So, armchair constitutional lawyers. This "supercommittee" and its "trigger" mechanism.

[Plaid Adder]

Is this constitutional?

It seems unconstitutional to me. But I am not a lawyer.

The Plaid Adder

[truebrit71]

1. This armchair constitutional lawyer would tend to agree with you...

...but I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so my legal opinion may be somewhat lacking...

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Congress can create it's own rules and organizing principles

this falls in that category.

As to the trigger, part of those rules and laws.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. The constitutional issue is not relevant: it is vile and stupid.

It probably is constitutional. The legislature makes its own rules, and it would appear that it can rule itself into irrelevance. Why they would do that is a good question. The issue is that our national legislature just abdicated all responsibility to legislate the one thing that it really retains power over: the budget. So we no longer really have a representative democracy. It is pathetic. I can't wait to hear Dan Carlin's podcast on it.

[KittyWampus]

6. When was the last time you got that bent out of shape over a Select Committee? They've been formed

many times before.

[readmoreoften]

7. Have any other select committees disallowed congress to change the bill

or created a trigger mechanism for cuts or excluded people who voted a way on a bill?

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Yes, the BRAC commision

I don't like it any more than you do... but yes, it's been done.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. You do not see anything slightly different about this one?

We aint discussing base closures, this is the entire budget of the federal government.

[KittyWampus]

4. Have any of the other Special/Select Committees over the last 100 years or so been

Unconstitutional?

[CanonRay]

5. Probably constitutional....but really, really, dumb.

Unfortunately, there is no Article 62 which prohibits stupidity.

[jwirr]

10. Assigning legislators to a committee is but I don't think that their

findings can be made into law without being acted on by both houses. Especially because it is a different congress that would be letting it happen.

[gratuitous]

11. It seems an abandonment of constitutional responsibilities

After all, revenue measures are supposed to originate in the House, and this committee will be proposing unamendable revenue measures which will trigger automatic revenue consequences if not adopted. It's a very convenient way of dodging responsibility for draconian cuts, as well as an open (and irresistible?) invitation to some Members to avoid taking any action at all as a way to axe spending.

Considering that the House just adjourned without reinstating funding for the FAA, and all that that deliberate blunder will cost the nation and the flying public, I fully expect these vipers to subvert the usual budget process secure in the knowledge that there will be no electoral repercussions.

I suppose a Writ of Mandamus could sort this out.