Article I

Alright!  Here we are again.

Today we start with Article I of the Constitution.  Article I is quite lengthy so let's eat it like we would an elephant - one bite at a time.  This, the first Article of the Constitution establishes the congress; both houses. So, not only do we have a three head form of government, this head is split into two different sections, the House of Representatives and the Senate.  The House of Representatives is elected by population.  And, the Senate is elected to represent each state so that each state has an equal say in government no matter what the population of that state.

                                            Article. I. 

Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons [Modified by Amendment XIV]. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Let's go right to Section II, paragraph three.  Section I and the first two paragraphs of Section II are simple and easy to understand.  Paragraph three, however, is a bit confusing to me, and I may be interpreting it wrong.  So, it looks like taxes will or should be apportioned according to the population.  Hence, today, California, with one-tenth of the nations population residing between Santa Barbara and the Mexican boarder would receive the highest tax bill; although every person in the United States would pay the same amount. Indians who are not citizens would not be taxed.  Therefore, Indian reservations are tax free zones. All other ethnic groups will be taxed in accordance to the ratio of five of an ethnic group to three - for the lack of another or better description - whites.  (if I'm wrong or I don't understand the language, please correct me).

I remember in high school, my instructor interpreting this to mean that it took 5 Indians to equal 3 whites. I don't believe that is what is being said here; but with all other ethnic groups, it takes 5 to equal 3.  How can that be?  According to the DI, "...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...."

Wait a minute, "...all men are created equal..."  Apparently, our forefathers really didn't believe what they wrote.  Let's consider who they were and their grievance.  Most of these gentlemen were white, Anglo-Saxon protestants.  Who's fight or grievance was with their king or monarch.  They weren't thinking about anyone else or ethnic group, only themselves.  Let the other people fight  for their own freedom.  All men, however, are created spiritually equal, I believe is what they were trying to say.  Because, in our Constitution, they plainly state that it takes 5 to equal 3.

Next time we'll continue with Section III.  There are a total of ten sections to cover in Article I.

Until then, I am Eldee Charles Spratt, "The" American Patriot (TAP).  

Hello Fellow Patriots

We now venture into the Constitution.  Before we start, however, I feel that it is very important that I start with a couple of conditions.  Vocabulary is extremely important.  Also, sometimes what the law doesn't say is more elegant then what it does say.  Congress adopted Bouvier's Law Dictionary of 1870 as the official dictionary of Congress.  After an exhaustive search, the closest I could get is the 1857 version.  Please note that this dictionary was published prior to Fredrick Engles publishing or writing of the Communist Manifesto to which he added the face of Karl Marx.  Hence, neither socialism nor communism are defined in this edition of Bouvier's.  I will not be referring to my 1913 edition of Black's Legal Dictionary, since by 1913, the Supreme Court started changing the definition of words through their decisions.

Onward and upward!

The Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 

Let's start with, "...in Order to form a more perfect Union..."  

Question!  How does one improve on perfection?  If the colonists/colonies already had a 'perfect Union,' what happened to make it less than perfect?  Could it be that the colonies were perfectly content to have a king as their leader?  Could it be that when good 'ol Georgie the 3rd decided to levy taxes on the colonists that they (the colonist's), decided that what they had as a Union suddenly became less than perfect?

Could be!!  The colonists that were really outraged just happened to be wealthy land owners and successful businessmen.  Most of these elite of the colonies were educated, spoke Latin and/or French, as well as their native language of English.  The wealthy land owner's like Washington and Jefferson owned slaves and knew what it meant to be a slave.  I believe that it was Thomas Jefferson who stated that, "The power to tax is the power to enslave and we refuse to be slaves in our own country."  And then, of course, there was Patrick Henry's famous quote on March 23, 1775,

       "...It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace²but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

So, now we have the beginnings of a, "More perfect Union."

Next time we will start to go through the Articles that define are three equal but different heads of ourm government.

Until then, I am Eldee Charles Spratt, "The" American Patriot. (TAP).

