Who can lead us, Constitutionally?

Let's take a look at the requirements that the people who wrote the U.S. Constitution set in place for future officeholders and representatives.

Section 2 - The House

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.

Section 3 - The Senate

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.

Article II - The Executive Branch

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.

After reading the above, It is pretty plain to see that one did not have to be "specially trained" in law or otherwise to be elected to representative office.

Yet, our politicians in office first arguments against opponents is as to whether they are "qualified" to take the position in question.

The forefather who wrote this did not intend for a separate class of people, uniquely qualified by ethnicity, income or education to be the sole legislators and office holders of this country.

We have allowed an elitist class of people to develop who do everything in the power to convince us that of their group alone should we select our leadership.

I suggest to you, my fellow Americans, that we stop following and become the leaders, each and every one of us.

Educate ourselves and our children on the Constitution.  Each of us take part in our communities by voting, participating in local government "town hall" meetings and otherwise.

The only thing keeping the "common" man from taking this country back is our own willingness to be mis-lead and shouted down by those who fear losing their protected status, so carefully crafted over years of indoctrination and rhetoric.

We who run family and small businesses successfully.  We understand our rights and the U.S. Constitution.  We have learned from history so that we do not repeat the mistakes that were made and to continue the success achieved.

From our humble ranks can the leaders of this country ascend as independents.

As a person who thinks for them-self, speaks for their community and votes for everyone.

I believe in you, American farmer, grocer, baker, firefighter, construction worker and so on.  Success isn't necessarily measured in the accumulation of dollars.  it is evidenced by the conditions of the people around us that we step up for.  The people we take under our wing.  Our children and neighbors and co-workers alike.  How do they fare on our watch?

If they fare well, then that is success. 

Please everyday American, don't be tricked into thinking that money and high status are the qualifications that are required to be the President or a Congress person.

We can take back our country from those who would hijack it away from us.It takes courage, persistence and a sense of purpose. 

WE can do it.

Independents - Constitutionally Educated and Armed to lead

What the U.S. does not need now is more sheep-like followers and party hacks, blindly calling for the end of rule of the opposite party only so that their chosen idol can take office and pretty much do the same thing as the last person in the name of the party platform.

What we do need is for independent individuals to become educated on constitutional law and government.  People who think for themselves, speak for their community and vote for us all.

Political parties have polarized the population into an "Us vs Them" mentality.  Trying desperately to convince the non-sheep followers that their person will be different from the other parties person. 

When in truth, all either party is doing is trying to pull America toward their party's platform and agenda.  All the while, no real change is affected because that would blow apart the cozy back room deals and corporate support that keeps the millions rolling into campaign treasuries.

No friends and neighbors.  don't let yourself be lulled into thinking that "their" way is the  right way.  for hundreds of years now, the two party system has only become increasingly corrupt and abusive of the people they usurp their authority from.

See the "man behind the curtain" for who he really is.  Realize we as a country are being played for fools every time we fall into step with one or the other of these political machines that have lead our country astray.

Only when we as independent individuals know the Constitution and our rights for ourselves will we ever truly be in control of our government.

The parties have lied to us, deceived us, played us for fools at every turn.

The scandals both parties have mirror each other and grow in scope and depravity each year. Yet they would still have us believe that one of them is "good" and the other is so different, so "bad".  The truth is, neither of them are good.  They are only mirror opposites of each other, yet ultimately, the same thing.

Corrupt.

Respect the office, watch the office holder like a hawk

I am sooo tired of this faux blind patriotism that partisan drones push on thinking people.

They tell us that in order to really "respect" the office of the president, Congress, supreme court, etc.. that we should stand behind anything and everything they do.

No friends, don't question them or their work because to do so is, gasp ...un-American.

It is our obligation, nay, our duty, to question the actions and behaviors of those people we place into government office by election or appointment as well as everyone those offices employ.

I have said it before and I mean it with utmost sincerity.  Our government and our Constitution are ideals.  These are the ways we want to be as Americans.

We as Americans strive to put our best foot forward, or at least we used to.  That's what our Constitution is all about, not just settling for what we already are, but we know and expect ourselves and others to be.

The office of the President of the United States, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate and our Supreme Court judges as well as every person employed by those offices are expected to be exemplary of those ideals.  to conduct themselves like statesmen.

When we see that these people holding these offices are not conducting themselves in such a manner, when they are abusing the authority and responsibility entrusted to them, we have to call them on it.

They don't get a free pass on bad behavior and compromised ethics just because they won an election or succeeded in appointment.  On the contrary, they are held to even higher scrutiny to see if they will uphold that office and position in the manner the American people expect that office to be carried out as.

The office is more than the individual.  The office is a representation of expectations and ideals of a nation at large.  An individual is imperfect, we know that, but being imperfect is no excuse nor does is it give permission to not make every effort to keep trying one's best to perform up to those expectations.

