Limited government

April 1, 2016

That the people have an original right to establish, for their future government, such principles, as, in their opinion, shall most conduce to their own happiness, is the basis on which the whole American fabric has been erected…

This original and supreme will organizes the government, and assigns to different departments their  respective powers.  It may either stop here, or establish certain limits not to be transcended by those departments.

The government of the United States is of the latter description.  The powers of the legislature are defined and limited; and that those limits may not be mistaken, or forgotten, the constitution is written.  To what purpose are powers limited, and to what purpose is that limitation committed to writing, if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?

Chief Justice John Marshall in Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

 

6 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Congressman

March 27, 2016

This was in my mailbox the other day:

I Just Realized Something:

My dog sleeps about 20 hours a day.

He has his food prepared for him.

His meals are provided at no cost to him.

He visits the Dr. once a year for his checkup and again during the year, if any medical needs arise. For this he pays nothing, and nothing is required of him.

He lives in a nice neighborhood in a house that is much larger than he needs, but he is not required to do any upkeep.

If he makes a mess, someone else cleans it up.

He has his choice of luxurious places to sleep.

He receives these accommodations absolutely free.

He is living like a king and has absolutely no expenses whatsoever.

All of his costs are picked up by others who earn a living.

I was just thinking about all this, and suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks ~

MY dog is a  CONGRESSMAN!!!

 

7 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

The Times is at it again.

March 15, 2016

The Max Powers post the other day about how the Times reported the results of their recent investigation compared to how KVIA reported the results was very telling.

You can read his post here.

We deserve better

Brutus

1 Comment | El Paso Times, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Self importance

March 6, 2016

“The crowning imbecility of the Anglo-Saxon breed is its dumb belief in public office or an administrative position as the supreme honor for a man of intellect.”

E. T. Bell

Leave a Comment » | City government, County Government, Federal Government, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Another attempt to get more people to vote

February 26, 2016
This came in from Xavier Miranda:
The upcoming election will impact a generation that has gone through 16 years of a crumbling public education system, as a result of the neoliberal reforms of No Child Left Behind, and Race to the Top. Insurmountable student-debt, 40 hour work weeks that result in substandard wages, and costly healthcare—these are few of the dim prospects our kids now face.


Our legacy to them is bleak. We see it in our dysfunctional two-party political system. We see it in the local District Attorney’s race, as evident by cases that have not been pursued, such as the alleged assault of a city employee by a former elected representative; or the suspect actions involving the ballpark and mayoral elections, which cost taxpayers an additional $22 million; or the shooting deaths of members of our community by our police department.






Rather than accept the status quo, folks from various generations are converging to make a difference. We see communities join in opposing exploitative deals such as theTrans-Pacific Partnership; we see neighborhood groups stand against corporations that expose school children to toxins; we see marginalized groups take a stand on global atrocities against immigrants;




What we don’t see is our community coming out to vote. The fact that there are 403,000 registered voters in El Paso, yet only 6% come out to vote, is proof of an eroding democracy.  All the gerrymandering and voter suppression has been successful in disenfranchising communities. Our voice continues to go unheeded, but our direction comes from highly-compensated zealots who purport to uphold universal values, yet our foreclosures continue, guns become prominent in our state, our families are burdened by health costs, and our taxes are diverted to vanity projects.






Fortunately, there are individuals in our community that have assumed the responsibility of authentically voicing our concerns and our solutions. As with all matters political, we will not be able to find 100% agreement or compatibility, but given their journey to represent us, their nobility and sacrifice are eagerly welcomed.






A race of notable interest is the Texas State Board of Education, a non-paid office, that either can  preserve or dismantle the concepts of democracy and pubic education. Unfortunately, political, financial, and ideological interests have established a stronghold in our state, which has resulted inTexas rating poorly on many education levels. 






Typically our group is focused on issues, one of which has been education. Given that, it is requested that you consider Georgina Perez, an educator and social justice advocate, to represent El Paso on the Texas State Board of Education. Her path is lined with authentic advocacy and tangible results. Her message resonates within our community, as evident by the diverse support of school board members, union officials, and supportive elected officials. 






Voting started on February 16, culminating with Super Tuesday on March 1. Voting information and polling sites can be accessed at this link: https://epcountyvotes.com/quick_links/early_voting






Please encourage family and friends to educate themselves on the issues and candidates, then bring them out to vote, please.






As the Texas elections have changed, information regarding the election process and subsequent county conventions will be forthcoming.








Regards,




Xavier Miranda


El Paso Grassroots

									


				

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