A spokesman for the Northeast Frontier Railway Nripen Bhattacharya said in Guwahati that three special trains had left for Bangalore yesterday taking back in a phased manner those who had fled from the capital of Karnataka fearing attacks on them sparked by rumours in the wake of violence in Assam The official, however, could not give the exact number of people returning to Bangalore.
Government officials said it would take two to three days before all of them returned to Bangalore and other cities like Pune and Chennai from where thousands of fear-stricken Northeasterners had fled. After four days of panic-driven exodus of Northeasterners, the situation eased today with police and railway officials saying it has stopped in Karnataka and reduced to a trickle in Tamil Nadu.
In contrast to the exodus of people from the northeast, it was a normal situation in Bangalore which was turned into a virtual fortress amid tight security. Upto 30,000 people had fled the country's IT capital since late last week which abated yesterday after the government went overdrive to instil confidence in the people from northeast. Over 18,000 police personnel, bolstered by Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), kept a hawk-like vigil in Bangalore with Ramzan also being celebrated.
"The situation is absolutely peaceful and normal ... People from the northeast are going about their chores without any disturbance and the exodus has completely stopped", additional commissioner of police (law and order) Suneel Kumar told PTI. Bangalore Police commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji said they have held several peace committee meetings with community leaders and police also intensified night patrolling. Railways, which ran additional trains to Guwahati after the sudden rush of fleeing northeasterners, did not operate any special services for the second consecutive day.
Don Giorgio Mazzoccato condannato a 6 anni per abusi e violenze a 10 bambine e bambini quando era parroco ad Arpinova (Fg). Oggi lavora nella parrocchia di Castelluccio dei Sauri.
Si suicida don Giuseppe Rassello, condannato a 3 anni e 6 mesi, in appello ridotti a 2, per abusi sessuali su un 14enne del rione Sanità, a Napoli. I funerali sono celebrati dal cardinale Michele Giordano.
Don Marco Gamba, parroco a Chiusa San Michele (To) condannato a 4 anni per abusi nei confronti di due chierichetti e possesso di materiale pedo-pornografico.
2001
Don Giuseppe Carpi condannato al pagamento di 30 milioni di lire per molestie ad una ragazza 14enne quando era parroco a Santa Margherita Ligure. Oggi è parroco di S. Maria di Nazareth a Sestri Levante (Ge).
Don Renato Mariani condannato a 4 anni per violenza sessuale a minori quando era parroco a San Giuliano Milanese. Oggi è parroco della Natività di San Giovanni Battista a Melegnano.
2003
Don Bruno Tancredi, parroco di Monticelli (Te), condannato a 6 anni per violenze ai danni di due minori, uno dei quali disabile. Oggi lavora in diocesi, senza alcun incarico specifico.
2004
Don Roberto Volaterra, parroco di Castagnole Piemonte (To), condannato a 1 anno e 8 mesi e pagamento di 45mila euro per violenza sessuale nei confronti di una bambina di 13 anni che frequentava l'oratorio. Oggi è collaboratore parrocchiale a S. Andrea a Savigliano (Cn).
Don Paolo Pellegrini, parroco di San Gioacchino a Colleferro (Roma), in passato già segnalato ai carabinieri per atti osceni, condannato a 6 anni e al pagamento di 60mila euro per violenza sessuale e istigazione all'uso di sostanze stupefacenti su un minorenne.
Don Roberto Mornati, prete di Gavirate (Va), condannato a 3 anni e 4 mesi e al pagamento di 280mila euro per abusi nei confronti di 12 minori. In passato aveva già subito un processo per molestie.
Patteggia 2 anni e 6 mesi don Felice Cini, condannato per aver molestato alcuni bambini della parrocchia di Arcille (Gr).
VIDEO RAI 2 - AnnoZero: Preti pedofili protetti dal Vaticano.
