What we missed

I know the pope's death and his incredible life has filled the news. Here's what most people have missed:

Iraq has a government! Wow, could it mean that an end to our presence in Iraq is near? Quite possibly! I don't think so, but maybe. The situation, which looked so dire a year ago even to some six months ago has nothing but promise today. The insurgency has been annihilated each time they try and stand their ground with Iraqi and coalition forces. And even Sunni clerics are calling for their followers to join the new Iraq and leave the rebels behind. Not only can you see Iraq tuning around, you can look hard in the papers and see King Abdullah of Jordan and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak giving in to government reforms and freedoms. It's hard to suppress a nation when their neighbors have rights and hope like Iraq is getting now! Syria has actually moved a great number of troops out of Lebanon, Israel is leaving Gaza and their homes intact as they head out and President Arial Sharon heads to Texas to meet with President Bush. These are trends we just were not seeing six months ago. Yet for some reason every poll done shows the president's approval rating dipping.

Life is what happens...

Life is what happens between political debates.

This last weekend I have not been at the computer. I have been somewhere much more important. I took my daughter to an an show in Fort Worth, Texas. I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Ft. Worth is as close as the Blue Angels come to Tulsa this year.

You see... I have a four year old who specifically asked to see the Blues! As an aviation buff, and Marine (Dept. of the Navy) I am obligated to expose her to our heritage anytime she is willing. So.. My Dad and I loaded up the family car and off we went.

This was not my little girls first air show. As a matter of fact she has been to more air shows than the average adult. When I told her we were going to see the Blues, she laid out her ear plugs.... a month ahead of time. She loves to see airplanes flying upside down. She loves hearing the roar of jets and historical rotary engines with equal thrill. But she always asks for the Blue Angels. She knows quality!!

About half way through their performance, after the third head-on manuever of the opposing solo pilots, she looked at me and said, "Their good, they don't smack in to each other!" At four years old she gets it. It may be on a different level than the rest of us, but she gets it better than I did at her age. That's better than most of us at our age.

By the end of the day, she was worn out. We had six striaght hours of avation fun and she handled it like a champ. I don't know what else to say except "I Love My Daughter." She is truely my best friend. I can only hope others have a son or daughter that shows an interest in their hobbies or careers. I pray others are as fortunate.

God Bless

Court Orders Feeding Tube Be Removed from Democratic Party

WASHINGTON DC — In a long-anticipated move, a federal appeals court today ordered that the tube providing life-giving nutrients to the Democratic Party be removed.

“It was inevitable,” said George Stephanopoulos, a long-time friend and advocate of the Party. “Everybody knew the Party died a few years ago. This was just a public recognition of that fact.”

The Party had been on life-support for four years, following the onset of a wasting disease that led to the deterioration of the spinal cord and, subsequently, of the cerebral cortex. Physicians say deterioration of the nervous system to such an extent renders normal mental life, such as thinking and feeling, impossible.

“That would explain a lot,” former liberal activist and Democratic Party confidant Jane Fonda said, calling the recent behavior of the Party “inexplicable.”

Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is under investigation for possible House ethics violations, made similar observations. “It was clear that [the Party] was dying. Sometimes it was so quiet,” he said, “you barely noticed it was there.”

In recent months, family and friends of the Party had rallied to its aid. “We tried,” said former presidential candidate John Kerry, citing the recent election of controversial figure Howard Dean as the Party’s chair. “But the Party we knew is gone. In its place is just a hollow shell of what once was a vigorous, vibrant political group.”

Still, some close to the Party insisted that recovery was possible, citing occasional movement and utterances. “I heard it distinctly,” Niko Strada, relative of the Party, said. “It looked at the buttons on my shirt and shouted, “I waaant.” When asked if he knew what the Party wanted, Strada insisted that it wanted “to live.”

But doctors are skeptical of such claims. Ari Johansen, Chief of Neurology at Mount Sinai Hospital, confirmed last week’s diagnosis. “It’s typical for a national party, after suffering such extensive damage to its nervous system, to still move randomly and even seem to respond to stimuli. But it’s just an illusion.”

Written by Rob at realitique

Liberals Hate Terri Schiavo...and want her dead.

I wish I could have said it the way Kevin McCullough did:-)

LIBERALS HATE TERRI SCHIAVO: Yesterday a chap named Jake took exception to the my most recent column in the Illinois Leader. Sometimes not all of my syndicates allow all hyperlinks to be printed in the column. (Same column with links.) Which is too bad because the sources of information I use strengthen the conclusions I draw. But I thought the e-mail exchange with Jake is telling...

Jake started it all with this...

My god...how can you tell such bald-faced lies with a straight face? Your nobel prize winning Doctor lied to you...go re-read the court transcripts, you moron...Just curious....which uncle or close family friend touched you in a bad way when you were young? Something must have happened to make you so angry, bitter, and inconsolable. Hey, why don't I behave like the the conservative press and make sh*t up about you, as you and others did about Michael Schiavo....hmmm..."which conservative radio host and blogger has had several closeted gay rendezvous over the past ten years?".....Yeah, I can stoop to your level, you f*cking moron...

Jake Daab, Senior Vice President, J Land Company LLC
220 N. Smith Street, Suite 300, Palatine IL, 60067
847.215..5517

Trying to give him the benefit of the doubt I requested...

Be so kind Jake, point to one factual inaccuracy in the column.

He gave it his best shot...

