Tag: constitution

Did Mike Pence “Follow the Constitution”?

America, Elections, Government, Politics

On stage at the first Republican debate the other night the anti-Trumpers sided with Mike Pence with lines like,

“Mike followed the Constitution” and “Mike did his duty.” In my opinion, whether he did or not is nuanced, not black or white.

Why is it that the Democrats can bend (and BREAK) and interpret laws, regulations and the Constitution itself with impunity but Republicans can’t?

Why do you think Trump’s opponents for the 2024 nomination are coming down on the side of “Mike did the right thing?” when if you pressed them in a sidebar conversation, each would either willingly or be forced to admit that there is ambiguity in the process by which electoral college votes are processed. (Should you wish to read a thorough analysis of just how ambiguous and problematic this issue is, I refer you to the Hoover Institute’s excellent analysis on the subject entitled: “Who Counts?: The Twelfth Amendment, the Vice President, and the Electoral Count” available here.)

The bottom line of Hoover’s argument is: 1) Indeed, the Vice President has the authority to resolve disputes concerning electoral votes; 2) The Electoral Count Act of 1887 is unconstitutional but 3) the fact that the states certified the election results (hastily, improperly and unconstitutionally) and thus the electors themselves, the presentation of alternative slates of electors by numerous states was moot.

In short, the governors (e.g. Brian Kemp of Georgia) who allowed the results and electors to be certified out of fear, coercion, cowardice, or whatever…THEY are to blame for not exerting their authority to thwart the illegal election processes. THEY are to blame for allowing their fear of COVID to alter constitutional and legal processes for conducting the elections in their states.

Thus, Mike Pence may not, according to Hoover, have had the authority to do anything but count the votes as he received them.

BUT IF HE HAD HAD REAL COURAGE, IF HE HAD NOT COW-TOWED TO THE VOICES DEMANDING HE DO NOTHING ELSE BUT COUNT THE VOTES….HAD HE SAID, AT THE RISK OF BRINGING DOWN OVERWHELMING LEFTIST IRE ON HIMSELF, “WAIT A MINUTE! THERE ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LEGITIMACY OF THIS ELECTION. LET’S PAUSE AND TAKE A FEW DAYS TO REVIEW WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE”, the result might have been the same, i.e. the LEFT/DEMOCRATS would have still prevailed because the damage had already been done and there was no putting the toothpaste back into the tube. And due to our processes of adjudicating disputes small and large, the painstaking and foot-dragging processes that the Democrats count on would have meant we really would have a Constitutional crisis. But at least he wouldn’t like so many other political weaklings, have bent over backwards around and up his own posterior end to “just move on”.

And we have a constitutional crisis ANYWAY!!! If you don’t think we’re in crisis now, your head is buried in the sand or you’ve been asleep for the last 6 years!

The Democrats will not hesitate for an instant to lie, cheat, steal, deflect, demean, digress, dissemble, distract, bludgeon, shout-down, unitedly marshal their forces in the pursuit of power, money and advancing their warped and destructive ideologies.

So when Trump’s opponents buy into the anti-Trump rhetoric in order to be more likeable to the independents, they demonstrate why politics is such a dirty, disgusting enterprise. Exhibit A: Chris Christie is the archetype of the political swamp rat…he is our Al Sharpton, our Jesse Jackson, our Sheila Jackson Lee, our Stacy Abrams. Except that he’s willing to eat his own in order to gain power and money. They, on the other hand, clearly reflected the views of their lemming Leftist followers and had no need to contravene their leaders. But the act is the same. Shrill, disjointed, lacking basis in fact, but with great production (i.e. sound-bite) values!

So where does this leave us? I honestly can’t predict what will happen between now and November 2024 but I can almost certainly guarantee that A LOT WILL!

Keep those seat belts fastened.

Roe v. Wade Overturned

Government, Law and Order, Morality, Politics

Immediate thoughts: 1. Roe was decided 50 years ago based on convoluted contortions of constitutional law and was the HEIGHT of judicial activism. 2. What happened today reverses the wrong done 50 years ago. 3. It’s not about pro-life vs. pro-choice…it’s about the essential meaning of the Constitution. Roe violated the principles of federalism. This decision restores them. 4. The Left’s/Democrats’ whining, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth is just their typical histrionics. Any fair reading of the opinion underscores this decision doesn’t outlaw abortion! 5. Comparisons between this decision and the 2A decision yesterday are ridiculous. The right to bear arms is an ENUMERATED right in the Bill of Rights. Abortion is about a judicially activated ‘right’ that was NOT based either on the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.

