The Right’s Made-up ‘Constitution’

[marmar]

from Consortium News:


The Right’s Made-up ‘Constitution’
July 6, 2013

For Tea Partiers and libertarians, it is an article of faith that the Constitution tightly constrained the federal government and gave broad powers to the states. But that is bogus history — mere propaganda — and suggests that the Right’s rank-and-file has never read or understood the document, says historian Jada Thacker.

By Jada Thacker


The Cato Institute’s Handbook for Policy Makers says, “The American system was established to provide limited government.” The American Enterprise Institute states its purpose to “defend the principles” of “limited government.” The Heritage Foundation claims its mission is to promote “principles of … limited government.” A multitude of Tea Party associations follow suit.

At first glance the concept of “limited government” seems like a no-brainer. Everybody believes the power of government should be limited somehow. All those who think totalitarianism is a good idea raise your hand. But there is one problem with the ultra-conservatives’ “limited government” program: it is wrong. It is not just a little bit wrong, but demonstrably false.

The Constitution was never intended to “provide limited government,” and furthermore it did not do so. The U.S. government possessed the same constitutional power at the moment of its inception as it did yesterday afternoon.

This is not a matter of opinion, but of literacy. If we want to discover the truth about the scope of power granted to federal government by the Constitution, all we have to do is read what it says. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2013/07/06/the-rights-made-up-constitution/

[pinto]

1. Kick (nt)

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Yep - good piece.

Oklahoma's governor (I believe it was) just vetoed a gun law that said "Federal Law does not apply here".

Somehow, the original language of A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. has been changed to An well unregulated desire being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

[shenmue]

3. Any time the tea types start talking about the 'original' Constitution...

ask them what they think about votes for women, or abolition, or anything else that wasn't in there the first time around and had to be added by amendment.

Duh.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. I was told once that we need to abolish the Air Force because the founders never mentioned it

Wrote back and said, "you do realize that you sent this to me via email, right"?

[lastlib]

5. Hey, James Madison was dead-set against folks flyin'....!

my RWNJ brother has said the same thing!

It's as if they slept through that little "doctrine of implied powers" stuff in civics class.