With pleasure, Kev! Shall we start with reviewing the actual testimony, under path of ALL of the expert doctors? Not just your doc? For that matte let's look at his actual testimony....AND by the way, how he came to his observational conclusions. I'm left to conclude by your distorted take that every judge who reviewed the facts of this case ignored the medical facts, when, in fact every expert on record in the court transcripts agreed with the PVS diagnosis. Well, there are some foca who concluded otherwisq after looking at a video. You've never cared about the truth though. You pick and choose sources. Typical conservative blather, but hardly the real world. By the way, when does the family have the right to refuse care? In Tom Delays case? When does a husband lose that right? When you decide he's not a good husband? Does the law not apply if conservatives disagree? Come on, Kev, crystalize this issue for me. Aside from making political hay, what are the two main issues you have a problem with? Tell me your first hand knowledge. Tell me how many times you've spoken with MIchaell Schiavo. Tell me exactly which statute, or part thereof, that you think the court erred on. Otherwise I'm left to surmise that you're merelyn regurgitating erroneous right wing blather.
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

Given the nature of his response - again in answer to an inquiry to supply one factual inaccuracy - I was forced to reply...

So not one factual inaccuracy can be pointed to.

Jake, medical doctors came to different conclusions in the case. Even Dr. Cranford indicates that Terri responds to stimulus and can see - then he goes into court to tout the PVS line that Michael SOUGHT.

Terri is NOT terminal, she is not comatose, the only thing that is killing Terri is starvation. These are the facts.

You may dislike them - but the truth is often inconvenient.

And the whole meme about "19 judges" reviewing the case is hogwash - they ruled on legal standing. Judge Greer is the only judge that has ruled on the merits.

The two main issues I have a problem with?
1. Michael's conflict of interest in the case - and why he changed his mind after winning the large settlement.
2. If Michael is right and the family is wrong - it bothers no one. The family is willing to give him the money and take care of Terri until she dies naturally. If the family is right and Michael is wrong (or ill-motivated) we are establishing a precedent that allows another human being to legally starve someone who would otherwise live. State sanctioned murder of an innocent person is a violation of Article One of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and our Declaration of Independence.

Jake, I know you hate my viewpoints - and that's fine. But if even you were being railroaded the way Terri is - and you had no desire to be starved to death - I would be fighting for you just as hard.

Sorry - but I think the right to live - is the first and foremost fundamental right guaranteed to us under the American justice system.
~KMC

As of the writing of this post - there has been no final response from Mr. Daab. The point of my showing you the back and forth of this however serves a valuable purpose. Jake is prototypical of most Liberals. They ask demands of proof, they question the motives, and they call conservatives names. They are unable to point out any specific grounds for criticism of those who stand for truth and justice...yet they call them liars, f*cking morons, right wing blather, and more.

Read it from his blog at http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/kmc/?cal=go&adate=3%2F29%2F2005

Reply to a comment.

Yesterday I had this as a comment to my post.

"Ann Coulter? lol.... For Christ's Sake.
Who will you quote next? Adolph Hitler? Lucifer?
Your talking points definitely make more sense now, knowing who inspires you.
Open your mind a little bit, and read a little from the enlightened. I still recommend Thom Hartmann's book, "What Would Jefferson Do?"
Since you have such a desire to better understand your "enemy", try reading their actual words instead of what your nut job influences tell you about them. "

Notice the attack on the person, not the substance of what was said.

I will now quote another source as a reply to this persons question:

“If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees.” William Jefferson Clinton

In all fairness, quotes like these really do nothung more than increase the fighting between the "left and right." I did have another comment by another reader. That person made me proud by getting to the subject matter instead of the personal attack. Soon I will prepare a response to that comment regarding states rights.

RE: THE LEFT

"Liberals' newfound respect for 'federalism' is completely disingenuous. People who support a national policy on abortion are prohibited from ever using the word 'federalism.' I note that whenever liberals talk about 'federalism' or 'states' rights,' they are never talking about a state referendum or a law passed by the duly elected members of a state legislature -- or anything voted on by the actual citizens of a state. What liberals mean by 'federalism' is: a state court ruling. Just as 'choice' refers to only one choice, 'the rule of law'
refers only to 'the law as determined by a court'. As a practical matter, courts will generally have the last word in interpreting the law because courts decide cases. But that's a pragmatic point. There is nothing in the law, the Constitution or the concept of 'federalism' that mandates giving courts the last word. Other public officials, including governors and presidents, are sworn to uphold the law, too." --Ann Coulter

What if you're wrong?

Just a question about Terri Schiavo for everyone.

Two more nurses file affidavits against Michael Schiavo

More evidence is being built against the man with two wives. Read here

A little legal research anyone?

Please read this short legal opinion prepared by professionals 2 years ago.

Any Questions? Comments?

Two questions

I have two questions for all of you who want to kill Terri Schiavo.

1.) Do you really think that pro-capital punishment people rejoice when it is latter determined that a convicted murderer who exhausted all of his appeals and still determined to be guilty and killed, then is later determined to be innocent due to new DNA evidence? Do you think we dance a jig?

2.) Do you want Terri to die out of mercy, or just because Bush and other conservatives want her to be given another chance at life?

Think about it. I know everyone who responds will claim it is out of mercy. However I want you to seriously ponder this answer, I encourage you to do that.

Are you choosing your side simply because you don't agree with conservatives on this issue? Or did you actually look at the facts and explore to find information on both sides of the issue?

The only thing that can not be reversed is death.

To briefly change the subject...Quotes of the day

“We are sliding down the mire of a democracy that pollutes the morals of the people before it swallows up their freedoms.” Fisher Ames

“It is important to understand that equality for the individual as in equal opportunity or equality before the law is a classic liberal ideal, while parity for a group is at best a political and at worst a profoundly reactionary notion. Equality stresses that any qualified human being may become an engineer, plumber, prime minister or jet pilot, regardless of gender, religion or race; while parity maintains that a proportionate number from each group must achieve such positions regardless of merit or utility. The belief in parity is based to some extent on a genuine error - the view that any disparity in society has to be the result of discrimination as well as the cynical politician's view that when disparity makes some people restless it should be eliminated, even at the expense of freedom and fairness.” Barbara Amiel

“Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of arms.” Aristotle

“Politicians know just how powerful this word is, 'Security'. Every time they have some little program they want to offer to the people, a program that will almost certainly rob people of freedom and liberty, the politicians sell that program by adding the 'Security' word to it.” Neal Boortz

“If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees.” William Jefferson Clinton

Please read the document below. It is a sworn document by a former caregiver of Terri Schiavo's. Then let me know how you feel about her "husband".

AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF FLORIDA )

COUNTY OF PINELLAS )

BEFORE ME the undersigned authority personally appeared CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

1. My name is Carla Sauer Iyer. I am over the age of eighteen and make this statement of my own personal knowledge.

2. I am a registered nurse in the State of Florida, having been licensed continuously in Florida from 1997 to the present. Prior to that I was a Licensed Practical Nurse for about four years.

3. I was employed at Palm Garden of Largo Convalescent Center in Largo, Florida from April of 1995 to July 1996, while Terri Schiavo was a patient there.

4. It was clear to me at Palm Gardens that all decisions regarding Terri Schiavo were made by Michael Schiavo, with no allowance made for any discussion, debate or normal professional judgment. My initial training there consisted solely of the instruction “Do what Michael Schiavo tells you or you will be terminated.” This struck me as extremely odd.

5. I was very disturbed by the decision making protocol, as no allowance whatsoever was made for professional responsibility. The atmosphere throughout the facility was dominated by Mr. Schiavo’s intimidation. Everyone there, with the exception of several people who seemed to be close to Michael, was intimidated by him. Michael Schiavo always had an overbearing attitude, yelling numerous times such things as “This is my order and you’re going to follow it.” He is very large and uses menacing body language, such as standing too close to you, getting right in your face and practically shouting.

6. To the best of my recollection, rehabilitation had been ordered for Terri, but I never saw any being done or had any reason at all to believe that there was ever any rehab of Terri done at Palm Gardens while I was there. I became concerned because nothing was being done for Terri at all, no antibiotics, no tests, no range of motion therapy, no stimulation, no nothing. Michael said again and again that Terri should NOT get any rehab, that there should be no range of motion whatsoever, or anything else. I and a CNA named Roxy would give Terri range of motion anyway. One time I put a wash cloth in Terri’s hand to keep her fingers from curling together, and Michael saw it and made me take it out, saying that was therapy.

7. Terri’s medical condition was systematically distorted and misrepresented. When I worked with her, she was alert and oriented. Terri spoke on a regular basis while in my presence, saying such things as “mommy,” and “help me.” “Help me” was, in fact, one of her most frequent utterances. I heard her say it hundreds of times. Terri would try to say the word “pain” when she was in discomfort, but it came out more like “pay.” She didn’t say the “n” sound very well. During her menses she would indicate her discomfort by saying “pay” and moving her arms toward her lower abdominal area. Other ways that she would indicate that she was in pain included pursing her lips, grimacing, thrashing in bed, curling her toes or moving her legs around. She would let you know when she had a bowel movement by flipping up the covers and pulling on her diaper.

8. When I came into her room and said “Hi, Terri”, she would always recognize my voice and her name, and would turn her head all the way toward me, saying “Haaaiiiii” sort of, as she did. I recognized this as a “hi”, which is very close to what it sounded like, the whole sound being only a second or two long. When I told her humorous stories about my life or something I read in the paper, Terri would chuckle, sometimes more a giggle or laugh. She would move her whole body, upper and lower. Her legs would sometimes be off the bed, and need to be repositioned. I made numerous entries into the nursing notes in her chart, stating verbatim what she said and her various behaviors, but by my next on-duty shift, the notes would be deleted from her chart. Every time I made a positive entry about any responsiveness of Terri’s, someone would remove it after my shift ended. Michael always demanded to see her chart as soon as he arrived, and would take it in her room with him. I documented Terri’s rehab potential well, writing whole pages about Terri’s responsiveness, but they would always be deleted by the next time I saw her chart. The reason I wrote so much was that everybody else seemed to be afraid to make positive entries for fear of their jobs, but I felt very strongly that a nurses job was to accurately record everything we see and hear that bears on a patients condition and their family. I upheld the Nurses Practice Act, and if it cost me my job, I was willing to accept that.

9. Throughout my time at Palm Gardens, Michael Schiavo was focused on Terri’s death. Michael would say “When is she going to die?,” “Has she died yet?” and “When is that bitch gonna die?” These statements were common knowledge at Palm Gardens, as he would make them casually in passing, without regard even for who he was talking to, as long as it was a staff member. Other statements which I recall him making include “Can’t you do anything to accelerate her death - won’t she ever die?” When she wouldn’t die, Michael would be furious. Michael was also adamant that the family should not be given information. He made numerous statements such as “Make sure the parents aren’t contacted.” I recorded Michael’s statements word for word in Terri’s chart, but these entries were also deleted after the end of my shift. Standing orders were that the family wasn’t to be contacted, in fact, there was a large sign in the front of her chart that said under no circumstances was her family to be called, call Michael immediately, but I would call them, anyway, because I thought they should know about their daughter.

10. Any time Terri would be sick, like with a UTI or fluid buildup in her lungs, colds, pneumonia, Michael would be visibly excited, thrilled even, hoping that she would die. He would call me, as I was the nurse supervisor on the floor, and ask for every little detail about her temperature, blood pressure, etc., and would call back frequently asking if she was dead yet. He would blurt out “I’m going to be rich!,” and would talk about all the things he would buy when Terri died, which included a new car, a new boat, and going to Europe, among other things.

