Why are Republicans trying to violate the Constitution?
The answer, of course, is because they're Republicans.
But Steve Clemons, in this case, provides the details:
A handful of newly elected Republican US Senators have written to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid trying to undo the Constitutional authority of other elected incumbent US Senators.
That's right. Even the so-called strict constitutionalist Rand Paul is engaged in lobbying that would impose illegal burdens on incumbent elected representatives violating the word and spirit of the United States Constitution.
According to the 20th Amendment to the US Constitution, the respective terms of US Senators and US Representatives ends at noon on January 3rd...
Senators "elect" Roy Blunt (R-MO), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have written to Senator Reid stating, as reported by Joshua Rogin:
On Election Day we were elected to represent the constituents of our respective states in the Senate. Out of respect for our states' voters, we believe it would be improper for the Senate to consider the New START Treaty or any other treaty in a lame duck session prior to January 3, 2011.
Too bad guys!
Yes, too fucking bad.
You're not senators yet and the Senate as currently constituted (with duly-elected members) has every right -- it's in the Constitution, for the gods' sake! -- to take up anything it wants (within the parameters of its Constitutional powers), including START.
You're not senators yet and the Senate as currently constituted (with duly-elected members) has every right -- it's in the Constitution, for the gods' sake! -- to take up anything it wants (within the parameters of its Constitutional powers), including START.
You are not yet elected and the incumbent Senators seating in seats they "won" previously have ALL the powers embedded in their positions until 12 noon, January 3rd.
Your efforts to impose your will beforehand are extralegal, irresponsible, and unconstitutional.
Rand Paul -- you owe many of your supporters a note of regret for having agreed to sign on to this letter giving your strict Constitutionalist views.
Rob Portman -- an old friend, and someone I respect for his sensible Republican pragmatism -- you too should know better than try to disrupt the operations of our government before your time has clicked in. De-sign this letter please.
Roy Blunt -- this was clever, but you know it was wrong. Dial down please.
Ron Johnson and Marco Rubio -- don't follow the leader so quickly.
This is an inappropriate request of Reid, and the US Senate should move post haste to whatever issues its elected body agrees to move to -- including the START Treaty.
Labels: Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Republicans, Rob Portman, Ron Johnson, Roy Blunt, START treaty, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Senate
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
12:02 AM
2 Comments:
These asshats remind me of a kid who's buying his first car... he wants the keys and permission to leave all the financial dealings between the bank and the dealership while he cruises around town, before anyone's signed the papers. They want to move in, measure for curtains, change out the nameplates, and start "lawmakin' " immediately, and don't understand that "it's not Christmas yet, honey, you have to wait to open your presents!"
Has there ever been a more childish and willfully ignorant herd of dolts standing in the on-deck circle of American politics?
By
squatlo, at 9:30 AM
Sad to say, I think there have been a lot of them, but that doesn't ease the pain, does it?
By
Capt. Fogg, at 10:28 AM
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