Comments on: GOP ‘Sovereignty Caucus’ Battles Obama on Treaties

By: donmitchel

donmitchel — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:23:59 +0000

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1676296/

By: Robert McManus

Robert McManus — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:22:09 +0000

I'm not sure who reads these, either. I shudder to think.
You want everyone to understand that “any treaty takes our sovereignty and Liberty away.” Really? You are opposed to ALL treaties, beginning in 1787? Is it your position that the US should repudiate, for instance, the postal convention? How about the treaties governing airline safety? Against those, too? Or the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (1949), pursuant to which the US government is obligated to control your whaling activities?
May I suggest that you don't know a single thing about a single treaty Obama (or anyone else) supports. Nothing. You just hear noise and respond by making more of it.

By: edwardasevenau

edwardasevenau — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:55:18 +0000

to whom reads these comments; I am an American Patriot and I will not ever allow our countries sovereignty be overstepped by an over ambitious puppy in Politics like Obama, Mr. Obama is treading on very thin ice these days with his Cap and Kill bill and this very bad Healthcare nightmare, the more Obama comes out to voice his support for these bills the more his poll numbers go down, we Americans must keep his numbers heading south even faster, so no one will back him in the senate on anything. So I pray that no one in our government would ever sell our sovereignty away to any country or organization of nations, it will send the American people into civil war mode real fast. I am hearing treaties that Obama wants ratified that would usurp our Bill of Rights and the Constitution, why don't our government take their oath of offcie seriously anymore, I believe that we should start putting congressmen and senators in jail for perjury if they break that oath, especially the president who takes that oath, our government must be made to remember that this country belongs to we the people not them the government, so that is why Obama's Health garbage and his cap and tax junk and any treaty must fail. I personally am getting real sick of fighting for rights I have been born with, leave my 1st, 2nd and all my Amendments alone, congress better never sell this country out, leave our right to keep and bear arms alone or they will find out just what that 2nd Amendment is truly for, we people have the right to remove a government that don't up hold our Constitution, and that means ratifying treaties that put international laws above our Constitutional law, that is an oath breaker and to me is treason. make the people understand that any treaty takes our sovereignty and Libery away. God bless America and may he remove this intrusive government that lied it's way into power. Amen.

By: Fair Seas Ahead for UNCLOS? » The Arctic

Fair Seas Ahead for UNCLOS? » The Arctic — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:41:08 +0000

[...] Although the group of senators actively opposed to UNCLOS is rather small, an actual ratification vote could be much closer. Under the aegis of the newly formed GOP “Sovereignty Caucus,” many senators contested the nomination of Harold Koh to his post of Legal Adviser of the Department of State due to his multilateralist leanings. He was confirmed with a vote of 62-35. A vote for UNCLOS – which would need 67 votes to be ratified, since it is a treaty – could be a hairraiser, as David Weigel of the Washington Post suggests. [...]

By: Robert McManus

Robert McManus — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:05:56 +0000

Ummmm, I'm not so sure what your complaint is, beyond the UN in some general sense. But you say “Obama wants to zone the oceans!” What on earth are you talking about? Do you even know?

By: bobccc

bobccc — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:48:55 +0000

I'm hoping we CAN get the UN out of the USA and this Sovereignty Caucus can stop certain agenda's the UN has!

Research their Agenda 21 in depth. Obama wants to zone the oceans! How about getting our economy going and stop worrying about the world…let them govern them selves, without the UN sticking their nose in their programs, and without sticking their nose in ours!

