Radical New Congress Constitution rule irks House Democrats

[(R)IGHTeous 1]

Yeah but how many times do you see congressmen listening to the speaker? Usually they are texting or doing other things during other peoples speeches. Do you think they will sit quietly for the duration of the reading? And will they read the amendments that have been overturned like prohibition?

Its just another political grandstanding event. I don't believe anything will change. Once they get a taste of the power they have ... they will do like everyone else before them.

Understandable sentiment, but not this time....I really believe our new TEA Party class WILL be different......

 

[rightwinger]

Since so many Republican Congressmen confuse the Declaration of Independence for the Constitution......It might be a good idea

http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/11/john_boehner_reads_the_constit.html

when Boehner joined the tea party, he waved a copy of "the Constitution" and read from it.

Except his words were from the Declaration of Independence.

An excuse can be made that what Boehner actually waved is a booklet given to all Congress members, and it includes both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Problem, is, Boehner said, "This is my copy of the Constitution. And I'm going to stand here with our founding fathers, who wrote in the preamble, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident ...' "

 

[shintao]

Who gets to decide whether a law is within the scope of the Constitution? Congress???

Oh, heavens no! Every bill judged unconstitutional, will be sent to the Supreme Court, because we have lots of money to waste while waiting on thousands of decisions.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Since so many Republican Congressmen confuse the Declaration of Independence for the Constitution......It might be a good idea

John Boehner reads the Constitution. Or the Declaration of Independence. Or something. | cleveland.com

when Boehner joined the tea party, he waved a copy of "the Constitution" and read from it.

Except his words were from the Declaration of Independence.

An excuse can be made that what Boehner actually waved is a booklet given to all Congress members, and it includes both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Problem, is, Boehner said, "This is my copy of the Constitution. And I'm going to stand here with our founding fathers, who wrote in the preamble, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident ...' "

Please tell me that you are joking?

 

[shintao]

Who gets to decide whether a law is within the scope of the Constitution? Congress???

The Supreme Court. You DID take government in the 9th Grade, didn't you?

Oh...I get it now

The Courts get to decide on Constitutionality....not the Congress


Learn something new every day

Then the bill will go back to congress, and onto Obama who will either offer his legal authority to definitions with a signing order, veto the bill, or write Executive Order and send it back to congress.

 

[R.C. Christian]

Comrades,

This is most upsetting to me! How dare anyone question the supremacy of the state or of its' authority.

Who do these racist, misogynist, xenophobe, right wingers think they are?


Stating with the new congress, Republicans will require every bill to cite its specific constitutional authority, a reminder to color inside the lines drawn long ago by the Founding Fathers.


Needless to say, this is most upsetting to those of us on the progressive side for several reasons:

-how degrading that we must defer to the Constitution
-Once a bureaucracy is in place we know it's hard to get rid of
-Let us pass whatever we want and let the Courts worry about the rest
-Why remind people we are suppose to care about it
-We do enough hard work already passing bills we don't read

These are most troubling times indeed!

What kind of American poser refers to his fellow left wing dogs as "comrades"? Or were you just being sarcastic and I missed it?

 

[zzzz]

Yeah but how many times do you see congressmen listening to the speaker? Usually they are texting or doing other things during other peoples speeches. Do you think they will sit quietly for the duration of the reading? And will they read the amendments that have been overturned like prohibition?

Its just another political grandstanding event. I don't believe anything will change. Once they get a taste of the power they have ... they will do like everyone else before them.

Understandable sentiment, but not this time....I really believe our new TEA Party class WILL be different......

Ahhh, you have faith in them, just as many people who are celebrating the birth of Christ tomorrow have faith in Jesus. I pray that your faith is justified.

 

[uscitizen]

Yeah but how many times do you see congressmen listening to the speaker? Usually they are texting or doing other things during other peoples speeches. Do you think they will sit quietly for the duration of the reading? And will they read the amendments that have been overturned like prohibition?

Its just another political grandstanding event. I don't believe anything will change. Once they get a taste of the power they have ... they will do like everyone else before them.

Understandable sentiment, but not this time....I really believe our new TEA Party class WILL be different......

Perhaps you are correct. I myself have developed a cynicyism of govt based on long experience.

They will have to prove it to me with actions, I have no faith in politicians.

 

[Big Fitz]

oh what the hell, let's say fuck the constitution and just ram through all the fascist shit you lefties want and tell people to suck it up or shoot em. There we go.

 

[Trajan]

Since so many Republican Congressmen confuse the Declaration of Independence for the Constitution......It might be a good idea

John Boehner reads the Constitution. Or the Declaration of Independence. Or something. | cleveland.com

when Boehner joined the tea party, he waved a copy of "the Constitution" and read from it.

Except his words were from the Declaration of Independence.

