Galileo Galilei
09-17-2010, 11:54 AM
Barack Obama Is No James Madison
The law establishing the Constitution Day holiday—previously known as
Citizenship Day—was passed in 2004. Demonstrating that history has a
sense of humor, the enabling legislation was introduced by the Senate’s
king of pork-barrel spending: the late Senator Robert Byrd of West
Virginia. Even more ironic, he attached the legislation to an omnibus
spending bill that spent taxpayer funds on countless earmarks, special
interests and rent seekers.
In 2005 the Department of Education issued a notice informing all
publicly funded schools that they would be required to teach their
students about the history of the Constitution on September 17. In
essence, the department was saying to the public schools: Teach your
kids about the principles of freedom and independence and the virtues
of limited government enshrined in the Constitution or we’ll pull your
funding.
http://blogs.forbes.com/merrillmatthews/2010/09/17/barack-obama-is-no-james-madison/
More from article:
In the Federalist Papers No. 45, James Madison, the Father of the
Constitution, wrote: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution
to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to
remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The
former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war,
peace, negotiation and foreign commerce.”
In his inaugural address, by contrast, President Obama said: “The
question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too
small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a
decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.”
I’m thinking it’s safe to say that Barack Obama is no James Madison.
The law establishing the Constitution Day holiday—previously known as
Citizenship Day—was passed in 2004. Demonstrating that history has a
sense of humor, the enabling legislation was introduced by the Senate’s
king of pork-barrel spending: the late Senator Robert Byrd of West
Virginia. Even more ironic, he attached the legislation to an omnibus
spending bill that spent taxpayer funds on countless earmarks, special
interests and rent seekers.
In 2005 the Department of Education issued a notice informing all
publicly funded schools that they would be required to teach their
students about the history of the Constitution on September 17. In
essence, the department was saying to the public schools: Teach your
kids about the principles of freedom and independence and the virtues
of limited government enshrined in the Constitution or we’ll pull your
funding.
http://blogs.forbes.com/merrillmatthews/2010/09/17/barack-obama-is-no-james-madison/
More from article:
In the Federalist Papers No. 45, James Madison, the Father of the
Constitution, wrote: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution
to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to
remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The
former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war,
peace, negotiation and foreign commerce.”
In his inaugural address, by contrast, President Obama said: “The
question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too
small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a
decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.”
I’m thinking it’s safe to say that Barack Obama is no James Madison.