Rachel Maddow Doesn't Know The U.S. Constitution Has A Preamble

Progressives are funny when they pretend they know something about our Founding Documents.

The segment was pre-recorded...so evidently her crew and the people at MSNBC are just as stupid as she is about the US Constitution...

Read more about this incident at The BlogProf.

And here is a copy of the US Constitution for our ignorant progressive friends:



[Constitution for the United States of America]


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 defence, 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.

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.
Section. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof [Modified by Amendment XVII], for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies [Modified by Amendment XVII].
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Section. 4. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December [Modified by Amendment XX], unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Section. 5. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.
Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.
Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.
Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
Section. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.
Section. 7. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States;^[2]If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section. 8. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence andgeneral Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; — And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section. 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.
The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Section. 10. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws; and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States;and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

Article. II.

Section. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President [Modified by Amendment XII].
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected [Modified by Amendment XXV].
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: — "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Section. 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.
Section. 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article. III.

Section. 1. The judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section. 2. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; — to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; — to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; — to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; — to Controversies between two or more States; — between a State and Citizens of another State [Modified by Amendment XI]; — between Citizens of different States; — between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

Article. IV.

Section. 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.
Section. 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due [Modified by Amendment XIII].
Section. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Section. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.

Article. V.

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate [Possibly abrogated by Amendment XVII].

Article. VI.

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Article. VII.

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.
The Word, "the," being interlined between the seventh and eighth Lines of the first Page, The Word "Thirty" being partly written on an Erazure in the fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words "is tried" being interlined between the thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first Page and the Word "the" being interlined between the forty third and forty fourth Lines of the second Page.
Attest William Jackson
Secretary
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
Go. WASHINGTON — Presidt.
and deputy from Virginia

New Hampshire {

JOHN LANGDON NICHOLAS GILMAN

Massachusetts {

NATHANIEL GORHAM RUFUS KING

Connecticut {

WM. SAML. JOHNSON ROGER SHERMAN

New York . . . .

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

New Jersey {

WIL: LIVINGSTON DAVID BREARLEY. WM. PATERSON. JONA: DAYTON

Pennsylvania {

B FRANKLIN THOMAS MIFFLIN ROBT MORRIS GEO. CLYMER THOS. FITZ SIMONS JARED INGERSOLL JAMES WILSON GOUV MORRIS

Delaware {

GEO: READ GUNNING BEDFORD jun JOHN DICKINSON RICHARD BASSETT JACO: BROOM

Maryland {

JAMES MCHENRY DAN OF ST THOS. JENIFER DANL CARROLL

Virginia {

JOHN BLAIR JAMES MADISON jr

North Carolina {

WM. BLOUNT RICHD. DOBBS SPAIGHT HU WILLIAMSON

South Carolina {

J. RUTLEDGE CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY CHARLES PINCKNEY PIERCE BUTLER

Georgia {

WILLIAM FEW ABR BALDWIN

In Convention Monday, September 17th, 1787.
Present
The States of
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, MR. Hamilton from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Resolved,
That the preceeding Constitution be laid before the United States in Congress assembled, and that it is the Opinion of this Convention, that it should afterwards be submitted to a Convention of Delegates, chosen in each State by the People thereof, under the Recommendation of its Legislature, for their Assent and Ratification; and that each Convention assenting to, and ratifying the Same, should give Notice thereof to the United States in Congress assembled. Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Convention, that as soon as the Conventions of nine States shall have ratified this Constitution, the United States in Congress assembled should fix a Day on which Electors should be appointed by the States which have ratified the same, and a Day on which the Electors should assemble to vote for the President, and the Time and Place for commencing Proceedings under this Constitution. That after such Publication the Electors should be appointed, and the Senators and Representatives elected: That the Electors should meet on the Day fixed for the Election of the President, and should transmit their Votes certified, signed, sealed and directed, as the Constitution requires, to the Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled, that the Senators and Representatives should convene at the Time and Place assigned; that the Senators should appoint a President of the Senate, for the sole purpose of receiving, opening and counting the Votes for President; and, that after he shall be chosen, the Congress, together with the President, should, without Delay, proceed to execute this Constitution.
By the Unanimous Order of the Convention
Go. WASHINGTON — Presidt.
W. JACKSON Secretary.

