2) NY and CA were offered as examples of states that exercise home rule, other such states are…..EVERY STATE EXCEPT MS, AL, ID, VT, VA, AND IN.

“All they are doing is repeating the same drivel from the tired propagandists in the main stream, Jew-run, mind control factories.” Clareese Lippincott on NLS

1. For Greg: When you are walking along with a crowd and someone yells, “Hey stupid!” Do you automatically turn around, presuming that you were being called stupid?

As I read the earlier post by J T Balance, it was clear, at least to me, that he was saying that if Bob Marshall could turn his skills toward real problems, instead of those created by the extreme religious fanatics (like the late Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, the latter of which blames Haitians for bringing their earthquake on themselves) then Virginia would be much better off. If Greg considers himself in the same company of Robertson, whose behavior earns him the title, Leader of the Religious Reich, then, if the shoe fits, Greg, then wear it, boy.

2. The other, much more funny aspect of the thread, is the employment of a rhetorical device designed to avoid actually addressing the point(s) or issues, and instead redirects with an absurd statement. This was used in the old Animal House movie when the Animal House fraternity reps protested to Dean Wormer, that any criticism of them was a condemnation of the whole fraternity system…and indeed the entire United States of America. Greg dodges any constructive discussion and offers the absurdity that, Religious Reich, sounds similar to the Nazi Third Reich, so therefore the post was not about focusing the talents of legislators like Bob Marshall on energy, jobs etc. but were supposedly an attack on Greg’s veteran relatives; or claiming to have called Greg a Nazi; none of which actually happened. Nice try, if you are an Eighth grader.

It is awfully funny that Greg pulls this absurd argument tactic rather often and few people bother to call him on such clumsy rhetorical maneuvers.

In general, I am encouraged to learn that there are some Democrats who are considering supporting the exploratory wells and approving Uranium mining. It remains to be seen how many will stand tall and be counted, but lets use sound arguments and persuastion to win them over to the cause of fighting for new energy jobs, as well taking steps towards energy independence.

That’s good for a big laugh. Imagine a Democrat accusing someone else of “socal engineering”! Is it 1 April already?

Why does it not surprise me that you think we need to emulate the laws of two neo-socialist states with tremendous budget deficits, high taxes, nanny government, moribund economies, and bloated state governments? If you think New York is such a fine place, I invite you to live there for a while. I grew up in New York State. That place sucks in so many ways, and government is the root of everything wrong there.

I am proud to be a Virginian now, and the benefits of being here are absolutely tremendous. You’re welcome to personally experiment with New York style government, but just don’t involve me in any of it.

It seems that the hatred of Richmond and the GA goes beyond NoVa -

http://virginiatomorrow.com/2010/02/16/the-locals-v-the-capitals/#comments

It’s time to dilute Dillon’s Rule in Virginia and give all localities more home rule.

I’d like to see the whole governance structure de-centralize more. I certainly want the federal government to run the Navy but I wonder about their undue influence over things like intra-state highways. I want Richmond to run the state police but I wonder about their influence over local roads.

The General Assembly’s love of Dillon’s Rule creates some odd behavior. The delegate representing my district was (until November) Margi Vanderhye. Ms. Vanderhye won the seat in 11/07 by emphasizing her experience in Northern Virginia. She was clear about her long standing in the the Northern Virginia community. Yet, somehow, she ended up on the Agriculture Committee. Shouldn’t agrigcultural decisions be left to areas of the state where farming actually occurs? Then, there’s this guy named Clay Athey from Front Royal. He’s popping off about how to design local roads in high density suburban neighborhoods. It’s like watching a bunch of 8th graders in the Model UN.

When you centralize everything (as Virginia has) you get the Politburo (i.e. Richmond) trying to decide everything for everyone. Right now there is a bill in the General Assembly to address the school funding debate between the City of Charlottesville and the County of Alberarle. Shouldn’t the wizards in Richmond let local government solve local problems?

I am more optimistic than you. The Commonwealth of Virginia is on its 8th constitution. The last wholesale revision was ratified in 1970. While I certainly have problems with the amount of power centralized in Richmond, the 1970 constitution was a huge step forward by the Commonwealth.

My understanding of the mechanics of calling a constitutional convention are as follows:

1. 2/3 of the state legislatures must vote to call the convention.
2. The state legislatures would appoint delegates from their states to represent them at the constitutional convention. I am not sure if there is a standard approach to making these appointments. I doubt it. However, I’d guess that most state legislatures would vote among themselves rather than demanding a popular vote.
3. The delegates would hold their convention and debate the new constitution. I do not believe there is a mandated way to write the new constitution. However, the delegates would either come up with changes to the current constitution or they would not. Let’s assume they do.
4. Three fourths of the state legislatures (or state constitutional conventions) must ratify the new constitution.

As you can see, it really doesn’t matter whether the average citizen understands the Bill of Rights or not. The constitutional convention will no more be populated by average citizens than the original constitutional convention was populated by ordinary (or average) citizens.

