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It's kind of ironic, because the constitution was written to reshape a federal government that was too weak to govern the country effectively. And Abbot wants a bunch of amendments added to weaken the power of the federal government.
George Washington's thoughts on political parties seem especially relevant these days:
Quote:
However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
It seems like none of our politicians are interested in working together to make sure the country is running the right way anymore. It's all about grabbing power for their party and criticizing the opposite party, not about working toward a stronger future for everyone.
I concur. Political parties have evolved into corrupted forms of the nation builder's intentions. Bought and sold by political contributors, they do the bidding of these. Money from the gun lobby is now greater- more from manufacturers than gun owners.
More to the point to me is the warning that Eisenhower gave to his citizens, the greatest military commander of all time since the beginning of any world conflict; " Beware of the military industrial complex, it will rob our nation of its' wealth". Ike was warning about what he oversaw and was in charge of. Knew. Had seen.
" Monied influence in the Halls of congress is a prostitution of its' original people's purpose. Representation." My favorite quote though is by Truman demonstrating this very thing- perhaps they will not let this onto this forum, it is a bit of a racy quote but by a POTUS--.
" I could be President of the United States or the Piano player in a house of ill-refute, come to think of it there is not much difference."
Southern states are always hollering "states rights" , this is a lot of noise as in a "Confederate Constitution". This ruse was already, tried to keep Jim Crow laws in place, slavery and the like, Hell, Perry talked even, secession, a few years ago, right- and now ---- Perry is a mere forgotten punchline for Trump. -
Quips Trump- " Perry wears glasses to make himself look smarter now but I can see right through them!". This is all.... sloganeering. I think America is already great. Texas, San Antonio, is fine.
Texas has already many, more, states rights than any other because it was once a nation.
Residents of Flint, Michigan on the other hand are hanging their Gov. Snyder there in effigy in the streets, like the despot, citizens calling for his resignation and demand that he face criminal charges for his part in pumping polluted water into the city of Flint, mi drinking water supply. Imagine SAWS doing this in San Antonio's water supply. . This has made Natl. news. This was done, to cut operating costs for the city of Flint by a state Govt. appointed "emergency city manager"; contaminated water from the Flint River was conveniently supplied to its' citizens because it was cheaper. Thousands of small children will face intellectual and emotional impairment issues for the rest of their lives because of this. Bad stuff, discolored with an orange tint.
There is a federal investigation into the workings of state govt. there- begun as of last Monday along with, A few resignations already. Heads will roll. There are signs that they knew what they did.
Perhaps our own Gov. Abbot should join the Bundy Fed. Govt. standoff for dramatic effect of his state rights of his cause.
State govts.can become even more corrupted, nay run amuck, by money, if hidden from the prying eyes of the FED.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom
It's kind of ironic, because the constitution was written to reshape a federal government that was too weak to govern the country effectively. And Abbot wants a bunch of amendments added to weaken the power of the federal government.
George Washington's thoughts on political parties seem especially relevant these days:
It seems like none of our politicians are interested in working together to make sure the country is running the right way anymore. It's all about grabbing power for their party and criticizing the opposite party, not about working toward a stronger future for everyone.
I think that this is a very dumb idea. This is interesting coming from a state were some have spewed out secession talk. What's the overall goal and motive here? To divide the union? I trust the federal government a heck of a lot more than the southern state of Texas that has a history of disenfranchisement and discrimination. Not to mention a very ugly past of lynching of black people up until the 1960's, slavery, and seceding the union. In my opinion the state of Texas already has to much power as it is. The idea you can gerrymander districts to disenfranchise millions in favor of a political party is a travesty in itself. When a state governor talks about giving states the authority to overide Supreme Court ruling we have a have a huge problem on our hand. I'm a firm believer that disenfranchisement for one is disenfranchisement for all. This is dangerous rhetoric coming from our governor that should be condemned. The Republican Party is going to have to evolve as a party point blank if they want to remain relevant as a party. The days of catering and bantering to the extreme right to get votes for ones political agenda are numbered because the country is a lot more diverse in population and in thinking now.
The federal government was set up the way it was to protect minority rights from the tyranny of the majority. It is the federal government's job to protect people's constitutional rights. Even though federal judges are appointed by politicians, they do not have to answer to the electorate. They really are the only thing standing in between the rights of the minority and the politicians who do the bidding of the majority in their gerrymandered districts.
With that in mind, these proposed amendments are scary and only a reaction to losing presidential elections and U.S. Supreme Court cases. Everyone is not always going to get his/her way, so throwing a temper tantrum like this only looks foolish. If we had these amendments in the past, slavery and Jim Crow laws would have lasted decades longer. "States rights" has long been code for "we don't like the federal government forcing us to recognize people's individual rights." As far as I'm concerned, individuals' constitutional and human rights trump any government rights, including the rights of state governments. There is supposed to be a checks and balance system between the states and the federal government. These amendments give way too much power to the states allowing them to get past any checks the federal government puts on them.