Patteggia 2 anni e 6 mesi don Bruno Puleo per abusi sessuali nei confronti di 7 ragazzi che frequentavano il seminario di Agrigento. A Marco Marchese, una delle vittime, il vescovo di Agrigento, da cui si era recato prima di rivolgersi alla Procura, chiede un risarcimento di 200mila euro per danni arrecati all'immagine della Chiesa agrigentina, salvo poi ritirare la richiesta [Puleo è stato denunciato dapprima al parroco don Giuseppe Veneziano (il vice-rettore), poi al preside del seminario don Gaetano Montana ed in seguito anche all'Arcivescovo metropolita di Agrigento S.E. Mons. Carmelo Ferraro, tutti citati poi nel processo come persone informate sui fatti - n.d.Red.TA].
Patteggia 3 anni per pedofilia padre Domenico Marcanti, animatore alla scuola media dell'Istituto Don Orione di Alessandria.
Don Giorgio Barbacini condannato a 3 anni e mezzo per abusi sessuali nei confronti di un minorenne extracomunitario che aveva in custodia presso la comunità "Migrantes" di Savona. Oggi lavora in un'altra diocesi.
2007
Don Mauro Stefanoni, parroco di Laglio (Co), condannato a 8 anni e al pagamento di 150mila euro per abusi sessuali nei confronti di un minore disabile. Oggi lavora nella diocesi di Como, senza alcun incarico specifico.
Don Pierangelo Bertagna, parroco di Farneta (Ar), condannato a 8 anni per violenze sessuali a diversi minorenni. Viene sospeso dal vescovo di Arezzo e dimesso dallo stato clericale da papa Benedetto XVI. Č la prima volta che l'autorità ecclesiastica punisce un prete pedofilo.
2008
Don Emilio Manzolini condannato a 4 anni per violenze sessuali a due bambine di 9 anni quando era parroco di Santa Rosa da Viterbo, a Roma. Oggi lavora nella comunità di Albavilla (Co) della congregazione del Sacro Cuore di Gesù.
Don Antonio Calcedonio Di Maggio condannato a 4 anni per molestie sessuali a due minorenni della parrocchia romana Madonna di Czestochowa e della scuola media "Salvo D'Acquisto", dove insegnava religione. Già in passato aveva avuto una condanna per reati simili. Oggi risulta essere ancora viceparroco nella stessa parrocchia.
Don Lelio Cantini, ex parroco della Regina della Pace a Firenze, viene dimesso dallo stato clericale da papa Benedetto XVI perchè ritenuto responsabile di abusi e violenze sessuali su decine di minori fra il 1973 e il 1987. Nel 2005, l'allora vescovo di Firenze, il cardinale Ennio Antonelli, a cui le vittime si erano rivolte, si era limitato a vietare a don Cantini di celebrare la messa in pubblico per 5 anni.
Rafael Correa said it would be “suicide” if the UK tried to arrest the WikiLeaks founder, holed up at the London site as he fights extradition to Sweden to face sex charges.
Mr Correa said: “David beat Goliath and with many Davids it’s easier to bring down a number of Goliaths.”
Casi di pedofilia all'interno della Chiesa cattolica
Sacerdote, insegnate e anche pedofilo, secondo la magistratura. E’ stato condannato, in rito abbreviato, dal gup Claudio Mattioli, a 4 anni e due mesi, un sacerdote accusato di aver abusato di due ragazzini.
Il prete, A.D. [Don Antonio Calcedonio Di Maggio - n.d.R.TA], di 58 anni, di origine siciliana, officiava nella diocesi dedicata alla Madonna di Czestokova, alla Rustica, e insegnava religione alla scuola media di Roma «Salvo D'Acquisto». L’uomo, che per i fatti oggetto del procedimento era anche finito in manette, è da tempo agli arresti domiciliari in un convento di Benedettini Silvestrini a Bassano Romano. Il capo d’imputazione per A.D. è: atti sessuali con minori, aggravati dal fatto che le vittime erano a lui affidate «per ragioni di educazione e di vigilanza». Il giudice ha imposto anche una provvisionale di 15mila euro di rimborso alle vittime.
