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About
Frank Salvato
Frank Salvato is the
Executive Director and Director of Terrorism Research for
BasicsProject.org a
non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research and education initiative. His
writing has been recognized by the US House International Relations Committee
and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. His organization,
BasicsProject.org, partnered in producing the original national symposium series
addressing the root causes of radical Islamist terrorism. He is a member of the
International Analyst Network.
He also serves as the managing editor for
The New Media Journal.
Mr. Salvato has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor on FOX News Channel, and is a
regular guest on talk radio including on The Captain's America Radio Show,
nationally syndicated by the Phoenix Broadcasting Network and on
NetTalkWorld Global Talk
Radio catering to the US Armed Forces around
the world. Mr. Salvato is also heard weekly on
The Roth Show with Dr.
Laurie Roth syndicated nationally on the USA Radio Network. His
opinion-editorials have been published by The American Enterprise Institute, The
Washington Times & Human Events and are syndicated nationally. He is
occasionally quoted in The Federalist. Mr. Salvato is available for public
speaking engagements. |
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Social Bookmarking
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Past Articles
‘I
Will Support and Defend the Constitution’
We
Simply Can’t Afford Another Entitlement Program
How
Quick the Message Fades
Tough
Medicine for Getting Back to Good
Our
Federal Government’s Basic Purpose
The Tea
Party Movement, The GOP & Making It Work
The
Time Is Ripe for Divide & Conquer
The
Janus Face of the Progressive Democrats
At This Point It’s About Defining the
"Win”
American
Liberty v. Obama’s Social Engineering
Is the
Constitution Just a Grand Suggestion?
Have
Dems Been Marginalized within Their Own Party
Confronting
the Spin on the Fort Hood Massacre
Pretending
to Speak for an Entire Culture
When
Ideology Masks Ignorance
It's Time
to Pay Close Attention to the Politicians
The Only
Real Strategy for Afghanistan
Why Obama
Will Throw ACORN Under the Bus
"Please,
God, No...It's So Hot, I'm Burning Up"
Missing the
Larger Point on the Public Option
Challenging
the Status Quo
You Say You
Want a Real Solution
'You Have
Awakened the Sleeping Giant'
"Birther"
Label Overshadows a Real Issue
Reading
Legislation...It’s Your Job!
A
Government Run by Mrs. Kravitz
Instituting
a Safeguard Against Political &...Tyranny
Amid All
the Celebrity Deaths, A Reality Check
When In The
Course of Human Events...
Genocide or
Massacre, US Repeating Mistakes...
The Path to
the Future Requires a Return to the Roots
With All
Things, Facts & Truth Matter
Gitmo,
Liberals, Politics & Deceit
Obama, Cheney & The Bright Shiny Thing
Nancy Pelosi: Damaged Beyond Repair
Radical Islam By Any Other Name...
Celebrating the Exit of a RINO, Cheering as Rome...
Specter: An Opportunist Guilty of Political Treason
A Week for the Earth; A Day for the Constitution
Left Is Making a Mistake in Ridiculing the Tea Parties
Obama’s European Tour: Arrogance, Ineptness &...
The Two-Faced Brutality of Hope & Change
The United States of America Is Not a Democracy
The ‘Give Obama a Chance’ Trial Period is Over
Recognizing the Reality of Radical Islam
‘Oh, God!’ It’s Bobby Jindal!
Determining the Intent of the Pres. Determination
It’s Not Obama’s "Stimulus” Bill
Time to Admit the Realities of Pakistan
Gaza & The One-World Media’s Propaganda
Illinois
Politics, Chicago Corruption...I Told You So
Barack
Obama: Neither Oblivious Nor Deceptive
Why the
POTUS Needs to Be a Natural-Born Citizen
A
Cornucopia of Gratitude
Giving
Marriage Back to the Church |
Frank Salvato,
Managing Editor
‘I Will Support and Defend the Constitution of
the United States’
March 19, 2010
"An
elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one in which the
powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies
of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being
effectually checked and restrained by the others." – James Madison
As the American people stare down the barrel of a Progressive ideological coup
in the form of the institution of so-called "healthcare reform,” it is
tremendously important that we take heed of how Progressive Democrats are going
about achieving their long sought-after goal. To be succinct, it has been an
ugly and often times unconstitutional process. But the bribing of Senators with
taxpayer monies, the bartering of favors by the White House and the threats of
withheld support for Democrat candidates by President Obama himself, pale in
comparison to the tactic soon to be employed by House Speaker and über
Progressive Nancy Pelosi.
