The Wisdom of Iraq

I am sick and tired of hearing the enemies of George W. Bush misreiterate (a little W. lingo) their argument that Iraq had nothing to do with the War on Terror; these clowns sound like a broken record, repeating the same line ad-infinitum, and for some inexplicable reason the Bush Administration has never logically, methodically laid out their case. Whether you agree with Bush`s decision to go into Iraq or not (and I know many of my Libertarian friends bitterly disagree) there was sound logic and an astute geopolitical strategy employed by the Administration, and it would have worked (and still could work) if the opposition were truly loyal instead of this power-hungry cabal of anti-American traitors and lying SOB`s in the so called ``free press``. It`s time for the President to hire someone who will make the case clearly to the American people.

Let us begin where every careful analysis of anything should start-at the beginning! In 1992 the father of our current President held the same position, and a murderous thug named Saddam Hussein was president-for-life of Iraq. Now, there`s something that you need to understand about this situation; Hussein was a dictator who had modeled himself on former Soviet tyrant Joseph Stalin (Saddam admits Uncle Joe was his hero) and was the leader of the Iraqi wing of the Baath Party, which was a secular pan-Arabic organization and was, essentially, an Arabic version of the Fascists of 1930`s Italy. They promoted the same vision for the Middle-East that the Fascists had for Italy, or that the Nazis wanted for Europe, and this included an eventual Aunschlaus of Arabic countries into a new order. The Baathists also ruled in Syria, which, if you remember, had been a member of the United Arab Republic which was an attempt to create an Arab nation and included Syria and Egypt, Interestingly, Yemen would join for a short time as well, and this should give us pause as Osama Bin-Laden`s family came originally from Yemen, not Saudi Arabia, and a great many Jihadists migrated from OBL`s home town to other parts of the Arabic world.

At any rate, the guiding principles of the Baathists were Arab unification and socialism. The Baath party spread like wildfire after the 1948 war with Israel, when many Arabs believed their lack of unity was the cause of their defeat by the Jews. Thus, this ideology, while not in lockstep with the Holy Warriors of Bin-Laden, were still aiming in a similar direction as the Mujahadeen, and the old Arab proverb ``the enemy of my enemy is my friend`` should never have been dismissed so lightly by our intelligence people. This was the cornerstone of the intelligence failure leading up to 911-our people refused to believe that secular Moslems would deal with the Religious, or that Shia would work with Sunni. In fact, the Baathists were more like the Nazis who were quite happy to support their alliance with the ``slanty-eyed mudpeople`` of Imperial Japan against the semi-Aryan British and Americans. Politics makes strange bedfellows, and while the Baathists and Mujahadeen may have hated each-other, they both understood that ``the enemy of my enemy is my friend`` and both the Baathists in Syria and the Shiites of Iran funneled massive amounts of assistance to any Islamic group fighting against Israel and the ``Great Satan``. Even though the Iraqi Baathists fought a long destructive war with Iran, the Syrians and Iranians continued to support groups with similar goals.

(An interesting side note: Egypt had been on the vanguard of Islamic radicalism until the Virgin Mary began appearing above a Cathedral in Zeitun, Egypt. She appeared to over 2000 people, including Egyptian President Nasser who softened his stance after this encounter. His successor Anwar Sadat was the first leader of an Islamic nation to offer an olive branch to Israel, and he paid for this with his life. Today Egypt still produces many terrorists, but the Egyptian government`s policies are soundly against Baathism and Jihad.)

So the UAR dissolved, but the dream of Arab unification remained and Syria and Iraq found themselves under the heel of Baathist thugs with their fascist ambitions and their weapons supplied by the Cold War belligerents. The Soviet Union financed and equiped terror organizations and bellicose Arabic states for decades in an attempt to drain the United States of both treasure and will. The Soviet Union sought to start fires around the globe believing America would exhaust herself trying to put them out (it worked in the opposite fashion). Terrorism in the Middle East is directly attributable to the proxy warfare of the Cold War. This includes Afghanistan; we trained and armed the Mujahadeen to resist the Soviet invasion, and Bin-Laden, who would use our assistance against us.

Tyrants generally require an outside enemy to flourish. Saddam had the Medo-Persian menace of Iran for years, and he was assisted by the United States mainly because he was seen as preferable to the real terror master under the Ayatollahs. The Iraqi-Iranian war helped stability because neither side could afford to fund international terrorism while they were engaged in their struggle.

But that struggle ended, and in 1992 the Glorious Leader of Iraq was at loose ends and in need of a new cause. He decided to rebuild Babylon by invading the southernmost portion of Mesopotamia-Kuwait.

Kuwait was an oil-rich sheikdom in the Persian Gulf and was friendly to the West. Saddam didn`t believe that the West would fight over this small chunk of real-estate, so, much like a housepainter-turned-dictator during the 1930`s, simply marched his troops in and took it. As usual, there was a great outcry from the nations of the World, but it would require George Herbert Walker Bush to lead a United Nations coalition to force Iraq out of Kuwait. Mistakes were made-not the least of which was the failure to drive to Baghdad and remove Saddam from power. Fundamental military strategy requires that you destroy an enemy when he is in your grasp, but President Bush was persuaded by his strangely non-militaristic Head of the Joint Chiefs Colin Powell to withdraw after seeing the ``highway of death``. (For a military man Gen. Powell is extraordinarily timid.) You NEVER leave an enemy intact; you`ll just have to fight him again.

So Saddam lit his oil wells on fire and went to murdering and pillaging. The Shiites of southern Iraq rose up against him, thinking America would support them but were crushed when no help arrived. Saddam likewise used poison gas on the Kurds in the north to subdue them, and America instituted the ``no-fly`` zone to protect them.

In short, Saddam accepted a cease-fire but never stuck to it, and the war had never ended. He fired missiles at our planes in the ``no-fly`` zone regularly, repeatedly violated military prohibitions, attempted to have George H.W. Bush assassinated, kicked the U.N. inspectors out of the country when they began prying into his weaponry with a little too much diligence, etc. The United Nations had maintained a boycott on financial dealings with Iraq not out of malice but because Saddam refused to live up to the agreements he made for a cease-fire, but many of the member states undercut the boycott via the corrupt ``oil for food`` provision (which was intended as a mercy to feed the starving Iraqi people) which enriched Saddam Hussein and the coalition of prostitute nations. As a result, Saddam was able to hang on.

And he supported terrorism; he paid $25,000 to the families of suicide bombers in Palestine, he gave sanctuary to Abu Nidal (although they booted his organization during the `80`s Iranian war, he was still allowed sanctuary in Iraq until Iraqi secret police murdered him-probably as a sop to America to avoid W.`s invasion), and Al-Zarqawi was in Baghdad prior to the 2002 invasion. The liberals make a big thing out of the idea that Saddam had no ties to Al-Quada, but his henchman clearly did. It doesn`t really matter anyway-Al-Quada is not the sole terrorist organization we are concerned with; these groups change names and faces at the drop of a hat, and a war defined as purely against Al-Quada would be like a war with Japan only after Pearl Harbor. It would have been stupidity on a monumental scale.

Also, the United Nations inspectors warned of dire consequences when Saddam kicked them out in 1998, and all of the world`s intelligence agencies warned he had serious stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. We KNOW he had poison gas, we know that he had an advanced nuclear program (Israel destroyed the Osirik nuclear reactor, where Iraq was enriching uranium). All of the intelligence estimates throughout the world were saying the same things, and the warnings were dire.

Let me ask this quick question; where are the facilities where these weapons were dismantled? Much is made about our not finding these stockpiles, but I would like to turn the question around and ask what happened to these stockpiles? We know he had them before 1998, yet they have conveniently disappeared. You don`t just throw these things away-they have to be carefully destroyed. Where were they destroyed?