GIA' CONDANNATOPER LO STESSO REATO - In passato era già stato condannato dieci anni fa per una storia molto simile ma, scontata la pena, era tornato alla sua attività a scuola e all’oratorio. Arrestato nell’estate scorsa, il religioso, inizialmente, aveva negato tutto, ma in seguito aveva confessato, almeno in parte, cercando però di sminuire la gravità delle violenze. La prima denuncia a carico di A.D. venne presentata dai genitori di un dodicenne con gravi problemi psichici, un ragazzo "affetto da un disturbo del comportamento nell'ambito dell'organizzazione cognitiva borderline". Il giovane, che frequentava l'oratorio della Rustica, raccontò di essere stato palpeggiato e molestato dal sacerdote e, qualche giorno dopo, alcuni amichetti della stessa età gli raccontarono di aver subìto lo stesso tipo di violenze. In seguito si accertò un secondo caso, avvenuto, stavolta, durante un campo scuola nell'isola di Ventotene.
A.D. [ Don Antonio Calcedonio Di Maggio - n.d.R.TA ] aveva sorpreso un gruppo di ragazzi che scherzavano e si misuravano gli organi genitali. Il religioso avrebbe approfittato della circostanza per rivolgere pesanti avances a un altro adolescente, anche lui di 12 anni.
Il religioso ha confessato: quattro anni e due mesi di carcere grazie al rito abbreviato
La prima condanna risale a una decina di anni fa, la seconda è arrivata ieri mattina. E sempre per lo stesso reato: il sacerdote è accusato di aver compiuto atti sessuali con minori, con ragazzini che gli erano stati affidati da inconsapevoli e fiduciosi genitori. Ad Antonio Calcedonio Di Maggio, 58 anni, il gup Claudio Mattioli ha inflitto quattro anni e due mesi di carcere. Una pena ridotta di un terzo grazie allo sconto previsto dal rito abbreviato. Per il religioso, che prima di finire nei guai con la giustizia era sacerdote nella chiesa della Madonna di Czestochowa, a La Rustica, e insegnante di religione nella scuola media «Salvo D' Acquisto», il pm Nunzia D' Elia aveva chiesto sei mesi in più di reclusione. Ma il giudice ha deciso di concedergli le attenuanti generiche, considerando la lieve entità delle molestie e soprattutto il risarcimento dei danni già liquidato alle vittime, due ragazzini.
Di Maggio era finito dietro le sbarre a novembre dell' anno scorso e, dopo aver trascorso qualche giorno a Regina Coeli, aveva ottenuto gli arresti domiciliari nel convento dell' Ordine dei monaci benedettini silvestrini, a Bassano Romano. All' origine dell' ordinanza di custodia cautelare c' era stata la denuncia dei genitori (furibondi) di un dodicenne, che si era confidato e aveva raccontato di essere stato molestato dal sacerdote. Secondo l' accusa, nella primavera del 2006 il religioso aveva indotto il ragazzino, un suo allievo, a subire palpeggiamenti nell' oratorio della chiesa della Madonna di Czestochowa. Interrogato dopo l' arresto, Di Maggio aveva giurato che l' accusa era falsa, ma poi aveva corretto il tiro e aveva ammesso, almeno in parte, che l' abuso c' era stato. L' adolescente però non si è limitato a raccontare l' incubo in cui era precipitato: ha riferito al pubblico ministero di aver saputo che anche alcuni coetanei avevano subito le attenzioni del sacerdote. E indagando è emerso un secondo episodio, analogo al precedente: un altro dodicenne molestato durante un campo-scuola a Ventotene, l' estate scorsa. Anche questa accusa, in prima battuta, è stata respinta dal religioso. Che invece ieri in aula ha finito per confessare, ammettendo che anche nel campeggio sull' isola aveva abusato di un allievo.
