sheepherder's Comments

Liberty Maven : Ron Paul's Fed Transparency Act now has 33 Co-sponsors

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:56:22 +0000

Download a lobbying pack here! http://distractiblehominid.blogspot.com/2009/03/l...

Liberty Maven : Ron Paul's HR1207 now has 39 Co-conspirators

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:33:39 +0000

Download a lobbying pack here! http://distractiblehominid.blogspot.com/2009/03/l...

GrassrootsPA : Stolen gay pride flag returned with signs of hate...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:50:36 +0000

Agreed. A crime is a crime and hate crimes are ridiculous. Replace that flag with a U.S. flag and everyone would be enraged.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 16:32:05 +0000

I suppose you mean that the amendments prohibit the denial of suffrage. Agreed. "But ultimately, there is no right to vote." I agree that the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly state that there is a right to vote. I do not agree that a 'right to vote' does not exist though. The U.S. Constitution does not enumerate all of our rights-- that's why the 9th Amendment exists. If our rights exist only because they are explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution then we do not have a right to privacy or travel either. The primary role of government is to protect the rights of individuals. The Constitution is phrased to restrain the government from infringing on our rights, i.e., 'no law may restrict...<insert right here>". Look at the bill of rights. It doesn't say, for example, that we have a right to religion or free speech-- it says Congress cannot make law prohibiting these things-- our rights. The founders were unable to agree on suffrage, so they agreed to allow each state to determine its own criteria. In Pennsylvania, our right to vote is stated in Article VII, Section I of the PA Constitution: "Every citizen 21 years of age, possessing the following qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections subject, however, to such laws requiring and regulating the registration of electors as the General Assembly may enact." Consequently, our right to vote is reaffirmed in Bush v. Gore: " The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States unless and until the state legislature chooses a statewide election as the means to implement its power to appoint members of the Electoral College. U.S. Const., Art. II, §1." All States have statewide elections to vote in elections and therefore individual citizens have a 'federal constitutional right to vote'. Also from Bush v. Gore: "When the state legislature vests the right to vote for President in its people, the right to vote as the legislature has prescribed is fundamental; and one source of its fundamental nature lies in the equal weight accorded to each vote and the equal dignity owed to each voter. The State, of course, after granting the franchise in the special context of Article II, can take back the power to appoint electors." All States have vested the right to vote to the people and no state has taken back the power to appoint electors, and therefore we the people retain our right to vote.

GrassrootsPA : Specter Calls For Prosecution of Bush Officials?...

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 05:36:29 +0000

"This law is now in Obama's toolbox to use against those that he considers to be a threat to him. " I would give you 1,000 thumbs up for this if I could. "I don't believe that the PATRIOT ACT serves the cause of liberty and it is fool hearty to think that you can trade liberty for security." I would give you 10,000 thumbs up for this if I could.

GrassrootsPA : Casey bill would create savings accounts for disabled...

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 05:27:18 +0000

Gah, make it stop... America is a country founded on individualism, not collectivism. ALL or NO savings accounts should be tax exempt! Stop the special treatment. Ugh, now I have to stay up late drafting a letter to Casey.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 19:52:51 +0000

I know what 'leftist' means. I also know that people sometimes use the term in a derogatory manner. Considering that you know nothing of my political ideology, that was your intended use. I didn't address Georgia's framework because it is irrelevant. If you've read any of my comments, you know that I have not made any claims of discrimination, racism, or other 'silly leftist arguments'. I simply believe that the state should take responsibility for securing it's end of the voting process rather than requiring people to get photo ID cards. What's leftist about expecting the government to do what it's supposed to be doing? They won't even audit the electronic voting machines! The system needs to be fixed. Period. Even with the Photo ID requirement, that will not prevent people from being registered in multiple states, and capable of voting more than once. Should a photo proof be needed after the system is fixed, put a photo on the registration card itself.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 16:08:50 +0000

Ah, name calling-- The ultimate expression of civility and intelligence...