We KNOW Iraq flew a squadron of planes into Iran (their bitter enemy) during the first Gulf War, in order to avoid losing them to the allies. We know Saddam ordered people to bury equipment used in his illicit programs. We know large convoys headed into Syria prior to the commencement of our invasion. We know Syria was supposed to withdraw all of their troops from Lebanon, but refused to pull out of certain parts of the country. Suggestive, no?

The election of 2000 may well have destroyed this country; the left was absolutely determined to hang onto power, and they fought with all of their strength to win the election. Despite all of their efforts, George W. Bush was elected President in the Electoral College (while supposedly losing the popular vote-something I`m not at all sure of considering the massive vote fraud perpetrated by the Democrats) and won every recount and legal challenge. They were furious, and vowed that the Bush Presidency would be a vain, inconsequential one. Then America was attacked on 911, and the ``dufus frat-boy`` was suddenly a wartime leader (and Bill Clinton was looking like the dufus frat-boy without any real consequence)who looked to play an important role in history. This, along with their being completely shut out of power in Washington, was absolutely unacceptable, and they began launching political jihad on the President before the dust from the World Trade Center even cleared; remember the accusation of cowardice against the President for flying a circuituitous route, or that he didn`t run from the room full of children when he was told? Remember the anthrax attacks on Capitol Hill and Tom Daschle agreed to hold the Senate in recess along with the Republican-controlled House, then reneging at the last moment to make Democrats look brave and Republicans chicken? This lie about ``standing shoulder to shoulder`` is exactly that; Democrats and their enablers in the Media were immediately sewing their seeds of discontent.

Of course, they simply could not resist the President on going into Afghanistan. The American public demanded this, and, if you all remember, many people were getting upset with the slow pace of the Afghani invasion.

But Iraq changed all that-largely because it occurred a while after the 911 attacks, and because the Administration took too long and telegraphed their attack too much. Groups such as ``Not in our Names`` started protesting, and they were joined by Moveon.ogr and the rest of the lunatic fringe. The President, ever tone deaf to the moods of the public, allowed his enemies to define the war, and soured the mood of the public. Now, of course, we are treated to a panoply of second guessing and recriminations by the very people who authorized the invasion. It is truly disgusting.

Now, to get on with the purpose of this piece, namely, to defend this President`s decision to go to war. Al-Quada was a worldwide organization with tentacles everywhere, and they had numerous terrorist allies worldwide who were prepared to attack us. What could we do? Playing hide-and-seek with Bin-Laden is fine and dandy, but it doesn`t make us any safer. We had to act with a long-term strategy in mind. There simply had to be a political realignment in the Middle-East. You could not allow these despotic, terrorism-sponsoring hellholes to act as Jihad factories and to threaten American lives. It was clear America was going to be forced to exercise military options on a number of countries. Who to start with?

First off, Iraq is one of the most cosmopolitan and modern countries in the Middle-East, and building a western-style democratic system should have been easier here than anywhere else.

Secondly, the political alignment was there; Saddam was in violation of innumerable U.N. resolutions, the Congress had already authorized President Bill Clinton to use force against Saddam, the Iraqi people were likely to be grateful for their liberation-especially the Kurds, the argument could be made that Saddam`s WMD programs were making him too dangerous (an argument that Saddam himself encouraged). In short, Iraq was an international pariah, and would be the easiest target to justify. That Iraq continued to attack U.S. troops and attempted to kill a former U.S. President simply made it a slam dunk.

Geopolitically, it made perfect sense to reform Iraq; It splits the Iranians off from the trouble spot in the Middle East (Israel) physically, it divides the two great terror masters (Iran and Syria) and gives American forces a base of operations against BOTH of them, and Iraq was the best target physically, being a flat plain (ideal for tanks and jeeps) with sea access from our ally Kuwait. Dividing the enemy has always been a basic tenet of military strategy. Furthermore, physically invading mountainous Iran would have cost many more American lives, and Syria would have been militarily easy but would have had an even worse insurgency problem since it is home to virtually every major terrorist organization on Earth. Also, the Russians have been pretty chummy with Syria, and a direct invasion could have had unpleasant consequences. Better to go into Iraq first.

Of course, such an invasion cannot be an isolated incident, and the Bush Administration allowed themselves to be talked into the stupid idea that we must stabilize Iraq first and establish a working Democracy. This allowed foreign Jihadists supplied by Syria and Iran to filter into the country to destabilize the new regime. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration allowed this war to be defined by his enemies, and the emphasis on WMD`s (and Bush`s tendency to concede every argument for his ``new tone``) cost him the political capital he needed to go after the enemy in their sanctuaries. A war cannot be won if the fight isn`t taken to the enemy. We needed to go into Syria, at the very least, and we should have been building a revolution in Iran aka the Contras in Nicaragua back in the `80`s. Our failure to do this, along with the endless accusations against the President and the war, has emboldened our enemy and allowed him to recruit new fighters-they believe they can win because they hear a vocal part of America calling Bush Hitler and our soldiers baby-killers and Pol Pot wannabees. Our ``loyal opposition`` has backed us into a corner, and we have no other option but ``stay the course``, since this bunch of traitorous SOB`s won`t allow the President to make the necessary changes and win this war. ``Better to rule in Hell``, the opposition thinks, ``than to serve George Bush in the American Heaven``. Screw the Country, we want our power back!

Iraq also is lousy with oil, and, quite frankly, this is not an inconsequential consideration. Oil is the lifeblood of modern civilization, and the ability to withhold it is the ability to disrupt markets and to hinder our military capabilities. Lack of oil greatly hurt Japan during the Second World War. Remember the Battle of the Bulge? The Germans ran out of gas. Without oil a nation cannot function, and a friendly Iraq would help assure that the other Arabic nations can`t squeeze us.

Another point is that we were expending military effort and treasure keeping Saddam in his box. One of the arguments made by opponents of the war was that Saddam was encapsuled. Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn`t, but if he was it was because of OUR efforts, and we could not continue this little dance forever.

Saddam`s WMD`s were just one argument in the case I`ve made here, but the President made that his main defense leading up to the war. Bush is the great miscommunicator, and he seems baffled that his enemies can define his views so easily. Clinton would never have had this problem; he would have Carville and Begala et. al. out there 24/7 explaining the Administration`s positions (of course, the media was much more friendly to Clinton than to Bush). Bush sent out Colin Powell-who is as exciting as plain yogurt and who disagreed with the Administration to boot (and who allowed his department to leak damaging information to the press repeatedly).

The disgusting thing is that the Democrats and opponents of the war (with the exception of some Libertarians and the like) understand full well the wisdom of what Bush did; they would have opposed ANY effort made by this President. Had Al Gore won the election of 2000, and had Gore`s response been similar (instead of his launching Jihad on Global Warming) they would have all been behind Iraq-as would the Republicans. Most of these clowns know we couldn`t continue with the failed policies which lead to 911, but they hate Bush more than they love America. I fear the entire Democratic Party is headed for Antenorra, to lie forever frozen in Dante`s Circle of Hell for Traitors. You really cannot say that they don`t belong there...

At any rate, opponents of the war are trying their best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and they may succeed; certainly the insurrection continues because they enemy knows they have good allies in America, and they think they can win politically what they cannot win militarily. Vietnam taught all of our enemies that lesson, and many of the opponents of this war (Cindy Sheehan, for example) are having a grand old time reliving the glory days of their youth. (That Cindy spits on her own son`s grave never occurs to the histrionic narcissist.) Isn`t it time for them to grow up?

Failure in Iraq could spell the end of the United States. I keep waiting for everyone to figure that out.

Bush`s Border Coverup

(Here is another blockbuster from Aussiegirl at Ultima Thule)

Apparently the Bush Administration is restricting Congressional investigation of border security, tracking any Member of Congress who visits the Border Patrol and only allowing them to speak with border personnel under supervised conditions.