Fonte: Corriere della Sera - Pagina 6 - Autore: Gianvito Lavinia - 6 luglio 2007
Pedeapsa, care este cea maxima în Norvegia, va putea fi prelungita atât timp cât Breivik va fi considerat periculos.
Instanta, formata din cinci judecatori, l-a gasit în unanimitate pe Breivik /33 de ani/ responsabil de faptele sale, respingând astfel una dintre expertizele psihiatrice, care îl descria ca suferind de 'schizofrenie paranoida'. Inculpatul va putea depune cerere de eliberare conditionata doar dupa executarea a minumum 10 ani de detentie, iar la ora actuala avocatii lui Breivik dispun de 14 zile pentru a face apel împotriva verdictului. Dupa aceea decizia va intra efectiv în vigoare.
La intrarea în sala de tribunal amenajata special pentru acest proces, dupa ce i-au fost scoase catusele, extremistul - îmbracat cu un costum negru, camasa alba si cravata gri - a facut salutul sau de extrema dreapta, apoi a ascultat zâmbind verdictul. În perspectiva pronuntarii acestuia, bariere de securitate au fost amplasate în fata tribunalului din capitala norvegiana.
În interiorul salii, Breivik era separat de un geam protector de rude ale victimelor aflate la fata locului. De asemenea, camere de filmat controlate de la distanta filmau audierea, transmitând imagini catre alte tribunale din Norvegia unde alte rude puteau privi procesul în direct.
Mohamad Hadi Hamed, 21 de ani, una dintre victimele lui Breivik care a scapat cu viata, dar care acum se afla într-un scaun cu rotile, a povestit pentru instanta cum i-au fost amputate bratul stâng si piciorul stâng dupa ce a fost împuscat de inculpat.
La 22 iulie, Breivik a ucis 77 de persoane, opt într-un atentat cu bomba împotriva sediului guvernului din Oslo, apoi 69, majoritatea adolescenti, într-o tabara a tineretului laburist pe insula Utoeya, deghizat în politist. Cea mai tânara victima decedata a avut 14 ani. Aceste atacuri au socat pasnica Norvegie si au evidentiat lipsa de pregatire a politiei si a serviciilor sale de securitate în astfel de cazuri, noteaza AFP.
Prin verdictul tribunalului din Oslo, Breivik obtine satisfactie evitând internarea psihiatrica, de care se temea ca îi va discredita ideologia rasista si xenofoba. Aspectul cel mai controversat al procesului, care a durat între 16 aprilie si 22 iunie, a fost sanatatea mintala a inculpatului. O prima expertiza psihiatrica a concluzionat ca Breivik nu este responsabil din punct de vedere penal, iar o a doua l-a declarat sanatos. Breivik a recunoscut ca este autorul masacrului, dar a pledat nevinovat: el a explicat ca a comis acte 'atroce, dar necesare' pentru a proteja Norvegia de un multiculturalism pe care îl considera nociv.
Dupa încheierea procedurilor de astazi, Anders Behring Breivik se va întoarce la închisoarea Ila, la circa douazeci de kilometri de Oslo, pentru a-si continua 'detentia preventiva'. El este repartizat într-un grup de celule mici într-o zona pentru prizonieri considerati deosebit de periculosi. Extremistul, care se prezinta ca fiind un 'scriitor', afirma ca are mai multe carti în pregatire, printre care si o autobiografie. El are propria sa camera pentru exercitii fizice si o camera de studiu. Alti detinuti au întreaga închisoare la dispozitie, cu sali de sport si biblioteci si pot merge si la munca. Breivik nu beneficiaza de aceste privilegii.
Potrivit unui sondaj publicat vineri de tabloidul Verdens Gang, 72% dintre norvegieni apreciaza ca acuzatul este suficient de sanatos pentru a fi condamnat la închisoare.
