The Guarantee Clause, The Electoral Count Act of 1887, The DNI Ratcliffe Report on Foreign Interference and VP Mike Pence


Posted originally on The Conservative tree house on December 28, 2020 by Sundance

Amid our national discussion and evidence of wide-spread mail-in ballot vote fraud; and considering the January 6th role of the Senate to certify the 2020 presidential election; and considering a report from Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, is forthcoming with previous assertions of “foreign interference”; and considering five states are sending dual sets of electors; there has been some discussion about “The Guarantee Clause” within the constitution and how it might uniquely apply to 2020.

Here’s the discussion as best I can explain it:

[Article IV – Sec.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.

The Guarantee Clause” – “At its core, the Guarantee Clause provides for majority rule. A republican government is one in which the people govern through elections. This is the constant refrain of the Federalist Papers. Alexander Hamilton, for example, put it this way in The Federalist No. 57: “The elective mode of obtaining rulers is the characteristic policy of republican government.” [citation]  “The Clause requires the United States to prevent any state from imposing rule by monarchy, dictatorship, aristocracy, or permanent military rule, even through majority vote. Instead, governing by electoral processes is constitutionally required.”

Additionally, The Electoral Count Act or the Electoral Count Act of 1887 is a US federal law stating procedures for the counting of electoral votes by Congress following a presidential election. It was enacted in the aftermath of the disputed 1876 presidential election between Rutherford B Hayes and Samuel J Tilden. In that election, several states submitted competing slates of electors and a divided Congress was unable to resolve the deadlock. [citation]

Essentially, the Electoral Count Act (1887) requires states to complete their certification of electors to congress by a certain date.  The conversation prior to the November 2020 election surrounded whether the COVID pandemic would interfere with the deadlines for state elector certification given the massive numbers of ‘mail-in’ ballots; and whether the counting of them would break through the deadlines imposed by the Act.

A combination of The Guarantee Clause (constitution) and the Electoral Count Act of 1887 (law), establishes the framework for some to argue a fraudulent 2020 election result can successfully be challenged during congressional certification on January 6, 2021.  Thus five state legislatures -under Republican control- have sent dual-sets of electors to congress: Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Let us be clear… There is little framework for this type of constitutional issue. This is  uncharted territory, and consequently there is no body of law or case study upon which to apply a historic reference.   However, that said, the issue of Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, producing a report about foreign election interference could be a fulcrum issue upon which “The Guarantee Clause” of the constitution may apply.

Here’s where it gets interesting….  The Guarantee Clause puts the jurisdiction in the hands of the political bodies, executive branch and legislative branch, to decide the merit of any state vulnerability in their election outcome.   There is little, if any, place for the judicial branch to play a role.

In Luther v. Borden (1849), the Supreme Court held questions involving the Guarantee Clause nonjusticiable, meaning that any remedy for a violation would lie with Congress or the President, not the federal judiciary. Nearly one hundred years later, the Court sweepingly declared that the guarantee of a republican form of government cannot be challenged in court. Colegrove v. Green (1946). (citation)

The federal government, not the state government, ultimately holds the responsibility to protect the entire United States from foreign interference within the Guarantee Clause. This would seem to apply to foreign election interference.  “[B]ecause protection against invasion or domestic violence is normally available only from Congress and the President, the structure of this section suggests that the political branches have at least the primary duty to carry out its obligations.”

If DNI Ratcliffe produces a report (prior to January 6th) that outlines foreign interference in the election; and if the argument can be made the states with the contested (dual sets) of electors were subjects/targets of that interference; then a foundation to nullify the electors from the contested states is laid in congress.

In this approach the electoral nullification argument would appear to rest on The Guarantee Clause; where the state election outcome was not valid – as it is not representative of a republican form of government, and the majority vote requirement was manipulated.

If this type of legislative challenge was to take place, there is little precedent for the judicial branch to be involved except to qualify what role The Guarantee Clause would/could play and to what extent the nullification arguments are constitutionally valid.

Again, this is all uncharted territory.  However, there are people claiming this process could work to keep President Trump in office.   The disqualification of the contested state electors under this argument would ultimately fall upon Vice President Mike Pence who is also President of the Senate and in charge of the January 6th electoral vote certification.

There is a lot of “if-this-then” etc within this framework, and all of it ultimately is predicated on congress challenging the election (still unknown); and VP Mike Pence then deciding which electors would be certified or nullified (long-shot); but that seems to be the argument some are making.

I wonder why DNI John Ratcliffe is taking so long to produce his report?

