Free Republic

Posted by constitutionallyspeaking on September 17, 2009 Today is Constitution Day. It was on this day, September 17, 1787, that the Constitution emerged for the first time from the convention in Philadelphia, Pa. Our blessed Constitution that was written not by men of all the same political faction, however, a coalition of men of many political factions, working together to “Form A More Perfect Union” and it was up to ‘We the People” to ensure its long lasting existence. Fast forward 222 years…

Washington Dispatch: Addressing the Federalist Society, the top Senate Republican went light on the red meat—except when it came to judges. Having narrowly survived his reelection campaign, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was in an expansive mood Thursday morning. Back to work in Washington, he spoke at the annual convention of the Federalist Society, the powerful conservative legal organization. Acknowledging his recent close shave, McConnell elicited some laughs from the friendly crowd by noting that in campaign ads, Democrats had called him the biggest impediment to progress since Antonin Scalia, who also happens to be one of the group's...

As regular VC readers know, I am one of several conspirators who is supporting Fred Thompson's campaign for President. I cannot speak for the others, but my reasons for supporting Thompson include his commitment to federalism, his candor on important issues other candidates would prefer to avoid (e.g. entitlements), and his record on regulatory reform and government oversight over the past thirty years. For National Review's pentultimate issue (the one before they endorsed Mitt Romney), I authored an article making the conservative case for Thompson. For those without subscriptions to the print magazine, here is an excerpt: Sen. Fred Thompson...

The history of the American political system has been one of a perpetual conflict between Federalism and the Anti-Federalists. We owe the First 10 Amendments to the constitution and much of our personal freedom to the Anti-Federalists who, led by Thomas Jefferson, refused ratify the Constitution without them. The essence of the conflict is whether we the people are best served by a centralized, distant, all powerful government or by a more local, responsive, and hands off government; whether we individually or collectively are best equipped to govern and serve ourselves. Compromise is required because each system can perform certain...

Today is Alexander Hamilton’s 250th birthday. Unless, of course, it’s his 252nd. He claimed to have been born in 1757, but there is considerable nearly contemporary evidence that he was actually born in 1755. But there is no argument that he was not yet 50 when he died at the hands of Aaron Burr in 1804. And there is no argument that despite his brief life he had more influence on the future of the United States than all but a very, very few of the Founding Fathers. Hamilton was not like the other Founding Fathers. He was the only...

Before the Long-Term Capital Management collapse nearly paralyzed the world's capital markets, and before the stock market crashes of 1987 and 1929, there was America's first widespread financial crisis: the Panic of 1792. Today it's a little-known footnote to American financial history. But if it weren't for the quick thinking of a New Yorker named Alexander Hamilton, and his actions as America's first central banker, the events surrounding Wall Street's first bona fide crash could have meant doom for the struggling, cash-strapped republic. Descendants of Hamilton, as well as an ambassador, historians, and grateful Wall Street executives, will gather around...

The Patriot Post, Founders' Quote Daily "The invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from acts of Government contrary to the sense of its constituents, but from acts in which the Government is the mere instrument of the major number of the Constituents." Copyright (c) 1996-2006 Publius Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

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)

The Democrat Party died yesterday in Hartford, Connecticut. Present when this venerable institution breathed its last were a minority of the Democrats in the Nutmeg State. The Party was the child of the Republican-Democrat Party, and the Anti-Federalist Party. It leaves no known descendants. However, political parties sometimes spawn children many years after their deaths. Is that verdict too harsh? The leaders of the Democrat Party in Washington, New York, and elsewhere, are not admitting even to a serious illness. It’s difficult to conduct a proper Irish wake when on-lookers insist on prodding the deceased to sing and dance. These...

DEADLOCK OVER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ENDS: February 17, 1801 After one tie vote in the Electoral College and 35 indecisive ballot votes in the House of Representatives, Vice President Thomas Jefferson is elected the third president of the United States over his running mate, Aaron Burr. The confusing election, which ended just 15 days before a new president was to be inaugurated, exposed major problems in the residential electoral process set forth by the framers of the U.S. Constitution. As dictated by Article Two of the Constitution, presidents and vice presidents are elected by "electors," a group of voters chosen by...

