Syria, the U. S. Constitution, and the War Powers Resolution

On April 10, 2017April 10, 2017 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political5 Comments

In the wake of the U. S. missile strike on the Syrian air base believed to have been used to mount a chemical weapons attack, there is no lack of the usual debate about, “it’s right, it’s wrong; it’s good, it’s bad; we should have, we shouldn’t have.” Most of the discussion revolves around personal opinion based on either pragmatic reasoning, or emotional feelings. A few are going beyond that level of debate and actually asking Constitutional questions.

I’m a bottom line kind of guy. I want to get to the root of a matter. All of the discussion about Assad, Russia, and ISIS; the TV news talking heads, so-called “experts,” and your favorite talk radio personality spouting the party line; even democrat vs republican, and liberal vs conservative; these all obfuscate the foundational issues and serve as a distraction that diverts our attention from the real questions we ought to be asking.

The bottom line of every political issue, and the place where every meaningful political discussion must begin, are the questions, “What is the revealed will of God in the matter at hand? How has His will been codified in the governing documents of our republic? And what are the just laws that have been made in pursuance of these?” The answer to these questions constitutes The Rule of Law, and we are not ruled by law until we are ruled by this hierarchy of authority. Continue reading “Syria, the U. S. Constitution, and the War Powers Resolution” →

Gender Confusion in Public Schools – Where Did We Go Wrong?

On May 23, 2015 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Christian, Political2 Comments

The other day I read about a school district in Virginia that has implemented a new “gender identity” policy that could have children who are confused, or deceived, about their sexual identity, using the restrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex. The parents were understandably upset and strongly protested the school board’s action.

Most Christians will be quick to attribute this, and many other ungodly and anti-God public school policies, to a general spiritual and moral decline in society, and that certainly is part of the equation. However, I believe there is another story that needs to be told.

We as a society – Christians and conservatives included – have been parties to both spiritual and civil lawlessness. Morally lawless policies emanating from our public schools should be no surprise as God has already told us that’s what would happen – “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal 6:7). If we’ve been sowing lawlessness, then we need to expect to reap lawlessness. Continue reading “Gender Confusion in Public Schools – Where Did We Go Wrong?” →

Does the Supreme Court Make Law?

On May 1, 2015 By Robert W. PeckIn Blog, Political5 Comments

Today I heard a Christian radio program talking about the case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court dealing with same sex “mock” marriage (there is no such thing as same sex marriage, only an imitating of marriage by members of the same sex). It grieved me to hear the host state numerous times that through this case the Court might make same sex marriage “national law.”

While our current public office holders may be sufficiently duped and cowed so as to treat the Court’s decisions as law, the fact is that the Supreme Court cannot make law and its decisions are not law, they are merely “opinions” applicable only to the parties to the case at hand. It’s bad enough that the courts think they have the power to make law, but we don’t need Christian radio hosts reinforcing that falsehood in people’s minds. No offense to the commentator, I’m just asking all of us to stop, think and understand how our system of government is actually designed to work under the supreme law of the land, the U.S. Constitution.

Attorney and Constitutional scholar, Dr. Herb Titus, gives a good explanation of the matter in an article addressing Roe v. Wade and stating why “Abortion is NOT Legal.”

Is the Constitution Dead?

On September 17, 2014September 17, 2014 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political5 Comments

Today we celebrate the 227^th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution and ask the question, “is the Constitution dead?” Has it survived despite the many years of degradation it has suffered or did it succumb long ago?

The other day I was confronted with the idea that perhaps the Constitution is already null and void and has been for some time now based on the many unconstitutional acts of the federal government, some beginning as long as a hundred years ago. I’ll be the first to admit that much, perhaps even most of what the federal government does, is not allowed under the Constitution. But does that mean that the Constitution has failed, that it doesn’t work, that it is no longer valid, has become irrelevant and that we should quit contending for the founding principles of the American Constitutional republic? Or does it merely mean that we the people have ignorantly and foolishly elected persons who are now subjecting us to an unconstitutional, and therefore alien, form of government?

I believe some people confuse conservatism with Constitutionalism and the conservative movement with the current efforts of Constitutionists. The two tend to be treated as synonymous and lumped together under one title. I admit that some who are called conservatives are Constitutionists, though not all, and Constitutionalism is what conservatism once was, or sought to be. However, Constitutionalism and modern conservatism are quite different entities. I contend that it is conservatism that has expired and lapsed into irrelevance while the principles of Constitutionalism remain ever relevant and worthy of our most valiant efforts to contend for. Continue reading “Is the Constitution Dead?” →

Cures for the Health Care Act that Ails Us – Also Works on Gun Control

On February 4, 2013October 12, 2013 By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political7 Comments

I recently heard a comment on the radio about this being the year that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare) will begin to be implemented. Actually, ObamaCare began to be implemented in 2010 and is not scheduled to reach full implementation until 2018. This is merely the year in which certain of the more egregious aspects of the act begin to be implemented, as the Hobby Lobby case has brought to our attention. That reminder as to the violative nature of this act, combined with the President’s recent call for an assault Continue reading “Cures for the Health Care Act that Ails Us – Also Works on Gun Control” →