If there should be any constitutional amendment, it should be one that bans the political party in power from gerrymandering districts in order to disenfranchise certain groups. Every state should have a non-partisan committee draw districts without any regard to the political affiliations of the constituents in those districts.
Gerrymandering happens, it is the way of things. This won't change. Each circumstance of corruption
must be dealt with individually and proven to be gerrymandering. It never ends. Lots of corrupt and underhanded elections....So might swear Rep. Castro. Things change very slowly here in the south.
Texas is , has always been rough and tumble politics and this gerymandering has been going on for a very oong time here. No news here.
There is only a remote chance, -winning the powerball (?)- of anything coming of any of this. It is stupid. Texas was brought back into the union at the point of a gun after the civil war , this will not be allowed to happen again. No way.
The GOP is on its' way out, yes, L210, their voter base is shrinking , eroding constantly, and this makes some people very, very nervous. Trump, the Hulk Hogan of politics, is living proof of this.
I do not like Trump , not because of his demagoguery but because he is too devisive to be electable; it is a waste of money, words , hot air and air time. Cable Network News loves the muckraking trump. The ratings have never been higher at CNN. All talking heads are making lots of political artificial hay at this idiots behest. Great Fodder for Jimmy Fallon and Steve Colbert though. Hilarious. The tomfoolery is all so transparent and people still watch for the entertainment value of it.
Latest election polling now says 20% of democrats would switch sides and vote for Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee. It is speculated by cooler heads however, that Jeb will surely be the nominee. They, the GOP, will come to their senses before it becomes too late.
If by that time the Donald then bolts the GOP to run as an independent for the presidency, 80% of Trump supporters say they would also bolt the GOP . This is one fruitcake of an election year. Even Hucklebee the televangesist- talk show host-musician-politician- is still making noises about God and his presidency.
Reminiscent of the election year when Arnold Schwarzeneggar , Dabney Coleman and a Hustler magazine model all ran for the office of Governor of California.
Jim Crow laws etc. might, nay, likely, would have lasted decades longer were it not for old southern redneck Lyndon Baines Johnson and this story of forcing through congress, watershed civil rights, voting rights and a hundred other laws to help the oppressed here. Odd it is indeed how things can work themselves out so unexpectedly sometimes. Compounding this with even more irony is to consider the fact that Johnson was the known, benefactor of the stolen election of 1948 to win the U.S. senate seat from Texas Gov. Coke Stevenson by 87 votes of nearly 1,000,000 cast.
Detracting nothing from the personal courage of MLK and all of the civil rights activists of that long ago gone era of course. They had an indispensable ally,however, in that hillbilly that occupied the White House.
Quote:
Originally Posted by L210
The federal government was set up the way it was to protect minority rights from the tyranny of the majority. It is the federal government's job to protect people's constitutional rights. Even though federal judges are appointed by politicians, they do not have to answer to the electorate. They really are the only thing standing in between the rights of the minority and the politicians who do the bidding of the majority in their gerrymandered districts.
With that in mind, these proposed amendments are scary and only a reaction to losing presidential elections and U.S. Supreme Court cases. Everyone is not always going to get his/her way, so throwing a temper tantrum like this only looks foolish. If we had these amendments in the past, slavery and Jim Crow laws would have lasted decades longer. "States rights" has long been code for "we don't like the federal government forcing us to recognize people's individual rights." As far as I'm concerned, individuals' constitutional and human rights trump any government rights, including the rights of state governments. There is supposed to be a checks and balance system between the states and the federal government. These amendments give way too much power to the states allowing them to get past any checks the federal government puts on them.
If there should be any constitutional amendment, it should be one that bans the political party in power from gerrymandering districts in order to disenfranchise certain groups. Every state should have a non-partisan committee draw districts without any regard to the political affiliations of the constituents in those districts.
Gerrymandering happens, it is the way of things. This won't change. Each circumstance of corruption
must be dealt with individually and proven to be gerrymandering. It never ends. Lots of corrupt and underhanded elections....So might swear Rep. Castro. Things change very slowly here in the south.
Texas is , has always been rough and tumble politics and this gerymandering has been going on for a very oong time here. No news here.
There is only a remote chance, -winning the powerball (?)- of anything coming of any of this. It is stupid. Texas was brought back into the union at the point of a gun after the civil war , this will not be allowed to happen again. No way.
The GOP is on its' way out, yes, L210, their voter base is shrinking , eroding constantly, and this makes some people very, very nervous. Trump, the Hulk Hogan of politics, is living proof of this.