Last thought… I have absolutely no idea if this can work, I am just summarizing a set of theoretical arguments that appear to be surfacing.  Remember, we all want the best outcome for our nation and nerves are frayed…. let us be kind to each-other in fellowship.

“One nation, under GOD“…

.

Riding Off into the sunset


RePosted from GrrrGraphics.com DEC 27, 2020 AT 11:27 AM High Noon

I was very disappointed when Jeff Sessions recused himself, so naturally I was happy when Bill Barr replaced him as Attorney General.  John Durham was then appointed as special counsel. I expected to see some long-awaited justice meted out against those who attempted a coup against our lawfully-elected president.

I even penned a cartoon showing “Bull Durham” collaring all the evil-doers and they were all lined up and hanging on his long horns of justice.

It never happened. Barr and Durham cornered a low-level FBI man for doctoring an email. That was it. Brennan, Comey, Hillary, Obama, Clapper, Schiff, and many others skated. We now know that Barr was most likely protecting his Deep State colleagues. After all, he was a Bush man and a member of the Swamp. He underlined that fact when he refused to go after Hunter Biden. He knew about the laptop well in advance of the election. He did nothing.

Many of us were expecting a ‘High Noon” showdown. We instead got a letdown. Barr did not take action. Instead, he dragged his feet and ran out the clock before riding out early into the sunset.

What a sorry show.

—Ben Garrison

The Battle of Athens: Fighting Voter & Election Fraud


Re-Posted from the Canada Free Press By News on the Net —— Bio and ArchivesDecember 27, 2020

The Battle of Athens was an armed rebellion led by WWII veterans and citizens in Athens and Etowah, Tennessee, United States, against the tyrannical local government in August 1946.

There is nothing new about corruption in the Government!

COVID from a reader


Armstrong Economics Blog/Disease Re-Posted Dec 28, 2020 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Marty.

You are correct. People are afraid of others. They think they will die!
I have covid now. Positive on monday. Only mild cold symptoms: stuff nose, no taste or smell for 3 days. No fever, no chills, no body aches, no headache, no lung issues. I’m sure i’m nearly over it and can function easily. My taste and smell are almost back 100%. We live in a very different world now. very sad what they have done to people

DF

REPLY: Yes, my neighbors had it and she was pregnant. They were over it and walking the beach as normal. My cousin which was a front-line nurse got it. She too got over it with no issues. Others I have know got it has been the same outcome. The interview I did in Canada when the death toll from COVID was said to be almost 11,000 with more than 10,700 deaths in nursing homes, left the total death toll in Canada to be only 165 people. In Thailand, out of a population of 69 million, the death toll was 53.

This clearly seems to be politically intended to scare people to create political change. It will be interesting to see if a real account of history ever emerges.

Breaking the Bonds of Civilization


Armstrong Economics Blog/Civilization Re-Posted Dec 28, 2020 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: A real story in reference to masks and psychological damage.
My wife and I moved to a small town 140 miles west of Richmond, VA one year ago. Your real estate model, the changes in attitude in larger cities, and the allure of the mountains all were incorporated into the decision.
When you move to a new home, one thing you will need is light bulbs. So one Sunday after church, I went to a local big box, home improvement store to make my purchase. Finding the 40 feet section of light bulbs was easy to find since they were near the front door. Making the proper decision was not simple due to types, fittings, and various wattages. During my decision making, eleven individuals or couples passed my position. 9 of the 11 said, “Excuse me, pardon me, or gave a greeting.” I wasn’t in Richmond anymore. I was proud to be in a new area with a cordial population.
Now, 11 months later I find myself back at the home improvement store making purchases for a kitchen project. While I don’t have to linger in the light bulb area, I do have to travel to the store for various hardware items and wood. The friendly greetings or an inner aisle “excuse me” have become infrequent. Eye contact is almost rare. My new, small-town has changed immensely.
I could continue with thoughts on this issue or experiences with neighbors, but my main point has been made.
I am sure this isn’t just happening here and it will take a while to repair not only the economic damage but also the psychological damage too.
Best Regards,
SS

REPLY: So far here in Florida people seem to be still cordial, but we have concerts and we were allowed to even hold our World Economic Conference here which I doubt would have been allowed in any other state other than perhaps Texas. I think this is the difference. The masks and lockdowns are breaking the bonds of society. Civilization is formed by people coming together to work together which produces a synergy whereby the sum of the individuals is greater than remaining alone. This is what is being destroyed.