In Memory Of Those Who Died Serving Our Country

America, History, Society & Culture

This Memorial Day Weekend as I helped plant flags at the graves of veterans I once again reflected on the extremely high price of Freedom. As I pushed a long screwdriver into the soil next to each veteran headstone so as to make the hole into which I placed a fresh, bright flag, I wondered how many had actually died in battle. Some, of course, died after their military service. Some never saw combat, never put their lives directly on the line. Nonetheless, all died having served, and all are worthy of honor and remembrance. I paused and slowly read the name of each next to whom I planted a flag and silently thanked them.

Pondering the question I asked myself about the number of veterans who died in battle, I later found the following infographic which I share as it provides a definitive answer:

As I drove home after participating in the solemn and dignified activity, I thought to myself that there have been many civilians as well, deserving of the honor I had accorded the veterans in that cemetery.

I recalled, for example, my visits over the years to C.I.A. headquarters in Langley, VA. On the north wall of the lobby in the “original” headquarters building are the memorial and iconic stars of those Agency employees who died in the line of service. My understanding is that most were members of the paramilitary arm of the Special Activities Division of the operations directorate (now the National Clandestine Service). When I first visited the Agency in the early 1970’s there were a handful of stars on the wall. Over the years the number kept growing. When I last visited, a couple of years ago, there were over 130. It seemed to me that they too should be listed among the veterans who either died in battle or at a minimum, among those who died while in the service of our country. They too, most certainly, are deserving of the honor and respect we accord to deceased veterans.

And this made me think of the countless other civilians who have taken the oath to defend the Constitution: law enforcement officers, first responders and volunteers of all kinds, and, I regret to have to add, even politicians for whom I have an almost universal disdain.

I wish I could say that ALL who have taken the oath are worthy of the honor we accord veterans on Memorial Day. Many are, but I’m afraid that today there is evidence in plain sight of many who have violated their oath and in my opinion, are guilty of treason. And there are some, never having either served or taken the oath who are worthy not of praise but of the most emphatic scorn. You know who they are.

But back to the honoring of those who DO live up to the oath they’ve taken. Patriots, lovers of freedom, defenders of liberty, in service to their fellow citizens… there a MILLIONS of American civilians who deserve to be honored for their stalwart support of the Constitution. Some have even tragically given their lives in its defense.

Some who valiantly served may not readily be apparent or ever come to mind. For example, there are bankers (yes, bankers) who served by getting involved in financial transactions to facilitate the development of military hardware and services, and businessmen and women who worked with intelligence agencies to provide information useful to counter terrorism or counter espionage activities. There were business executives who never served in uniform but who led or worked for organizations that developed and supplied material and services that gave us a competitive military edge over our adversaries. While it is tempting to assume that these people were simply performing their duties as employees for a paycheck, I know from firsthand experience that many did so with a conscious effort to support our country’s constitution and its defense.

It is to the civilians who have died in the service of our country in addition to the veterans that I extend my gratitude and offer my respect and admiration this Memorial Day.

May God bless them and their families forever.

And may God bless America.

Trump vs. Biden

America, Economy, Government, Politics, Religion, Science, Society & Culture, Values

Today I’m pleased to share the thoughts of one of our readers who, in response to a friend who is rabidly anti-Trump, outlined the contrast between the two (quoted verbatim and in full with Editor’s additional notes italicized):

“I prefer “You are what you do, not what you say” so this is an abbreviated list of what Trump and Biden have done in public life:

Trump in 48 months:

  • Seated 150+ conservative judges as well as 2 and probably 3 Supreme Court Justices who are devotedly pro-life (Editor’s note: and adherents of the Constitution as written, not as the Left would like it to “evolve”.)
  • Best economy pre-covid, especially for blacks, Hispanics and women (Editor’s note: historically greater gains for low income earners than the wealthy)
  • Passed “Right to try” legislation for terminal patients
  • Passed tax reform (Editor’s note: directly impacting middle income families and causing economic growth to soar compared to anemic recovery under Obama/Biden.)
  • Criminal justice reform and enterprise zones and financial assistance to black colleges
  • Defeated ISIS (Editor’s note: killed its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi)
  • (Editor’s note: killed the most dangerous terrorist in the world, Iran’s Qasem Soleimani)
  • Brokered a peace accord in the Middle East which continues to expand
  • Moved US embassy to Jerusalem
  • (Editor’s note: removed us from the absurd and dangerous Iran Nuclear Deal)
  • (Editor’s note: removed us from the extremely unfavorable Trans Pacific Partnership)
  • (Editor’s note: removed us from the ridiculous and punitive Paris Climate Accord)
  • Enhanced veterans benefits and strengthened the VA
  • Rebuilt our military (decimated by 8 years of Obama/Biden)
  • Created Space Force, the new arm of the military
  • Signed trade deals with Mex./Can, Korea, China, Japan
  • Protected our border from ILLEGAL immigration
  • Created operation warp speed to bring vaccines/therapeutics to treat covid to market as quickly as possible.
  • Donated Presidential salary to charity
  • (Editor’s note: achieved U.S. energy independence with attendant benefits for ALL Americans)

(Editor’s note: and accomplished all of the above while under direct and vicious serial attacks by the Left.)