I do not like Trump , not because of his demagoguery but because he is too devisive to be electable; it is a waste of money, words , hot air and air time. Cable Network News loves the muckraking trump. The ratings have never been higher at CNN. All talking heads are making lots of political artificial hay at this idiots behest. Great Fodder for Jimmy Fallon and Steve Colbert though. Hilarious. The tomfoolery is all so transparent and people still watch for the entertainment value of it.
Latest election polling now says 20% of democrats would switch sides and vote for Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee. It is speculated by cooler heads however, that Jeb will surely be the nominee. They, the GOP, will come to their senses before it becomes too late.
If by that time the Donald then bolts the GOP to run as an independent for the presidency, 80% of Trump supporters say they would also bolt the GOP . This is one fruitcake of an election year. Even Hucklebee the televangesist- talk show host-musician-politician- is still making noises about God and his presidency.
Reminiscent of the election year when Arnold Schwarzeneggar , Dabney Coleman and a Hustler magazine model all ran for the office of Governor of California.
Jim Crow laws etc. might, nay, likely, would have lasted decades longer were it not for old southern redneck Lyndon Baines Johnson and this story of forcing through congress, watershed civil rights, voting rights and a hundred other laws to help the oppressed here. Odd it is indeed how things can work themselves out so unexpectedly sometimes. Compounding this with even more irony is to consider the fact that Johnson was the known, benefactor of the stolen election of 1948 to win the U.S. senate seat from Texas Gov. Coke Stevenson by 87 votes of nearly 1,000,000 cast.
Detracting nothing from the personal courage of MLK and all of the civil rights activists of that long ago gone era of course. They had an indispensable ally,however, in that hillbilly that occupied the White House.
Some states have passed laws that almost eliminate gerrymandering. IIRC, Ohio passed a constitutional amendment (won't take effect until 2021) that requires as little spitting of counties and municipalities as possible. Also, the commission drawing the map has to have representatives from the minority party, and the map has to have votes from the minority party.
Can hardly believe it, but do. What are the odds of this being done here? Ohio is a very progressive state in
philosophy by comparison. Here, there has always been, cruelly, a good ol' boys network of conspiracy that has long been in place as evidenced by this Governor's intentions. Texas is socially speaking, a backwater place. Oppressive, stifling ,anti-labor, anti-middle class,(poor whites) old fashioned and dated that lags behind in many ways , the rest of the U.S. Yet sometimes, astonishingly, some legislation out of Austin can be progressive. A light of social justice at the end of the tunnel.
There are far worse places to live than Texas, this is sure. We thrive and there is a reason for this. There is a social order here that will not last forever, this is sure also. The world is moving to the left as surely as
the sun will rise tomorrow. Cling to the status quo though many might , change is inexorable. This is now a minority -majority state, and Money can't buy everything.
Virtual elimination of Gerrymandering seems a slippery slope but it is progress. For San Antonio
there has been a profound change in how this city is now governed, but in the rest of the state the power structure remains, and remains unchanged.
The above won't last forever but will be in place for a long time to come, here. Wealth, mineral, the GOP, still controls Texas. The Oil money tentacles of influence reach nationwide, making political gains in northern states like Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Anti-labor laws backed by Texas oil barons have reached all the way into the halls of Govt. in these states through money contributions. The genie is out of the bottle. It is the corruption of the American political system with money as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow. It is un-American this buying of politicians. Gov. Scott Walker in particular. This too is out in the
open and plainly visible for all to see. Corporations are now people you know.This is but mere shameless money laundering.
All statewide elective offices in Texas are held by the GOP.
Voter disenfrachisement still occurs currently, here, this is surely what is cogent. I would like to see these laws you write of come into effect here. Virtually impossible I would say but would hope, not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by L210
Some states have passed laws that almost eliminate gerrymandering. IIRC, Ohio passed a constitutional amendment (won't take effect until 2021) that requires as little spitting of counties and municipalities as possible. Also, the commission drawing the map has to have representatives from the minority party, and the map has to have votes from the minority party.
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Yes, Hedgehog Mom,
This ruse was already, tried to keep Jim Crow laws in place, slavery and the like, Hell, Perry talked even, secession, a few years ago, 
right- and now ---- Perry is a mere forgotten punchline for Trump. -
. This has made Natl. news. This was done, to cut operating costs for the city of Flint by a state Govt. appointed "emergency city manager"; contaminated water from the Flint River was conveniently supplied to its' citizens because it was cheaper. Thousands of small children will face intellectual and emotional impairment issues for the rest of their lives because of this. Bad stuff, discolored with an orange tint.
Things change very slowly here in the south.
They, the GOP, will come to their senses before it becomes too late.