This is a seperation of powers issue; Congress has the right to investigate conditions along the border, and the President does not have the right to hinder or impede them in any way.

What is it that the President does not want Congress to learn?

Ramadan Riots

Muslim youths are rioting in Brussels to celebrate Ramadan, Aussiegirl reports.

What could the Belgians have done to offend them?

Decon and the Clintons

Over at the Return of Scipio, Mike has some gentle thoughts on our BEST PRESIDENT EVER and his minions.

Here is a small taste:

And what of those fawning millions of his followers—all those Clinton sycophants in the media, in academia, in Hollywood and around the world—what can one say of them?

They are as an infinite host of Monicas all lining up to perform obeisance to their god. In their lives and habits they have become his earnest acolytes, adorers and imitators of Clinton, an obscene perversion of Thomas à Kempis.

Criminal Stupidity

I can understand the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world because of George Bush’s policies... We tend to forget that a few days after 9-1-1 thousands... of Iranians marched in a candlelight procession in Teheran in support of the United States. Every Muslim country was basically on our side. Just think, in five years, President Bush has squandered all that.

Sen. Tom Harkin


This guy is actually in the U.S. Senate?


(From the Federalist)

We Have Met The Enemy

We have met the enemy, and he is us! (Well, actually he`s THOSE us!)


If anything, liberals are even more dangerous than Islamacists. The terrorist attacks with bombs and bullets. The liberal saps our will to resist. He rationalizes evil. In the name of civil liberties, he constantly seeks to undermine national security and make it impossible to safeguard our people from another 9/11.

Don Feder

(From the Federalist)

DNC Cash Cow Heading for the Glue Factory

It looks like the Democrats are losing the battle of the bulg(ing) wallet; the kook wing of their party isn`t coughing up the cash to keep pace with Republicans, even as we enter these critical final days.

From the Evans-Novak Report:


Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), has a golden opportunity before him. He has kept his committee near financial parity with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), his Republican counterpart. He successfully recruited several top-tier challengers. His challengers have, on average, raised more money than Democratic challengers do in most cycles. But there is a problem that is outside Emanuel's control.

Whereas DNC chairmen in past cycles have dedicated as much as $20 million to the election of Democratic House members, DNC Chairman Howard Dean will provide a mere $2 million. By contrast, the Republican National Committee (RNC) this year is expected to spend that much in each of 18 contested congressional districts, for a total of nearly $40 million. Dean has foolishly spent his money placating the state party chairmen who elected him in 2005, making good on ill-advised promises to spread around the national party money. A recent email from Dean to supporters actually trumpets the fact that DNC money is being spent to organize precincts in Mississippi, which has no competitive congressional or statewide races this year and whose state offices are not up for election until November 2007.

Party Committee Fundraising Through Aug. 31, 2006


Raised
Cash on Hand

Democratic National Committee
$102,746,022
$10,929,533

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
$86,160,713
$34,867,692

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
$81,257,939
$29,775,182

Democrat Total :
$270,164,674
$75,572,407

Republican National Committee
$185,080,183
$39,302,454

National Republican Congressional Committee
$123,906,652
$36,019,485

National Republican Senatorial Committee
$69,218,617
$18,602,642

Republican Total :
$378,205,452
$93,924,581



So the Democrats find themselves without resources just when they could really use them to make serious gains. At the same time, some Republican seats that should not be on our chart are showing weaknesses that the GOP should find troubling.

The outlook for Democrat-held seats remains unchanged this week. Democrats +14, Republicans -14

Fueling Iranian Nuclear Ambitions

According to Pravda, the Russians are going forward with a plan to sell nuclear fuel to Iran. It appears their greed, and the grudge they bear the United States for the Cold War, has overcome their good sense, and they are preparing to make Iran into the next nuclear power. Putin and his cronies are prepared to disregard the apocalyptic vision of the Ayatollahs and Ahmadinejad, are prepared to allow nukes in the hands of those who would give them to the Chechen rebels, all the while pretending to believe the outrageous lie that Iran needs nuclear power to generate electricity! This is a colossally stupid geopolitical blunder by the Russians, and it will come back to bite them as surely as their alliance with Adolph Hitler prior to the Second World War. In fact, it could wind up costing them more lives in the end.

Here is my favorite quote;

``It will also renew concerns by the West, which accuses Tehran of seeking to enrich uranium in order to build nuclear weapons.``

Uh, Iran has stated plainly that they have the right to develop nuclear weapons, and rejected a U.N. ultimatum to stop enrichment of Uranium back in August.

That the Russians have given themselves over to Dhimmi status is obvious, and that their hatred of America is such that they will risk their own destruction to ``stick it to the Man`` is evidence of a collective mental disturbance. America may have humiliated them by dismantling their world-straddling gulag, but we have never physically harmed them. Do they really believe that the same will hold true for Iran? Don`t they believe that the Ayatollahs will make common cause with the Chechens? Dhimmitude is far worse than allying themselves with the United States.

The galling thing about all of this is that WE have given the Russians the means to knife us in the back; without the Nuclear Cities Initiative to stabilize the Russian nuclear enrichment centers (allowing them to continue to produce enriched nuclear fuel) and the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program in which the United States financed the dismantling of old nuclear weapons-thus freeing up funds to build more modern equipment-the Russians wouldn`t HAVE this fuel to give to our sworn mortal enemy. The material which will be used to build atomic weapons which Iran would use against us comes ultimately from our own goodwill; that`ll teach us to be more careful in the future!

It is patently obvious that Vladimir Putin is not our friend, despite the loving eye gazing between old Puttinoccio and El Diablo (President Bush, for our Venezuelan friends). We should take steps to see that he is ousted. This can be done; everything in Russia is for sale, and the Presidency is no exception. We need to buy ourselves a more friendly (and more democratic) leader of the Rus.

We owe it to our Russian friends as much as to ourselves.

Kinder, Gentler War

Some good common sense at the American Thinker (as always) about the NIE leak and the War in Iraq.

Look, we CANNOT hide from this war; it doesn`t matter whether you agreed with going into Iraq or not-we are there, and it is the central front in our world struggle against Jihad. Far too many people in this country believe we can pull out and all of our troubles will go away-they absolutely will not! We were attacked repeatedly without response during the `90`s, which emboldened our enemies. They aren`t just attacking us; look at places like Bali, the Phillipines, Spain, Russia, etc. This is a worldwide conflict, and only one of us will be standing when this is through. The Jihadists are determined to force the yoke of Islam around our placid fleshy necks, and too many in America and the West are willing to accept that, or just don`t believe it can happen. Take a good, hard look at history, if you believe that!

Wars are won by killing the enemy, and we just aren`t killing enough. We will never win with the likes of John McCain and his Democrat buddies, with the mainstream media trying everything they can to undermine ``Mr. Bush`s War``. This isn`t Mr. Bush`s War, it`s America`s War, and it`s high time we all start acting like it!

Jihadist Nursery Rhymes

In honor of Ramadan, I decided to try to bridge the cultural gap between ourselves and our Islamofascist friends. You can get a good feel for a culture by their nursery rhymes; ever wonder what Jihadists teach their (future suicide bomber) children? I suspect their rhymes go something like these:


HI DIDDLE DOO

Hi diddle doo
We`ll kill every Jew.
Our camels will poop on their graves.
Bin-Laden would laugh to hear such a report
and we`ll make all the rest of them slaves!


YUSEF THE THUG

Yusef the Thug
sat on his prayer rug
eating his Ramadan pie.
Along came Hasad
with a bomb for Jihad
saying ``time now for many to die``!


THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT

The Owl and the Pussycat
went to Jihad
wearing a beautiful pea-green boot.
They took several rifles, a lot of explosives
and learned how to hijack and shoot.