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Americans are Free Men and Women. We Bow to No One.

Source: Miss Manners

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Congressman Shuler at WCU Full Event

Congressman Heath Shuler spoke to Students, Faculty and Staff at Western Carolina University yesterday and I broadcast it live in the Internet. I also recorded it, and here is a YouTube playlist of the event.








I've noticed that Congressman Shuler has been making the rounds, giving interviews to friendly media-types and showing up at events which promise to be overwhelmingly attended by members of his own party...or giving private audiences to groups that have to send representatives to discuss issues with him...and forbidding them to record the event for sharing with the voters. This is an elitist Power-Brokering Maneuver that manages to put one more layer between him and the voters, and gives special access to the Congressman that others do not have.


He has managed to insulate himself quite well from Republicans and conservatives. It is too bad that some right-leaning groups have given him a free pass on that...allowing him to claim that he has met with everyone.

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Watch Congressman Shuler Address WCU Students Live at 2pm Today

Congressman Heath Shuler will be addressing students and faculty at Western Carolina University this afternoon at 2pm. I'll have a live-stream of it here, and will be tweeting on it using the #nc11news hastag on twitter.

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Macon County 2009 Veterans Day Parade in Franklin, NC

Here is the Veterans day parade and the first two parts of the activities that took place after at the Town Gazebo, I'll try to have the rest up tomorrow.





Veterans Day Parade





Part One











Part Two


I'll be at an event that will be featuring Congressman Heath Shuler this afternoon, and I'll be recording that, and may broadcast it live around 2 pm today from Western Carolina University...so stand by, or follow me on Twitter  at @ThunderPig for more updates. (If I broadcast, I'll tweet about it a few minutes beforehand).

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A Veterans Day Tribute: Men of Steel in Bamboo Cages

View on ExposureRoom

As of 2005, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs, just slightly over 26,000 ex-POWs from World War II were living and, tragically, that number continues to decline. Still, there are lots of great guys out there with great stories. American Prisoners of War: Men of Steel in Cages of Bamboo and Iron shows you these strongly emotional and inspirational glimpses into sacrifice for country and outstanding patriotism.

Producer Ralph Roberts has written almost 100 books for national publishers and, as a publisher, produced a
1,000 more titles in the last 30 years.

This program was filmed by Ralph Roberts a local author, publisher and videographer in the Asheville area. He also has a video production company called 1 Video Productions.

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Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!!! Protecting Since November 10, 1775

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference...the Marines don't have that problem."

- President Ronald Reagan, 1985







Commercial featuring US Marines returning home










On November 10, 1775, the United States Marine Corps was born under the name Continental Marines in Tun Tavern.


They have been protecting America ever since. They've helped liberate other peoples from tyranny and oppression. They are often the first sent in harm's way.


There is nothing that we can do that will ever repay these brave souls. Not one thing, ever. All we can do is let them know that we are appreciative and that we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.


You can read about where the Marines have gone, what deeds they have done at the Marine Corps History Division website.


As for me, I've posted some videos below regarding that most curiously heroic force known as the United States Marine Corps...





The Few. The Proud. The Marines.









On My Watch Tonight









Honoring Marines past, present, and future












Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Birthday Message 
from Commanding Officer


11/10/2009 By Colonel Richard P. Flatau, Jr., Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune


As we celebrate the 234th anniversary of the founding of our Corps, take pride in your contributions to our great nation, our great Corps and our great base. It is teamwork and each Marine's commitment to the team that is the strength of our Corps. So it is, too, for this iconic base of Marines, this home of expeditionary forces in readiness.


The Corps' strength has been consecrated in sacrifice and tested in battles over the years. Although always resilient in strength, the Marine Corps has continuously adapted and evolved, often through extraordinary innovation. Through it all, a renowned, revered legacy of excellence in battle and in all endeavors has amassed. Camp Lejeune shares in that legacy.


Though the means of war and training for it have changed over the years, the fundamental nature of war and of Marines has not. In the short 68 years that the base has existed much has changed; yet, the Corps' and the base's defining characteristics of commitment, sacrifice for one another, unrelenting excellence, and courage have remained timeless. Today those characteristics flourish here aboard Camp Lejeune, reflected by operational forces Marines preparing for or resetting after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, or forward presence operations elsewhere around the globe, and reflected by the Marines of the base providing vital support.


