CORE's Duane Tron re: Ohio SB 161 "Vote them out"

From Duane Tron, June 17, 2007

Dear All,

Once again I believe this piece of garbage violates federal commerce and banking laws. Once again the Ohio General Assembly is trying to regulate, or impact, US Foreign Policy. Once again our ignorant, arrogant, and incompetent lawmakers are stepping over the lines between their role and responsibility for Ohio, and the duties and responsibility of the Congress of the United States of America. Folks, these fools just don't get it! They are living proof to my contention that it's possible to reason with ignorant and uniformed people, but in the end you are still dealing with ignorant and uninformed people. What can we say? I say we form a new third party and oust the Republicans and Democrats in Ohio. We aren't going to see any improvement from any of them. They just don't get it and they don't want to get it! 0 + 0 stills equals 0! The sum of zero is zero! Zero times zero still equals zero! We're dealing with a bunch of zeros! Vote them out!

Mr. T

Note from John: Since when have Ohio Senators and House members been elected to dictate foreign policy by controlling the purse strings of international dealings? I thought this was the job of the U.S. State Department to make a declaration of "terrorist" states and banning business by companies doing business with "terrorist" states! Maybe I missed a history lesson back when I was a student!

[A correction from Mr. T]:

No, John! Sorry! It falls under the purview of Congress and the Commerce and Banking Laws they have in place. The State Department can make recommendations to the President and Congress. After all the Department of State is a cabinet office created by Congress and is part of the administration. The authority to regulate foreign commerce falls squarely with the Congress and is stated so in the Constitution. It is the duty of Congress to make laws, the courts to interpret and rule on their constitutionality, and the administrative branch, president, to enforce the laws. Any embargo, whether trade, commerce, or banking, is the responsibility of the US Congress and must come from them. A few presidents have stepped into this domain under the authority provided as Commander-In-Chief of the US Armed Forces but it has been rare. The Department of State can label terrorist, or rogue states, but Congress still has to act on such recommendations. Note I said, "recommendations." Department of State lacks the authority under law to act on such issues unilaterally. They cannot impose penalties without the consent of Congress. I taught this stuff for over 20 years!

Mr. T