Author Archives: David

About David

David is the father of 8 children. When he's not busy with that full time occupation he works as a technology professional. He enjoys discussing big issues with informed people, cooking, gardening, vexillology (flag design), and tinkering.

Securing Liberty

photo credit: Brian Wilson Photography I got a complaint on facebook over a statement I made that later amendments take legal precedence over earlier ones where both conflictingly address the same point of law. Here was the complaint: I have … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Constitutional Amendment 18

The Eighteenth Amendment is a great example of constitutional law. 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 … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

The Trick to Choosing Elected Officials

In a letter to the Salt Lake Tribune Jeff Hammond offered this profound bit of insight: As some politicians age, they grow into statesmen, like Barry Goldwater; others shrivel into petty party hacks. Sens. Hatch and Bob Bennett aren’t growing. … Continue reading

Posted in State | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The American’s Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Bad Year for Liberty

photo credit: Leo Reynolds I consider 1913 to be a very bad year for liberty because in that year the 16th and 17th amendments were both passed. Each of these amendments is a lever that loosened the moorings that had … Continue reading

Posted in National | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Constitutional Amendment 17

Following close on the heels of the sixteenth amendment (both in terms of time and impact) comes what may well be the second most fundamental alteration to the public perception and operation of our government through the Seventeenth Amendment. The … Continue reading

Posted in National | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Constitutional Amendment 16

The longer I live and the more I study, the more convinced I become that the sixteenth amendment is the greatest assault on liberty in our Constitution. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Government Can’t Do Charity

Those pushing the need for health care reform spend a lot of time talking about the uninsured and the many unfortunate people who cannot or will not afford to pay for health care. (Mostly they talk about the “cannot pay” … Continue reading

Posted in culture, National | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

All Things to All People

In a classic case of Federal-sightedness, President Obama is stepping in to mediate an altercation between a black professor and a white police officer. Normally I would be disappointed that the President had nothing better to do but lately I … Continue reading

Posted in culture | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance may well be the most widely memorized bit of prose in the United States. In fact it is so widely known that I wonder how many people have ever stopped to consider where it came from … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , | 4 Comments