''Pierderile înregistrate din cauza secetei sunt la minimum 2,5 miliarde de euro si înca nu este totul încheiat. Banii pe care îi vom primi de la Ministerul Agriculturii, cei 100 de lei pe hectar, daca îi calculam pe numarul de hectare eligibile, reprezinta o recuperare de câteva sute de milioane de euro. Paguba ramâne însa consistenta si importanta'', a precizat Caras.
În opinia acestuia, fermierii vor trebui sa renunte la o parte din suprafetele cultivate pentru ca nu detin resurse financiare sa reînceapa în toamna ciclul de productie.
'Fermierii vor trebui sa renunte la o parte din hectarele cultivate sa caute finantari pe la banci ca sa reînceapa ciclul de productie. Noi încercam sa aram si nu putem pentru ca plugurile ies din pamânt oricât de fortoase ar fi tractoarele noastre. Pamântul este foarte greu de lucrat pentru ca opune rezistenta imensa. Daca se strica tractorul când trebuie sa cumperi piese mai bine te spânzuri pentru ca echipamentele sunt foarte scumpe. Situatia este disperata', a adaugat Caras.
În ceea ce priveste productia agricola din 2012, reprezentantul fermierilor estimeaza o reducere cu peste 40% fata de productia anului trecut.
'Desi unele estimari din piata sunt scoase din burta, fara doar si poate pierderea de productie va fi de peste 40% fata de productia anului trecut, iar contributia la PIB se va reduce si ea, poate nu chiar la jumatate, dar va fi în functie de productie. De exemplu, sunt fermieri mari care au plati impozite anul trecut de 2-3-5 milioane de euro si poate chiar mai mult, iar cei care au platit un milion anul trecut vor plati doar între 400-500.000 de euro', a subliniat seful PP.
Productia agricola a României a crescut cu 8,9% în 2011, comparativ cu anul precedent, sectorul vegetal fiind în crestere cu 12,9%, iar productia animala cu 0,8%., potrivit datelor Institutul National de Statistica /INS/.
Sheeple (a portmanteau of "sheep" and "people") is a term of disparagement in which people are likened to sheep, a herd animal. The term is used to describe those who voluntarily acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research. By doing so, they undermine their own individuality and may willingly give up their rights. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple)
"There is scope for further action by the Federal Reserve to ease financial conditions and strengthen the recovery," Bernanke wrote to the committee's chairman, Representative Darrell Issa, in a letter obtained by Reuters on Friday.
Bernanke at the end of next week will give a closely watched speech at an annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which will be closely watched for clues into the prospect of further bond-buying from the Fed.
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke answers questions during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington June 20, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
Asked if it was too soon to consider new monetary easing steps when the Fed's Operation Twist program aimed at lowering long-term bond yields was still in effect, Bernanke said policymakers must invariably look beyond the immediate term.
"Because monetary policy actions operate with a lag, the stance of policy must necessarily be set in light of a forecast of future performance of the economy," Bernanke said.
Fed officials sharply revised down their forecasts for U.S. economic growth in June, and another potential round of downward revisions could come at its September meeting.
U.S. gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter, a level seen too weak to lead to a sustained decline in unemployment, which rose to 8.3 percent in July.
In response to the financial crisis and recession of 2008-2009, the Fed cut rates to effectively zero and bought some $2.3 trillion in mortgage and Treasury bonds to put downward pressure on long-term borrowing costs.
Source: reuters.com - Reporting By Pedro Nicolaci da Costa; Editing by Neil Stempleman
Geo-engineers are finally coming out of the "chemtrail" closet, as reports are now emerging about deliberate plans in the works to dump untold tons of sulfate chemicals into the atmosphere for the purported purpose of fighting so-called "global warming."
The U.K.'s Guardian and others are reporting that a multi-million dollar research fund, which just so happens to have been started and funded by Microsoft founder and vaccine enthusiast Bill Gates, is being used to fund the project. A large balloon hovering at 80,000 feet over Fort Sumner, New Mexico, will release the sulfates into the atmosphere within the next year.