MUHAMMAD BE NIMBLE

Muhammad be nimble
Muhammad be quick
Muhammad blast down
with his dynamite stick!


THREE BLIND SHEIKS

Three blind sheiks,
three blind sheiks,
see how they plot!
see how they plot!
Their Mujahadeen will hijack a car
and cut off some heads with a simitar
and brag about it in a nudie bar!
Those three blind sheiks.




If I come up with any more, I`ll be sure to post them.

Shoebomber Sentencing

I received this e-mail from a friend this afternoon and thought I`d share it with you, oh loyal readers of Birdblog. I can`t vouche for the authenticity, but it sounds legitimate:



> Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it?
>
> Did you know his trial is over?
> Did you know he was sentenced?
> Did you see/hear any of the judge's comments on TV or Radio?
>
> Didn't think so.
>
>
> Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.
>
> Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court
>
> Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say. His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin
> Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stating, "I think I will not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."
>
> Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below:
>
> January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid. Judge Young:
>
> "Mr. Richar d C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.
>
> On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively. (That's 80 years.)
>
> On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that's an aggregate fine of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.
>
> The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment.
>
>
> The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.
>
> Now, let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is too much war talk here and I say that to everyone with the utmost respect. Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals. As human beings, we reach out for justice.
>
> You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a
> soldier. You are not----- you are a terrorist.&n bsp; And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not meet with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.
>
> So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I've known warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: "You're no big deal."
>
> What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?
>
> I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask y ou to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing? And, I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire
> record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.
>
> It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom. It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely. It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed ap peals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.
>
> We Americans are all about freedom. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bare any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure.
>
> Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done. The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.
>
> See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. And it always will.
>
> Mr. Custody Officer. Stand him down.
>
>
> So, how much of this Judge's comments did we hear on our TV sets? We need more judges like Judge Young, but that's another subject. Pass this around. Everyone should and needs to hear what this fine judge had to say. Powerful words that strike home. God bless America

Killing Us With Kindness

You have to get a kick out of this from Jihad Watch:


TEHRAN, Sept. 25 (MNA) -- Most Western jurists know that reason and wisdom are the main sources of Islamic jurisprudence, Imam Sadiq Institute Director Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani said on Monday in an open letter addressed to Pope Benedict XVI.
Normally, monarchs and tyrants refer to clergymen to legitimize their rule over the people. But now the opposite has happened, in that a religious leader has referred to the words of a medieval emperor to legitimize his own ideas, and thus accused a great community of ignorance and irrationalism, the senior member of the Qom Seminary’s Council of Mujtahids stated.

Sobhani added, You have in fact defied the text of the Bible, in which Jesus (AS) says: ‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.’

You shouldn’t have based your words on a medieval emperor’s sayings.

He explained, Islam uses the appealing term of jihad, not massacre. Jihad means effort to save mankind from idolatry Before, some tyrants did not allow preachers to promulgate their divine religion and used to kill the believers. Islamic jihad was meant to pave the way for the divine religion to be genuinely presented to the people...."


What wonderfully self-serving reasoning! You are raping that virgin to save her from a life of sexual ignorance, or you are carjacking that guy`s BMW to teach him the virtues of long-suffering! You`re a public benefactor, you are!

They`re killing us with kindness!

Gee, it`s nice to know that those two newsmen who were forced to convert to Islam were not in any way coerced, and that they are free to renounce their newfound faith at any time!

I loved Sobhani`s quote from the Bible, too; Muhammad made himself both Caesar and the Prophet (dandy trick, that) and demanded all things be rendered unto himself. Jesus was trying to make the distinction between things of the Earth and things of Heaven, which hardly forbade those of the Earth-be they Caesar or whoever-from thinking about and discussing things of Heaven.

That the Ayatollah`s friends want to stifle the Pope`s words with weapons of war (come, let us reason together, or I`ll knock your teeth out!)hardly support his argument that reason and wisdom are the source of Islamic Jurisprudence, nor does the code of Sharia which, among other things, provides for the execution of a woman if she is raped and cannot cry out for help (she must have wanted it!) or that a Muslim man may bushwack a peaceable unbeliever and make slaves of his wife and children. Reason and Wisdom? When Costa Nostra operates prostitution rings or kills rival gang members we are outraged! Sharia legitimatizes acts which make the Mob`s crimes pale in comparison-and it suggests that these crimes are blessed of God.

But don`t complain, or the Ayatollahs and Mullahs may make you an offer you can`t refuse!

A Band-Aid for Liberalism

I`ve made the argument that Liberalism is a degenerative psychosis, and that the Left will, if unrestrained, descend into the pit of madness. We have witnessed this countless times in history, and we are witnessing a serious ``episode`` of mental disturbance among these poor souls today.

Our good friend Aussiegirl over at Ultima Thule links to an article from UPI about the Euston Manifesto (libs love manifestos!), which is a transnational movement by the left towards a more moderate stance-an attempt to break the power of the Moore-ons and Move-ons who have been hurting their image with the public. While I understand that libs come in all stripes, and that there are and were moderate liberals, I fear that this is an example of closing the barn-door after the documentary producing cow (Moore) has gotten loose, and I suspect little will come of this effort.

As UT reader Thanos points out, the left seems a bit slow finding their moral compass, and they tend to rethink their position at fortuitous times. We always seem to hear about these Renaissance Liberals before important elections, or at times when the fender of the Teddy Kennedy limousine needs polishing (it`s hard to get a shine with all that seaweed and rust), but rarely do these types of movements last past the crisis point, and rarely are they effective at creating a lasting change in liberal operating procedures.

I`ve always believed that Liberalism is like a cancer, and that it will metastasize when it is successful. Liberals in Russia couldn`t be happy to just remove the Tsar-they had to put the Bolsheviks in power! Liberals in Germany couldn`t be happy with the Kaiser, so they forced him out and tried to take over, when that failed they supported the election of one Adolf Hitler. Remember the Sandinistas and Daniel Ortega? Every liberal in America supported this thug, as most do Castro and Chavez today.

The triumph of liberalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries here in the U.S. (liberalism triumphed earlier in Europe) lead to the radicalization of the `60`s and the subsequent backlash gave us the Potemkin Village Idiot, William Jefferson (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you-yeah baby!) Clinton. He was a lefty dressed up in geeks clothing, a preppie liberal who hid who he was and what he would do behind the mantle of ``moderate``. He had to-America had turned against the radical agenda of the left, had restrained the excessive tendencies of the left.

Just like a cancer reacting to chemotherapy, the libs retreat temporarily to regroup when there is a backlash against them. Rarely to they mean business, and I am doubtful they really mean it now.

Most liberals believe there is a natural progression to History. They (unwittingly) have adopted the Christian view that History has a purpose and plan-except they have subtracted the Divine out of their belief and replaced it with a pseudo-scientific engine for ``progress`` (that`s why they call themselves progressives). As a result, moderate liberalism generally gives way to more serious liberalism, then to radicalized liberalism, then to extreme kill-anyone-who-doesn`t-agree leftism. This ``scientific progression`` of liberalism usually ends with a Pol Pot, if not restrained. It is a megalomaniac psychosis which must be restrained for everybody`s well being.

Of course, there are and were more moderate liberals; Joe Lieberman is very liberal in many ways, but looks like Atilla the Hun next to the current crop, so they have sought to purge him. I think what they did to Lieber(al)man is classic leftism.

Shoot, George Bush is a liberal by any rational standard; he is as liberal as Harry Truman, yet the left despises him and calls him a right wing nut. I`m sorry, but I am a right winger, and Mr. Bush is no right winger. Yet such an apostate cannot be tolerated. If the left can`t accept George Bush, who can they accept? He is the perfect foil; he gives them half of the loaf every time and refuses to fight with them. (I suppose that`s why they hate him-they still can`t beat him, despite his fighting them with one hand voluntarily tied behind his back.)

