BIG difference between knowing the constitution well and following it!!

By the way, I don’t know who the cretinous slug is who decided to use my screenID but don’t let me catch you!!!  You won’t like me when I am really angry.!!!

Constitution?  Frankly, I probably know it as well or better than half the jokers who are pointing to it to make their hate filled points.

Attempting to STEAL someone’s identification, even on a minimal valued posting forum like this simply shows a total lack of morality and intellect.  But more, it shows an alarming lack of honesty.

The Federal Government started doing things that the Constitution reserved for state governments because of the broad way the Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution’s interstate commerce clause and its supremacy clause. (The Constitution doesn’t give the Supreme court the authority to do that, but the legislative and executive branches allowed them to get away with it because of the perceived need for checks and balances on the other branches.) In addition, the Federal Government raises money through taxes and then gives some back to the states with strings attached.  If the states don’t follow the guidelines Congress “suggests,” they don’t get their share of the federal money. 

It’s my “feeling” that the Court has gone too far with allowing the federal government to ignore the 10th Amendment, but completely reversing it at one time would be too chaotic. 

Perhaps a start would be for a Libertarian to sue a Congressional Representative who uses federal work space on matters that the Constitution says are not the Representative’s job. He should instead be spending his taxpayer paid time working on federal legislative matters.  If the government was a business, isn’t that like an employee using his employer’s computer to play games or to run his own business?

Rick, you are definitely not an historian.  At virtually every level of the process in the development of this country, first with the initial articles, and then the Constitution that came later, was the goal of local benefit and local voices being heard, and arguments against one locality bearing an unfair burden.  Men (remember the times) were selected who could represent the local area effectively.  That meant, to fight for the local area.  So, grow up, and think before you spout “noble” thoughts.  Otherwise, you will find yourself out on a limb, and having it cut off behind you.

T,

It took statesmen to create this country and to build it to the heights its seen in the past.  It will take statesmen to return it to its past glory. 

I see zero statesmen in Congress in 2010.  So yes, in reality, one statesmen will get laughed at by his crooked, self centered colleagues.  Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell are hardly Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, or even Henry Clay.  Neither is Obama, neither was Bush or even Reagan.  Maybe we have just run out of “great” Americans who choose to serve the public interest? 

Unless of course the electorate suddenly became aware of their dire situation and chose to put statesmen in office as opposed to the guy who can get some more pork.  That too is a pipe dream I suppose. It is time to face facts, the average voter in this country is just as self absorbed and stupid as the people they elect.

I obviously haven’t read the Constitution, or don’t like it.

Haven’t met or heard from any libertarian that had a reasoned response to governance.  Their platform consists of cutting the government to nothing, moving all control to the states and eliminate all social programs period.

Sure helps to capture the senior vote and the vote of those people who are on the cusp of becoming a senior.

Health care?  Pay or die, that’s the libertarian awy.  Education, pay for private schools, kill all public education.

The idea that the libertarians understand the constitution is truly laughable.

The castigation of the baby boomers was totally uncalled for and showed the totalality of the libertarian mindset. 

Frank Wolf or the Democrat candidate would be ten thousand times better than any of the libertarian candidates, just look at the Pauls for a primo example.  They knew that most thinking people would never buy into the libertarians claptrap so they ran as Republicans. Although Rand Paul did run on that stupid Tea Party platform.  But hopefully the folks in Kentucky will get their heads screwed on straight and vote for anyone but Paul, just like those here in Loudoun would be better off voting for anyone but the libertarian candidate.

Great argument, Rick.  In the perfect world, who knows.  But in this one, your argument is:  Cut off your nose, your arms, your legs, bleed to death, anything, so that you can be viewed as “noble.”  Get real.

And here is why our country is screwed.  Maybe if you are a baby boomer and don’t care, pork barrel is all you care about.  After all, you’ve already trashed this country as well as any generation could for the last 30 years.  Why stop now?  It is all about what you can get for yourself right?  Nevermind that federal spending is unsustainable and maybe if everyone voted for some people with a statesman attitude, there could be a way to save this country.  But no, you’ll vote for Frank based on his “record” of bringing money back, which to me seems rather disappointing for a guy who has been in office for 30 years. 

If the founding fathers could see Frank Wolf, they would probably shed a tear for what happened to country they built.  Wolf is hardly the only one who is an embarrassment to public service, but he is the only one I can vote against, so I will.  No one is supposed to be in Congress for 30 years.  It is even worse if they have contributed exactly zero towards keeping this country great.  Yet you’ll vote for him because he got some money for an interchange on Route 7.  You Wolf voters are just as bought and paid for as Wolf himself.

Get real.  I don’t want a member of Congress who says, stupidly, “Oh, No! Don’t send any money Loudoun County’s way.”  Good grief, keep Frank Wolf on the job.

If you don’t like spending this is your man.  Frank Wolf spent 20 out of his 30 years in Congress approving every spending bill that came his way.  He co-signed on every reckless fiscal plan that came out of the Bush II White House with a “Yea” vote.  Now the guy wants you to think he is some fiscal conservative.  Don’t buy his chameleon act.  Vote for someone else.

I like Meghan McCain’s thoughts on Libertarians - that Libertarianism is interesting in a classroom setting, but doesn’t work well in the real world.  I also don’t want to see Dept. of Education or EPA taken apart, and the LAST thing I want is to privatize social security!  How may thousands have lost all their retirement thanks to Wall Street?  No thanks - I do not want my money in their hands!

To the Leesburg parent: By virtue of the 10th amendment, the federal Dept. of Education is, by definition, unconstitutional.  Libertarians also recongize that the First Amendment to the Constitution applies to the states, too, so a state department of education indoctrinating a particular religion would be unconstiutional, likewise.

Cutting out the Dept. of Education worries me. It allows for each state to set their own education guidelines and if a state only wants to teach the Bible, thats all the schools will teach, leaving us with some states having high achieving students and other states having ignorant, religious “Talibanish” citizens (as the Taliban only allows religious schools, no science, etc.).  There needs to be a federal educational standard across the board throughout this country on education, or America truly will fall into third world status. What the libertarians want is for this country to basically be 50 separate countries under the umbrella of an “overseer” that provides an army to protect them from invaders. Scary thought indeed.

@Harvey: Bill Redpath is the liberty candidate in this race.  The idea of cutting government spending unless it’s something that you want sounds more like a Republican idea than a Libertarian one.

Gladd to hear from Mr. Redpath.  Made my support for Frank a lot more justifiable.  Redpath is taking the same tack that many on the far right had done, let’s cut government spending,,,,,until it is something that we want, then it’s okay.  Hypocrisy in my humble opinion.
Frank’s yard signs are going up on my property and his re-election is one that I will ardently support and actively work toward. Especially now that the Libertarian Redpath has thrown his hat in the ring.

This nation, I pray diligently, will NEVER elect a Libertarian unless they do like Ron and Rand Paul and become Republicans in disguise.