11. When Michael visited Terri, he always came alone and always had the door closed and locked while he was with Terri. He would typically be there about twenty minutes or so. When he left Terri would would be trembling, crying hysterically, and would be very pale and have cold sweats. It looked to me like Terri was having a hypoglycemic reaction, so I’d check her blood sugar. The glucometer reading would be so low it was below the range where it would register an actual number reading. I would put dextrose in Terri’s mouth to counteract it. This happened about five times on my shift as I recall. Normally Terri’s blood sugar levels were very stable due to the uniformity of her diet through tube feeding. It is my belief that Michael injected Terri with Regular insulin, which is very fast acting.

12. The longer I was employed at Palm Gardens the more concerned I became about patient care, both relating to Terri Schiavo, for the reasons I’ve said, and other patients, too. There was an LPN named Carolyn Adams, known as “Andy” Adams who was a particular concern. An unusual number of patients seemed to die on her shift, but she was completely unconcerned, making statements such as “They are old - let them die.” I couldn’t believe her attitude or the fact that it didn’t seem to attract any attention. She made many comments about Terri being a waste of money, that she should die. She said it was costing Michael a lot of money to keep her alive, and that he complained about it constantly (I heard him complain about it all the time, too.) Both Michael and Adams said that she would be worth more to him if she were dead. I ultimately called the police relative to this situation, and was terminated the next day. Other reasons were cited, but I was convinced it was because of my “rocking the boat.”

13. Ms. Adams was one of the people who did not seem to be intimidated by Michael. In fact, they seemed to be very close, and Adams would do whatever Michael told her. Michael sometimes called Adams at night and spoke at length. I was not able to hear the content of these phone calls, but I knew it was him talking to her because she would tell me afterward and relay orders from him.

14. While at Palm Gardens, I became fearful for my personal safety. This was due to Michael’s constant intimidation, including his menacing body language, vocal tone and mannerisms.

15. I have contacted the Schindler family because I just couldn’t stand by and let Terri die without the truth being known.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.

CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N.

Quotes of the Day

"Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just."--Thomas Jefferson

"The freedom and happiness of man...[are] the sole objects of all legitimate government." --Thomas Jefferson

Q: What is the difference between Christopher Reeve and Terri Schiavo?

A: Christopher could not breate on his own in addition to not being able to eat.

Some therapists believe they can have Terri Schiavo walking with the aid of a walker within a year if she is given meaningful therapy. Why has her "husband" denied her this treatment? There is even a new affidavit from a nurse at the hospice that hosts Terri. It states that the nurse did in fact spoon feed Terri from time to time. This means she could be fed normally IF MICHAEL SCHIAVO WOULD ALLOW IT.

It seems to me, that Terri's family should be making the decisions for her. Her husband is no more family than an ex-boyfriend would be. Would you trust all of your ex-boyfriends/girlfriends with making decisions about your life?

Michael Schiavo has already moved on in his life. He has a mistress and two children. He does not act as a husband to Terri. If a small corporation does not act as a corporation the owner is held liable on a personal basis in most states. Going on that precedent, he should no longer be making life or death decisions in this case because in daily life he has not acted as her husband for years. If he respects his marriage so much that he has children with another woman, why should we respect his marriage?

This devil has even denied members of Terri's family the courtesy of visitation with Terri in what could be her final hours. He is truly an evil man who is trying to commit murder with court approval. Michael Schiavo and the judge in this case should both be immediately tried for murder. They are denying her every honest attempt for recovery, stacking the deck against her. Therapy? DENIED, Sunlight? DENIED, music? DENIED, brushing of teeth? DENIED! The list goes on.

But the big picture is whether we want to be a society of life or a society of death. As a society of death we are no better than Islamic Terrorists. As a society we have nothing to benefit from the death if innocent people, we have everything to gain from the life of people who show promise. Terri Schiavo shows promise. Terri has never even had a CT scan or a complete physical evaluation before it was determined she was in a "vegetative state". By the way there are many doctors who claim that she is not in that condition. What is sad is that there are others who have similar situations to Terri's. They just don't get the publicity.

Kudo's go out to most of the members of Congress and especially to President Bush. How many people in the world in the position he is in would leave their own home in the middle of the night to take action to save one person's life. That is true humanity. That is what he meant by the phrase compassionate conservatism during his first campaign. He is truly a man of great virtue, a man of great character, and a man who knows how to lead based on those qualities. I pray we will someday start to elect great statesmen instead of politicians, nut that's a different subject for a different post.

For the record: I am for limited government. Most true conservatives are. But this is a special case where there is possibly an out of control judiciary. This is part of the checks and balances of the system. When the laws are interpreted by the judicial branch of government in a way the legislative branch does not like they can pass a new law. Then once a lawsuit is brought up contesting the new law, the judical must rule it to be unconstitutional. Sounds political....that's because it is. But this is also another post.

You Liberals make me sick!

I have had enough of taking the higher road with you liberals. For one post I will sink to your level.

How is it that you liberal do-gooders always come to the aid of some killer on death row screaming about how it is just so wrong to put this criminal to death, but you want to kill a helpless handicapped lady? Why do YOU feel you can play GOD?

You people are always calling conservatives "Nazis". But look at your own position. Hitler as a matter of policy killed the handicapped and anyone else he felt was a drain on his vision of society. This tactic is an exact mimic of the early Third Reich. You people are killing an innocent human being. I'm sure you will say she is in a vegetative state, but she laughs, cries, and smiles when her parents are around.

Don't you think it is strange that her "husband" won't allow pictures of her to be brought out to the public. Why won't he allow reporters into her room to prove to the world that she truly is in a vegetative state? What is he hiding? I think Michael Schiavo and that scumbag judge in Florida both need to be thrown in jail for attempted murder. That's exactly what they are doing. They are killing her! Why do all you "compassionate liberals" want to kill her? She has been given a death penalty without committing a crime.