I have gotten emails from students who say they cannot learn remotely – it’s not the same. Others were in culinary school which cannot possibly be conducted remotely. So many other fields require group meetings. Other students were in fashion. They cannot put on a fashion show. Others were in school to become professional photographers. The same is taking place.

As a trader, there was always an indescribable bond that takes place in a trading room. Splitting people up and working from home also breaks that bond. I have friends who are investment bankers who worked in New York. One moved to Tampa because they no longer return to their offices.

The very core of civilization is the end of individualism/tribalism. As people came together, civilization was born. Courts were an integral part for they were there to resolve disputes in a “civilized” manner. The US Supreme Court acted totally illegally claiming discretion not to take the Texas case. They have condemned society to violence for without courts to rule impartially, civilization CANNOT exit. You will have the anti-Trump people claiming there was no evidence and the pro-Trump angry because the court refused to even listen to any evidence. Hence, they have defeated the very underlying principle of civilization. There is no longer a reason to even have the United States for it has been reduced to one group trying to oppress another.

This is what is being torn apart and I am not so sure this Triumvirate understands this goes way beyond any possibility of returning to normal. They have defeated the evil enemy Trump, the will his occupy Capitol Hill, they have become the enemy. The more they fragment society, the greater the violence with one group against another. This is how the financial capital of the world will migrate to China who will defeat these egotistical totalitarians.

After Promises from House and Senate, President Trump Signs COVID-19 Relief and Omnibus Spending Bill


Posted on December 27, 2020 by Sundance

Sunday night President Trump signs HR 133 the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill and Omnibus spending bill to fund government through September 2021.

According to released press reports, President Trump is signing the bill with rescission requests demanding that portions of the bill be struck from final implementation by the Senate. The President is redlining the bill and providing line-by-line instructions to congress on the provisions within the bill that need to be modified and removed.

The signing of the bill carries a statement from President Trump: ““As President, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child.”

The statement continues: “The senate will start the process for a vote that will increase checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts and investigation into voter fraud.”

Will the House and Senate support the rescission requests? 

You decide….

The bill, containing all the pork, already carried a large veto-proof majority by those in the House and Senate who loaded it up with their special interest spending.  I doubt a veto-proof bill will be modified by congress.

However, that veto-proof majority also made any veto effort by President Trump moot… so, considering the structure, the best he could do would be to take the rescission route and make the request.

UNITE, Now is The Time – If Not Now, When?


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree house on December 27, 2020 by Sundance

Now is the time to unite, resist and push back against the unilateral decrees of local and state officials who have weaponized COVID compliance to destroy our nation.  An impassioned plea directly into the heart of patriots from coast to coast.  ENOUGH!

If not now, WHEN?…

If WE THE PEOPLE demand freedom and stand together the control authority is useless.

Those who construct the systems of control need to weaponize fear. Fear of arrest; fear of losing a business; fear of losing liberty or financial security. Local, regional and state officials rely on fear. As soon as the people are no longer fearful, the control ends.

The overwhelming majority of dictates around COVID-19 mitigation are not laws. There was no debate; no input from representative government; and no option for the public to weigh-in on the decisions.  It is time we hold them to account….

Throw aside the sense of discomfort and bear witness to the evil we oppose. Do not turn your eyes from the hatred focused in our direction. Stand firm amid the solace of our number and resolve to the task at hand…. It is time to disobey !

California Bar Owner Reaches Desperation Point – Blocks COVID Health Dept Enforcer, Confronts Police


Posted from The Conservative tree House on December 27, 2020 by Sundance

(H/T Todd Starnes) Carlos Roman is the owner of a Bread & Barley restaurant in Covina, California, who reached his breaking point with health inspectors and COVID compliance officers when a public health dept. official ordered his restaurant to shut down.

[Facebook Video Here – Article HERE and HERE]

Mr. Roman decided if he was going to lose everything; if his employees were going to lose their livelihoods; if the system was going to destroy them under the weight of unilateral decrees and fiats; then he was going to block the health inspector from doing his job.

The police were called-in to deal with Carlos Roman’s act of defiance.  The situation within the video speaks for itself.  People are getting desperate… Acts of resistance are spreading. American workers and Main Street are being destroyed… Meanwhile congress wants to send hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds to foreign shores.  Think about it.

Many people talk of a foreboding sense. A sense that something is very close to erupting on the surface. I believe, and have said for months, the final eruption will come as a result of overreach by control authority in reference to COVID dictates. We are close.