History of The World Part II

The Colonies unite and revolt.  On April 19, 1775, General Gage ordered Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith to march to Lexington and Concord and seize all of the weapons and ammunition from the colonists.  No one really knows who fired the first shot.  It was, however, known as the "Shot heard around the world."

The Colonist's and the British (with the help of the Hessian mercenaries) waged war for eight years until the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783.

On July 4, 1776, Two men signed the Declaration of Independence - John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Between  August 2, 1776 and January 22, 1777 fifty four other patriots signed this document.

How the Colonists won the war is a bit of a mystery since except for a few skirmishes at the beginning of the war, the American army lost almost every battle.  I attended a lecture about thirty years ago, where the lecturer postulated that the war was won due to a unique and clever marketing campaign.  He hypothesized that the newspapers in the south ran full page advertisements stating that if any British soldier could prove that he had deserted the British army that he would be given forty acres of land.  He, the soldier, would then be a land owner fighting for his home instead of an invading force trying to crush a revolution.  Of course, I've never seen any of those ads, so I can neither confirm nor deny that these events ever happened or that the advertisements are in fact real.

That, however, begs the question.  Why would a soldier desert the army in a foreign land and become a land owner? Good question!  The inheritance rights in England (From the Magna Carta) belonged to the first born male child.  Hence, if you were less than first, you were expected to make your own way in this world.  One of those ways was to become a soldier and serve the crown.  So, when given the chance to become a land owner like his older brother and build his own estate and fortune, why not?  Just saying.  That sounds like a viable answer to me. Although in the end it really doesn't matter, we WON!!

The Continental Congress struggled for years to come up with a viable document describing what our government should look like.  Some wanted a strong central government.  Others were afraid of the power of a strong central and wanted a weak central government with the individual states having the real power. Still others wanted the power to lie with the individual so that the government couldn't force issues down their throats - like taxation.

While Thomas Jefferson served as the American envoy to France, he was enlightened by the Baron de Montesquieu, who postulated a tri-head of state government.  Each head or branch of government would be separate yet equal.  He postulated that with a single head of state like the governments of the past 5,000 years, it would be easy for a dictator to rise and the people would be no better off than their ancestors.  With a two or bi-head government, it would take collusion, but still doable.  With a three head form of government, however, there could be checks and balances which would make it dang near impossible for a dictatorship to evolve. So, after eleven years of debate and argument, the greatest term paper even researched was written, the colonists under the genius of Franklin, formulated our Constitution.

So, now you have it.  But, what does that mean to us?  Well, first off let me set a few principles into play. According to T.J. in another famous paper, "...all men are created equal...."  And, man was created by God. Also, all men are sovereign.

Hence, we commence a new era in history with a new government - an experiment if you will - the likes of which has never before been tried.  Although, such a government or rather a bi-head form of government was posed by the Greeks and actually used by the Romans.  The new America was structured as follows: God is at the top.  He is numero uno; the big cheese; the alpha and omega.  He created man.  So, if you want to draw a diagram, start with a circle and put God in the middle of the circle.  Draw a line down and make another circle.  Place man in  the middle of that circle.  Draw another line down from the man circle; draw another circle and put the Constitution in that circle.  Draw a line down from the Constitution and place government in that circle.  Now, draw a vertical line downward, and draw a horizontal line at the bottom of that line and draw three vertical parallel lines downward from there and place executive, legislative and judicial under each of those lines.  So, now, from the diagram, you should be able to discern that God created man; man created the Constitution; the Constitution created the government and the government is formed up or three separate but equal branches. And, they call this form of government a Federal Constitutional REPUBLIC!!!!!  Notice, if you will, that democracy, socialism, communism or government entitlement programs are not mentioned anywhere in that term paper.