The
Self-Executing Rule, better known as "Deem & Pass,” is an unconstitutional
procedural tactic that exists in the US House of Representative’s rules. It is
stunning that it exists and it is equally as stunning that it was ever allowed
to be adopted as a legitimate procedure.
"Deem & Pass” is defined as:
"...a procedural measure used by the US House of Representatives to approve
legislation. If the full House votes to approve a legislative rule that contains
such a provision, the House then deems a second bill as also approved without
requiring a separate vote, as long as that second bill is specified in the rule.
That is, if the vote on the rule passes, then the second bill is passed as part
of the rule vote.”
This becomes quite convenient when a bill’s subject matter is contentious
enough to threaten the political longevity of elected officials. It allows them
plausible deniability. It provides cover for elected officials to say – and be
correct in asserting – that he or she "didn’t actually vote for the bill,” even
though they effectively did. The Progressive and liberal Democrat healthcare
"reform” bill is just such a piece of contentious legislation and Ms. Pelosi’s
intention to use "Deem & Pass” to circumvent the constitutional legislative
process provides political cover for the cowards who are doing everything in
their power to avoid being held accountable for instituting this over-reaching
federal power grab; a measure overwhelmingly unpopular with the governed.
Article I, Section 7 of the US Constitution outlines exactly, without
caveat, how a piece of legislation is to become law:
"Every bill...shall have passed the House of Representatives and the
Senate...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.”
The very notion of the Self-Executing Rule, or "Deem & Pass,” is
antithetical to the US Constitution. Put another way, because there wouldn’t be
an actual vote where each member of Congress votes "yea” or "nay” there is no
way to enter their votes and names into the Congressional Journal. Therefore,
the Self-Executing Rule violates Article I, Section 7 of the US Constitution;
"Deem & Pass” is an unconstitutional procedure for passing legislation into law.
It is reprehensible that Progressives and liberal Democrats would consider
trying to move incredibly unpopular legislation – ideological, agenda-driven
legislation – using tactics like reconciliation in the Senate and "Deem & Pass”
in the House. In doing to so they have not only violated the public trust and
moved to undermine the consent of the governed, they will be violating their
Oaths of Office.
The US Constitution mandates in
Article VI, Clause 3:
"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...”
And the
Oath of Office that those in the Legislative Branch of the US Government
take states:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this
obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and
that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am
about to enter. So help me God.”
For that matter, the
Presidential Oath of Office states:
"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.”
It needs to be asked, if the US Constitution states clearly and exactly how
legislation is to be passed, that each member of Congress is to vote on each
bill and have their name and vote cast into the Congressional Journal, how is
the use of reconciliation and "Deem & Pass” constitutional? How is it not a
crime against the Constitution to employ these tactics, especially when the
issue is one of such national importance?
By insisting upon the use of reconciliation in the Senate and "Deem & Pass” in
the House, Congressional leadership has not only violated their Oaths of Office
but they have demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that they hold the US
Constitution – the covenant between the governed and their government – in
contempt. By blatantly employing tactics that literally ignore specific mandates
set forth in the Constitution, they are proving beyond all doubt that an
ideologically-driven coup is taking place in the United States of America;
Progressives and liberal Democrats are demonstrating they are hostile to the US
Constitution.
Consequently, President Obama, by his endorsement of these tactics, has also
violated his Oath of Office and, in doing so, has enabled political enemies of
the US Constitution to advance their agenda against the US Constitution.
He will have abetted this political coup and committed "High Crimes &
Misdemeanors”; he will have committed, it can be successfully argued,
impeachable offenses.
If Progressives and liberal Democrats are allowed to get away with passing
sweeping "healthcare reform” legislation using procedures that not only violate
the US Constitution, but absolve elected officials of any accountability for
their votes – or non-votes, as it were – then we are setting precedent for laws
being implemented without votes ever being taken; we are setting the stage for
the establishment of an oligarchy, the first step toward a dictatorship.
We are at a very important moment in time; a crossroads for our nation. We must
decide if we are a Constitutional Republic or whether we are an oligarchy. We
must decide if we are governed by the rule of law – constitutional law – or by
the ideological whims of an elitist class.
My fellow Americans, if you believe in the rule of law; in the US Constitution,
if you believe that the Founders and Framers had it right, if you believe that
James Madison was more intelligent than Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack
Obama, then you must express your disdain and contempt for the ideologues who
are attempting to hijack our government and trying to usurp the US Constitution.
It has been said many times before but it has never been as important as it is
now. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.
Resources:
Contact your US Senator
Contact your US Representative
Contact your local media |
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