XPost: alt.politics.religion, alt.politics.usa.constitution, misc.education   
   From: strabo@flashlight.net   
      
   On 10/24/2010 5:24 PM, Bob LeChevalier wrote:   
   > Peter Franks  wrote:   
   >> That said, I strongly feel that XIV and the subsequent interpretations,   
   >> fabrications, and incorporation stabs directly at the heart of our   
   >> foundation of federal freedom.   
   >   
   > It was intended to.   
   >   
   > No longer could the states deny constitutional rights to the people.   
   >   
   >> So, for the second part of my question:  Can you point out where the   
   >> term "Congress" mutates to "government"? (specifically, /federal/   
   >> government).   
   >   
   > Since all branches of government exert power based on legislative   
   > action except where granted explicitly by the Constitution, the   
   > Federal government has little power to do *anything* without   
   > Congressional authorization at some point.   
   >   
   > The 14th doesn't rely on such a separation of powers argument, and   
   > simply denies the power to the state to take away rights granted by   
   > the constitution without due process.   
   >   
   > Madison made clear in his proposal for the Bill of Rights that the   
   > word Congress was used in what became the first amendment because he   
   > believed that insofar as such an amendment could protect rights, it   
   > would do so by restricting the legislature.   
   >   
      
   Jefferson was the major obstacle to the passage of the 1787   
   Federalist proposal.  He said that unless specific prohibitions to   
   restrict government actions were included he would not underwrite it.   
   These he provided to Madison and they became the Bill of Rights.   
      
   Each of the 13 states set the stage for future state adoption   
   considerations and added the BOR to their constitutions which is   
   why today many state and federal 'laws' are null and void.   
      
   As said by its authors, The 14th A. was passed solely to legally   
   incorporate former slaves within their states of residence.   
      
      
    >   
   > lojbab   
   > ---   
   > Bob LeChevalier - artificial linguist; genealogist   
   > lojbab@lojban.org   Lojban language www.lojban.org   
      
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