Last week over at the legacy site there was an exercise into looking back at first posts as a member there. I took the opportunity to repost mine, from now a decade ago, with a little bit of modernized pre- and post- commentary. The following is that new posting in its entirety:

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED – Marking the event of Obama’s second inaugural and the easing of the (then) fully decayed carcass of “compassionate conservativism” into the era of finely tuned Failure Theater just over a decade ago, here is my first: 

As we now approach the public consummation of The Great American Mistake, Mr. Carter has most appropriately anticipated the continued mockery of legacy Americanism as “an utterly meaningless oath is taken and empty platitudes bounce off sacred monuments, profaning the people those monuments honor and abusing the ears and minds of free men…” and I cannot do better than that.  I will, however, point out that there are five hundred and forty four other oaths in this three headed behemoth and majorities within them…specifically through putrid leadership…have insisted on doing violence to the liberties of “free men” in concert with the now second term chief executive.  I can think of no better way to honor most of these “others”…others that do not lawfully pass budgets, that do not read the legislation they vote on, and that rarely succeed in producing actual legislative language appropriate for proper debate and enactment…than to reproduce the following rousing endorsement of the “Obamacare” legislation from a great conservative Republican:

“Now, when a bill has been discussed for weeks and months and even years, in the press and on the platform, in Congress and out of Congress; when it has been calmly debated by the clearest heads and the most skillful and learned lawyers in the land; when every argument against it has been over and over again carefully considered and fairly answered; when its constitutionality has been especially discussed, pro and con; when it has passed the United States House of Representatives and has been solemnly enacted by the United States Senate (perhaps the most imposing legislative body in the world); when such a bill has been submitted to the cabinet of the nation, composed of the ablest men in the land; when it has passed under the scrutinizing eye of the Attorney-General of the United States; when the Executive of the Nation has given to it his name and formal approval; when it has taken its place upon the statute-book and [the signing President has gained popular re-election], and the country has largely assented to it, you will agree with me that the reasons for declaring such a law unconstitutional and void should be strong, irresistible, and absolutely conclusive.”

“Inasmuch as the law in question is a law in favor of liberty and justice, it ought to have had the benefit of any doubt which could arise as to its strict constitutionality.”

Of course, by now you realize that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as foisted on the American people fails every meaningful qualifier in that first paragraph.  (And surely that sarcastic poke regarding “the most imposing legislative body in the world” is an unnecessary jab at respectable banana republics around the globe.  More seriously though, the names involved in that sham…Reid, Nelson, Landrieu, Snowe, etc…must be remembered and properly scorned by history.)  Even a Chief Justice should recognize – absent, of course, the progressively mandated specifier “social” before “justice” – that the entire last sentence should be rightfully turned on its head.  Yes, the proper call was clearly “unconstitutional”!

As many of you probably already know, the passage above is actually Mr. Frederick Douglass (The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, page 398). Such clarity makes the author one of my favorites…not to mention he’s “a Grant man” but we’ll touch on that more in the future.  (For the record, my one bracketed edit replaced the phrase “has remained there for nearly a decade”…that just didn’t fit in the current scenario, yet.)  In this case he was arguing in the other direction – against the court’s actions in declaring the Civil Rights Law of 1875 unconstitutional – but I think he clearly illustrates the illegitimacy of this modern legislative embarrassment and decimates the job performance of Mr. Obama, Mr. Reid, Ms. Pelosi and the whole rotten process…not to mention, sadly, Mr. Roberts…from more than a century ago. 

It amazes me how Mr. Douglass’ thoughts can be so fundamentally simple yet the logic is somehow completely lost within our Ruling Class Beltway.

I’m new here and, yes, I suppose I’m a little different.  I’ve lurked for quite some time and now look forward to…hopefully…a long, friendly stay in your neighborhood.  Thanks.

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I dare say it holds up very well and I stand by every syllable. Upon reviewing this important piece of my own history, I am comfortable in the fact that I remain solidly anchored while so much in my country (and in this neighborhood alike) have proven to be anything but. Prove me wrong!

PS: The old comments and commenters really are a walk down memory lane. Also, sorry for the stand alone post on this great topic but, since I do not participate in comment section activities here at this time, it was necessary. 

PPS: I do not know why the Dave Carter quote in the first paragraph is not properly linked. If I can find it I will fix this embarrassing decade old error.