111 Congress; as of 1/26/09 From Debbie Niwa: There may be more proposals to come, but the below is current as of 1/26/09. Note: The fact that there are few or no cosponsors to the bills doesn't mean much at this point -- this is only the beginning of 1st session of the 111 Congress) For details on individual bills, do a bill search at < http://thomas.loc.gov>. Be sure to select the "111th Congress". H.J.RES.2 : Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding presidential election voting rights for residents...

What can we do about the 17th amendment?

A compilation of the 1st and 2nd amendment slips that BHO has been caught saying. Included is a 2004 interview, before he was a senator, saying that poor whites basically cling to the guns and religion.

Propositions that are on the November 4, 2008 General Election Ballot* Bond MeasureProposition 1 SB 1856 (Chapter 697, 2002). Costa. Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century.** **Note: The Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century was originally scheduled to appear on the November 2, 2004, General Election ballot. Subsequently, Senate Bill 1169, Chapter 71, Statutes of 2004, provided that it appear on the November 7, 2006, General Election ballot. However, most recently, Assembly Bill 713, Chapter 44, Statutes of 2006, provides for the submission of this Act on the November...

Changes since the last update: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1310. (07-0081) Nonviolent Offenders. Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation. Statute. Qualified for the November 4, 2008 General Election 1326. (07-0094, Amdt. #1S) Criminal Penalties and Laws. Public Safety Funding. Statute. Qualified for the November 4, 2008 General Election 1304. (07-0066, Amdt. #1S) Renewable Energy. Statute. Qualified for the November 4, 2008 General Election 1298. (07-0068) Limit on Marriage. Constitutional Amendment. Qualified for the November 4, 2008 General Election Propositions that are on the November 4, 2008 General Election Ballot Bond MeasureSB 1856 (Chapter 697, 2002). Costa. Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the...

Regular Guy Paul linked to an Ann Coulter column suggesting that if we took the vote away from women, we'd never have another Democratic president.  I'm almost tempted to sidetrack this post because I caught a hilarious comment in the comments section that rebutted the notion that fascism is a leftist ideology - it most definitely is - but that's for another day. I'm not even interested in Coulter's comments per se, considering they were mostly tongue-in-cheek, but something that Paul said caught my attention. Generally speaking, I would support repealing all the Constitutional amendments of the 20th century. So...

In Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority,1 the Supreme Court held that state interests are more properly protected from federal encroachment by the procedural safeguards found in the federal political process rather than by judicially defined limitations.2 Justice Powell, in a strong dissent, asserted that the majority's decision reduced the tenth amendment to "meaningless rhetoric."3 In explaining its decision, the majority observed that State governments, through equal representation in the Senate, retain sufficient influence over the federal political process to insure their autonomy and sovereign interests.4 The Court, however, recognized that the seventeenth amendment, which provides for the popular...

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 2947 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008) Statement of Purpose: To reaffirm strong support for all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and to strongly condemn attacks on the honor, integrity, and patriotism of any individual who is serving or has served honorably in the United States Armed Forces, by any person or organization.

The Inside Story On What's Happening With The Senate Immigration Bill Yesterday, a GOP aide, who is one of my sources in the Senate, gave me the rundown on what's happening with the Senate immigration bill (this is the same person who I talked to last week about the bill). First off, it does look like the Senate immigration bill is coming back. The conventional wisdom seems to be that it's going to be brought up right before the July 4th break, so that the Senate Republican leadership can try to use that as leverage to get votes (in other...

Hank Gilbert was not impressed with the 80th meeting of the Texas Legislature. Gilbert, a former candidate for agriculture commissioner and Democratic anti-toll road lobbyist, offered his opinions and reported on his efforts, specifically on bills concerning the toll roads, at the Texas Democratic Women of Gregg County's monthly meeting Thursday. "The 80th session probably had some high points," he said of the Democrats' progress. "But I didn't see them; except the raising of the minimum wage to $7.25, which won't go into effect for another two years." Gilbert spoke in detail about Texas House Bill 1892, a piece of...