By: donmitchel

donmitchel — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:35:48 +0000

Dear Sir, Sorry to take such time to respond, as I am an amateur study of the politics, environmental, historical, and business aspects of ballast dumping and attend to my business full time. After reviewing several of my post I realize you are correct and I do appear to dislike the IMO. I have to apologize since historically they have and should / shall remain an important integral entity of any global solution to the problems. I believe the only solution that will solve the problem on an international basis is the mandatory use of technology that may or may not yet exist. The idea of dumping untreated water anywhere, is in my personal opinion unacceptable because of the natural effects nature plays in the distribution of pathogens,virus,toxins,pollutants,etc. Wind,Ocean currents,flooding,all living species, etc. , can then move them again even into The High Seas or the deep sea bed where sovereign economic interest may lie because of the lines being drawn on a map. I would like to see our country take the lead in environmental discharges of water as I believe it would ultimately have a ripple effect on other major powers and would help the IMO work with less prosperous countries so they , also implement new technologies as applicable to their resources. We led the way in space exploration in the 60's We should lead the ocean technologies need in this century. I also believe that if the web site about China, is valid, mandating ballast water from Mexico and the US be treated through the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone because of H1N1 that perhaps they may be taking the lead role in protecting health from ballast dumping, and I find it quite sad that we can not afford the same protection. I also believe that with ancient fresh water ice melting in the Arctic, with ancient virus and pathogens long lying dormant if dilute salinity is being drawn into ballast systems or dirty discharges could be very problematic. As bird flue etc. are known to be transmitted from areas where waterfowl congregate and knowing the way geese deposit feces in the water I see the probability of pollute ballast water growing in the world as global warming continues. Whether or not these issue are being addressed in the Law of the Sea, I am not privy to, so I speak out. Thank you.

By: Robert McManus

Robert McManus — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:23:12 +0000

I'm not sure what your point is relative to “the law of the sea,” but I hope you haven't bought in to the “sovereignty” crap used by Right Wing fund-raisers these days. You want a national clean ballast water policy? Do you have any problem with Art. 211, ¶4, of the Treaty, assuring coastal state “sovereignty” over vessel-source pollution in the 12 mile territorial sea? Or Art 33, permitting “sanitary regulations” in a broader (up to 24 mi.) “contiguous zone”?

You also want “all governments” involved, but you seem not to like the IMO, a cooperative venture of most governments, and virtually all those with commercial fleets.

By: donmitchel

donmitchel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:13:54 +0000

http://en.msa.gov.cn/msa/features/root/02/12432... Dear Sirs, The law of the sea must protect our environment by allowing our country to insure compliance by what ever means needed to enforce a future national clean ballast water policy policy. The reason we can not get our Federal government to act on ballast dumping is because of the economic domination that trade has over human health. Although the environmental aspect is a disaster we need to address the human health problem as the above web address shows others are doing. I hope the US will use its sovereign right with its version of the law of the sea to protect its citizens from H1N1 the same as China appears to have. Maybe they seem to understand the cost savings of preventive action on health care. Interesting how ocean currents out beyond even the two hundred mile limit could carry disease, toxins, nuclear waste water etc.to islands, and areas of ocean development (mining) and exploration. What temperature activated virus, or other pathogens may be released as the ancient ice melts around the shared area of the poles? The day of designer algae is already here and with new pathogens being released from the ancient fresh water ice melting they could act as a host or their may be existing marine life that will work. The idea that the IMO can do more than promote clean ballast water technology is a throw back to a time when smaller maritime nations could dominate the military power of the sea. Yes we need technology on an international basis, but since 911 we can not afford the risk of our safety, health, and environment, being in only the hands of an international organization of foreign sea captains and state laws, national policy is imperative to our security. H1N1 is one pathogen we were lucky with, what will happen when one like bird flue mutates from bird excrement in water near ships taking on ballast water, will our country be able to use our military to protect us, under our version, of the law of the sea? All governments need to be involved in inspection, technology, and surveillance.
Sincerely
Don Mitchel

By: sylhines

sylhines — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:53:48 +0000

As the GOP unholy alliance falls apart, the wedge political and fringe groups are fighting for revelance. These neocons and the vunerable politicans are trying to gin up issues. If Bolton and North are involved, you stand the chance of criminal activity by North and fighting windmills by Bolton. The country have moved past the ignorance of the Iran/Contra times and will not support a political party that caused the country to enter two wars and wasted billions to private contractors. These clever plots to use political discord to employ our military in geopolitical matters for the benefit of private business will not be tolerated any more. The populance is more involved and intelligent that the hicks deceived under the unholy alliance for the last 30 years.The usual hate for the UN, international treaties or progressive world causes will not rally enough nuts to be relevant in any discussion as the GOP do not control any part of the government.