Our representatives fail us because we have come to expect and tolerate such failure. Instead we should expect, nay demand, as a citizenry in common, that they perform at those idealistic and expected levels.

"No more!" we say, from this moment on.  No more apathy, no more disinterest.  We insist that our representatives do just that, represent, those ideals and values that we have placed in our Constitution, in our representative government and in those offices meant to portray the best our society has to offer.

Religion and Government.

One of the hot button topics we all hear is the so called "separation of church and state".

While I agree one hundred percent that the government has no business at all telling people what religious or spiritual pursuits they should or should not follow,  I am annoyed by the extremes some people try to take this discussion.

First of all,  I agree with the notion of "freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion". 

Whether we like it or not, whether we agree with it or not, the reality is that most of the people in the United States of America are some sort of christian.  They have the large majority and that does count for a lot.

One of the greatest things introduced into our Constitution and governmental mind in general is that we do not let the majority run roughshod over the minorities. 

Supposedly, we are supposed to say "Whoa, hey there big guy.  You may have the most votes here, but that doesn't mean you can just do anything you want."

It's good to protect minorities.  What is a minority in this context?  That would be a group of citizens who are not among the larger recognized group of citizens.

That could mean racial minorities.  Like if the population of the United States is 20 million caucasian people and 5 million native americans, the native americans represent fewer votes totally so are considered a minority.

It could mean that 40 million people here are christians and 10 million are other, not christian participants.  Now we have a religious minority.

I expect a lot more things to go the way of the majority of people.  It's the American way.  Majority vote wins.

The thing I count on the Constitution for is that when all the christians want to vote for something along their beliefs, They can't really enforce it on non-christians if it will force a change of religion.

For example, if all the christians organized and wanted to make a law that everyone must attend church on the weekend.  Sorry, can't do that.  The Constitution says they can't force me to do something religious if it conflicts with my own religious beliefs.  if  I don't believe in churches or have a need for them, well, nice try christians, but, not gonna happen.

Does that mean if all the christians want to let everyone have a holiday for a day that has religious meaning to them that I should automatically oppose it? 

Well,  I have to ask myself, am I being forced to observe their religious activity?  No, then what do I care?  Do I have to close my store down to observe their religious day?  No I don't.  Will I get a lot of customers that day?  Probably not, but that's what one expects living somewhere you are outnumbered by christians.

What about Christmas though, isn't that a christian holiday that the government takes  off?  Yes it is, BUT, Christmas has also become a social holiday.  A day that for those not christian, has come to share a lot of the same values.  Regardless of religion, very few people disagree with the idea of peace and goodwill to all and stopping to think of others for just one day. 

I am not a christian.  As long as the Constitution continues to protect me from being forced to do things christian or mandating I become a christian, or are wasting my tax dollars for something specifically doing those things,  I have to live with  and accept the fact that I am in the minority here and be truly glad that our government keeps me from being run flat by the majority

A new "kickstart"

While the previous posts written under the heading of "American-ated" are things I wanted to share with everyone,  I felt that it limited me in scope to other issues than the "independent" mentality and lifestyle in America.

So, to better express those ideas and notions, we have taken on (I say we because I am expecting to include some new contributors here shortly who share the same passion for being an independent person in America) a new title and expanded beyond politics only posts.

What does it mean to be American and Independent?   I like to say that
an independent is someone who thinks for themself, speaks for their community and votes for all of us.

Obviously, that very directly relates to the electoral process and politics. 


Beyond that though, being an independent means that you don't need, want or expect everyone else to do for you that which you can do for yourself.


You don't want a "nanny" government, be it local, state or federal.  The government should not be in the business of removing incentive and making people participate in bureaucratic hamster wheels in order to be productive and capable citizens.

You don't want corporations trying to sell you tools that you can only get the tool, the repair, the parts, the support, from one place.  This is called "vendor lock-in" and serves to make consumers utterly dependent on the vendor, manufacturer or service provider who is limiting access in this manner.
doesn't need or want to be coerced or forced into corners, don't want to walk a party line and do not 


An American who is independent doesn't need or want to be coerced or forced into corners, doesn't want to walk a party line and does not want to play juvenile games with matters of importance. 

We want open and free markets.  We believe in open and fair competition, not eliminating competition in the courtrooms playing anti-competitive games with a broken and abused patent/copyright law system. 


We believe in open and free speech.  We don't endorse trying to silence others simply because we don't like what they are saying.  No one is forcing us to listen, and if they are, that's another issue and there will be consequences for that.


We believe in having choices available to us.  We don't need or want any one person's or groups approval.  They are free to do as they choose and we expect the same in return.


In short, American independents want to live our lives, the way we choose to live them.  Not the way some power hungry, controlling groups want us to.


Welcome to American and Independent.