by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed

mean that they need to have Iraqi’s, Afghani’s, and Pakastani’s onthe jury?

I believe it used to be known as “American.”

I would narrow its application, in legal effect to persons within the U.S. or U.S. territory.

Its principles certainly apply in theory to everyone alive. But as a document with legal effect, everybody in the country .
(I was once astonished by the fact that people would complain that I was applying Constitutional rights to “illegal immigrants.” Unfortunately, that turned out to be the least of it.)

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

a mind like yours could spend weeks lost in the winding mazes of possibilities …

Constitution says, “no ruel and unusual punishments” , yet more than 100 victims died while jailed without trial (http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/06/30/accountability/index.html)

what to do? well, whatever the President who belongs to my political faction decides to do, that must be what the Founders intended!

I thought I would just throw in the 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments here to show how far much our government has abandoned them.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

For me, these days it’s all about Farmers Market tomatoes. I’ve been twice this week (there are different locations around town, with different farmers selling not-a-huge-variety of stuff like some cities, but goooood stuff.) Lots of tomatoes on my counter, in my open basket, and some already in my stomach. Yummm.

News this morning from the NYT editorial page – Obama has set up a special Advisor to the President on Violence Against Women and appointed Lynn Rosenthal to the post, a longtime activist.

And as an aside – somewhere (probably here) I saw that Gov. lovelorn Sanford (who “respects” both his wife and his gf-I hate that word “mistress”) was the sole vote in the House against renewing the Violence Against Women Act.
Color me not surprised about Sanford.
About Obama – one step forward, one step back. He’s done a lot of good things that haven’t made the front pages, especially in reversing the idiotic/harmful things that Bush’s folks did (especially cancelling environmental stupid decisions), but not enough on the big stuff. ‘S why I’m still not anti-Obama, just worried…

(I got lots but still quite green)