The stated purpose for this massive release of toxic sulfate particles is that doing so will allegedly reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere, and thus cool the planet. But many environmental groups and advocates of common sense are decrying the idea as dangerous, and one that could result in permanent damage to ecosystems all across the globe.
"Impacts include the potential for further damage to the ozone layer, and disruption of rainfall, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, potentially threatening the food supplies of billions of people," said Pat Mooney, Executive Director of the ETC Group, a Canadian environmental protection group.
"It will do nothing to decrease levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere or halt ocean acidification. And solar geo-engineering is likely to increase the risk of climate-related international conflict, given that the modeling to date shows it poses greater risks to the global south."
But the Gates-backed cohort is persistent in its efforts to geo-graffiti the world, as its scientists insist that governments are not doing enough to fight back against the supposed environment impacts of global warming. If governments refuse to implement high enough carbon taxes to eliminate greenhouse gases, in other words, then Gates and Co. believes it has no choice but to "save the planet" by polluting it with sulfate particles.
Spraying the skies with sulfate particles will destroy the planet faster than 'global warming' ever could
Sulfate particles are toxic, though, and constitute the very same type of ambient particulate matter (PM) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers to be a noxious air pollutant. Deliberately spraying the skies with tiny particles composed of any material, for that matter, is hazardous both to respiratory health in humans and animals, as well as to water sources, soils, and other delicate environmental resources.
"Sulfate particles from acid rain can cause harm to the health of marine life in the rivers and lakes it contaminates, and can result in mortality," says an online water pollution guide (http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/health.html). A University of Washington (UW) report also explains that sulfate particles "contribute to acid rain, cause lung irritation, and have been a main culprit in causing the haze that obscures a clear view of the Grand Canyon."
Blocking the sun with reflective particles will also deprive humans of natural sunlight exposure, which is a primary source for naturally generating health-promoting vitamin D in the body. So once again, Bill Gates is at the helms of a project that seeks to control the climate in artificial ways using toxic chemicals, an endeavor that is sure to create all sorts of potentially irreversible problems for humanity and the planet.
The United States and the Union of several States party to theConstitution of the United Statesare constitutional republics. The United States, by way of the Congress of the United States, has certain powers delegated to it by the Constitution. So far as the several States party to the Constitution are concerned, the United States may not exercise power not delegated by the Constitution. All power not delegated to the United States by the Constitution is reserved to the several States within their respective territorial borders, or to the people.
However, Congress is solely responsible for governing territory belonging to the United States. This authority is conferred at Article I, Section 8, clause 17 (Art. I § 8.17) and Art. IV § 3.2 of the Constitution. The responsibility for governing territory belonging to the United States is vested solely in Congress, it is not shared by the other two branches of federal government. Congress has absolute or what is described as plenary power—municipal power, police power, etc.
So far as its role as government for the several States party to the Constitution is concerned, the United States is an abstraction—it exists on paper only. It takes on physical reality after Congress positively activates constitutionally delegated powers through statutes enacted in accordance with Art. I § 7 of the Constitution. When statutes are in place authoring administrative or judicial activity, the “power” of the United States becomes manifest through people carrying out duties prescribed by law Congress has enacted.
The second physical aspect of the United States is constitutionally delegated authority to own land and other property. The only specific mention and direct estate is at Art. I § 8.17 of the Constitution, which specifies that the Congress may acquire land for the seat of government, and for forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings. States in which these land purchases are made must cede jurisdiction over the lands in order for the United States to extend federal laws and judicial authority over them.
When the United States acquires land, and secures jurisdiction over it, the United States becomes a geographical entity. In other words, after Congress [acquired] the present District of Columbia from Virginia and Maryland, and the two state governments ceded jurisdiction, the United States became a geographical entity. The geographical United States within the framework of Art. 1 § 8.17 of the Constitution includes the District of Columbia, and all forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings within the several States.