Try killing a dog the way they are killing Terri Schiavo and you will have PETA and the ACLU in your front yard reading to you all about the dogs rights. You F****G HYPOCRITES! I guess we all know who the true compassionates are in the world, you lousy excuses for life forms just can't come from behind your rhetoric and let her live.

If someone comes in front of a criminal court for murder, the prosecution must prove without a doubt that the defendant is guilt. If there is a "reasonable doubt" (that means any doubt) that the defendant did not commit the crime, then the jury must find him innocent. I believe there is a reasonable doubt that Terri is not in a vegetative state at all. Why won't you err on the side of life? Her own parents want to care for her. Let them do it.

You liberal punks really make me sick!!

"Always choose life, Death is the only thing you can't get rid of"

Winston Churchill

Marine to Run Gauntlet of the ‘Law of War'

Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com

Sometime between mid-March and late April, 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, U.S.M.C., is scheduled to appear before a Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 32 investigating officer at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Maj. Matt Morgan, II Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs officer tells NewsMax. At issue: Are there reasonable grounds to believe Pantano committed a pair of murders on April 15, 2004 while serving as a platoon commander in Iraq?

At the conclusion of the pre-trial investigation, where the respondent is represented by counsel and can cross-examine witnesses and present his own, the investigating officer will prepare a report – including a recommendation for the disposition of the charges – and forward it to the commanding general.

Reasonable enough on its face – the Art. 32 proceeding is compared to the civilian grand jury or preliminary hearing – but there is a growing cadre of critics that wonder why Pantano in doing his duty must now face what they see as an ill-advised game of second-guessing a military leader's actions in the field.

What Facts Are Known

On April 15, 2004, while serving as a platoon commander in Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment in Iraq, Pantano was ordered to reconnoiter a reported terrorist hiding spot. He led his "quick-reaction" platoon to the site, a home in the town of Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad and not far from the bloody town of Fallujah.

Pantano's orders were to raid the house and neutralize the reported nest of insurgents holed up there with their arms cache.

The intelligence turned out to be correct, and Pantano's Marines discovered weapons and bomb-making equipment in the house. As the Marines were securing the building, two Iraqis bolted from the site to a nearby truck, a sport utility vehicle.

The Marines charged after the suspects and brought the vehicle to a halt by shooting the tires out. Pantano ordered the pair out of the truck and, in accordance with standard operating procedures, told the captives to tear the interior of the truck apart to ensure that it was not booby-trapped.

What exactly happened next remains uncertain.

The Marine Corps has not released any official rendition of what it alleges happened. However, Pantano's civilian attorney, Charles Gittins, says that the two Iraqi men began chattering to one another, then the Iraqis made what Pantano determined to be a threatening move. When told to stop in their native language by Pantano, they continued in his direction.

As Pantano described it to the Naval Investigative Service:

"After another time of telling them to be quiet, they quickly pivoted their bodies toward each other. They did this simultaneously, while still speaking in muffled Arabic. I thought that they were attacking me, and I decided to fire my M-16A4 service rifle in self-defense. ..."

After the fact, it is determined that neither suspect was armed nor rigged with explosives.

Gittins advises, however, "After the killing, the number of attacks in that area went down to almost zero."

It was not until months later when Pantano returned to Camp Lejeune that he was informed he was being charged with premeditated murder in the deaths of the two Iraqis – a charge that theoretically could carry the death penalty.

A Dangerous, Dirty Environment

The incident occurred at a time in which casualties to coalition forces increased by 400 percent, to 1,000.

Pantano's platoon was billeted with the 200 members of Easy Company in an abandoned administrative building with 10 rooms. Devoid of any semblance of creature comforts, the Marines slept in their clothes, weapons at the ready. Ready-to-eat meals and drinking water were trucked in daily from the Marines' headquarters at Camp Fallujah, 40 minutes away.

Pantano's world is certainly different now that he is back at Camp Lejeune with his wife and young children, but the atmosphere is still dense with danger as the Marine faces another adversary: the system and the Law of War.

The spokesman for the Marine Corps' 2nd Division, Maj. Matt Morgan, recently remarked:

"Americans have seen what is in the press, and they have a tendency to support the Marines. On the other side of that, completely unconnected, there is something called the Law of War, and it is possible for a Marine to violate that. To say you can't second-guess a Marine – well, every Marine who deploys has the experience that anything they do can be second-guessed."

Rules of Engagement

At the heart of that Law of War is the often nettlesome subject of the Rules of Engagement (ROE). Although these rules get tailor-made for various missions, an example of the rules are these ROE training cards, once issued by judge advocates to a Marine Expeditionary Unit:

"Nothing in these rules limits your Authority and Obligation to take all necessary and appropriate actions to defend yourself and your unit

Right to defend Always return fire with aimed fire. You have the right to use force to repel hostile acts.

Anticipate attack You have the right to use force to respond to clear indications of hostile intent.

Measure your force When time and circumstances permit, use only that force which is necessary and proportional to protect lives and accomplish the mission.

Protect with Deadly force only human life and sensitive mission essential property designated by the commander.

USE OF FORCE Force includes everything from shouting a warning up to the use of deadly force. Use as much force as is necessary to decisively end the situation in your favor. You are authorized to use force against another person or group to protect yourself and others and you may use force to accomplish your mission.

SELF-DEFENSE You will always protect yourself and others against anyone who uses or is clearly about to use force against you. You may initiate or use preemptive force against those who indicate "hostile intent" against you or other friendly forces. "Hostile Intent" is the threat of imminent use of force by an opposing force or terrorist unit against friendly forces.