So now a bunch of liberals seek to reform their movement; more power to them! If they are sincere. If they can convince the increasingly radicalized members of their own community. I wish them well.

But I`m not going to hold my breath; remember Alexander Kerensky thought that his left-wing buddies would be happy when he took over from the Tsar, yet they supported the bloody and destructive Bolsheviks in the end. Kerensky just didn`t go far enough, didn`t quench their thirst for leftism and power. He was like Joe Lieberman-a relic of the transitional period.

I`ve never heard of cancer being reformed; it has to be destroyed.

Infidelity and the Single Putin

The Russians intend on sending 300 military engineers to Lebanon, but under their own command rather than under the auspices of the United Nations. While I generally favor cutting the U.N. out of most operations, this situation makes me very suspicious; why do the Russians need an independent engineering corp on the ground?

Haven`t we heard that Saddam shipped his WMD stockpile to the Bekka Valley? Doesn`t it seem strange that the Russians, who had illicit intercourse with Saddam, then opposed the United States bitterly to cover up their little affair, are now going into Lebanon unilaterally?

What types of engineers are these? What is their training, their background?
I wonder if they know anything about the handling of extremely dangerous materials?

Could it be that our good friends from the North have ulterior motives? Imagine what would happen if those weapons turned up in Lebanon; President Bush would be vindicated before the world, and everything we have done in Iraq will have been justified. Now who stands to lose from this?

Who violated the U.N. sanctions against Iraq, who knifed us in the back when we tried to get the U.N. to authorize an invasion? Who has fought us every step of the way?

The French volunteered to lead the U.N. mission, now the Russians are planning unilateral action; suggestive, no?

It`s time the United States find some new friends.

Spiritual Crimebusters

A hearty ``AMEN`` TO this piece by Deroy Murdoch, in which he argues that we are being far too nice to our friendly Islamic enemies. For example:

U.S. officials offered an olive branch of sorts to 190 top Taliban fighters last July. An unmanned Predator drone spotted them in Afghanistan, lined up virtually in formation. Given this golden opportunity to liquidate nearly 10 score of America’s most bloodthirsty enemies, U.S. military commanders balked. The Taliban members were at a funeral, and Pentagon rules of engagement prevent attacks in cemeteries. So, the Taliban forces casually dispersed. Military officials told NBC News they had “no regrets” about their decision.

The Taliban subsequently has hammered Coalition forces in some of that conflict’s most intense combat yet. They also showed no American-style mercy at the funeral last September 11 of Paktia provincial governor Abdul Hakim Taniwal. A suicide bomber used that occasion in Khost to kill six mourners and injure 25 others. The previous day, a Taliban suicide bomber killed Taniwal, his nephew, and his bodyguard.


When are we going to get it through our girthsome noggins that we are not dealing with prayerful men of peace, but with a spiritual mafiosa that will use violence, threats, and intimidation to get their way? This isn`t even the civil Vito-Corleone style mafia, but an out-and-out Al Capone religious gang of thugs. We are dealing with a vicious Mob, not a prayerful congregation.

I had hoped that Pope Benedict was stepping into the role of spiritual Elliot Ness, and was going to take this gang of religious criminals head-on, but the Pope has been retreating faster than Bill Clinton upon learning Hillary is home early. I`m sorry, but this Pontif was elected because of his strength of purpose, and he needs to stand firm in this battle; somebody has to speak for God and against these counterfeiters. That is the Pope`s duty.

A criminal enterprise, whether it be the Mafia, piracy, a corrupt government or governmental system, or radical Islam, thrives when good men remain silent, when good men cower in fear. Crime feeds on silence, on an unwillingness to shine the light of truth on criminality out of fear. Darkness rules where crime flourishes; moral and spiritual darkness follow in the wake of crime (or proceeds crime) and terrorism is the temporal act, the communion with the god of darkness who ultimately rules the Kingdom of Jihad. Just as Mammon ruled Capone and his gang, or racial purity ruled the Nazis, so too does violence and the lust for power rule radical Islam. Jihadist are button men for this spiritual criminal enterprise.

But it needn`t be so; if we stand firm, if we just say no, much of the power of Jihad will evaporate. The Pope had the opportunity to expose the crimes against Humanity which the conspirators of Jihad have purportrated, but he lost his nerve. It really is too bad.

What we need at this moment is a spiritual Untouchable, not a cringing lap dog.

``No Mas`` est No Bueno

Also in TAS this morning (I know; I`m going backwards), David Hogberg argues against the notion that a Republican loss of the House of Representatives would be beneficial to the party and the Conservative movement.

I`ve made that case, although I don`t actively advocate throwing the election; I think a Pelosi Speakership would be a purely partisan affair, and that this would severely damage Hillary Clinton`s chances in `08. I don`t think these people could get into power and NOT play to the Moveon/Soros/Michael Mooron crowd, and I think this will hurt them very badly in future elections. I also do not mind seeing a little pruning of the overgrown Republican Kudzu, forcing the fence-straddlers to obey us (and that includes George W. Bush). David makes the case that the Republicans may well draw the wrong conclusion, and turn against conservative policies-including the war. Of course, if our elected representatives are THAT dense, what does it say about the party we have been backing for decades?

Still, I think David is right; one should never simply mumble ``no mas`` in the middle of title fight-it`s a fast track to obscurity. My point is, if we lose we lose, and we can fight another day; it may not be the end of the world. I would hate to win a pyrrhic victory and hold the Congress now to lose the whole government in `08.

By the way, I really don`t think we are going to lose either chamber of Congress in November; the race is tightening, just as I thought it would. I think the American public is too smart to put that parliament of surrender-monkeys (the Democrats) in power during these momentous times. See my piece on the election of 1864.

Fairweather Friends

Patrick O`Hannigan has some thoughts on the cool reception of Pope Benedict`s speech at TAS this morning.

Outsourcing America`s Job Training

A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies finds that immigration is taking jobs from young workers; and consequently destroying America`s work ethic:


[FYI: A new report from the Center -- Mark Krikorian]

Immigrant Influx Harms Young Workers
Study: Employment Declines as Immigrants Arrive

WASHINGTON (September 2006) -- A new study authored by economists at Northeastern University and published by the Center for Immigration Studies finds that the arrival of new immigrants (legal and illegal) in a state is accompanied by a decline in employment among young native-born workers in that state. This indicates that immigration is displacing young native-born workers in the labor market. Although one recent report by another Washington think tank found no relationship between immigration and the troubling recent decline in the employment of the native-born, that study did not focus on young workers, who are often in direct competition with immigrants and are the ones most adversely affected.

These findings are particularly troubling because a person’s early work experience (or lack thereof)has a significant impact on their performance in the labor market later in life. It is when young that people learn the skills necessary to successful employment, such as punctuality and taking direction from supervisors.

(Where did we hear THAT? Oh, that`s right, we heard it here!)

The report, entitled, The Impact of New Immigrants on Young Native-Born Workers, 2000-2005, is embargoed until Thursday, September 21, 2006 at 9:30 am. Advance copies are available to the media. The study will be available online at www.cis.org.

For more information, contact Andrew Sum at (617) 373-2242, Paul Harrington at (617) 373-2243, or Steven Camarota at (202) 466-8185 or sac@cis.org.

# # #

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan research organization which examines and critiques the impact of immigration on the United States.