There is a second class of territory belonging to the United States that existed when government of the United States convened under the Constitution in 1789. This was territory claimed by the several States by way of the treaty of peace with Great Britain following the American Revolution. The land ceded by King George extended from the Great Lakes on the north to the Atlantic on the south, except for Florida—approximately everything from Illinois to Mississippi and Alabama. States of the Union ceded lands beyond their respective original borders to the United States in order to generate revenue to pay debts accumulated by the Revolution, with the condition that as they were settled and developed, the territories would become states of the Union.
Prior to these lands being admitted to the Union, they were territories of the United States. Under provisions of Art. IV § 3.2 of the Constitution, Congress is charged with responsibility for making all needful rules and regulations for territories belonging to the United States. Therefore, Congress has historically established territorial governments, providing for law enforcement, courts, and everything else necessary for a territory to operate in an orderly fashion.
The first venture in this enterprise was framed by the Ordinance of 1787, providing for government of the Northwest territories. The United States was at that time operating under the Articles of Confederation. In 1789, when government of the United States convened under the Constitution, the Ordinance of 1787 was adopted as an existing covenant obligation, and was subsequently extended to Kentucky, and as applicable, to southern territories—Alabama and Mississippi included. The Louisiana Purchase from France, and subsequently acquisition of Florida from Spain, included treaty agreements to incorporate the land and people under the constitutional scheme, so the Ordinance of 1787 was applied as the development guide in acquired territories as well.
This pattern held until after the Spanish-American War. Islands ceded by Spain in 1898 were not incorporated in the constitutional scheme. In 1901, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that while Puerto Rico and other islands ceded by Spain belonged to the United States, they were for certain purposes foreign to the several States and incorporated territories of the United States.
From the beginning, there were certain distinctions between the Union of States party to the Constitution and territories of the United States. For the most part, outlying territories were reasonably primitive, so many were first secured under military authority, then went through an evolution that progressed to representative government to development sufficient for self-rule. At that point, most territories established their respective constitutions and were admitted to the Union on equal standing with other States party to the Constitution.
Texas and California were two exceptions. Texas became an independent republic following the war of independence from Mexico, then joined the Union by way of treaty. Some time after Mexico ceded California, California became a state of the Union without formally going through territorial status. However, this has not been the case for islands ceded by Spain following the Spanish-American War and other island acquisitions other than Hawaii. With admittance of Hawaii and Alaska in 1959, the last of the incorporated territories of the United States became states of the Union, leaving only unincorporated territories, called insular possessions, under Congress’ Article IV plenary power.
In 1946, the Philippines became an independent commonwealth, exiting the family of United States insular possessions. In 1953, Puerto Rico became a commonwealth for purposes of local government, something on the order of states of the Union, but remained an insular possession of the United States subject to Congress’ Article IV authority.
There are a total of five larger United States insular possessions with viable local governments, four of which have courts of the United States: Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. The latter doesn’t have a federal court. Smaller insular possessions are for the most part uninhabited, or at best, sparsely populated, or small enough that populations aren’t truly viable small islands, reefs, etc. None are incorporated in the constitutional scheme, although Puerto Rico in particular has addressed the possibility of becoming a state of the Union.
After about 1870, Congress began reserving land for the United States within borders of new states admitted to the Union. This land fell within two classes: Unappropriated public lands, most of which was designated as national parks, forests, etc.; Yellowstone National Park was the first, and lands secured in trust for Native American Indians, most of which was used to establish reservations.
The current geographical United States includes the District of Columbia and federal enclaves where jurisdiction over forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards and other needful buildings has been ceded by the several States respectively; lands retained in States admitted to the Union since approximately 1870; and insular possessions, along with territorial waters (12-mile limit, established under international law).
The geographical division determines Congress’ power: Congress may exercise constitutionally delegated power, primarily under Art. I § 8 of the Constitution, throughout the “American empire.” This is Congress’ “general power.”
Congress exercises the combined power of state, national, and even local government in territory belonging to the United States—in the “geographical” United States. This is Congress’ special or limited jurisdiction.