Always apply the Principles of the Law of War in using force. They are:
1. MARINES FIGHT ONLY ENEMY COMBATANTS.
2. MARINES DO NOT HARM ENEMIES WHO SURRENDER. YOU MUST DISARM THEM AND TURN THEM OVER TO YOUR SUPERIOR.
3. MARINES DO NOT KILL OR TORTURE PRISONERS.
4. MARINES COLLECT AND CARE FOR ALL WOUNDED, WHETHER FRIEND OR FOE.
5. MARINES DO NOT ATTACK MEDICAL PERSONNEL, FACILITIES, OR EQUIPMENT.
6. MARINES DESTROY NO MORE THAN THE MISSION REQUIRES.
7. MARINES TREAT ALL CIVILIANS HUMANELY.
8. MARINES DO NOT STEAL, MARINES RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS.
9. MARINES SHOULD DO THEIR BEST TO PREVENT VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW OF WAR; THEY MUST REPORT ALL VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW OF WAR TO THEIR SUPERIORS."

It is principle No. 9 that may have put Pantano in harm's way.

According to Gittins, the incident would have remained laid to rest but for the complaint by a person he describes as a "disgruntled sergeant," who apparently reported what he interpreted as a violation of the rules.

The Marine sergeant, who accused Pantano of outright executing the two men – but who came forward only weeks later – told investigators that he did not understand why the officer had the Iraqis search the vehicle, because a Navy corpsman already had done a "full search," according to a report in the Washington Post.

"As soon as I turned my back, Lt. Pantano opened [fire on] them with approximately 45 rounds. After the shooting, Lt. Pantano let everyone know on the [radio] that he was the one that shot. ... Me and [the corpsman] were both shocked about what just happened."

Inherent in the rules is the principle that the alleged violation must be investigated.

Whether or not the Corps is simply going by the numbers and is as anxious as Pantano is see the incident closed without further harm to Pantano, at this point, says Gittins, his client "feels betrayed."

Humane Society

When a dog or cat is sick or injured, it is frequently put to sleep by gassing it. The animal falls asleep and then slowly it's body shuts down. If someone ever intentionally starved an animal to death they would be put in jail for cruelty to animals. PETA and the other liberal groups would be protesting and pushing for a stiff prison sentence. But today a lady named Terri Shiavo will be deprived of food and water until she dies. This is being done by a court and a husband in Florida today. They claim that Terri is in a persistent vegetative state. However she smiles, laughs, and cries with her parents when they are visiting her. Today her feeding tube wll be removed and she will begin the process of being starved to death. A death not even fit for a dog. Pray for her.

Take the Constitution Test

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Twenty-five questions you should be able to answer about the U.S. Constitution

1.) How does the Constitution of the United States provide for changes, so that it may be fluid with time and appropriate for future generations?

a.) Congress may pass bills which overrule or ignore the Constitution

b.) Judges may redefine the Constitution

c.) The Constitution can be amended

d.) Public opinion can nullify certain parts of the Constitution

2.) An amendment to the Constitution must pass by what minimum margins?

a.) Over 50% of the vote in the House and Senate, a signature by the president, and adoption by at least 3/4 of the states.

b.) Over 50% of the vote in the House and Senate and adoption by at least 3/4 of the states - a signature by the president is not required.

c.) A 2/3 majority in the House and Senate, a signature by the president, and adoption

by at least 3/4 of the states.

d.) A 2/3 majority in the House and Senate and adoption by at least 3/4 of the states - a signature by the president is not required.

3.) When the Constitution was first ratified, how were U.S. Senators elected?

a.) By a vote of the state legislatures.

b.) By a vote of the people

c.) By election from the House

d.) By appointment of the president

4.) The Constitution creates what type of government?

a.) A pure democracy

b.) A Republican form of government

c.) An aristocracy

d.) An oligarchy

5.) In the form of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence and defined by the Constitution, power flows:

a.) From God to the elected officials, then to the people

b.) From the elected officials to the people - God is not involved

c.) From God to the people, then to the elected officials

d.) From the people to the elected officials - God is not involved

6.) The Constitution requires Congress to be assembled:

a.) All year long - except for short recesses - so that it may address any emergencies which might arise in the states.

b.) Only once per year.

c.) Twice per year.

d.) Three times per year.

7.) The powers which are not specifically enumerated in the Constitution as powers of the federal government, are:

a.) Automatically given to Congress

b.) Automatically given to the states.

c.) Given to Congress or to the states by the president

d.) Given to Congress or to the states by the Supreme Court

8.) Choose the only power in the following list which the Constitution does not give to Congress.

a.) The power to borrow money

b.) The power to provide for the common defense of the United States

c.) The power to create a Social Security system

d.) The power to establish post offices

9.) Choose the only power in the following list which the Constitution does not give to the states.

a.) The power to create a Social Security system

b.) The power to create a Welfare system

c.) The power to enter into an agreement with a foreign power

d.) The power to build its own roads

10.) Prior to passage of the 16th amendment in 1913, income taxes were unconstitutional. How did the federal government pay for itself before income taxes were collected?