As you gather in high-spirited camaraderie to celebrate our Corps' 234th anniversary, I commend to you: honor the generations of Marines preceding us in war and in relative peace without whose sacrifices we would not have our great legacy; remember your fellow Marines deployed around the globe and their families; and, strive to exemplify our motto, Semper Fidelis, by being Always Faithful to each other, to our Corps, and to our country.


Happy birthday Marines. Col Flatau sends.

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A Look Back: 2008 Veterans Day Program in Franklin, NC

I'm looking forward to the Veterans Day Parade in Franklin on Wednesday. I've been thinking about different ways I can cover the event on Wednesday, and here is an hour long video I made of last year's event, followed by a shorter highlight reel that is only ten minutes...






















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Remember the 8th of November

At about 0600 on the morning of 8 November C Company began a move northwest toward Hill 65, while B Company moved northeast toward Hill 78. Shortly before 0800, C Company was engaged by a sizable enemy force well dug in to the southern face of Hill 65. At 0845, B Company was directed to wheel in place and proceed toward Hill 65 with the intention of relieving C Company.

B Company reached the foot of Hill 65 at about 0930 and moved up the hill. It became obvious that there was a large enemy force in place on the hill, C Company was getting hammered, and by chance, B Company was forcing the enemy's right flank.

Under pressure from B Company's flanking attack the enemy force—most of a People's Liberation Armed Forces (Viet Cong) regiment—moved to the northwest, whereupon the B Company commander called in air and artillery fire on the retreating troops. B Company halted in place in an effort to locate and consolidate with C Company's platoons, managing to establish a coherent defensive line running around the hilltop from southeast to northwest, but with little cover on the southern side.

Meanwhile, the PLAF commander realized that his best chance was to close with the US forces so that the 173rd's air and artillery fire could not be effectively employed. PLAF troops attempted to out-flank the US position atop the hill from both the east and the southwest, moving his troops closer to the Americans. The result was shoulder-to-shoulder attacks up the hillside, hand-to-hand fighting, and isolation of parts of B and C Companies but the Americans held against two such attacks. Although the fighting continued after the second massed attack, it reduced in intensity as the PLAF troops again attempted to disengage and withdraw. By late afternoon it seemed that contact had been broken off, allowing the two companies to prepare a night defensive position while collecting their dead and wounded in the center of the position. Although a few of the most seriously wounded were extracted by USAF helicopters using Stokes litters, the triple-canopy jungle prevented the majority from being evacuated until the morning of 9 November.

The result of the battle was heavy losses on both sides—48 Paratroopers dead, many more wounded, and 403 dead PLAF troops.

Operation Hump is memorialized in a song by Big and Rich named 8th of November (Introduction, by Kris Kristofferson):

“

On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. 48 American soldiers lost their lives that day. Severely wounded and risking his own life, Lawrence Joel, a medic, was the first living black man since the Spanish-American War to receive the United States Medal of Honor for saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day. Our friend, Niles Harris, retired 25 years United States Army, the guy who gave Big Kenny his top hat, was one of the wounded who lived. This song is his story. Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for a friend.

Read an account of the battle from John Holland.


Here is the official account of Lawrence Joel's Medal of Honor citation:





Rank and organization: Specialist Sixth Class (then Sp5c), U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 November 1965, Entered service at: New York City, N.Y. G.O. No.: 15, 5 April 1967. Born: 22 February 1928, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 


Citation:


