Tag: President

Amendments 16 – 27 of the United States Constitution

Amendment 16 – Status of Income Tax Clarified

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Proposed 7/12/1909
Ratified 2/3/1913

Amendment 17 – Senators Elected by Popular Vote

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Proposed 5/13/1912
Ratified 4/8/1913

Amendment 18 – Liquor Abolished

1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 12/18/1917
Ratified 1/16/1919

Amendment 19 – Women’s Suffrage

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 6/4/1919
Ratified 8/18/1920

Amendment 20 – Presidential, Congressional Terms

1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.
3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.
4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.
6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Proposed 3/2/1932
Ratified 1/23/1933

Amendment 21 – 18th Amendment Repealed

1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 2/20/1933
Ratified 12/5/1933

Amendment 22 – Presidential Term Limits

1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

Proposed 3/21/1947
Ratified 2/27/1951

Amendment 23 – Presidential Vote for District of Columbia

1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 6/17/1960
Ratified 3/29/1961

Amendment 24 – Poll Tax Barred

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 8/27/1962
Ratified 1/23/1964

Amendment 25 – Presidential Disability and Succession

1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Proposed 7/6/1965
Ratified 2/10/1967

Amendment 26 – Voting Age Set to 18 Years

1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Proposed 3/23/1971
Ratified 7/1/1971

Amendment 27 – Limiting Congressional Pay Increases

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

My Thoughts on a Former President

Many of the people who are patriots of our nation have no clue of the danger that is lurking at our doors. Terrorism is not the real threat to us, it is only a symptom. Illegal immigration is not the real threat to our nation. In writing this I certainly do not mean to sound so negative, or opposed to our nation, but I am really trying to defend us, and get us headed in the right direction.

The real threat to our nation is the idolatry pervading our land. The idolatry of technology, medicine, money/finance, recreation, comfort, convenience, even the idolizing of our children. Globalization is also an idol of many. The people involved in this seems to thing if we could just have one world peace, one world economy, one world religion, then all would be well. That is a farce.

When we have a former President of our Country saying that our nation is evil for its support of Israel then, we have problems, and I for one am glad to call him a “Former President”. The man no longer has a heart for our Country. It seems more that he has his heart set on being a world leader, than a man of God, I once thought him to be. I have never thought Jimmy Carter to have been a good President, but I did see him as a good Christian, he seemed to care for the poor, and our nation, but not any longer. He would give us all over to the hands of Satan.

The following is a quote printed from Baptist Press concerning Jimmy Carter’s comments at a human rights conference in Dublin, Ireland on June 19, 2007;

“The United States and European Union should recognize the terrorist organization Hamas as a legitimate component of the Palestinian government, former President Jimmy Carter said at a human rights conference in Dublin, Ireland, June 19.Hamas, he said, had won free and fair elections in 2006, making the United States’ refusal to aid the Palestinian faction and recognize its right to govern a “criminal” act.Carter said he believes both Western governments and Israel are favoring the rival Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, which now only governs the West Bank. Fatah also governed the Gaza Strip until Hamas fighters violently overthrew the party there earlier in June. Hamas, which executed members of the rival party in the street after its victory, had prevailed over the Fatah-controlled security forces in Gaza because of its fighters’ “superior skill and discipline,” Carter said.”

It is despicable, at least to myself, to hear a former leader of the United States of America say such traitorous things. It certainly shows he has no idea of God’s promises to the Nation of Israel. The trouble makers in the Middle East is not Israel, but the Palestinians. Their own proclaimed goal is the extinction of Israel. When will this former leader open his eyes and see the truth? Maybe he has a personal agenda in this. If he thinks he is a “Peacemaker” as in Jesus’s words, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9), he had better rethink that thought. It does not fit with the agenda.

My thoughts from June 28, 2007 are still the same.

Conspiracy Theory USA

The following is something I posted in 2007 on another site.

The day of September 11, 2001 is forever sketched in my memory. It should be in the minds of every true American Patriot. If we forget we will pay dearly in the years to come. I am about to tell you a story. It is a true story. It is a somewhat sad story, and done in a little sarcasm.
A preacher friend and I were in Cape Giraurdeau, Missouri in late October 2001 for our Missouri Baptist Convention’s annual Convention. We were sitting, eating lunch in a seafood restaurant, and there was something which had came into my thinking concerning September 11 of the month before. I have no idea why I was even thinking such a thing, and I certainly had no thought that it would actually be true. I had actually given it to an over active imagination, which sometimes I do have.
My thought was, and I presented it to my friend, “What if…”. Don’t you love “What if”‘s? “What if our President was in on a plot to destroy the Twin Towers in New York City, and by doing that blame the terrorists organizations for it, thus striking out at those nations supporting terrorism?” Now, remember this was only a thought that came to the mind of my overactive imagination. I did not then, nor do I now believe such a thing, but Lo and behold, there are some ignorant, amusing, loudmouthed people who do believe such idiocy.
People whom I will not name, because of their present notoriety, and I desire to give them no space or credit at all; but will give their name’s initials.
There is R.O. who is probably the loudest, and most boisterous of the lot. She actually believes that our President conspired, and had people go in and do a demolition preparation for those planes to destroy the buildings. Now there is C.S. and he has evidently came to the same conclusion as R.O.. These two fit in the realm of those who think that man has never landed on the moon, and that it all was like a Hollywood production deceiving the people. Maybe even in the same category with the one’s who believe that everything revolves around the earth.
Do I believe these Conspiracies are real? Not at all. They are from the minds of overactive imaginations, and that is where they should stay. To actually bring a charge of such means against our President ought to be considered a treasonous act. He does represent our Nation. An attack of such proportions against him is an attack against not only him, but every Senator, Congressman, and every citizen of the Nation.
Let’s pray for our President. He has burdens we know nothing of. This war against terrorism must be won, or there will be more terrorists coming to our land, and the next time they hit will probably make 9/11 pale in comparison.
Think about it. Our President had nothing to do with the destruction of the Twin Towers. He is about defending U.S..

