From: "Albert P. Franco, II" <apf2@apf2.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 15:10:59 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: IP: Clear and present danger: FIGHT AGAINST NATIONAL ID CARD (fwd)
Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19981002214238.0088e550@apf2.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
>Three branches of government? Between the state and federal?
>
>I don't think so...
>
>There are *THREE* (3) EQUALY powered members in the government of the United
>States of America; federal, state, and the people.
>
I think the original message speaks of executive, legislative, and judicial
branches. As defined by the constitution this is, in fact, the federal
government. As a matter of practice, most if not all, of the states are
also divided this way. Article X which you quoted supports the tacit
understanding that We, the people, are not actually THE government. We, the
people, have, by this the supreme law of the land, authorized the formation
and maintenance of a government which by this same document We authorize to
govern us. I don't really see anywhere that says we can't revoke our
authorization. But I also don't see anything that places We, the people,
inside the government structures.

Remember, there was a great deal of fuss made by the framers of that great
document about giving the People too much power. That's why there were
originally a lot of limits on direct election of top officials. Hell
technically, we still don't directly elect the president. The electoral
college does. We also cannot directly propose or implement legislation.
Some states do allow this level of popular intervention but the sad fact is
we still don't have a national referendum.

The statement you made that, "There are *THREE* (3) EQUALLY powered members
in the government of the United States of America; federal, state, and the
people." Is simply not true. The states are no longer equals to the feds,
and We the people are in today's world much less than equal to either.

Al Franco, II