The power of government comes from the people; or as we say in the U.S. “from the consent of the governed.”  When the people lead, the politicians are forced to follow.

Without implied consent the municipal or state government has no power.  None.

As a result, the nonsense ends when the majority of We The People no longer give our consent.  How do We The People retract our consent? We simply refuse to comply.

When the majority of people simply refuse to comply with unilateral dictates, and laugh in the faces of those who attempt to enforce them, the government no longer has power.

If one person refuses to comply, the government or control authority can, and likely will, intervene. However, if tens of thousands rebuke these unconstitutional decrees, there isn’t a damn thing govt can  do to stop it… and they know it.  A non-compliant snowball becomes an unstoppable freedom avalanche.

Local, regional and state officials know they can control the behavior of an individual. If one barber shop opens, the owner becomes a target. However, those officials also know they cannot control the behavior of the majority. If every barber shop and beauty salon in town opens… there is absolutely nothing the government can do about it.

If one restaurant and/or bar opens, the state can target the owner. But if every bar and restaurant in town opens; and if everyone ignores and dispatches the silly dictates of the local, regional or state officials; there isn’t a damned thing they can do about it.

The power of the local, regional or state authority comes from the expressed consent of the people. As soon as the majority of people in that municipality deny that consent, those officials and state authoritarians lose all of their power.

Yes, it really is that simple.

They want you to think otherwise, but it is not true.  If WE THE PEOPLE demand freedom and stand together the control authority is useless.

Those who construct the systems of control need to weaponize fear.  Fear of arrest; fear of losing a business; fear of losing liberty or financial security.  Local, regional and state officials rely on fear.  As soon as the people are no longer fearful, the control ends.

The overwhelming majority of dictates around COVID-19 mitigation are not laws. There was no debate; no input from representative government; and no option for the public to weigh-in on the decisions.

All unilateral rules are arbitrary, and despite many proclamations to the contrary, they rely upon voluntary compliance.  As soon as citizens no longer voluntarily comply, the term of the rules has expired.  If masks are so effective then why didn’t government give masks to prisoners, instead of releasing the inmates?

Liberty is inherent.

The removal of liberty requires consent.

..”If the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.”..

~Sam Adams

Remember, and think carefully about it.

Amid these challenging times fellowship and a spirit of community within the common sense rebel alliance is critical. Make sure you do not allow people to think they are ‘on their own’…. There are more of us than them.

Are Masks & Social Distancing Creating Permanent Psychological Damage?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Disease Re-Posted Dec 27, 2020 by Martin Armstrong

I have received a number of emails pro and con masks. Plain and simple, masks will not prevent you from getting COVID-19. Even Saint Fauci, who the world seems to trust beyond Jesus, Budda, or Mohamid, has admitted that he has even lied about herd immunity to try to manipulate society to get the vaccine, stated at the start of this masks do not work. He changes his opinions to match the desired political agenda. Anyone who listens to this guy probably still believes in Santa Claus and politicians really care.

There is a much more sinister objective behind the masks and social distancing. They will keep this going well into 2021 and the real objective is to prevent civil unrest. Schwab is already telling people if they do not accept his Agenda 2030, there will be revolutions. The restrictions with lockdowns are driving the poor into absolute poverty. Black unemployment was at a historic low in the United States under Trump. Lowering taxes creates more jobs. They are deliberately doing this to create civil unrest to justify Agenda 2030.

Meanwhile, the masks and social distancing are creating a permanent impact psychologically whereby some people will from here on out, will look at others as being a threat to their health be it the flu or anything.

As one reader Paul writes, “If I were to write a book about the times we live in ‘scared stupid’ would be the title. Apparently, they think social distancing while skiing is also necessary. I can’t stop laughing. Not to mention, you normally ski 6 feet from someone as a courtesy anyway. ”

Many people are just so frightened they will not leave their house. I have spoken to one person who has convinced themselves that are in that less than .05% who are at risk. This was the Christmas Tweet from Schwab. No Merry Christmas – not that there are people deep in third world countries with no ID so the rest of the world must help them by submitting to this electronic ID.

Nobody will be able to travel anywhere without the approval of this new Triumvirate. They want to overthrow the United States and hand all power to the United Nations, end travel without their digital ID, and prevent you from buying or selling without digital currencies.

Then they are our Super Friends who want to reduce the world population. With friends like these, who needs enemies or villains?

Manchester England Protest


Armstrong Economics Blog/Civil Unrest Re-Posted Dec 27, 2020 by Martin Armstrong