Biden in 47 years

  • Wrong on every foreign policy decision as VP (per Gates the Sec of DOD during his tenure) (Editor’s note: including opposing going after Bin Laden)
  • Started the partisan rancor over supreme court nominees with his trashing of Robert Bork
  • Sponsored the most discriminatory crime bills in history
  • Chose the most liberal senator (even left of Bernie Sanders) as a running mate
  • Gives cover to Antifa and BLM, left wing anarchist organizations 
  • Sets his son up for influence peddling with Ukraine, China and Russia while responsible for relations with these countries and taking a cut of it
  • (Editor’s note: has flip-flopped for political expediency on the single most critical component of U.S. energy independence: fracking)

Not much positive to add here. 

The democratic party is not the party you knew 20 years ago and has only gotten worse. Remember Ronald Reagan’s famous line “I didn’t leave the democratic party, it left me”. It’s done the same to lots of former democrats.

So on the merits I’ll take a man of action (albeit one who should keep his mouth shut more often). This country can’t afford any further slide to socialism.”

(Editor’s note: Thank you Bob! I’ll add that if ever there were a case of words versus action on display, Trump vs. Biden is it! Biden has run his mouth off for years and years promising everything and accomplishing little to nothing. Trump has run his mouth off for four years, accomplishing much more than he promised, all of it beneficial for the entire nation!)

Traditional Values, Traditionalists and Traditionalism

America, Government, History, Morality, Politics, Reason, Religion, Society & Culture

Attributed to the American author Samuel R. Delany is the phrase “Words mean things.” Hijacking words and phrases is a powerful tool in the arsenal of the demagogue. And the twisting of usage and meaning into pretzels has always been a favorite device of politicians and pundits. With this in mind, I thought I should explain what I mean when I refer in my writing to Traditional Values, Traditionalists and Traditionalism.

Look up Traditionalism and you’ll receive a panoply of descriptions and definitions. One of the first articles that comes up from a search is: “a school of thought promulgated by a group of 20th and 21st century thinkers who believe in the existence of perennial wisdom, or perennial philosophy, primordial and universal truths which form the source for, and are shared by, all the major world religions.” Look further and one goes through the looking glass and into a rabbit warren of definitions in the context of societal norms, religion, philosophy, economics, culture, etc.

In 1964 Supreme Court Justice Potter Steward famously described obscenity (or rather, what it is not) as follows:

“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description [“hard-core pornography”], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.”

Jacobellis v. Ohio 378 U.S. 184 (1964)

Borrowing on that phrase, I will suggest that Traditionalism may be defined in a variety of ways, but in the end, Traditionalists know it when they see it.

However, a shortcut to how I define Traditionalism is: that body of ideals, values and mores that we were raised on by the Greatest Generation.

Speaking of the Greatest Generation, one of the definitions of Traditionalists refers to those who were born between 1900 and 1945. I believe it is precisely because of their espousal of Traditional Values that they were Great!

We Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 on the other hand, are split into two camps: a) those of us who listened to what our Greatest Generation parents taught us, who were grateful for the peace and prosperity they bequeathed to us and who have tried to live our lives by their example and rules; and, b) the prodigals, the “Me” generation of the sexual revolution who grew up to be the radicals of the 70’s and the yuppies of the 80’s, a few of whom have come home to Traditionalism and the balance of whom have become today’s Leftists.

So what do I mean by Traditional Values? Often the term is conflated with “Family Values.” They are similar, but Traditionalism goes beyond Family Values. To me, Traditional Values include support for:

  • individual freedom to live as we wish within the basic constraints of Judeo-Christian principles;
  • the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as they were intended for then and all future generations;
  • fundamental patriotism, including honoring our Flag, national symbols, anthems and emblems;
  • a strong military and national defense and protection of our sovereignty;
  • the right of self-defense and to keep, bear and utilize arms to ensure that right;
  • obeying the Law and supporting those who serve in law enforcement;
  • marriage defined as between one man and one woman (including acceptance of the biological fact that men and women are different!);
  • support for nuclear families consisting of a father and mother and their children;
  • freedom of worship and expression;
  • the Golden Rule;
  • support for and defense of free-market capitalism;
  • equal opportunity, not equal outcomes; and,
  • separation of powers within a limited, and republican government.

