"Article 1"
By Nicole Belle Thursday Oct 11, 2007 11:46am
NY Times: (h/t Rachel Maddow)
The way Representative John Yarmuth of Kentucky sees it, lawmakers on Capitol Hill and Americans everywhere have forgotten who the Founding Fathers really intended to run the country -- not the President who was more of a Constitutional after-thought but the Congress, the people's elected representatives.
Mr. Yarmuth said he and many of the 41 other freshman Democrats in the House had been puzzling for some time over just how to remind voters of this, how to mold a most basic lesson of American civics so that it could be carried far and wide by the modern techniques of political messaging. And then an idea struck.
Today, on the House floor, Mr. Yarmuth began distributing small buttons, seemingly made of parchment, with the words, "Article 1" - as in Article 1 of the Constitution, which states, "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
In other words: Mr. President, the Congress would like to remind you, that you, dear pal, are Article 2.
I could make a snarky remark that as long as we have to remind Congress about their Constitutionally-mandated responsibility that a pin with a depiction of a spine might be a good idea as well, but I'll refrain. Given their recent rollovers such as giving into telecom immunity on the FISA fix, I'm not sure they would recognize it any way.
Do you suppose Fox News will make a big deal about this lapel pin?
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Do you suppose Fox News will make a big deal about this lapel pin?
Nah. Fox News will just pour another round of Kool-Aid.
So often lost in this debate is an acknowledgement of the fact that there is a balance to be struck between the compromise of our freedoms required by any specific anti-terrorism tactic, and the effectiveness of that tactic. Which makes this particular collusion between the government and the phone companies so offensive is that it isn't even effective.
I want one of those pins!
When our defenders and the terrorists all work for the same company and can hide their crimes by stamping everything top secret, then we've been painted into the proverbial corner.
We need to begin wearing those pins like the flag pin that seem so important to right wingers. How can large numbers of people obtain them? They are sure to have people asking what it means...what a perfect opportunity to inform a comatose American public!
The most powerful part and something that Monkey Boy should brush up on is:
declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces; To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
I miss the US Constitution.
boosh will just tell him to wipe his ass with the constitution.
Just what this nation needed, someone not housebroken in the oval office.
I thought that this president was number 2.
I love political posturing. It is so productive.
Even though they roll out a nice little Article 1 campaign, the real meaning of the responsibility they have is lost on them.
To the guy who said "I miss the constitution"...
me too. It was crushed under Building 7.
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/the-obvious-connections-are-t...
The US is probably the least democratic of countries with a representative government, simply because the President has been slowly given more and more powers over the past two hundred years... most of that in the past 50-60 years. Most other representative governments have powerful representatives who either assign the Prime Minister or can easily remove the President if he/she fucks up.
I wish they would VOTE to stop the money for Bush's OCCUPATION of Iraq. THAT would teach the bushies... and the whole country... about ARTICLE ONE.
Kathleen Varelmann @ 6:
It's hilarious that the harpy in the Colmes video wasn't wearing a flag pin while she was making her 'statement' about Barack making his 'statement' about not wearing a flag pin.
All of us should wear two flag pins; one on each lapel to show our patriotism to these America-haters.
I've seriously gotten into it with relatives who are Republicans and in almost every discussion they'll fall back on the "aren't you proud to be an American" line (or some variation) and I respond by asking 'how many yellow save-our-troops bumper stickers' they have on their car.
If their answer is 'none' or 'one' I'll respond by asking them "Only One? Why do you hate America" or "why don't you support our troops?"...gets 'em every time.
KCThinker @ 11:
Yep, they're on a one-way train to nowheresville.
Being an Old school Democrat I look with wonder at the Trash that that trys to run the
party of FDR,Truman and JFK...I have never seen such a bunch of empty heads it's
like they have cross bread with the Republicans...Both partys had best get their S**t
together and open their eyes as to what is going on in Europe and the rest of the World.
The rug flyer's have a plan and u-all ain't going to like it...
ta da! here it is folks. sound bites of truth told over and over.
hey if it works with lies think how far the truth can go.
this can work. the net is great but there's a huge number of people out there that IF they get on a computer, they are not going to dig through the tangle of political discussion to track down some point.
if they can repeat ad nauseum "9/11, muslims ekk!, terrorists yikes!, run and panic!" then we can too.....(well without the nausea, run panic and all that).
sound bites and billboards--small ads in lots of local papers---all with nothing but the easily proven truth.
Cowboy Bob in Austin @ 14:
Actually, as Kucinich has attempted to point out, each time a bill comes up to fund the occupation, the best and most effective way to kill it is by not voting for the funding at all. When that happens, the occupation must end because no more funds can sustain the belligerent presence of the United States military in Iraq. But as Kucinish has also stated in the past, there is already enough money in the pipeline to currently provide for the welfare of the troops. Support the troops-bring them home-alive and in one piece-now.
If onlyYarmuth would get on board with bringing fairness to the radio airwaves. He's blind to this issue and is the lone Democrat in his opinion.
-----------------
John Yarmuth, Member of Congress
319 Cannon House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Yarmuth,
I tried to get through to you when you were on WFPL's "State Of Affairs" radio show a few weeks
ago. I wanted to challenge your lack of support for fairness on the public airwaves. I know you're
busy, and you may be somewhat insulated from the true picture of what unregulated broadcasting
has become.