a.) Import duties, excise taxes and taxes divided among the states by population

b.) It didn't - the U.S. government was in debt and almost bankrupt

c.) A tax was paid to vote (a poll tax)

d.) Property taxes only

11.) The Constitution does not allow any bills of attainder to be passed - bills of attainder are:

a.) Bills which would allow the Congress to attain any of the rights of the people

b.) Bills which allow the president to attain any of the rights of the people

c.) Bills which allow the judiciary to attain any of the rights of the people

d.) Bills which allow forfeiture of rights or property without trial

12.) The Constitution does not allow the passage of any ex post facto law - ex post facto laws are:

a.) Laws which take effect before they are passed

b.) Laws which take effect before the people are notified

c.) Laws which take effect in the next legislature

d.) Laws which take effect after any need for the law exists

13.) The Constitution allows the president to make treaties and agreements with foreign powers, providing that

a.) A 2/3 majority of the Senate concurs

b.) Over 50% of the House and Senate concur

c.) A 2/3 majority of the House and Senate concur

d.) A 2/3 majority of the House concurs

14) According to the Constitution, the minimum infraction necessary for the impeachment of a judge is:

a.) A felony

b.) A misdemeanor

c.) Treason

d.) Bad behavior

15.) The Senate and the electoral college share a common reason for their existence, which is:

a.) To make government more cumbersome

b.) To make government more deliberate

c.) To give a greater voice to the larger states

d.) To give a greater voice to the smaller states

16.) Which of the following phrases does not appear in the Constitution?

a.) ...a wall of separation between Church and state

b.) All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States,...

c.) No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States:...

d.) No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law;...

17.) The Constitution states that:

a.) The right of the people to keep and bear arms for the purpose of gaining sustenance and for self defense shall not be infringed

b.) The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed unless Congress shall, by a simple majority, deem it necessary for the safety of the people

c.) The right of the military to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

d.) The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

18.) The Constitution states that the people have a right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that warrants specify:

a.) What the police want to see

b.) The crime that has been committed

c.) The place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized

d.) The place to be searched only

19.) According to the Constitution, a trial by jury cannot be denied if the value of the lawsuit exceeds:

a.) $20

b.) $2000

c.) $20,000

d.) $200,000

20.) The Constitution allows government:

a.) to restrict the uses of land for environmental purposes

b.) to declare large tracts of land as wilderness areas

c.) to take private property without compensation for the building of roads

d.) to take private property for public use, but only if the owner is paid a fair price for it

21.) The Constitution states that no person may be deprived of:

a.) Life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness

b.) Life, liberty or property

c.) Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness or a decent education

d.) Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, a decent education or reasonable housing

22.) To whom does the Constitution guarantee a right to vote:

a.) Citizens

b.) Citizens and legal aliens

c.) Anyone residing within the United States for more than seven years

d.) Citizens and all aliens

23.) The Constitution forbids slavery or involuntary servitude, except:

a.) In the military

b.) As a punishment for a crime

24.) The Constitution allows the federal government to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by:

a.) Giving tax money to artists and scientific research

b.) Giving authors and inventors exclusive rights to their work

c.) Establishing an endowmnent for science and the arts

d.) Deciding which of the arts and sciences should be promoted

25.) According to the Constitution, who has the right to govern that part of the military employed in the service of the United States?

a.) The president

b.) The Congress

c.) The Senate

d.) The Joint Chiefs of Staff

Answers for the Constitution Test

1.) How does the Constitution of the United States provide for changes, so that it may be fluid with time and appropriate for future generations?

c.) The Constitution can be amended

Article V of the constitution states that "The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution..."

2.) An amendment to the Constitution must pass by what minimum margins?

d.) A 2/3 majority in the House and Senate and adoption by at least 3/4 of the states - a signature by the president is not required.

Article V of the Constitution further states that amendments "...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...". A signature by the president is not required.

3.) When the Constitution was first ratified, how were U.S. Senators elected?

a.) By a vote of the state legislatures.

Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution states that "The Senators of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof...". This ensured that the states would have a formidable voice in the federal government, thus making it difficult to erode states rights. It also held down the cost of federal elections, since statewide campaigning for a Senate seat was not required. This Section of the Constitution was modified by the 17th amendment in 1913, which states that "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof...".

4.) The Constitution creates what type of government?

b.) A Republican form of government

Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution states that "The United States shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican form of Government...". This is not to be confused with the Republican party, which is named after our type of government. A Republican form of government is a representative democracy, where the people elect representatives who cast votes on legislation to be enacted. By contrast, a pure democracy is one in which the people vote directly on all legislation.

5.) In the form of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence and

defined by the Constitution, power flows:

c.) From God to the people, then to the elected officials

The Declaration of Independence states that "...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." The Declaration of Independence, therefore, states that the rights of the people are endowed by God. The Constitution sets up a Republican form of government, whereby the people elect their representatives.

6.) The Constitution requires Congress to be assembled:

b.) Only once per year.

Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution states that "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year..."

7.) The powers which are not specifically enumerated in the Constitution as powers of the federal government, are:

b.) Automatically given to the states.

The 9th amendment to the Constitution states that "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." and the 10th amendment states that "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it [the Constitution] to the States, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

8.) Choose the only power in the following list which the Constitution does not give to Congress.

c.) The power to create a Social Security system

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution describes the powers of Congress in detail so that the power of the various states is not diluted. Article I, Section 8 does not allow the federal government to create a Social Security system. The Constitution could never have been ratified if the federal government had retained the power to collect and disperse vast amounts of money.

9.) Choose the only power in the following list which the Constitution does not give to the states.

c.) The power to enter into an agreement with a foreign power

Although states may create programs such as a Social Security system and a Welfare system under the Constitution, Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution states that "No state shall, without the Consent of Congress...enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power...". The founding fathers were wise to make the states responsible for those powers not enumerated in the Constitution, since competitive state-run programs will be neither insufficient nor excessively generous. The former may cause people to leave a particular state, whereas the latter may cause a large enough influx of people to justify a state tax increase - which may also drive people from a particular state.

10.) Prior to passage of the 16th amendment in 1913, income taxes were unconstitutional. How did the federal government pay for itself before income taxes were collected?

a.) Import duties, excise taxes and taxes divided among the states by population

Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states that ...direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States...". Article I, Section 8 states that "The Congress shall have the Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises...but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States...". and Article I, Section 9 states that "No Capitation, [a head tax, or poll tax] or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken."