For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp6c. Joel demonstrated indomitable courage, determination, and professional skill when a numerically superior and well-concealed Viet Cong element launched a vicious attack which wounded or killed nearly every man in the lead squad of the company. After treating the men wounded by the initial burst of gunfire, he bravely moved forward to assist others who were wounded while proceeding to their objective. While moving from man to man, he was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire. Although painfully wounded his desire to aid his fellow soldiers transcended all personal feeling. He bandaged his own wound and self-administered morphine to deaden the pain enabling him to continue his dangerous undertaking. Through this period of time, he constantly shouted words of encouragement to all around him. Then, completely ignoring the warnings of others, and his pain, he continued his search for wounded, exposing himself to hostile fire; and, as bullets dug up the dirt around him, he held plasma bottles high while kneeling completely engrossed in his life saving mission. Then, after being struck a second time and with a bullet lodged in his thigh, he dragged himself over the battlefield and succeeded in treating 13 more men before his medical supplies ran out. Displaying resourcefulness, he saved the life of one man by placing a plastic bag over a severe chest wound to congeal the blood. As 1 of the platoons pursued the Viet Cong, an insurgent force in concealed positions opened fire on the platoon and wounded many more soldiers. With a new stock of medical supplies, Sp6c. Joel again shouted words of encouragement as he crawled through an intense hail of gunfire to the wounded men. After the 24 hour battle subsided and the Viet Cong dead numbered 410, snipers continued to harass the company. Throughout the long battle, Sp6c. Joel never lost sight of his mission as a medical aidman and continued to comfort and treat the wounded until his own evacuation was ordered. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. Sp6c. Joel's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.   

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Health Care Bill HR3962 Passes Vote: 220-215 NC-11 Congressman Shuler Votes No

The Democrats have just energized the Republican base more than any Republican could have tonight.


Here is how the votes stacked up:




39 Democrats voted No, and only 1 Republican, Joseph Cao of Louisiana's 2nd District voted Yes.


Here is how the North Carolina Delegation voted: (Democrats in bold)


Voting YES


Butterfield, Etheridge, Miller, Price, Watt


Voting NO


Coble, Foxx, Jones, Kissell, McHenry, McIntyre, Myrick, Shuler


Here is the full list: (Republicans in italics)


Voting YES

Abercrombie Ackerman Andrews Arcuri Baca Baldwin Bean Becerra Berkley Berman Berry Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Blumenauer Boswell Brady (PA) Braley (IA) Brown, Corrine Butterfield Cao Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Castor (FL) Chu Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Cohen Connolly (VA) Conyers Cooper Costa Costello Courtney Crowley Cuellar Cummings Dahlkemper Davis (CA) Davis (IL) DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro Dicks Dingell Doggett Donnelly (IN) Doyle Driehaus Edwards (MD) Ellison Ellsworth Engel Eshoo Etheridge Farr Fattah Filner Foster Frank (MA) Fudge Garamendi Giffords Gonzalez Grayson Green, Al Green, Gene Grijalva

Gutierrez Hall (NY) Halvorson Hare Harman Hastings (FL) Heinrich Higgins Hill Himes Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hodes Holt Honda Hoyer Inslee Israel Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Johnson (GA) Johnson, E. B. Kagen Kanjorski Kaptur Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick (MI) Kilroy Kind Kirkpatrick (AZ) Klein (FL) Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lee (CA) Levin Lewis (GA) Lipinski Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Luján Lynch Maffei Maloney Markey (MA) Matsui McCarthy (NY) McCollum McDermott McGovern McNerney Meek (FL) Meeks (NY) Michaud Miller (NC) Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy, Patrick Murtha Nadler (NY) Napolitano Neal (MA) Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz

Owens Pallone Pascrell Pastor (AZ) Payne Pelosi Perlmutter Perriello Peters Pingree (ME) Polis (CO) Pomeroy Price (NC) Quigley Rahall Rangel Reyes Richardson Rodriguez Rothman (NJ) Roybal-Allard Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Salazar Sánchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Schakowsky Schauer Schiff Schrader Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Serrano Sestak Shea-Porter Sherman Sires Slaughter Smith (WA) Snyder Space Speier Spratt Stark Stupak Sutton Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Tierney Titus Tonko Towns Tsongas Van Hollen Velázquez Visclosky Walz Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch Wexler Wilson (OH) Woolsey Wu Yarmuth

Voting NO

Aderholt Adler (NJ) Akin Alexander Altmire Austria Bachmann Bachus Baird Barrett (SC) Barrow Bartlett Barton (TX) Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (UT) Blackburn Blunt Boccieri Boehner Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Boren Boucher Boustany Boyd Brady (TX) Bright Broun (GA) Brown (SC) Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Buyer Calvert Camp Campbell Cantor Capito Carter Cassidy Castle Chaffetz Chandler Childers Coble Coffman (CO) Cole Conaway Crenshaw Culberson Davis (AL) Davis (KY) Davis (TN) Deal (GA) Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Dreier Duncan Edwards (TX) Ehlers Emerson Fallin Flake Fleming Forbes Fortenberry Foxx

Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Gingrey (GA) Gohmert Goodlatte Gordon (TN) Granger Graves Griffith Guthrie Hall (TX) Harper Hastings (WA) Heller Hensarling Herger Herseth Sandlin Hoekstra Holden Hunter Inglis Issa Jenkins Johnson (IL) Johnson, Sam Jones Jordan (OH) King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirk Kissell Kline (MN) Kosmas Kratovil Kucinich Lamborn Lance Latham LaTourette Latta Lee (NY) Lewis (CA) Linder LoBiondo Lucas Luetkemeyer Lummis Lungren, Daniel E. Mack Manzullo Marchant Markey (CO) Marshall Massa Matheson McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McCotter McHenry McIntyre McKeon McMahon McMorris Rodgers Melancon Mica Miller (FL) Miller (MI)

Miller, Gary Minnick Moran (KS) Murphy (NY) Murphy, Tim Myrick Neugebauer Nunes Nye Olson Paul Paulsen Pence Peterson Petri Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Posey Price (GA) Putnam Radanovich Rehberg Reichert Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross Royce Ryan (WI) Scalise Schmidt Schock Sensenbrenner Sessions Shadegg Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Skelton Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Souder Stearns Sullivan Tanner Taylor Teague Terry Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Turner Upton Walden Wamp Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Young (AK) Young (FL)

The 2010 Election Campaign starts NOW. 


See your local party chairman sometime on Monday to see where you can help....

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Watch the US House of Representatives Debate Health Care Live

**11.09pm** The bill has passed 220-215. Read more by clicking here.



   







For those of you who cannot watch on TV live, but have a broadband Internet connection, you can watch it here today:






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The Blatant and Utter Hypocrisy of the Media And They Wonder Why We Don't Trust Them?

7 November 2009: Consider this:  the murderous actions of Nidal Malik HASAN at Ft. Hood on Thursday resulted in more deaths and injuries in that single attack than in 15 years of violence at abortion clinics in the U.S. and Canada. Two days after the bloodbath at Ft. Hood, government officials from the President to local politicians, the media, their pundits and other experts are publicly cautioning against linking any religious or ideological motives to the actions of Nidal Malik HASAN.

Immediately after the murder of Dr. George Tiller, a noted abortionist at a women’s clinic in Wichita, Kansas on May 31, 2009 and the subsequent arrest of “anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder,” however, the motives behind the killing of Dr. Tiller were never questioned. Those same politicians and pundits who are currently urging the public not to jump to the conclusion that HASAN’s motives were religious and ideological in nature are the same who immediately concluded that the murder of Dr. Tiller was a result of an anti-abortion extremist. 

The blatant hypocrisy does not end there.

Source: Northeast Network Intelligence






Commentary


How many times must Americans be slaughtered by Muslims who have suddenly decided to wage a personal jihad? 


How long will the Media continue to act as accomplices after the fact?


How long before the people of America finally call shenanigans?


Read more about Media Bias in this case at the Media Research Center.


Also check out Sudden Jihad Syndrome at Front Page Magazine.

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Asheville 2009 Municipal Election Results and Commentary

Yesterday was an off year Municipal Election across most of the country, and here are the results of a few of the races I tracked in Buncombe County.


All data for this post was culled from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.


Here are the details of the races available as of 5.57 am this morning:






Asheville Mayor


78.75 %  9,543  Incumbent Terry Bellamy 
20.06%   2,431  Robert Edwards


City Council (Top 3 Are Seated)


19.24%   6,567  Esther Mannheimer
18.46%   6,301  Gordon Smith 
17.28%   5,899  Cecil Bothwell
_________________________
13.91%   4,749  Incumbent Carl Mumpower
13.53%   4,620  Write-In (most are probably for Incumbent Robin Cape)
10.18%   3,476  J. Neal Jackson
07.40%   2,525  Ryan Croft


There is no data on the state website that breaks down voter turnout by municipality, just an overall figure for all of them, so take that in mind when you look at the following figures...


17,199 ballots were cast out of 88,229 registered voters for a turnout of 19.49%. 


According to latest statistics available on the Buncombe County website, there are (as of 10-15-09) there are 64,235 registered voters in Asheville. 32,993 are Democrats, 19,127 are Unaffiliated, and 12,012 are Republican. 