Traditional Values also include opposition to: 

  • social engineering and bad (many wouldsay EVIL) social, economic and political ideologies such as socialism and communism;
  • crony capitalism;
  • ‘free love’ and promiscuity;
  • abortion on demand and in lieu of contraception;
  • gender confusion;
  • LGBTQ militancy;
  • fascism masquerading as liberal or progressive free expression;
  • violent protest; and,
  • collectivism, globalism, cultural marxism and so-called “progressivism”.

The Greatest Generation didn’t have to think about or debate these principles – they lived them. They were part of the fabric of their society.

Today, these principles are under constant assault.

I used to teach a lesson in Sunday School using a glass of water and a dropper full of black ink. The water represented our souls. In the context of this article, it represents the reservoir of societal values. The black drops of ink I slowly added to the water represent, for purposes of this article, Progressive/Leftist ideas, norms, habits, values. Add one drop to the water and nothing seems to happen. As successively more drops are added, however, the water starts to turn grey, then greyer, murky, and finally black.

The metaphor aptly describes what’s happening to our country.

I hope and pray I’m joined by the Silent Majority of our Boomer generation and budding Traditionalists of succeeding generations in fighting for a return to the Traditional principles that made us the greatest nation on earth and in the history of the world.

About

GrumpsReport is an unabashedly biased internet publication devoted to promoting, preserving, defending and passing on traditional ideals, values and mores. You know… the kind we were raised on by The Greatest Generation.

Our site derives its name from the nickname given to its Founder and Managing Editor by his grandchildren. “Grandpa” was conventional but boring. “Gramps” was overused. “Grampy” and “Pops” were farcical. “Grumps” just kind of fit, and the name stuck.

Grumps is not really grumpy, at least not all the time. He will admit to occasionally yelling at the TV, and at times catches himself mumbling under his breath as he sees or hears things that really put him off. But he rejects the label, “Angry Old White Man” that some would place on him.

Our Editors, Contributors and staff have a lot in common with Grumps. We too find the lessons we were raised on clash with what today has come to be accepted behavior. We share a love of our country as it once was and can be again, not as it is becoming. That’s not to suggest that we have rose-colored, “those were the good ‘ole days” glasses. However, we assert there are values, principles and traditions that transcend generations and underpin the greatest periods of growth, happiness and prosperity in the world’s history, and these are increasingly and relentlessly under assault.

Here are just a few of them:

  • We believe in personal responsibility, self-reliance, hard work, and above all, meritocracy;
  • We believe in free markets and capitalism, but not “crony capitalism”, and that socialism has always been and always will be a scourge on mankind;
  • We believe government is not the solution, but the problem;
  • We believe the U.S. Constitution is not a “living document” but an inspired charter that was meant not just for the 18th Century but the 21st as well;
  • We believe there are fundamental differences between men and women and boys and girls that must be respected;
  • Without condoning behavior we deem offensive, we nevertheless believe in treating everyone with respect, tolerance and courtesy irrespective of their creed, faith, gender, age or race;
  • We believe in traditional marriage between one man and one woman;
  • We believe the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms is a bulwark against tyranny and oppression, and needs to be defended;
  • We believe parents, not bureaucrats and not public sector unions, should control education;
  • We believe current immigration laws should be enforced;
  • We believe in God and in freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion;
  • We believe in the Golden Rule;
  • We believe in private medical care, not government-provided, universal care;
  • We believe “It Takes a Family”, not a “Village”;
  • We believe in a strong National Defense, that we should talk softly and revert to war as a last resort but carry a BIG STICK, and that we DO have a responsibility as the greatest nation the world has ever known to set an example and export democracy and our values to the rest of the world; and,
  • We believe that truth is not relative but immutable and exists whether or not one person or the entirety of mankind believes it or not, and that we should be determined to seek it.

If you subscribe to most if not all of the above tenets, you’ll find a home here. If not, you will likely be offended and probably should find other websites to visit.

And while our readers are not solely seniors, most of our original articles are written from the perspective and wisdom of 50+ adults, who make up the majority of our contributors. That, in part, is why our site is devoid of flashing lights, what’s called clickbait, and annoying features like scrolling images, comments or “discussion” sections.

We sincerely hope you will enjoy and benefit from visiting this site. Should you wish to contribute an article or essay, or comment on anything you see here, please use the contact form accessible from the header menu.

Grumps

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