Comments on: Bob Barr starts petition to stop the Bill of Rights blackout

By: G.E.

G.E. — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:00:07 +0000

Okay, I’m being hyperbolic.

But the lingering effects of the Bill of Right are

1. The belief among 99.9% of Americans (including the vast, vast majority of libertarians and majority of so-called “constitutionalists”) that the federal government, created as an agent of the states, should “defend” the “rights” of individuals — as defined by the Supreme Court — by using military force against the states.

2. That what “defends” our right to keep and bear arms, for instance, is the 2nd amendment — NOT the fact that the government is nowhere else empowered to infringe upon it.

I think the anti-federalists made a mistake in demanding a Bill of Rights which was inherent in the Constitution anyway. What’s more, by demanding the redundant BOR, they gave their consent to the Madison/Washington/Hamilton coup that spelled the ultimate destruction of freedom with or without the BOR.

By: Trent Hill

Trent Hill — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:30:55 +0000

“The Bill of Rights was absolutely meaningless when it was created, as it was understood then that the federal government (the only entity limited by the Constitution) was not empowered to do anything other than those few things strictly enumerated.”

The Bill of Rights was created at the insistence of the anti-federalists, so obviously the anti-federalists feared that one day that “understanding” would be lost. Good for them, their foresight has saved a tiny fraction of our liberties.

By: Morgan Wick

Morgan Wick — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:26:42 +0000

And the transition away from that “understanding” was started by… Alexander Hamilton, virtually the instant the new government was kicked into action.

By: darolew

darolew — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:01:39 +0000

The Bill of Rights was created at the insistence of the anti-federalists, to ensure the government was explicitly forbidden from attacking fundamental freedoms. You might accuse it of being redundant or causing misunderstandings, but one can only imagine the tyranny we would have to deal with had it not existed.

By: G.E.

G.E. — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:36:14 +0000

The Bill of Rights was absolutely meaningless when it was created, as it was understood then that the federal government (the only entity limited by the Constitution) was not empowered to do anything other than those few things strictly enumerated.

The Bill of Rights is a heinous document that has led to the misperception — even by “libertarians” — that the federal government has the “right” to bully the states, and worse yet, that the federal government can do ANYTHING not prohibited by an amendment.