This means that the only continuous taxation power Congress had was indirect taxes - import duties and excise taxes [luxury taxes]. Any direct tax on a person had to first be apportioned, or divided, based upon the population of each state and, by definition, could only be levied at periodic intervals. Direct taxes were levied sparingly and were used primarily to pay war debts. This was changed in 1913 with the passage of the 16th amendment, which states that "The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

11.) The Constitution does not allow any bills of attainder to be passed - bills of attainder are:

d.) Bills which allow forfeiture of rights or property without trial

Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution prevents Congress from passing any bills of attainder and Article I, Section 10 prevents the states from doing so. Article I, Section 9 says "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed". Article I, Section 10 says "No State shall...pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts".

12.) The Constitution does not allow the passage of any ex post facto law - ex post facto laws are:

a.) Laws which take effect before they are passed

Therefore, according to the Constitution, the retroactive portion of any law is clearly unconstitutional. Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution prevents Congress from passing any ex post facto law and Article I, Section 10 prevents the states from doing so.

13.) The Constitution allows the president to make treaties and agreements with foreign powers, providing that

a.) A 2/3 majority of the Senate concurs

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution states that "He [the president] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur...".

14) According to the Constitution, the minimum infraction necessary for the impeachment of a judge is:

d.) Bad behavior

Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution states that "The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior...". The founding fathers were quite adamant that the original intent of the Constitution and its amendments would always be enforced by the judiciary.

Speaking on this issue in Federalist #81, Alexander Hamilton (a member of the Constitutional Convention, later to become Secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington) stated that "In the first place, there is not a syllable in the plan under consideration [the Constitution] which directly empowers the national courts to construe the laws according to the spirit of the Constitution, or which gives them any greater latitude in this respect than may be claimed by the courts of every State."

On June 12, 1823, Thomas Jefferson wrote to Supreme Court Justice William Johnson "On every question of construction, carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

James Madison wrote to Henry Lee on June 25, 1824 "I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution...What a metamorphosis would be produced in the code of law if all its ancient phraseology were to be taken in the modern sense."

15.) The Senate and the electoral college share a common reason for their existence, which is:

d.) To give a greater voice to the smaller states

The Senate was devised as a way to balance the power of the House, where the number of Representatives per state is divided by population. The smaller states, feeling always at the mercy of the more populous states, wanted a check upon this power. Each state, therefore, was given equal power and an equal number of members in the Senate. Likewise, the electoral college was a compromise between allowing the president to be chosen by Congress (too much power for the legislative branch of government) or by a direct popular vote (too much power for large states) or by the state legislatures (too much power for the states over the federal government). The electoral college gives each state a number of electors equal to the number of House and Senate members for that state. Small states, therefore, have a much greater vote than their population would otherwise allow. Since the winner of the presidential election in each state receives all of that states' electoral votes, this system requires the victor to win enough states all across the country to enable him to govern. The electoral college makes it virtually impossible for one region of the country to elect the president of the United States. And although this system also requires the victor to obtain a sufficient popular vote to govern, there are times when the electoral college will elect a president who has not obtained an absolute majority of the popular vote. This was deemed secondary to the ultimate goal of preserving the Union by the founding fathers.

16.) Which of the following phrases does not appear in the Constitution?

a.) ...a wall of separation between Church and state

The phrase "...a wall of separation between Church and State." appears in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to the Baptist Association of Danbury, CT on January 1, 1802 - it does not appear anywhere in the Constitution. The eight words contained in that phrase were taken out of context by the Supreme Court in 1947 when it struck down school prayer in the case of Everson v. Board of Education. The Supreme Court, which cited zero precedents for its ruling, stated that "The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach." Thomas Jefferson's letter says "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting [regarding] an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State." President Jefferson's meaning was further clarified in a letter to the Reverend Samuel Miller on January 23, 1808 when he said "I consider the government of the United States as interdicted [prohibited] by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions...or exercises."

The 1st amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting [regarding] an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...".

17.) The Constitution states that:

d.) The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

The 2nd amendment to the Constitution states that "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

18.) The Constitution states that the people have a right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that warrants specify:

c.) The place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized

The 4th amendment to the Constitution states that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

19.) According to the Constitution, a trial by jury cannot be denied if the value of the lawsuit exceeds:

a.) $20

The 7th amendment to the Constitution states that "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."

20.) The Constitution allows government:

d.) to take private property for public use, but only if the owner is paid a fair price for it

The 5th amendment to the Constitution says "...nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation."

21.) The Constitution states that no person may be deprived of:

b.) Life, liberty or property

The 5th amendment to the Constitution states that "No person shall be...deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law". The 14th amendment says "...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law". The phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" appears in the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.

22.) To whom does the Constitution guarantee a right to vote:

a.) Citizens

The 15th amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, states that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The 19th amendment, ratified in 1920, states that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

23.) The Constitution forbids slavery or involuntary servitude, except:

b.) As a punishment for a crime

The 13th amendment to the Constitution states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

24.) The Constitution allows the federal government to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by:

b.) Giving authors and inventors exclusive rights to their work Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that "The Congress shall have Power...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".

25.) According to the Constitution, who has the right to govern that part of the military employed in the service of the United States?

b.) The Congress

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that "The Congress shall have Power...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...".

Each question is worth 4 points. Grade yourself according to the following curve:

90 - 100% = A

80 - 89% = B

75 - 79% = C

70 - 74% = D

69 and below = F

And keep taking the test until you get an A!

Quick thought on Corporate Executive Ethics and Excesses

Why does Bush get such a reputation for cozying up to corporations when his administartion has overseen more corporate executive being found guilty than anyone can remember? ie, WorldCom's Ebbers Convicted of All Counts