I was watching the Today Show (NBC morning version) this morning (I had to give up cable for awhile) and heard this small piece on Honduras. According the Today Show there was a coup in which the Honduran military in which the Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales was removed from Office and expelled to Costa Rica in his PJs.
The image I received from the Today Show was that another Latin American Banana Republic went from democracy to dictatorship. There was an implied condemnation from the White House to shore up this image of an unconstitutional government change in Honduras.
I received a press release from Americans for Limited Government (ALG) this morning which tells a different story.
Evidently President Rosales was attempting a Hugo Chavez Leftist President for Life by unconstitutionally changing the constitutionally ordained term limits.
Here are the details from the email:
JRH 6/29/09
*********************
Editorial: In Honduras, Freedom Restored
Email Sent by: Bill Wilson
Contact: Alex Rosenwald
Sent: June 29th, 2009
Americans for Limited Government
The story out of Honduras is that the people of that stalwart little country have now taken it into their own hands to preserve their democracy in the most courageous action since they established their constitutional republic nearly three decades ago. Just as former Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales prepared to seize full power in direct violation of the nation's Constitution, the military leadership – with the backing of the people – removed him from power.
Unfortunately, Barak Obama, after encouraging the Zelaya coup with his complicit silence, has now condemned the people's move to uphold their Constitution and preserve their freedom. And, as expected, the mainstream media has joined Mr. Obama in censuring the restoration of democracy by censoring the full story.
Yet, what actually occurred in Honduras is a case study in the survival of freedom against the most oppressive odds.
Earlier this year, in the face of strong public opposition, Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales declared that he would stage a referendum to have the country's constitutional term limits law overturned, thereby allowing him to remain indefinitely in power. The people of Honduras had adopted the single, four-year--term limit as part of their Constitution in January of 1982. Significantly, the term limits provision is one of only eight "firm articles," out of 375. By law, cannot be amended.
The Supreme Court of Honduras declared the Zelaya referendum unconstitutional, his own Liberal Party came out in strong opposition, and the public overwhelmingly opposed his power grab. Despite this, Zelaya, a leftwing politician with strong ties to Cuba's Castro and Venezuela's Chavez, scheduled the referendum for Sunday, June 28. At midnight, Wednesday, June 24, the strong-arm president gave a televised speech accusing his opposition of promoting "destabilization and chaos" by attempting to thwart his unconstitutional referendum.
As the situation in Honduras continued to deteriorate, the Zelaya's attorney general called for his ouster; his Defense Minister resigned; he fired the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for stating that he would refuse to send out troops to put down public protests; the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force resigned; and the country's Supreme Court ordered the nation's army and police not to support the unconstitutional referendum.
Through all of this, Barack Obama abetted the Zelaya power grab through his calculated silence. Yet, the brave people of Honduras – enduring almost unfathomable duress – stood firm in support of their Constitution and the term limits embodied in it.
Now that the will of the people has triumphed over tragedy, we believe the time has come for Mr. Obama to concede the defeat of his partner and policy, and for the U.S. media to support those who, putting principle above personal safety, have let freedom ring. At ALG news, we applaud the Freedom Fighters of neighboring Honduras, even if Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will not.
The image I received from the Today Show was that another Latin American Banana Republic went from democracy to dictatorship. There was an implied condemnation from the White House to shore up this image of an unconstitutional government change in Honduras.
I received a press release from Americans for Limited Government (ALG) this morning which tells a different story.
Evidently President Rosales was attempting a Hugo Chavez Leftist President for Life by unconstitutionally changing the constitutionally ordained term limits.
Here are the details from the email:
JRH 6/29/09
*********************
Editorial: In Honduras, Freedom Restored
Email Sent by: Bill Wilson
Contact: Alex Rosenwald
Sent: June 29th, 2009
Americans for Limited Government
The story out of Honduras is that the people of that stalwart little country have now taken it into their own hands to preserve their democracy in the most courageous action since they established their constitutional republic nearly three decades ago. Just as former Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales prepared to seize full power in direct violation of the nation's Constitution, the military leadership – with the backing of the people – removed him from power.
Unfortunately, Barak Obama, after encouraging the Zelaya coup with his complicit silence, has now condemned the people's move to uphold their Constitution and preserve their freedom. And, as expected, the mainstream media has joined Mr. Obama in censuring the restoration of democracy by censoring the full story.
Yet, what actually occurred in Honduras is a case study in the survival of freedom against the most oppressive odds.
Earlier this year, in the face of strong public opposition, Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales declared that he would stage a referendum to have the country's constitutional term limits law overturned, thereby allowing him to remain indefinitely in power. The people of Honduras had adopted the single, four-year--term limit as part of their Constitution in January of 1982. Significantly, the term limits provision is one of only eight "firm articles," out of 375. By law, cannot be amended.
The Supreme Court of Honduras declared the Zelaya referendum unconstitutional, his own Liberal Party came out in strong opposition, and the public overwhelmingly opposed his power grab. Despite this, Zelaya, a leftwing politician with strong ties to Cuba's Castro and Venezuela's Chavez, scheduled the referendum for Sunday, June 28. At midnight, Wednesday, June 24, the strong-arm president gave a televised speech accusing his opposition of promoting "destabilization and chaos" by attempting to thwart his unconstitutional referendum.
As the situation in Honduras continued to deteriorate, the Zelaya's attorney general called for his ouster; his Defense Minister resigned; he fired the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for stating that he would refuse to send out troops to put down public protests; the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force resigned; and the country's Supreme Court ordered the nation's army and police not to support the unconstitutional referendum.
Through all of this, Barack Obama abetted the Zelaya power grab through his calculated silence. Yet, the brave people of Honduras – enduring almost unfathomable duress – stood firm in support of their Constitution and the term limits embodied in it.
Now that the will of the people has triumphed over tragedy, we believe the time has come for Mr. Obama to concede the defeat of his partner and policy, and for the U.S. media to support those who, putting principle above personal safety, have let freedom ring. At ALG news, we applaud the Freedom Fighters of neighboring Honduras, even if Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will not.
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