Senate rebuffs House changes to SB 792, pushing final action on the tollway overhaul into the session's last week. The Texas Senate declined to accept House changes in a key toll road bill Friday, thus requiring a House and Senate conference committee to craft a compromise version and triggering a gubernatorial veto of another bill. When the House decided to knock off work for the weekend early Friday afternoon, Senate Bill 792 was put on ice until Monday. That led Gov. Rick Perry to follow through on his pledge to veto the legislation that SB 792 is meant to replace,...

Florida voters passed all six proposed amendments to the state constitution Tuesday, including one that tightens local governments' property seizure powers. Voters passed Amendment 8, which bans the use of eminent domain to transfer homes or businesses to private developers unless an exemption is approved by three-fifths of both houses of the Legislature. With 51 percent of the expected vote counted, 69 percent backed the amendment with 31 percent against it. After last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave governments eminent domain power to obtain property for private development, Florida became one of 30 states that have enacted laws...

Federal Government Reform Now! The federal government has become so large and so detached from the people that it’s nothing like what the Founders intended. The Constitution was specifically written to define and limit the federal government’s powers with most power residing with the states. Yet Congress tries to control and meddle in veery aspect of our lives. Think of it this way: There are 535 representatives in Washington D.C. (House & Senate), yet there are 300 million people in the United States. Do you think 535 people should have so much power or were ever intended to have so...

The following is todays Founders' Daily Quote from the Patriot Post "[T]he present Constitution is the standard to which we are to cling. Under its banners, bona fide must we combat our political foes - rejecting all changes but through the channel itself provides for amendments." -- Alexander Hamilton (letter to James Bayard, April 1802) Reference: Selected Writings and Speeches of Alexander Hamilton,Frisch, ed. (511)

SACRAMENTO - Senate leaders on Tuesday bottled up a package of flood-protection bills for the year, claiming Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was seeking last-minute amendments they said would weaken the measures. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata said the Legislature will wait until next year to address flood policy, saying the governor had sought to derail bills aimed at increasing flood protection from Redding to Bakersfield. "If we're going to do this, we're going to do this correctly," the Oakland Democrat said. The Senate's decision angered Assembly Democrats, who said plenty of time remained in this year's session to negotiate a...

by Mark Finkelstein June 27, 2006 Given NewsBusters' goal of exposing outrageous liberal media bias, perhaps I should switch focus from the Katie-less Today to Harry Smith & Co. at the Early Show. I rarely check in on the show, which has languished seemingly forever in last place. But, happening upon it this morning, Smith's bald-faced bias left me breathless. Smith's guest was Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report. Talk was first of the proposed flag-burning amendment. Disdain dripping, Smith observed "I'm just curious about this. Because somewhere I read in the last couple of days in the entire...

I just got a PDF in my email from John V. that has the amendments made by the USCCB (meaning, the changes to the changes, this does not include the parts of the new translation the Americans left unchanged) - it's the Newsletter of the Committee on the Liturgy. Since PDF's can be a pain, I put the relevant parts of it in regular format: (Update: welcome, readers from countless blogs, click here for the rest of today's topics) USCCB Amendments to the ICEL Translation of the Order of Mass The Latin Church members of the USCCB accepted sixty-two amendments...

Last week we were inundated with news stories about the verdict rendered in the case of two Enron executives, Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, who were found guilty on multiple charges, which included various counts of fraud and insider trading. No doubt there are many, particularly the thousands of Enron employees whose pensions and retirement accounts were tied to the performance of Enron stock, whose financial welfare suffered due to the actions of these two executives and the subsequent ruination of the corporation. But there was another story, highlighted on the front page of USA Today, which has far-reaching impact...

See for example this thread first. The Senate (and this is fact) nixed the Defense of Marriage Act Olympia Snowe's vote (and other RINOs') meant instead Marriage was ATTACKED.