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 15:49:40 +0000

Oh come on... you associated disagreement with 'silly leftist arguments'. lol

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 14:58:48 +0000

Because ID is required for one thing does not provide justification for needing ID for something unrelated. I'm opening another can of worms, but I don't think ID should be needed to be cold medicine either... or 'air in a can' to clean my computer. This isn't a left/right argument. I'm far from being leftist. Why are all discussions reduced to that? It's counterproductive and silliness. Once again my point remains. Photo ID is not required to own, so it shouldn't be required to vote. If you want people to verify their identity with a Photo, alter the voter registration card to include a photo.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 14:42:52 +0000

We have a civil right to vote. The 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments of the U.S. Constitution guarantee it. And of course there is the 9th amendment that guarantees the rights that we have but are not enumerated in the U.S. Constitution-- voting being necessary for people to participate in a Republic form of government. Article 7, section 1 of the PA Constitution also guarantees our right to vote. I'll check out Boortz's writings later.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:37:46 +0000

"You don't need an ID to walk down the street, but when you act to influence the outcome of an election, you damn well better be able to positively identify yourself." Not yet anyway. Right, when evidence of a crime has been committed you must produce photo ID. Where is the crime when you are trying to vote? "Voter fraud should be treated as seriously as counterfeiting or treason. No slaps on the wrist. Hard prison time and even the death penalty for those who perpetrate and mastermind these schemes." Agree. And this goes off topic, but them damn electronic voting machines are criminal too.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:30:07 +0000

Voter fraud is a problem. It is not as serious as you guys are making it out to be-- although it is only a matter of time before it is. I think it can be prevented without the use of Photo ID. I object to Photo ID because 1) Photo ID is not required to own and 2) allowing Photo ID to be a voter's license will just give the state reason to implement the Real ID, which I also object to. By the way, I really like the way you resorted to blaming 'people like me' for the problems of the country. Pardon me for thinking there is an alternative solution to preventing voter fraud-- a solution that protects my right to be 'secure in my papers' and protects my right to vote... you know a solution that puts the fault on the institution (government) that is supposed to be securing the voting process in the first place rather than on law-abiding citizens.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:21:13 +0000

Again, if someone dies, the voter registration records need to be updated so that someone posing as John Brown cannot vote. If the Motor Voter Laws prohibit this from occurring, then pass law to allow it.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:19:51 +0000

Absolutely not. I'm suggesting that if a fraudulent application is approved, then the government hasn't done it's job at all-- and that is what needs to be fixed.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:19:13 +0000

I grasp the nature of the problem completely. I refuse to subject myself to more BS 'show me your papers' garbage for a problem that I believe could be more effectively solved by fixing the system-- ensuring that all voter application forms are valid, ensuring that the database is up to date, ensuring that on election day each poll has the proper information, etc. The 'photo ID' solution attempts to address the problem on election day. Why not prevent the problem from occurring?

GrassrootsPA : Godshall: Require PA drivers to wear seatbelts...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 03:38:08 +0000

Gotcha. Check out that Texas legislation though. It's insane.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 02:56:08 +0000

Identify the source of voter fraud please. You ensure people who they say they are by seeing that they own a voter registration card-- and they showed their photo ID the first time they voted. You ensure that a person is a legal citizen because they own a voter registration card-- that's still part of the application process right? By the way, owning a photo ID doesn't prove that you are a legal citizen. Voter fraud is preventable when the application is submitted and when new records, e.g., death records are acquired in order to update the voter registration database.

GrassrootsPA : Orie bill: require voters to show ID at polls...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 02:51:29 +0000

The need to have a driver's license is enforced by being caught without one while driving. Are you suggesting that driver's licenses be enforced at the polls? Again, my point is that photo IDs are not required to own. Therefore, to require them to vote is nonsense. Protecting our vote is indeed important. But once again the burden is on the state. If a dead person casts a vote, that is the state's fault. Whenever I got to vote, the poll worker has a card with my name on it. Once a person dies, shouldn't that card say deceased? So, if a person walks in with a dead person's card, then the fraud can be stopped in its tracks. The state needs to fix their end of the system. This photo ID to vote business is a band-aid solution for the real problems associated with voter fraud.

GrassrootsPA : Godshall: Require PA drivers to wear seatbelts...

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 02:40:56 +0000

Haha, great episode :D