Neal Boortz
2012-07-04 14:10:50 UTC
1. Forget when the Declaration of Independence was signed; instead,
explain why it was signed. What were the signers trying to accomplish?
2. What happened to the men who signed the Declaration? Did they go
on to be heroes and live happily ever after?
3. What does the Declaration of Independence say the people can do
when a government becomes destructive to the ends of liberty?
4. What would happen to anyone who tried today to alter or abolish
our government if it became destructive to idea that government derives
its powers from the consent of the governed?
5. Which articles of the Constitution grant specific powers to the
federal government?
6. What article of the Constitution restricts the powers of the
government to only those specifically set forth in the Constitution?
7. Describe the circumstances under which Francis Scott Key wrote
the words to the Star Spangled Banner?
8. Do you believe people living in a free country ought to be
compelled to recite a pledge of allegiance to that country? Why?
9. Was the Revolutionary War for independence from Great Britain
supported by a majority of the Colonists?
10. Where in our Constitution is it stated that anyone has a right to
vote for the office of President of the United States?
11. How did our original Constitution provide for the appointment of
Senators?
12. Most foreign countries appoint an ambassador to be their official
representative before the government of the United States. Who
officially represents the 50 state governments before the government of
the United States?
13. Explain the difference between a rule of law and the rule of man.
14. Explain the difference between a democracy and a constitutional
republic.
15. Was our country founded to be a country of majority rule?
16. Write a paragraph describing what life our country would be like
today if the majority did rule?
17. Aren't you glad the majority doesn't rule?
Do you believe that we need additional restrictions on who can vote? If
so, list the restrictions you would recommend.
18. Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things who the governor of
North Carolina is, unless you live in North Carolina?
19. Isn't a governor something you put on a state to keep it from moving
ahead very fast?
20. What possible benefit could you gain by memorizing the motto of the
State of North Carolina, or any other state for that matter?
21. How many times can the word "democracy" found in the Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution?
22. How many times can the word "democracy" found in the constitutions
of any of the 50 states?
23. What does this tell you?
24. Define "civil war."
25. Was the war between the northern and southern states in the
mid-1800s a civil war?
26. Who is third in the line of succession to the presidency?
27. Based on your answer to the foregoing question, how secure would you
demand additional Secret Service protection for the president and the
vice-president in the event the Democrats gain control of the House of
Representatives in the next election?
28. How did the political class manage to fool the people of the United
States into supporting a Constitutional Amendment creating an income
tax?
29. How do most people get their news on a daily bass?
30. Does the "freedom of press" clause in the First Amendment apply to
the broadcast media?
31. So, do most people get their news from agencies licensed to operate
by the federal government?
32. Why were the words "under God" placed into the Pledge of Allegiance?
33. Do you think that it is proper for the federal government to compel
students attending government schools under compulsory attendance laws
to acknowledge the role of God in the formation of our country? Would
this constitute "effecting an establishment of religion?" If not, why
not?
34. Do Americans derive their basic rights from the Constitution?
35. If we don't derive our rights from the Constitution, just why was
the Bill of Rights added anyway?
36. Define a system of government where the means of production are
owned and controlled privately.
37. Define a system of government where the means of production are
privately owned but controlled by government.
38. Define a system of government where the means of production are
owned and controlled by the government.
39. What percentage of total income is earned by the top one percent of
income earners.
40. What percentage of total income taxes collected by the federal
government is paid by the top one percent of income earners.
41. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S.
citizens may vote for the office of President of the United States?
42. Name one function that a state government can exercise without
interference from the federal level.
43. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S.
citizens may vote for members of the House of Representatives?
44. Look at the Bill of Rights. List any Amendments in the Bill of
Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the powers of
government.
45. If our Constitution provides for equal protection under the law,
why, then, does the Voting Rights Act only apply to certain states who
were held in political disfavor in the 70's?
46. List any Amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the
purpose of limiting the rights of individuals.
47. If the Bill of Rights was written to limit the rights of government
and to guarantee certain rights in the individual, try to explain why so
many people seem to think that the 2nd Amendment was written to limit
the rights of individuals and guarantee the rights of government?
48. Does the First Amendment protect speech that some people might find
offensive?
49. Explain how our Republic was threatened when Janet Jackson showed
the world that she likes to wear a Japanese throwing star on the nipple
of her left breast. Or was it her right breast. Does it make any
difference?
50. What is the one exclusive power our government has that no
individual or business can legally exercise?
51. Now this list could be expanded to fill an entire book. I could,
for instance, add a hundred or so questions beginning with "Where does
the United States Constitution give the federal government the right to
.........." Fifty questions is enough, though, and it's time to finish
the Nuze and head to the studios.
