It's About Being More American

Steven Benen on a Republican stunt to read the Constitution out loud to kick off the 112th Congress while also imposing bill sponsors to "define" the powers to enact legislation:

But there's a problem with this: it's crazy. We are, after all, talking about a House Republican caucus with leaders who support allowing states to overturn federal laws they don't like.

In recent years, congressional Republicans haven't just endorsed bizarre legal concepts; they've advocated constitutional concepts that were discredited generations ago.

Worse, they have ambitious plans to shuffle the constitutional deck more to their liking. During the campaign, we heard from a variety of bizarre candidates, many of whom won, who talked about scrapping the 17th Amendment, repealing the 16th Amendment, getting rid of at least one part of the 14th Amendment, "restoring" the "original" 13th Amendment, and proposing dozens of new amendments.

Similarly, these same officials intend to radically transform the country as we currently know it, identifying bedrocks of society, and declaring them not just wrong, but literally unconstitutional.

For these guys to somehow claim they've cornered the market on constitutional fealty is ridiculous, and arguably, backwards. Stunts and legislative gimmicks won't change this.

All in all I've come to understand that the Right believe they have ownership of what is American. The Constitution, therefore is up to their interpretation and theirs alone. It would be nice to think otherwise, but that's how they operate. They are the real Americans, the Left are hijacking the country and they won't let the Left hijack the Constitution. Don't Tread On Deez and such as also too.

As for their ability to spit on the Constitution; we have a recent history that says they take no issue when their guy is treating it all willy nilly like.

I am Frank Chow and I approved this message