A Constitutional Chicken in Every Pot

Each year since 2004, on Sept. 17, we commemorate the 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution by 39 American statesmen. The legislation creating Constitution Day was fathered by Sen. Robert Byrd and requires federal agencies and federally funded schools, including universities, to have some kind of educational program on the Constitution. I cannot think of a piece of legislation that makes greater mockery of the Constitution, or a more constitutionally odious person to father it—Sen. Byrd, a person who is known as, and proudly wears the label, ‘King of Pork.’ The only reason that Constitution Day hasn’t become a laughingstock is because most Americans are totally ignorant of, or have contempt for, the letter and spirit of our Constitution. Let’s examine just a few statements by the framers to see just how much faith and allegiance today’s Americans give to the U.S. Constitution. James Madison is the acknowledged father of the Constitution. In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief for French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo (now Haiti) to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison said disapprovingly, ‘I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.’ Today, at least two-thirds of a $2.5 trillion federal budget is spent on ‘objects of benevolence.’ That includes Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, aid to higher education, farm and business subsidies, welfare, etc., ad nauseam... Constitutionally ignorant people might argue that the Constitution’s ‘general welfare’ clause justifies today’s actions by Congress. Here’s what James Madison said: ‘If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.’ Thomas Jefferson echoed, in a letter to Pennsylvania Rep. Albert Gallatin, ‘Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated’ James Madison explained the constitutional limits on federal power in Federalist Paper No. 45: ‘The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined... [to] be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce.’ Here are my questions to you: Has our Constitution been amended to authorize federal spending on ‘objects of benevolence’? Or, is it plain and simple constitutional contempt by Congress, the president, the courts and, worst of all, the American people? Or, am I being overly pessimistic and it’s simply a matter of constitutional ignorance?”‘

—Walter Williams

(From the Federalist)

The Violence of the Lambs

For a religion of Peace, many Moslems are certainly quick to make mayhem. Our friend Religion of Pieces directs our attention to this blog from Britain giving us a birds-eye view of the protests outside of Westminster Cathedral.

This reminds me of the old story about the schoolyard bully who, when called a goon by one of the braver schoolboys, soundly pummels the young lad for insulting his reputation. If you are not a goon, you wouldn`t need to use violence to prove otherwise; if Islam is a religion of Peace, Moslems wouldn`t resort to violence and threats to prove that it is.

Of course, many Moslems claim the word Islam means Peace, but it also means submission; in short, Peace IS submission to Islam, and if you fail to submit the peaceable followers of the Prophet will knock your teeth out. The Lions are not lying down with the lambs; the lambs ARE the lions!!

This is not to say that all Moslems are bad people, but the religion is inherently violent, and the more pius the Moslem the more likely he is to support conversion by the sword (I purposely say he, by the way.) There are some who would like to change the traditional Islamic view, to make it more in tune with a gentler age, and there are those who practice Islam out of tradition, or fear, or just to get along. These are the people we need to reach, the ones who have to stand up and say ``enough!``, and these are NOT the ones who are rampaging over the Pope`s comments.

The attraction of Islam has always been-outside of keeping your head attached to your shoulders-it`s simplicity and lack of real dogma. Islam is, essentially, a Faith based on the belief in One True God, one True Prophet, almsgiving and 5 a-day prayers while facing Mecca. There is a basic code of ethics laid down in the Koran, and there are exhortations imposed on believers, but that is it. There really is NO dogma of the Faith, no theology, no Church as we in the West understand it. Judaism is decentralized by Western standards, yet it is positively rigid compared to Islam. Although we have Ayatollahs, Mullahs, and other clerics in Islam, theirs is not a hierarchical structure, and clerics can and do issue competing Fatwas which one can pick and choose from. One cleric will issue a Fatwa and declare it binding, but another can issue the opposite and likewise declare it binding. In the end, the individual Moslem must decide which way to go; this means that purely temporal means must be exercised to implement a religious edict. There is no Pope laying down the law of the Church, no ecclesiastical council, no governing RELIGIOUS authority to bind the believer-the believer is bound by conscience and force of arms.

This Jiminy Cricket strategy means that Allah is leading the terrorists as surely as He is leading the moderate (perhaps an oxymoron), and therefore the concept of the Islamic Fascist hijacking the Religion is poppycock; they cannot be viewed as criminals, since there is no enforceable standard from which to measure. Granted, their vision is the one winning in Islam, but they would argue that it is because Allah wills it. It certainly isn`t a criminality on their part-he average Moslem cannot argue that it is.

It should, theoretically, be possible for Islam to evolve. This will require large numbers of relatively quiet Moslems to say ``enough``, that persuasion will win souls better than compulsion and that Allah is dishonored by men exercising a brutality which could far more easily be exercised by God if He wished it. If Man is made in the image of God (and I believe the Moslems agree with this) then compulsory submission is an infirmnia, an abomination, a strangling of the Divine gift. That must be gotten through to the masses of Islam.

But, the Islamic world is enthralled by a demon, and the stick generally has to precede the carrot. The evil Moslem, the violent and aggressive, must first be destroyed. I cannot emphasize that enough; they will never end their war until they lie a mouldrin in the grave.

Japan is, today, a peaceful and prosperous place, but historically the Japanese were a fierce and warlike peoples. What happened? Most of their warriors DIED during the Second World War, and it became possible for the gentler and more civilized Japanese (think Hirohito) to rebuild their society on a more rational basis. This lesson should not be lost here; the Islamic world cannot be rebuilt until the men who hold these lands in bondage are destroyed, and the spiritual darkness imposed by their respective demons are bound.

Unfortunately, the West has neither the will nor the moral authority to just say no, and the war against Christendom that the Jihadists continue to fight is horribly misplaced; there hasn`t been a Christendom in a long, long time. Now, if we could convince them that the real enemies are the forces of atheism and modernism, perhaps the bombs would stop and they would turn their ingenuity towards other goals?

Fat chance. The bellicosity has to be removed from them first, and that can only happen through the basest of struggles, and the rise of moral indignation. The average Moslem must see that radicalism will fail, and that Jihad is something immoral. This is why I suggest the Pope intervene further. He should issue a major proclamation about Islam. I repeat my call for him to consecrate the Islamic world to the Immaculate Heart.

This is going to be a long and bitter struggle. It already has been.

Just Who is This Paleologus, and why is He Taking Up Newsprint

We have another take on the Pope`s comments about Islam by Christopher Orlet , including a nice historical retrospective, at the American Spectator this morning.


UPDATE:


Andrew Bostom has a
terrific piece very similar to Mr. Orlet`s at the American Thinker; don`t miss it~

Crushing the Spiritual Head of Jihad (A Spiritual Proposition)

In a piece dovetailing with my own, Mattias Caro writes about the Pope`s recent apology to rampaging Moslems about his quote of a Byzantine emperor`s critique of Islam.

``Resist the Devil and he will flee from you`` sayeth the Bible, and Islamic Jihad is no different; it must be resisted both physically and, more importantly, spiritually. Those of good will living under Sharia must be forced to look into the mirror of moral authority, must see the hideous beast which lurks in their midst. This is a war of spiritual as well as temporal means, and a righteous, moral stand by those with true spiritual authority is what will win this.

Islam is not a monolithic religion, and one interpretation is as good as another regarding how one submits to Allah. That is what makes it so difficult; no Moslem has the right to challenge the jihadists, since there is no authority to appeal to for clarification of right and wrong. Granted, the Koran sets some guidelines, but it never created a structure to fall back on. The Jews have the Law, Christians have the codes of the Bible and the commandments, Catholics have all of these plus the Apostolic succession and the authority of Rome. In many ways, Islam relies on personal revelation and interpretation of the Will of Allah.

This can be overcome, if it can be shown to the Moslem people that the Jihadists are evildoers, but this will never happen until those in positions of moral authority take a stand. Personally, I would like to see the Islamic World consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Pope; the Islamic world venerates Mary, and this would be a very powerful tool both in a spiritual sense (Christ WILL honor such a consecration to His Mother) as well as in a more earthly, moral manner. Will Bin-Laden spit on the Venerable Mary? If he does, will decent, believing Moslems have anything to do with his like? This would take a great deal of wind out of the Jihadist sails. It will place them under a greater spiritual authority. God spoke a great prophecy to Eve ``I will place emnity between your seed (the serpent) and her seed. You shall bruise its heel and he shall crush your head``. The serpent of Jihad has bruised many heels; it`s time for the Gospa to crush his spiritual head.