Within the Union of several States, Congress may exercise only constitutionally delegated authority; within the “geographical” United States, Congress may exercise all power not explicitly or implicitly prohibited by the Constitution. Congress’ general powers delegated by the Constitution are restricted to those specifically enumerated in the Constitution; Congress’ special plenary power is permissive, limited only by implicit and explicit constitutional prohibitions, but may be exercised only in territory belonging to the United States.
Congress’ authority in and over the geographical United States is somewhat on the order of a European government where what we understand as national government in the American system is also a state government. Where existing insular possessions are concerned, there is also the distinction that the Constitution applies to them only as Congress chooses to extend it. Governing principles are more under international than constitutional law.
This notion was first judicially framed by Chief Justice Marshall in an 1828 decision involving an incident in Florida while Florida was yet a territory of the United States.
The Constitution extends authority for Congress to declare war and make treaties. It also delegates authority for Congress to establish new states.
Although the Constitution is silent with respect to acquisition of new territory beyond borders of existing States, and implicitly bringing territories ceded by original States into the Union, these powers were construed to extend territorial acquisition authority, and vest Congress with authority to govern and determine disposition of acquired territory. Following the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson drafted proposed amendments that would authorize incorporating Louisiana and other future states included in the Purchase into the constitutional scheme, but Congress elected to proceed without an amendment. Chief Justice Marshall, writing for the Supreme Court in 1828, was put in a position of having to rationalize a quarter century of territorial development. In the Article IV framework, he stepped from strict constitutional construction into the forum of international law. Thus, federal government found a capacity beyond strict constitutional restrictions. There was a whole separate world to be explored, and subdued, beyond constitutional bounds.
To the point of the Spanish-American War, there was an amount of solace for incorporated territories of the United States, as well as the Union of several States: Once the Constitution has been extended to a territory, it cannot be retracted. The Ordinance of 1787 provided an amount of protection as it specifies that people of the territories were assured of common law and due process in the course of the common law, along with most other rights secured in the first ten amendments to the Constitution. But unincorporated territories did not enjoy these assurances.
Insular possessions have gained an amount of ground by way of compacts and agreements, but remain outside the constitutional scheme. Virtually all of them are subjected to “due process in the course of the civil law” (admiralty/maritime), and remain within Coast Guard jurisdiction.
With the history of United States territorial acquisition and development in place, Congress’ distinct roles, and distinction between the Union of several States and the geographical United States, are reasonably clear. With this in mind, the reason precious little federal law applies to the Union of several States and people of the several States will be easier to grasp.
The underlying theme—“Follow the money!”
Article I § 8.5 of the Constitution provides that Congress shall have power “to coin Money, regulate the Value thereof...” and at Article I § 10.1, stipulates that, “No State shall ... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts ...” At Article I §8.6, Congress is granted power, “To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting and Securities and current Coin of the United States...”
There has been no constitutional amendment to alter these provisions. They remain as firmly in place today as they were in 1789. Yet there is precious little gold and silver coin in the United States or the Union of States—none in general circulation.
An old story has it that a woman once found her husband with another woman, but rather than panic, the man calmly got out of the bed, slipped on his clothes, straightened himself up, then asked his wife, “Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?”
Does the Constitution mandate gold and silver coin as the national currency? Monetary theories and rationalization are irrelevant. Either the several States are prohibited from making any thing but gold and silver coin a payment for debt or they aren’t. Authority to “coin” money and prescribe punishment for counterfeiting “current coin” of the United States pretty well locks the matter down. Either the several States are prohibited from making any thing but gold and silver coin a payment for debt or they aren’t. If this prohibition lies against the States, it follows that American founders intended for Congress to provide gold and silver coin as a uniform monetary system. In fact, George Washington and others threatened not to attend the Constitutional Convention if the notion of a federal paper currency was going to be considered. The fact that minting gold and silver coin of the United States was immediately implemented speaks to the matter—the first Congress, so far as possible, carried out constitutional intent.
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