I would like to point out that only two percent of the American people supported the revolution and the break from England.  Most of the populace were content with the status quo.  Let's not rock the boat. England is our parent.  Like teenagers come of age, when threatened by an overbearing parent, the youngster stands up, bows his neck, clenches his fists and says, "Enough!  I'm not going to take this abuse any more."  The parent then makes the threat, "As long as you live under my roof and I provide for you, you will do as I say."  To which the young adult counters, "Fine, I'm out of here.  I'm joining the army and going to Vietnam to get shot at."  Or, as in this case, they picked up weapons and fought tooth and nail for their freedom and the freedom of those other sheep who didn't want to fight; but who also reaped the rewards and benefits of those that the few, that the brave won for them.

Next time we'll start dissecting the Constitution and learn what that means to you.

Until then, I am Eldee Charles Spratt, The American Patriot (TAP).

  





 

Okay Fellow Patriots:

King John is dead!  Let's fast forward 400 years. Religious prosecution is the name of the game.  King James I of England and Ireland (aka King James VI of Scotland), son of Mary Queen of Scots, has had the Bible translated once again into English (The King James version - 1611).  A religious group of people, The Puritans, read the Bible and come to the startling conclusion that the king lied.  He is not the head of the church as they have been told; but that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.  This causes great concern and persecution by the crown.  So, on November 11, 1620, this group of misfits, these religious rebels sign a contract with the Mayflower Company, called the Mayflower Compact, to take them to the new world where they would be free to worship God as they so desired without the interruption of the crown.

Now, let us leap forward once again about 150 years.  After years of no taxation, the Parliament of England thought it might be a good idea to start taxing the Colonists to bring the Colonies to heel.  The Colonists did not believe that British Parliament had the authority to tax them.  After all, the colonies had been left alone for almost 150 years and due to the trade with the colonies, England - The British Empire, had become the richest and most powerful country in the world.  King George III didn't need the money.  He was already the wealthiest man in the world.  The colonist - The Whig Party - took it as an affront.  And, on December 16, 1773, disguised as Indians, dumped the British tea shipment into the Boston harbor in protest to the taxation of the colonies by the king.

Next time we go into the Revolution.  Keep the Flag flying high.

I am, as always, Eldee Charles Spratt - "The" American Patriot.      

History of thew World - Part I

Hello Patriot Team:

When we left off last time, I told you that we would go into the history of the world part I; or the history of the world according to "The" American Patriot.  Before I start on that journey, however, I thought you might be asking yourself, "Who is this character spewing this vile nonsense; and why should I listen to him or even support him??? (there's three questions there!).  So, let's try to answer those question and assuage or alleviate any trepidation  or fear(s) upon which you may be dwelling.

So, here is a brief history of ME:  My name is Eldee Charles Spratt.  I was born June 1, 1947 (And, I can prove that via a true and certified birth certificate - unlike somebody else we know), in Chicago, Illinois. When I was six years old my parents gained a bit of intelligence and moved the family to Southern California.  I grew up in the city of Norwalk (aka. The Keystone City of Los Angeles County).  I lived about ten miles from Disneyland and about ten miles from Huntington Beach.  So, yes I grew up in a middle income family as a beach bum.  Yes, I know, life was tough, but somebody had to live it.  I'm just glad it was me. Of course puberty was really tough though.  You know all those days at the beach; pretty young hard bodied ladies running all over the place; 1964, the free love movement in high gear, T-shirts with slogans like, "Make Love not War."   I honestly don't know how I survived (LOL).

I graduated from Santa Fe High in the city of Santa Fe Springs (The All-American City - 1958), in 1965.  I spent one year at Cerritos Junior College in Norwalk.  The next year Rio Hondo JC opened up its campus in Whittier.  Since I was in the Rio Hondo district I had to go there.  On December 24, 1966 I received a beautiful letter from my Uncle Sam saying just how much he appreciated me and would like me to join him and travel the world on his dime.  Being an intelligent young man (or so I thought), I went down to the recruiter's office and interviewed all of the branches available.  The army had the best program for me.
I could be an officer without possessing a bachelor's degree; and, if I enlisted instead of being drafted, I could get the school of my choice.  So, I signed up for special forces - green beret.  I didn't know how prolific a liar that those recruiter's are until six months later.  Suffice it to say, I was sent to Korea after the U.S.S. Pueblo was captured; where I did my best to keep up good international relations.  I spent a total of 31 months traipsing around the world in olive drab.

