As one would expect, the Census Bureau budget for years immediately preceding a census undertaking is much greater than the budget required after the census. The Census Bureau requires much larger than average budgets in 2008, 2009 and 2010 to conduct the census.

Congress has not provided an adequate budget for the Census Bureau to prepare and conduct the 2010 Census. The Census Bureas Director, Charles Kincannon, spoke to the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight, about this situation. There is a little known resolution in effect that funds government agencies at the level of the last fiscal year. This is manageable for most agencies, but the Census Bureau requires significant budget increases to fund the 2010 census.

The 2010 Census is an undertaking of vital importance to our government. It should be well funded, becuase of the important role the data will have in decisions and perceptions for the next ten years. Americans cannot afford to get it wrong.

Justice Scalia wrote the opinion. In the opinion, the court struck down absolute prohibition of handguns and struck down the requirement that rifles and shotguns have trigger locks or be disassembled. The ruling leaves open the door for requiring licensing and other measures for regulating the use and carrying of handguns.

Defenders of the U.S. Constitution are jubilant that the Supreme Court decision continues to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Constitution.

Defenders of the U.S. Constitution believe that the legislation violates the Second Amendment.
The Second Amendment says 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.”

The Appeals Court decision was appealed to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. Insiders believe that the Supreme Court Justices will decide against the D.C. gun ban law in favor of individual rights. McCain has gone on record that he does not think the law complies with the Second Amendment. Approximately 300 members of Congress have gone on record that they believe the D.C. gun ban is unconstitutional and urge the Supreme Court to overturn the legislation.

The issue is to the States right to make “reasonable provisions for gun ownership”. The problem with this interpretation is that it’s a strategy for weakening or chipping away at a long standing right. Consider a nice granite stone with legislation that the stone cannot be taken away. If a group of people want the stone removed, the stone can be chipped away gradually until it isn’t much of a stone. This is the strategy used by groups that want to take away the right of the Second Amendment. They will chip away at it until it’s not much of a right.

It’s ironic that the Second Amendment is being challenged in the District of Columbia, the Capital City of the United States. This wll be a historic case. The ruling will have a dramatic impact on the interpretation of the Second Amendment for years to come.

Brigitte Bardot was a successful movie star and the Angelina Jolie of the 1950’s. She was every soldiers dream girl in World War II. After her acting career ended, she devoted herself to preventing animal cruelty. For this reason, she wrote a letter to a government official in France saying that she was tired of being under the thumb of these people (muslims) and they are destroying her country.

In what is a surprising development to every American, in April 2008 Brigitte Bardot was charged with discrimination and inciting a riot. Yesterday the court ruled she is guilty. Brigitte Bardot must pay a fine in excess of $23,000.00. Freedom of speech is not a right in France.

Freedom of Speech should not be taken for granted. All Americans must be vigilant for legislation that erodes the power of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.

It’s especially important that this bill be approved at this time. The Bush administration has paid little heed to the Constitutional right of freedom of speech and freedom of the press provided by Article Three of the Bill of Rights.

Article 3 of the Bill of Rights: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

S. 2035 will reinforce the freedom provided by the Bill of Rights and prohibits a Federal agency from compelling a person to testify or produce a document for any protected activities. This has always been a fundamental right in the United States. However, the Bush administration has significantly weakened this important concept during the Iraq War. For this reason, this is important legislation and necessary to strengthen Article 3 of the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

That is a denial of freedom of speech. You may wonder how does that impact me in the U.S.?

The point of all this is that Americans must be vigilant for legislation that erodes the power of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. It is unlikely that the amendment will ever be reversed, but it is entirely possible that legislation may be introduced that erodes and whittles away at the intent of the amendment. After all, this is the strategy that has been used for decades by the gun control groups.

Click here, for information on the Constitutional Right to Freedom of Speech.