OCR Text |
Show 12 f 1 WESTERN AMERWNS ! ' volution imi the Hi Cln)IS Page (See 4) The independent icated To The Constitution, Liberty, Morality, and Truth Volume 2, No. 1 Salt Lake City, 250 84106 January 2 2, 1971 x DEAD ally recognized that setting voter qualifications was a power constitutionally exercised by the state governments. Indeed, the Constitution specifically states in Article I Section 2 that the House of Representatives shall be chosen by electors (voters) of each state and said voters to have qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of 'the State i Legislature. Furthermore, ( the U.S. Congrefhad control, surely then, n$n the beginning of this nation it would have been so. Even if this, power were implied in the 14th Amendment, which ? .V f ; 7 4' surely Congress would have set the age qualifications for voting from the time the 14th Amendment was declared ratified, that is, July 28, 1868. Neither the Congress, the President, nor the Supreme Court, were eager to usurp this power from the states until 1970 nearly 200 years after the founding of this nation. Today, however, all three divisions of our government have concurred in the violation of the Constitution. Congress has arrogated powers unto itself which are neither expressly granted nor tacitly implied in the Constitution. The President signed the Congressional bill into law (even though he felt it was unconstitutional) and five out of nine members of the Supreme Court upheld it as being within the framework of the Constitution. We have become a nation fed . Amendment XIV Section 2 specifically men-tion- s age 21. If a person in a state who has attained the age of 21 is denied the right to vote the representation of that state shall be reduced proportionally. On December 21st, 1970, in The XVH Amendment, changSuone of the most important ing the election of Senators to in many be elected by the people instead preme Court actions years, the high court ruled in a of by the State Legislatures, as 4 decision that age voting qualwas originally done, declared ifications for national elections that those who elect Senators shall have the qualifications may be set by the U.S. Congress. This decision has overturned the requisite for electors (voters) of belief and practice of nearly 200 the most numerous branch of the State Legislatures. years. Since the Constitution was. If voter qualifications regardfirst ratified it has been univers ing age were a subject over 5-- The Supreme Court Building on the lie that the Constitution for themselves the powers which is what the Supreme Court says they had granted to the governit is. That constant diet has so ment. The Bill of Rights was perverted the thinking of the further written to reinforce, by citizens of this nation that more explicit statements, the hardly a murmur was heard as limitations on the power of the Supreme Court issued its government. ' When a nation has latest dictatorial decree. forgotten Our Founding Fathers wanted those things which made it great a written Constitution' so the that nation is doomed to de- citizens would be able to read (Continued on page 7) , U 4 Rampton Urges Public Housing Governor Rampton set the tone for his State of the State message to the 39th Legislature in a talk delivered in the Taber-- , nacle. The occasion was the 15th Annual Veterans Day Concert on November 11, 1970. He spoke at great length on the weaknesses and failures of our Democracy to meet and solve some of our basic social issues. He said, The world can be made safe for Democracy only if the people of the world want Democracy. Some observers have pointed out that the men who wrote the Constitution did not want to establish a Democracy and indeed referred to it as the worst form of government. The government they formed was a Republic and each state was to be guaranteed a Republican form of government. Governor Rampton mentioned that a substantial number of our people are still filled with racial prejudice against the Blacks, the Browns and the Indians. At least one person in the audience noted that this type of statement, repeated over and over again by demagogues in office, is what has helped fan the flames of racial hatred throughout the country. Governor Rampton then warned his audience that he intended to call for a State Housing Authority in this session of the Legislature. The previous Legislature established a law allowing counties and cities to set up housing authorities in order to liave public housing. According to the Governor's idea, not enough of the cities and counties have wanted public housing. Therefore, he has had submitted to the legislature a bill empowering the state (in other words, the Governor's office) to set up a state-wid- e public housing au- thority. Public housing is purely and simply socialistic in its nature and purpose. In calling for more of these socialistic schemes to cure the ills of Democracy our state is following after the same mistakes made by other social- istic governors and legislators in other states. No matter how many failures they can succeed in producing their constant cry is for more and more of the same. This always results in creating more mischief and Gov. Calvin L. Rampton The Governor an has received more free probably publicity in this manner than any other current misery for the people. In his message to the Legisla- It is difficult to read the news-ape- r or watch a television news ture, January 12th, Governor rodcast limitawithout seeing the Rampton also called for a Governors tion to be placed on the amount picture or statement that may be spent in political being broadcast or quoted. If rumors are correct and campaigns. It should be pointed out that Governor Rampton decides to the incumbent always enjoys the seek another office during the next election, passage of his bill advantage of free publicity which he gets by virtue of being to restrict' campaign expendi t office-holde- r. office-holde- r. THE UTAH INDEPENDENT. P.O. Box 6274 Salt L Application to mail at 2nd class postal rates is pending at Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. ake City. Utah 84106 Address Correction Requested Serials Order Department University of Utah Libraries 84112 Salt Lake tures would be to his personal benefit in the forthcoming campaign. His idea to restrict even what a private citizen might wish to contribute on his own would certainly place shackles on his opponent while he would be allowed practically unlimited access to the news media. Every-tim- e he kissed a baby or cut a ribbon he would be getting publicity by virtue of his office. The Legislature should turn this one down cold. Not only does this idea give the incumbent an unfair advantage but it restricts the freedom of any individual who wished to place an advertisement favoring his candidate. This appears to be a subterfuge on the part of the Governor to help him in his personal political aspirations at the next tion. In fairness to all, it must be looked upon as unnecessary, burdensome, and a violation of the right to freedom of speech. i 1 n t9 T i A i i t i City, Utah ..c St |