After leaving the army, I went back to school on the G.I. Bill.  I eventually graduated from California State University at Fullerton.  A couple of years later I went to work for Rockwell International.  They told me that if I could get into grad school that they would pay for my education.  I was accepted into Pepperdine University where I earned my MBA (Master's of Business Administration) to go along with my finance degree with a double minor in accounting and mathematics.  There you have it, ME in a nutshell.

Now, on to the History of the World - Part I.

For five thousand years, the world had one form of government, one guy on top and everyone else underneath.  It didn't matter what you called him : Pharaoh, Sultan, King, Ruler, Czar (or Tsar), Emperor, Khan, Tyrant or Caesar.  You can bet your boots that he was the biggest, baddest, meanest, S.O.B. that walked the face of the earth. He was the toughest guy around, with the attitude that Mr. T had in Rocky III, "I pity the fool who tries to take what's mine."  Since he couldn't do it all alone, he enlisted the help of other bullies and thugs.  These guys eventually became the peerage, the nobles.  They became the feudal lords. The main problem, however, was every time the ruler was replaced, so were the 'nobles.'

After about thirty centuries or so, the nobles, that is the barons and dukes had had enough.  Hence, in jolly old England, the nobles revolted (kind of) against King John.  John was pretty much a tyrant.  He was also a sniveling, back stabbing, spineless yellow bellied snake in  the grass (He was probably a bi-polar sociopath - my thoughts; not confirmed), as well as King Richard the Lion Hearted's brother.  Unfortunately for the subjects of Richard, he was too busy off at the Crusades to take care of his people.  Hence, his people suffered mightily under the black thumb of John.  So, on June 15, 1215, the barons and dukes got together and met King John on the plains of Runnymeade, along the river Thames just outside of London.  There the nobles asked John to sign a document they called the Magna Carta.  King John of course became outraged
and said something to effect of why would I be so stupid as to sign away any of my powers.  The nobles responded in kind by pointing out that if he didn't sign the document that they would behead him, put his head on a pike and place it right outside the gates of London for the whole world to see.  John thought for a moment or two and decided it would be in his best interest to be alive and at least he would still be the King. So, with much trepidation, John capitulated and the nobles now held property rights which could be passed down to their heirs, as well as 42 other rights (not privileges).  John died a year later on October 19, 1216.

We'll continue next time with more fascinating history from "The" American Patriot.

Inaugural Post

My Fellow Americans - Patriots - Citizens:

Welcome to the inaugural post on the American Patriot blog.

Mission:  The mission of this blog, my mission, is to bring together, to polarize the patriots of this country in a common cause to get back our Constitution and take back our government.

Goal:  The goal of this blog is to stir debates and get feed back from all interested parties.

Objective:  My ultimate objective is to gain enough support from the Patriots of this country to win the White House in 2016.  

The simple truth is that I've had enough of the double speak and lies.  What this country needs is a group of patriots with a single mind, a single objective to serve the citizens of this country the way our forefathers set it up and intended our system to work.

So, who is a patriot?  You are a patriot if:

     You believe that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land.
     You believe that socialism, communism and welfare do not belong
           in our country.
     You believe that we should live by the Bill of Rights and not the
           ten planks of the communist manifesto.
     
I'm looking for about 60 million red blooded America patriots who bleed red, white and blue when they're cut.  I don't care if you are a democrat, republican, tea party patriot, libertarian, green peace, independent, or any other political party; or, if you are one of III%, a member of the NRA, guns rights activists, active military or a part of a militia group (I know there at least 10,000 active militia out there who are as fed up as I).  If you are a fiscal conservative and you believe in truth, justice, apple pie and the American way; and you are as fed up as I, then please come stand with me in unity and solidarity.  And, let us fight the forces of evil and corruption together and take back our country. 

Next time, I'm going to cover History of The World Part I.

Until then, I am Eldee Charles Spratt (aka Jack - because of the nursery rhyme) "The" American Patriot.