Even if you are a nonbeliever, the benefit of this should be obvious; religious beliefs are driving these terrorists, so we should use whatever religious firepower is at our disposal. The Blessed Virgin is greatly respected and admired in the Islamic world, and a consecration of Islam to the Immaculate Heart would carry profound moral weight among the people. How can the enemy call for Jihad against Christendom after such a blessing? If you look at it through their eyes you will see that they can`t.

Until the world makes up it`s mind to reject the deep spiritual malady that is festering within Islam (and the equally bad malady of materialism and postmodernism festering in our own)we face an impossible task.

Jesus cast out demons from the possessed, and He promised that his disciples would perform even greater miracles. It`s time for the Christian world to practice what we preach and cast the dragon out of the Holy City. A blessing by the Holy Father, a consecration of the Islamic World would be a good start.

In Defense of Conspiracy Theories

Everybody condemns conspiracy theories, but nobody does anything about them! Actually, I have come not to bury the conspiracy but to, well, maybe not praise it, but at least offer a devil`s advocate defense of it. It occurs to me that there is a conspiracy to destroy conspiracy theories, and such a nefarious plot must be exposed for the world to see! If we allow the conspiracy theory to be destroyed, what will stop the alliance of Haliburton, Karl Rove, Elvis, and the Lochness Monster from eventually conquering the world?

Robert Bidinotto has a piece on the folly of the conspiracy theorists in which he rails against the tinfoil hat club. (Fortunately, I made my hat from extra thick foil!) Actually, I greatly respect Mr. Bidinotto and I basically agree with him, and with those who think that the principle of Occam`s razor should first be applied to a given situation, but I do have to point out that paranoids have enemies too, and that there indeed HAVE BEEN conspiracies in history-in fact, there have been lots of them.

Consider Nazi death camps; most of the world was ignorant of what was occurring at these institutions. Even America was ignorant of what was happening in those places (actually, it has been suggested that Roosevelt knew but didn`t want to make this a war ``for the Jews`` wink! wink!) The fact that Jews and other ``enemies of the Volk`` were being slaughtered by the millions was carefully and effectively hidden. This would never have come out had the Allies not invaded Germany. This was a successful conspiracy.

Ditto the Russian gulags.

Ever heard of a Potemkin Village? The Tsar ordered Potemkin to build a series of villages, and he didn`t do it. One day the Tsar decided to visit these grand new towns his faithful servant had built for him, and Potemkin built a series of mock-ups which he peopled with anyone he could scrounge up. The Tsar, traveling by boat, was proud to see clean, new villages filled with waving, healthy people. He didn`t notice that the next town looked exactly like the first and was full of the exact same waving healthy people, or the town after that, or the one after that...

Consider, too, the U.N. Oil for Food program-half of the U.N. member states knowingly violated the embargo, and they conspired to hide this violation. That is why France and Russia were so duplicitous, and fought our intention of going into Iraq so bitterly. We only found the proof after we invaded; there was clearly a conspiracy between member states of the U.N. and the hierarchy in the U.N. itself.

How many people believe today that Columbus proved the world is round? This was a fraud perpetrated by lefties in the 19th century to foster the idea that the Church was anti-science, and it survives today thanks to a friendly media and academia; the ignorant may have thought the Earth was flat, but the knowledge that the world is a globe dates back to the Greeks, and every knowlegeable person knew the truth at the time of Columbus (it was agreed that Columbus` calculation of the SIZE of the world was grossly in error.)

How many children are taught that the Crusades was an unprovoked attack on a peaceful Moslem people? This is a form of academic conspiracy designed to attack Christianity and Western Culture.

The entire Spanish-American War was a conspiracy to make news and generate war profits. William Randolf Hearst and his fellow ``yellow journalists`` began a drumbeat against Spain, accusing the Spanish of all manner of untrue things to enrage the public and foment war. (Spain had been a good ally of the United States since our Revolution, and there is bitterness of the SA war to this day.)

In fact, the half-truths and distortions of the media can be considered a type of conspiracy. For three years we were told Karl Rove ``outed`` Valerie Plame, and this severely damaged the credibility of the Bush Administration. How many people think Bush is unethical because of a conspiracy? The media, and the special prosecuter, all knew from the first day the truth of the matter, yet this whole sordid affair had to play out.

The electronic media was decidedly liberal until Ronald Reagan got rid of the fairness doctrine and the internet came along, and they simply chose not to report anything which they didn`t agree with. They maintained a tyranny over the dissemination of information, and they repeatedly claimed they were unbiased. There was assuredly a conspiracy on the part of those who controlled these media. This includes movies, radio, and television.

Does anyone remember the code of silence in regards to Bill Clinton and his antics? Does anyone remember that they spiked the Lewinski story?

Today there is a leftist conspiracy to maintain control of University Campuses; conservative white males need not apply for most tenure-track positions. The University doesn`t TELL you this, but uses such code as ``women and minorities especially encouraged to apply``, or ``we are a diversity-oriented institution``. This is an open conspiracy, but a conspiracy none-the-less.

For years the U.S. government denied that thermonuclear weapons detonated in the upper atmosphere produced an electromagnetic pulse which could knock out electronics-this while they had been experimenting with this very thing. They also denied that they had experimented with syphilis on poor blacks and had conducted radiation-exposure experiments on soldiers in the 1950`s. This has all come to light in recent years.

Ditto ``race norming``; government jobs are handed out on the basis of civil service test scores. A large number of these jobs went to minorities for years-a disproportionate number. For years people accused the government of cooking the books, grading on the curve for minorities. For years they denied this was true. The Freedom of Information Act opened the records, and the government finally had to admit they had been doing this for years.

In real estate, you cannot give an opinion on how good an area is by law, but the government does not want a licensed Realtor to tell the public that this is a requirement of the law.

Does anybody remember Al Gore`s telephone surcharge? The government ordered the phone companies to impose this, but to no list it on the phone bill so as not to indict the Clinton Administration.

What about the Mafia? How about Al-Quada? No such thing as a conspiracy?

The Scopes Monkey trial was a conspiracy by the ACLU to overturn Tennessee law (Scopes knew nothing about Darwinism and had not actually taught it) and the subsequent demogoguing of the issue by those who have a stake in the success of Darwin can be viewed as a conspiracy.

So, what`s the point of all this? The point is that a stopped clock is right twice a day, and, although many a conspiracy theorist is simply a crackpot, we should not state categorically that there are no conspiracies. I believe the Plame Affair was a conspiracy by President Bush`s enemies, for example.

Still, there are conspiracies and there are CONSPIRACIES, and the idea that Bush and the Jews conspired to take the Trade Center down is batshit, if you`ll excuse my vernacular (that ain`t no vernacular, it`s a derby!) Ditto Holocaust denial. Ditto the idea that international bankers own the whole world, or that we went to war for Exxon-Mobile and Haliburton, or that Elvis is alive and living in Idaho, or Bigfoot is being hidden, or space aliens, or any other unprovable and dubious assertion. These are modern fairy tales, and anyone really interested in disproving them can do so. They fall of their own weight. But we shouldn`t say there are no conspiracies.

Global Warming and Environmentalism is a classic rebuttal to the no-conspiracy argument; socialists, upon realizing the jig was up on their ideology, flocked into environmentalism and hatched up the concept of Global Warming to impose their economic programs on us. This is as conspiratorial as they come, and they have used a friendly media to sway opinion and hide their true agenda. Gorbachev is one of their brightest lights! So is Al Gore. Kyoto served no purpose but to hamstring the U.S. economy, yet the movement still has credibility, in spite of outlandish doomsday predictions which have repeatedly failed to come true. This is most definitely a conspiracy.