Article 2 of The Constitution of the United States of America

The Constitution of the United States of America

Article. II. – The Executive Branch

Section 1 – The President
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
(The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two-thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice-President.) (This clause in parentheses was superseded by the 12th Amendment.)
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
(In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.) (This clause in parentheses has been modified by the 20th and 25th Amendments.)
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Section 2 – Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section 3 – State of the Union, Convening Congress
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.
Section 4 – Disqualification
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Inaugural Address – George Washington

On April 30, 1789 our first President was inaugurated into the office of the presidency of the USA.

Peter Marshall and David Manuel write, “He reached New York in time to be inauguated on April 30, 1789. Stepping out onto the outdoor balcony of Federal Hall, in full view of the assembled multitude, he requested that a Bible be brought. Having placed his right hand on the open book, he took the oath of office. And then, embarrassed at the thunderous ovation which followed, the pealing church bells, and the roaring of the artillery, the new President went inside to deliver his inaugural address to Congress.’

‘Speaking with a gravity which verged on sadness, his voice deep and tremulous, he went further than he had ever gone before in stressing the role of God in the birth of the nation:” From THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY p. 349.

“It would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent supplication to that Almighty Being, who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States… No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency… We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained.”

From THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY paperback.

My, how the leaders of our nation, and the people of our nation need to wake up and get back to the foundation of these truths.

Being A Patriot

From April 26, 2007.

Being A Patriot

Sometimes I think we misunderstand what a patriot really is. A true patriot is not someone who never finds fault with their country or their leaders, including the President. A patriot is someone who will stand with the leaders during times of turmoil, similar to those we are in now.
There is one thing for sure concerning our President, and I am not always in agreement with him. I believe him to be a strong individual who will stand his ground when he believes he is right about something. He appears to have convictions about things. He is not led by the opinion polls, and does not lend and ear to the wind, and make decisions based on which ever way it blows. I like that in President Bush.
There are many who are trying to malign him, and accuse him of playing politics. He has nowhere to go. He has reached the highest office in our country. How can he be trying to play politics. The one’s who are playing politics are the ones who accuse him of it.
Being a patriot is about loving your country, praying for its leaders; even those you disagree with, and do not like; and supporting their decisions when they do not conflict with your own person convictions of God, holiness, righteousness, and good, but you endeavor to change things through prayer, and discourse, rather than violence. Other people’s opinions, and lives are at stake.
I do not know if what I have written here makes a whole lot of sense to you, the reader, but it does to me. A patriot is also someone who will love his country enough to speak out when something is not right. We must do that. We can do it and still be a citizen. At least for the time being.
Our trust must be in the LORD God who has made all things. He has put the USA in place for a time like this. Let’s first be faithful to Him.

What a Wonderful Life

It is wonderful, and a blessing from Almighty God to be a citizen and living in the United States of America. Some may laugh when I say this, but I really do endeavor to stay out of political issues.  There are times that I feel I must open my mouth, and many times insert foot.

There is much in our government that is evil, wretched, and almost beyond my comprehension.  I do not understand how a man could run for the office of the Governor of a State, shortly after having a sexual encounter with a woman, not his wife, and then portray himself as a “Family man”, but it has happened; and not only a family man, but a “Religious man” as well.

Then, our President has a very bad habit of name calling which is not only uncouth but ungodly and not Christ-like in any possible way.  He, however, is not perfect, and neither am I; and that does not excuse the vile words he or anyone else uses.  We ought to challenge ourselves to do better with our words, our vocabulary.  I heard many years ago that an individual who cusses is showing their lack of education.  Let us all become better educated with good, wholesome, and encouraging words; rather than always trying to denigrate others.

To be honest with you I am completely disgusted with the politics of our day. Neither party can be trusted to do what the people desire, and they certainly are not into doing what God and His word say. I place my trust in God the Father, and His Son Jesus to superintend the events of every day of my life, the family, the State, and the federal government, and the world governments.

I will pray for our Governor and the President, do what I can as a citizen of this nation, and I will continue to live as a citizen of Heaven because that is the home for which my heart longs.

What a wonderful life it is when you put your faith and trust in the Lord, our Creator, rather than in the governments of men.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

`tim

There Are Storms A Plenty

It has been amazing the amount of rainfall we have recently received, and more in the weather forecast.  What is even more amazing are the numbers of storms, and especially tornadoes which have struck the Southern States of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and if I missed anyone I apologize.

 

At my last reckoning there were 329 deaths associated with these devastating winds and twisters.  To those families my heart goes out to you along with my prayers.
One of the things which amazes me too is the strength and grit of the human being.  You see it our resiliency to go on despite the storms of life.  Some have that because God gives us zeal for life and living, and we thank Him for it.  Others, wrongly, just give that to the human spirit which is virtually dead to God.  Let me say to all of you; Hang on.  Turn to God now if you haven’t yet.  He loves you.  He gave His Son Jesus to die for your sins, and raise Him again to life.
As the title suggests “There are Storms A Plenty”.  Not all storms are made up of physical clouds, and wind.  Some are going on in the political realm.  Some in the matters of health.  Some are financial.  You get the picture.  With all the hot air that is coming out of Washington D.C. and the truth of God’s Word there are upheavals in our Nation.  With a President who claims to be Christian, but seems tto give more honor to the muslim than to Christ we are in for one doozy of a storm.