It does occur to me that some of you high school and college government
teachers and instructors might have a bit of fun with these questions
and your students. No ... I'm not providing the answers.
explain why it was signed. What were the signers trying to accomplish?
2. What happened to the men who signed the Declaration? Did they go
on to be heroes and live happily ever after?
3. What does the Declaration of Independence say the people can do
when a government becomes destructive to the ends of liberty?
4. What would happen to anyone who tried today to alter or abolish
our government if it became destructive to idea that government derives
its powers from the consent of the governed?
5. Which articles of the Constitution grant specific powers to the
federal government?
6. What article of the Constitution restricts the powers of the
government to only those specifically set forth in the Constitution?
7. Describe the circumstances under which Francis Scott Key wrote
the words to the Star Spangled Banner?
8. Do you believe people living in a free country ought to be
compelled to recite a pledge of allegiance to that country? Why?
9. Was the Revolutionary War for independence from Great Britain
supported by a majority of the Colonists?
10. Where in our Constitution is it stated that anyone has a right to
vote for the office of President of the United States?
11. How did our original Constitution provide for the appointment of
Senators?
12. Most foreign countries appoint an ambassador to be their official
representative before the government of the United States. Who
officially represents the 50 state governments before the government of
the United States?
13. Explain the difference between a rule of law and the rule of man.
14. Explain the difference between a democracy and a constitutional
republic.
15. Was our country founded to be a country of majority rule?
16. Write a paragraph describing what life our country would be like
today if the majority did rule?
17. Aren't you glad the majority doesn't rule?
Do you believe that we need additional restrictions on who can vote? If
so, list the restrictions you would recommend.
18. Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things who the governor of
North Carolina is, unless you live in North Carolina?
19. Isn't a governor something you put on a state to keep it from moving
ahead very fast?
20. What possible benefit could you gain by memorizing the motto of the
State of North Carolina, or any other state for that matter?
21. How many times can the word "democracy" found in the Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution?
22. How many times can the word "democracy" found in the constitutions
of any of the 50 states?
23. What does this tell you?
24. Define "civil war."
25. Was the war between the northern and southern states in the
mid-1800s a civil war?
26. Who is third in the line of succession to the presidency?
27. Based on your answer to the foregoing question, how secure would you
demand additional Secret Service protection for the president and the
vice-president in the event the Democrats gain control of the House of
Representatives in the next election?
28. How did the political class manage to fool the people of the United
States into supporting a Constitutional Amendment creating an income
tax?
29. How do most people get their news on a daily bass?
30. Does the "freedom of press" clause in the First Amendment apply to
the broadcast media?
31. So, do most people get their news from agencies licensed to operate
by the federal government?
32. Why were the words "under God" placed into the Pledge of Allegiance?
33. Do you think that it is proper for the federal government to compel
students attending government schools under compulsory attendance laws
to acknowledge the role of God in the formation of our country? Would
this constitute "effecting an establishment of religion?" If not, why
not?
34. Do Americans derive their basic rights from the Constitution?
35. If we don't derive our rights from the Constitution, just why was
the Bill of Rights added anyway?
36. Define a system of government where the means of production are
owned and controlled privately.
37. Define a system of government where the means of production are
privately owned but controlled by government.
38. Define a system of government where the means of production are
owned and controlled by the government.
39. What percentage of total income is earned by the top one percent of
income earners.
40. What percentage of total income taxes collected by the federal
government is paid by the top one percent of income earners.
41. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S.
citizens may vote for the office of President of the United States?
42. Name one function that a state government can exercise without
interference from the federal level.
43. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S.
citizens may vote for members of the House of Representatives?
44. Look at the Bill of Rights. List any Amendments in the Bill of
Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the powers of
government.
45. If our Constitution provides for equal protection under the law,
why, then, does the Voting Rights Act only apply to certain states who
were held in political disfavor in the 70's?
46. List any Amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the
purpose of limiting the rights of individuals.
47. If the Bill of Rights was written to limit the rights of government
and to guarantee certain rights in the individual, try to explain why so
many people seem to think that the 2nd Amendment was written to limit
the rights of individuals and guarantee the rights of government?
48. Does the First Amendment protect speech that some people might find
offensive?
49. Explain how our Republic was threatened when Janet Jackson showed
the world that she likes to wear a Japanese throwing star on the nipple
of her left breast. Or was it her right breast. Does it make any
difference?
50. What is the one exclusive power our government has that no
individual or business can legally exercise?
51. Now this list could be expanded to fill an entire book. I could,
for instance, add a hundred or so questions beginning with "Where does
the United States Constitution give the federal government the right to
.........." Fifty questions is enough, though, and it's time to finish
the Nuze and head to the studios.
It does occur to me that some of you high school and college government
teachers and instructors might have a bit of fun with these questions
and your students. No ... I'm not providing the answers.