There are clearly risks to allowing our state legislatures (or, more accurately, their designees) to change the US Constitution. However, I see the bigger risk being the continuance of federal over-reach. It is obvious to me that the federal government will continue to ignore the letter and the spirit of the US Constitution in their zeal to centralize all power in their own hands.

The lesser of two evils may be clearly amending the US Constitution to put the federal government back into the governance space intended by the founding fathers.

****************************************************************
In your push for state and federal action in attracting and keeping jobs in Virginia you mention the loss of Qimonda, a German company who recently let go 1,500 after struggling financially for a number of years.

Yet, you feel the loss of an air craft carrier from the Hampton Roads area to Florida, with the relocation of thousands of Navel personnel and their families, the loss of thousands of support related jobs, and the cost in millions in federal tax dollars, should not be viewed as a big deal?

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/QIMOGAT03_20090203-103402/196780/

http://hrblogs.typepad.com/the_shad_plank/2010/02/virginia-state-lawmaker-blast-aircraft-carrier-move-to-florida.html

If you were to succeed in calling a Constitutional Convention I think you could kiss the First Amendment goodbye. It seems a great many Americans don’t understand the critical role free speech plays in ensuring liberty. Their desire to muzzle those they disagree with seems to be so great that it blinds them to the fact that they themselves might wind up in a jail cell for saying something that offends those in power. And considering the large number of Americans who seem hell bent on making some form of Christianity the state religion of the United States I think the protection to worship as one’s conscience dictates would be in grave peril at such a convention. The First Amendment wouldn’t likely survive your convention.

Considering how many Americans flippantly refer to our protection against unreasonable searches and seizures as “technicalities to protect criminals”, I don’t imagine the Fourth Amendment stands much chance of surviving your constitutional convention either. How many times have you heard someone say something like, “If you don’t have anything to hide you shouldn’t care if the police come in and search your house.”? The Founding Fathers must spin in their graves whenever a statement of such consummate stupidity that betrays such a total lack of understanding of America and its Constitution is uttered. Kiss the Fourth Amendment goodbye at your convention.

If you were to get your wish of a Constitutional Convention you would not be able to limit it to the few issues you might wish to address. Pandora’s box would be open. We are talking total re-write. By people who think repealing the Bill of Rights and having the government dictate and enforce one set of religious beliefs are just swell ideas whose time has come.

No thank you.

I “cut and paste” so there is NO DOUBT in anyone’s mind about what I am saying and to WHOM I am saying it !!!

To you I SAY AGAIN, as I have said before, you’re very, VERY seriously MENTALLY DISTURBED !!!!

J. Tyler Ballance said on 15 Feb 2010 at 10:39 pm: “Feel free to chime-in with your own constructive ideas…”

Here’s a, “constructive idea !!!”

You NEED help !!!

I HOPE you get it before you end up like the University of Alabama professor and so many others who have been down your SAME
path !!!!

You have the SAME twisted mind and a VERY distorted (mental) image of yourself !!!

It seems you’re the ONLY one on this blog who doesn’t know that you’re way, WAY OUTTA BALANCE !!!!!

GET HELP !!!

SOON !!!!

BEFORE you become the next one to make the Six O’clock News !!!!!

THAT’S about as constructive as anyone can get with you !!!

Naturally, this belief system is very threatening to Progressives, who believe that all rights are property of the state and collective. This is why Progressives despise Christianity and Judaism beyond other faiths.

Obama revealed his disdain for middle America’s faith and values at a closed-door San Francisco fundraiser:

“You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest… it’s not surprising they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

Liberals are masters of the technique known as projection, by which they accuse their enemies of their own worst faults The new world order 3rd Way is the 4th Reich.

http://www.worldviewtimes.com/article.php/articleid-5597/Brannon-Howse

http://theothermccain.com/2010/02/12/evolution-anthropogenic-global-warming-and-other-non-falsifiable-theories/

Gnarly: I helped with Bob’s campaign against Jim Gilmore…”

You worked on a campaign of someone you have no ideological compatibility and from your comments for whom you harbor a certain amount of contempt….now you say you are employed by Democrats? Not that you had any before your comments, but in my opinion, you have NO credibility.

“Religious Reich?” “Teabaggers?” And then you come out with an appeal for reasoned discussion?

I’ve no interest at all in discussing anything with someone who starts a conversation by calling me a Nazi. Members of my family died fighting Hitler. People I will never know but for the stories my grandmother tells me about the warm and exuberant brother who went off to war and never came home, and whose ultimate fate remained unknown for years until Norway informed the United States that they recovered his dog tags in the wreckage of a P-51 Mustang. I could have known this man, I could have enjoyed playing with my only great uncle as a kid, but he gave his life for our country and I never got to meet him. My family, as have many others, paid a personal price to oppose Hitler’s plans and keep our country safe.

And you call me, and others who carry deep religious convictions and have lost family members, who are informed about their faith from the Bible “the religious reich.” Appalling. Truly appalling.

Go crawl back into that slimy filthy hole you came from, and do me the favor of not trying to engage me in a conversation dictated by your own terms of “decency” again.