Those who are long of tooth recall Chevy Chase’s news routine on Saturday Night Live, especially his weekly riff, “Generalissimo Franco is still dead.” That was based on true stories of the removal of assorted organs from the dying General, with doctors’ assurances he was still alive. That also led to Don Henley’s classic, “Dirty Laundry,” with the lines, “Is the head dead yet? Get the widow on the set....” This is ancient news, but it’s relevant to the Democrats. Like the Generalissimo, that Party has had major organs removed, but is allegedly still alive. As a student of US...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

If you have visited the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, you know that it is called the Arlington of the Confederacy due to the fact that many famous Confederate people are buried there. Upon entering the cemetery, one finds Confederate President Jefferson Davis first. Then you drive to what is called on the map as President's Circle. In the middle is James Monroe. A few yards away is John Tyler. Aside from these two presidents, there are 26 Confederate generals buried here. Among the more famous are JEB Stuart, George Pickett, Henry Heth and Fitzhugh Lee. John Tyler was an...

Stevie Lacy-Pendleton's column, "To the Republicans go a divided nation's spoils"(Staten Island Advance, Nov 3, 2004) is typical of what is wrong with the Democratic Party today. She would have you believe that all Democrats are articulate, open-minded, highly educated, inclusive people who were put on this earth to educate the rest of us. However, if you try to express your point of view, you are shouted down and labeled. They take the minority vote for granted while the elites in the party hang out in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. The fact is, many Republicans today are...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 - In an atmosphere of optimism, redemption and gleeful gossip - "So who's Bush going to put on the court first?" - nearly 1,000 conservative lawyers gathered here this week at the annual convention of the Federalist Society. Analysts may debate whether President Bush's margin of victory on Nov. 2 constitutes a mandate, but to the members of the society, the election means the promised land is within sight. They are confident, they said, that Mr. Bush's second term will give them what they have yearned for before, only to be disappointed at partial fulfillment. In the...

The XYZ Affair In the wake of the ratification of Jay's Treaty between the United States and England, the French policy of seizing American vessels on the high seas threatened to cripple the American merchant fleet. Unprepared for war and lacking a sufficient naval force to defend American merchant ships at sea, President John Adams dispatched a special commission to France to renegotiate trade treaties with the French Republic. The American commission to France was made up of John Marshall of Virginia, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, and South Carolinian Charles Pinckney. While the Americans were negotiating from a standpoint of...

As the Democratic primaries reach a critical stage, partisan spirit is running high, and the presidential campaign is already verging on blood sport. George Washington's birthday today serves as a reminder of how presidents can transcend politics and embody the national spirit. From the time he was recruited as commander in chief in 1775, Washington personified the often tenuous hope of unity among the 13 fractious colonies. With most of the early patriot blood spilled in Massachusetts, the second Continental Congress wanted a Southern general who could lend a national imprint to the struggle. Washington shed his Virginia identity and...

Historical Party Strength in CongressU.S. Senate     Party of Party of     Period Congress Majority Minority Others President 1789-17911791-17931793-1795 1795-17971797-17991799-1801 1st2nd3rd4th5th6th AdFFFFF 171617192019 OpDRDRDRDRDR 91313131213 ------ Washington (F)Washington (F)Washington (F) Washington (F)J.Adams (F)J.Adams (F) 1801-18031803-18051805-1807 1807-18091809-18111811-1813 7th8th9th10th11th12th DRDRDRDRDRDR 182527282830 FFFFFF 1397666 ------ Jefferson (DR)Jefferson (DR)Jefferson (DR) Jefferson (DR)Madison (DR)Madison (DR) 1813-18151815-18171817-1819 1819-18211821-18231823-1825 13th14th15th16th17th18th DRDRDRDRDRDR 272534354444 FFFFFF 91110744 ------ Madison (DR)Madison (DR)Monroe (DR) Monroe (DR)Monroe (DR)Monroe (DR) 1825-18271827-18291829-1831 1831-18331833-18351835-1837 19th20th21st22nd23rd24th AdJDDDD 262826252027 JAdNRNRNRW 202022212025 ---28- J.Q.Adams (C)J.Q.Adams (C)Jackson (D) Jackson (D)Jackson (D)Jackson (D) 1837-18391839-18411841-1843 1843-18451845-18471847-1849 25th26th27th28th29th30th DDWWDD 302828283136 WWDDWW 182222252521 4-21-1 Van Buren (D)Van Buren (D)W.Harrison (W) Tyler...

FELLOW FREEPERS, PLEASE FIRST READ MY COMMENTS BELOW AS A PREFACE Rarely does scholarship anticipate the most dramatic events of the moment. In this timely work Gary Hart does just that, arguing for the restoration of republican virtues and for homeland security as an important first step. The American democratic republic has from its founding been a paradoxical success. Simultaneously attached to state and national power, citizens' rights and citizens' duties, American democracy has uniquely turned its reliance on consent from the governed into a powerful governing of the consenting. In a remarkable political feat, America's founders combined mixed government,...