An excuse can be made that what Boehner actually waved is a booklet given to all Congress members, and it includes both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Problem, is, Boehner said, "This is my copy of the Constitution. And I'm going to stand here with our founding fathers, who wrote in the preamble, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident ...' "

is that the one ratified by 14 states? ...

 

[California Girl]

Yeah but how many times do you see congressmen listening to the speaker? Usually they are texting or doing other things during other peoples speeches. Do you think they will sit quietly for the duration of the reading? And will they read the amendments that have been overturned like prohibition?

Its just another political grandstanding event. I don't believe anything will change. Once they get a taste of the power they have ... they will do like everyone else before them.

Understandable sentiment, but not this time....I really believe our new TEA Party class WILL be different......

I suspect SOME of them will be different. Others won't. I'll reserve judgement on the newbies until they actual take their seats.

 

[Old Rocks]

So far so good, I like what I'm seeing.


We the people' to open next Congress
House to read Constitution

By Stephen Dinan

The Washington Times

The Constitution frequently gets lip service in Congress, but House Republicans next year will make sure it gets a lot more than that - the new rules the incoming majority party proposed this week call for a full reading of the country's founding document on the floor of the House on Jan. 6.

The goal, backers said, is to underscore the limited-government rules the Founders imposed on Congress - and to try to bring some of those principles back into everyday legislating.

'We the people' to open next Congress - Washington Times

Are they going to omit the parts that they are proposing changing?

 

[Revere]

Which ones are those?

 

[Old Rocks]

Good start. I would prefer to see each and every bill open with the precise Article/Amendment that gives Congress the power to enact said bill... and not this bullshit 'general welfare' crap that they constantly lie about.

not you, too. i expect better from you.

there was already a thread on that. it's a retarded idea. and congress shouldn't be trying to usurp the constitution.

the pretend constitutionalists need to go away.

Try not to talk down to people just because you don't agree with them, mo chara. I've maintained the same stance since I arrived on the board. It ain't news.

We ain't pretend constitutionalists. We are Constitutionalists. And... we ain't going anywhere. Get used to it.

Except, of course, for the parts that you disagree with

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I don't understand why doing this would be an usurpation of, well, anything?

hey, if they pretend, then they will have put themselves up for ridicule with help from no one.

it is not the role of the congress to decide what is constitutional or not. that is the role of the court. i went to law school because i loved studying court cases and the constitution does actually have meaning to me. but not this perverted version of what the constitution is that the pretend constitutionalists would turn it into. there have been more than 200 years of scholars debating, discussing, analyzing what the meaning and application of the constitution requires. the pretend constitutionalists make a mockery of it. i don't count myself among the scholars and experts even though i've practiced law since i was 23. but i know for sure that the pretend constitutionalists haven't a clue.

and the pomp and circumstance of 'reading the constitution' to appease the pretend constitutionalists is a lot of pointless noise and purely for show.

it turns my stomach, actually.

/rant over. (but you asked).

I understand your points, however could you imagine if say the SC started their session with a reading of the Const. ?

I don't think there would be enough ink to print the outrage and it would cause considerable angst between those that view the document differently.

In the end congresscritters as does the pres. take an oath upon election or reelection to support and defend the Constitution, bear true faith yada yada...I just don’t see any harm here.

There's no "harm" in it.

There's no harm in opening Congress with a recitation of The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll either. Doesn't mean we should do it.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Which ones are those?

Birthright citizenship? The Census? The Post Office?

I've heard Conservatives on this site (and in Congress) rail against all of those specifically mentioned items in the Constitution.

 

[Agit8r]

Who gets to decide whether a law is within the scope of the Constitution? Congress???

The Supreme Court. You DID take government in the 9th Grade, didn't you?

According to SCOTUS precedent, construction is looser than a dance team captain's morals

...just sayin'

 

[Agit8r]

Good start. I would prefer to see each and every bill open with the precise Article/Amendment that gives Congress the power to enact said bill... and not this bullshit 'general welfare' crap that they constantly lie about.

yes, and none of this "common defence" bullcrap that they constantly lie about either

 

[(R)IGHTeous 1]

Yeah but how many times do you see congressmen listening to the speaker? Usually they are texting or doing other things during other peoples speeches. Do you think they will sit quietly for the duration of the reading? And will they read the amendments that have been overturned like prohibition?

Its just another political grandstanding event. I don't believe anything will change. Once they get a taste of the power they have ... they will do like everyone else before them.

Understandable sentiment, but not this time....I really believe our new TEA Party class WILL be different......

Ahhh, you have faith in them, just as many people who are celebrating the birth of Christ tomorrow have faith in Jesus. I pray that your faith is justified.

As do I....even tho "Christmas" is really a pagan holiday and Christ wasn't really born today, but yea I do.

They were elected on this unique platform, they'll be fired on it too if they spit on it....

 

[Big Fitz]

Well when you appoint racist unethical and unqualified gits to the bench, you can rest assured that the quality of protection from those who desire to destroy the constitution to fade.

Wise latina my ass.