My point is, there are actual conspiracies in this world, a great many of them. We must exercise discernment and be able to identify the real ones from the frauds. I think it serves no useful purpose to deny the reality of conspiracies; we live in a fallen world, and the first conspiracy was hatched when Adam and Eve sought to hide their disobedience behind those itchy fig leaves. Still, we mustn`t succumb to the pleasure of indulgence, of chasing after shadows and boogeymen. Read Dan Brown if you want to, but understand that his is a work of fiction, and that he is laughing all the way to the bank at those who have bought into his novel as a serious treatise. We should all take conspiracy theories with a healthy dose of skepticism, but keep in mind that people have been plotting from the beginning. We have to exercise wisdom.

And, considering that modern wisdom is dispensed from the teachers unions and the facile minds of the media, by Al Gore and Al Franken, by all the mavens of pop culture and Hollywood, it is little wonder that we have seen a sharp rise in beliefs in the modern fairy tale-type conspiracy theory. Three blind mice have turned to millions of blind mice being lead by an equally blind, pie-eyed piper. The wisdom dispenser has not been restocked in a long, long time. Moreon.ogr has taken the place of grandmother`s storybook.

Now where did I put that bottle of non-flouridated water?

Constitution Day

What is it that makes the United States special? Is it her vast resources, her people, her geographic positioning? No, nein, and nyet. The U.S. DOES have vast resources, but they had to be developed, and some places were difficult to exploit-the development of America was often a case of making lemonade out of lemons. Our people? Sure; they were industrious and hard-working, but they came from all over the globe from places far less successful. Those less successful places had the same human resources to draw from. Our geography? America was not exactly in the center of things for a long time. What was it?

I would argue that it was 1.our general religiosity and 2.our Constitution. The Constitution, I might add, devolved from our religiosity, was the implementation of the Judeo-Christian principles honored by our God-fearing forefathers, and it has been the most successful blueprint for the governance of a nation in history. It was a triumphantly moral document for a moral people, and has been the prime source for the success and continuation of our system and our way of life.

Today really marks the birth of the United States-it is the birthday of the Constitution, which established our nation in practicality. The Declaration of Independence set forth a purpose, to create a new and independent country, but the Constitution gave this vague idea form and substance, gave shape to the principles which the Founders had envisioned.

The Constitution, simple, short and concise, has survived for far longer than similar documents, and has given a stability and sense of purpose to our nation which has been sorely lacking elsewhere. Just look at the monster the European Union tried to foist off on her member nations, then look at the elegent simplicity of the U.S. Constitution; ours is a stroke of brilliance. I cannot believe it was anything but Divinely inspired.

Happy Constitution Day! Here it is in it`s entirety:


The Constitution of the United States
Preamble Note
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.


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Article I. - The Legislative Branch Note
Section 1 - The Legislature

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

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

(Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.) (The previous sentence in parentheses was superseded by Amendment XIV, section 2.) The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3 - The Senate

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, (chosen by the Legislature thereof,) (The preceding words in parentheses superseded by Amendment XVII, section 1.) for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; (and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.) (The preceding words in parentheses were superseded by Amendment XVII, section 2.)

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section 4 - Elections, Meetings

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of Chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall (be on the first Monday in December,) (The preceding words in parentheses were superseded by Amendment XX, section 2.) unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Section 5 - Membership, Rules, Journals, Adjournment

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section 6 - Compensation

(The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.) (The preceding words in parentheses were modified by Amendment XXVII.) They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Section 7 - Revenue Bills, Legislative Process, Presidential Veto

All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section 8 - Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section 9 - Limits on Congress

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

(No capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.) (Section in parentheses clarified by Amendment XVI.)

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

Section 10 - Powers prohibited of States

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.


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Article II. - The Executive Branch Note
Section 1 - The President Note1 Note2

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

(The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two-thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice-President.) (This clause in parentheses was superseded by Amendment XII.)

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

(In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.) (This clause in parentheses has been modified by Amendments XX and XXV.)

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Section 2 - Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3 - State of the Union, Convening Congress

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section 4 - Disqualification

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.


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Article III. - The Judicial Branch Note
Section 1 - Judicial powers

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2 - Trial by Jury, Original Jurisdiction, Jury Trials

(The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.) (This section in parentheses is modified by Amendment XI.)

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section 3 - Treason Note

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.


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Article IV. - The States
Section 1 - Each State to Honor all others

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section 2 - State citizens, Extradition

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

(No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, But shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.) (This clause in parentheses is superseded by Amendment XIII.)

Section 3 - New States

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section 4 - Republican government

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.


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Article V. - Amendment Note1 - Note2 - Note3
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 several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.


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Article VI. - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.


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Article VII. - Ratification Documents
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.


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Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth. In Witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names. Note

Go Washington - President and deputy from Virginia

New Hampshire - John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman

Massachusetts - Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King

Connecticut - Wm Saml Johnson, Roger Sherman

New York - Alexander Hamilton

New Jersey - Wil Livingston, David Brearley, Wm Paterson, Jona. Dayton

Pensylvania - B Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robt Morris, Geo. Clymer, Thos FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouv Morris

Delaware - Geo. Read, Gunning Bedford jun, John Dickinson, Richard Bassett, Jaco. Broom

Maryland - James McHenry, Dan of St Tho Jenifer, Danl Carroll

Virginia - John Blair, James Madison Jr.

North Carolina - Wm Blount, Richd Dobbs Spaight, Hu Williamson

South Carolina - J. Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler

Georgia - William Few, Abr Baldwin

Attest: William Jackson, Secretary


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The Amendments Note
The following are the Amendments to the Constitution. The first ten Amendments collectively are commonly known as the Bill of Rights. History


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Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


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Amendment II - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.


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Amendment III - Quartering of Soldiers. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.


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Amendment IV - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.


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Amendment V - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.


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Amendment VI - Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses. Ratified 12/15/1791.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.


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Amendment VII - Trial by Jury in Civil Cases. Ratified 12/15/1791.

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.


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Amendment VIII - Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.


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Amendment IX - Construction of Constitution. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.



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Amendment X - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.


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Amendment XI - Judicial Limits. Ratified 2/7/1795. Note History

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.


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Amendment XII - Choosing the President, Vice-President. Ratified 6/15/1804. Note History The Electoral College

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.


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Amendment XIII - Slavery Abolished. Ratified 12/6/1865. History

1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XIV - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. Note History

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.


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Amendment XV - Race No Bar to Vote. Ratified 2/3/1870. History

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XVI - Status of Income Tax Clarified. Ratified 2/3/1913. Note History

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.


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Amendment XVII - Senators Elected by Popular Vote. Ratified 4/8/1913. History

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.


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Amendment XVIII - Liquor Abolished. Ratified 1/16/1919. Repealed by Amendment XXI, 12/5/1933. History

1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.


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Amendment XIX - Women's Suffrage. Ratified 8/18/1920. History

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XX - Presidential, Congressional Terms. Ratified 1/23/1933. History

1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.


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Amendment XXI - Amendment XVIII Repealed. Ratified 12/5/1933. History

1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.


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Amendment XXII - Presidential Term Limits. Ratified 2/27/1951. History

1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.


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Amendment XXIII - Presidential Vote for District of Columbia. Ratified 3/29/1961. History

1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XXIV - Poll Tax Barred. Ratified 1/23/1964. History

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XXV - Presidential Disability and Succession. Ratified 2/10/1967. Note History

1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.


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Amendment XXVI - Voting Age Set to 18 Years. Ratified 7/1/1971. History

1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


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Amendment XXVII - Limiting Congressional Pay Increases. Ratified 5/7/1992. History

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.