Commentary


During this election cycle, the "conservative" candidates took a pledge not to raise more than $3,000 in their campaign. In fact, Carl Mumpower did not actively seek re-election by organizing a campaign effort. He attended what forums he was invited to and sent missives via email stating his positions. As far as I can tell, the other conservatives took their lead from him.


That is no way to serve the people, or to protect their interests.


I hope that, in the future, conservative candidates will run for office in Asheville with the concept firmly implanted in their skulls that they must organize a campaign that raises money, gets their message out, and gets people excited enough to volunteer for the campaign and build a real network that can feed the campaign money, more volunteers, and an effective Get out the Vote effort for early voting and on election day. 


If they want to see how to effectively do that, they can look no further than the campaigns of the three people who will be sitting in the Asheville City Council Chambers soon. I was particularly impressed with the organization that Gordon Smith and his campaign created.


I would like to thank Carl Mumpower for his years of service to Asheville during his time on the Asheville City Council. I hope he gets that rest he has been wanting.






Interesting Facts:


Gordon Smith had about 300 donors to his campaign, and Cecil Bothwell had about 550 donors and about 750 volunteers according to a video report on the WLOS website.

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Stuart Coleman Wins Appeal; Wiccans, Lefties, Progressives and Haters of Private Property in Asheville Gnash Their Teeth

The important parts of the ruling...

The Court of Appeals ruled that Pack's offer to the county called for Pack Square, not the land he gave, to be dedicated to public use forever.

Two 1901 deeds signed by Pack do include limitations on the use of the land. But the court ruled the limits in the first deed are overridden by another part of the document.

The second deed indicates the land should be used "forever ... for the site of a County Court House, County Offices" and related purposes. But the judges ruled that deed is irrelevant because Pack had already given up control over the land in the first deed.

The article:

RALEIGH — Land near Asheville's City Hall does not have to remain public, N.C. Court of Appeals judges ruled today, siding with developer Stewart Coleman.

The decision by a unanimous three-judge panel reverses a Buncombe County Superior Court judge's ruling that the county commissioners' sale of land to Coleman was invalid. The 2006 sale of the grassy spot dominated by a large magnolia tree, 

and Coleman's plan to build condominiums on it has drawn criticism since it became public.

Coleman last month withdrew his application for the condo building and is pushing ahead with plans for a restaurant and bar on part of the property.

Descendants of land donor George Willis Pack sued Coleman's company and the county, saying their ancestor intended the land to be used forever as a public space.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

Commentary


Today is a GOOD DAY for Private Property Rights and Freedom!!!


We must remain vigilant because there is no way that the Lefties and those that worship the Collective will accept the ruling of the appeals court.


Below is a picture of Wiccans in Asheville beneath the Magnolia Tree worshipping their Dark Lord, Satan...

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State Policy Network Annual Meeting Livestreaming November 2nd-4th

Can’t make the trip to Asheville next week for the State Policy Network 17th Annual Meeting? Then join us from the comfort of your computer on NewMediaTV.org for live streaming of key note speakers, policy sessions and technology training.


NewMediaTV.org is excited to announce that we will stream many sessions for the SPN Annual Meeting this year between November 2-4.


Monday, November 2


9:00am-9:30am Podcasting 101 with Cindy Cerquitella, Atlas Economic Research Foundation


9:45am-10:15am How to Plan Your Small Video Project with Pete Eyre, Motorhome Diaries


10:30am-11:15am WIKI 101 with Kristin McMurray, Sam Adams Alliance


11:15am-12:00pm Basic web management – what to do if you’re not a tech person with Michael Toguchi, eResources


12:00pm Previously recorded: Robert A. Levy, Chairman, Cato Institute


2:00pm-3:00pm About Solutions: A Roadmap to State Budget Reforms with Leonard Gilroy, Director of 
Government Reform, Reason Foundation


3:00pm-3:45pm Video Recording with Jason Talley, Motorhome Diaries


4:00pm-5:00pm Social Networking 101 with Adam Mueller, Motorhome Diaries




Check out New Media TV for the full schedule and more information. I've also placed a player on Conservative Thunder.


This is the first that I've heard of the State Policy Network, so this should be interesting.

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