Right wing radio dominates practically the entire AM radio spectrum in Louisville. We are unable
to hear ANY progressive opinions on the AM talk stations because the corporate ownership of
most of those stations have issued directives that ONLY conservative talkers will be allowed.
Are you aware that Rush Limbaugh and others have a direct pipeline to the White House? Are
you OK with the regular meeting that Bush holds in the oval office with the conservative radio
hosts, usually just before a big policy push, such as the surge in Iraq? Did you know that if Dick
Cheney doesn't like what he hears from one of his talkers he calls them, personally, as he did
when he heard Sean Hannity dissing the Dubai ports deal?
Liberal talkers have been successful in many, many markets across the US. It seems, however,
that you have bought into the right-wing talking point that no one wants to listen to the liberals.
This is simply not true. The truth is that we have had our choice to be exposed to varied
viewpoints on talk radio taken away from us. Someone needs to speak up to oppose the lock-out
on liberal talkers by the station owners.
Another right-wing falsehood is that the left has other outlets for their ideas. I invite you to add up
all the "other outlets" and see if they can possibly tip the scales when weighed against the
conservative talk juggernaut.
I implore you to recognize that this is NOT just a free speech issue. This is a coordinated,
political and economic domination of the publicly owned radio airwaves by a neo-con propaganda
machine.
I know you oppose the Fairness Doctrine. If I understood you correctly, you traded your support
to a Republican in return for his support on another issue. I submit that there are few other
issues as important as getting under control a talk radio monster that has come to see itself as
more powerful than our elected officials.
"I don't want the FCC to tell me what's fair" you say. Congressman, would you rather have Rush
Limbaugh or Ann Coulter tell you what's fair? I hope not.
Please reconsider your position. Stop being the only Democrat in Congress opposing fairness in
broadcasting. If you can't support the Fairness Doctrine, then, please, support something that
will give us some relief from the 24 hour a day, 7 day a week hammering from the hateful,
Bush/Cheney sycophants on Louisville radio.
I recently saw several flattering postings on some progressive blogs regarding your work in
Congress. I'll also be posting this letter on those blogs, as it's an important issue to many
Democrats. Best wishes and good luck.
I like it.
"The way Representative John Yarmuth of Kentucky sees it, lawmakers on Capitol Hill and Americans everywhere have forgotten who the Founding Fathers really intended to run the country — not the President who was more of a Constitutional after-thought but the Congress, the people’s elected representatives."
Americans haven't forgotten anything about civics. 75% are against the war and told our elected officials to use their power and pull the plug.
emkeane @ 10:
Oh, he's #2 all right. A big, steaming pile of it!
Perhaps when Congress grows a pair, we'll have "Article II, Section 4" pins. I'd wear that.
I love this site. I wish you guys had a proofreader, though.
I want one of those pins.
At least it's not an American Flag pin that more than likely says Made in China on the back of it.
those pins rule
As soon as Hillary becomes president, "Article 1" will become a right-wing mantra. Neocons will instantly rediscover checks and balances on executive power.
Presidential supremacy and the Unitary Executive will be history.
Forget the pin, just memorize the content of Article 1.
I'ts a shaky legal platform whenever a politician attempts to stand on the principle of "original intent". The Constitution is a living, breathing document that allows for the redress of grievances and righting of wrongs. The "original intent" of the Founding Fathers was to deny women the vote, enslave blacks, and only white male landowners the civil rights and freedoms outlined in the Constitution.
Actually, in this president's particular case he is probably number two.
I'd wager that the argument against going to Congress for the next war will be the clause about states not declaring war, "... unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay" (Article I, Section 9).
'Cause, like, y'know, America is a collection of fifty states, George will affirm, and he's supposed to protect 'em all.
And Article 1 is useless unless you're going to exercise those powers in the first place, and stop cowering like a dog that's been smacked down one too many times.
I've wondered for some time where these "executive orders" we keep hearing about came from, how they got started. They seem to have the force of law and are certainly written to look like laws, but they're just made up by presidents and their staff. The righties are always complaining about "activist judges legislating from the bench." How about activist presidents legislating from the Oval Office? What gives them the right to do this? It seems to me that "all legislative powers" in Article 1 means ALL LEGISLATIVE POWERS!
OK, let's play rock, paper, guns. The president wins with guns. Look, he wins with guns again. And again, and again, and again, and again. Well, you get the messege. All congress can do is watch and cheer as the mushroom clouds blossom over Iran. We don't have a government any more, what we have is a Tyrant named George using OUR military to fulfill his dream of Total World Domination by the Republican Party. Get used to it. There's no one to liberate US!
david @ 34:
I dunno, maybe the Chinese will "liberate" us once they dump their $billion-plus US treasury bonds on the open market.
Constitution? Huh? Article 1? Wazzat??
What part of legislat(ive) and execut(ive) don't people understand anymore? The prez executes the laws enacted by Congress. He doesn't give signing statements, he merely executes the laws.
That was when we had a Republic, however. And when we had a Constitution.
Strawberry @ 3:
Me too. My friend had a pin I wanted too (on her lapel-- jean jacket) "question authority". The set would make an awesome Xmas gift. I have lots of jackets to put them on. (I don't "do" suits. Too military, servile and boring- *yawn.)
By the way, why do you/we even need a president? Why does Canada need a P.M.? Why do we have these "#1" leaders worldwide? Is it that we evolve so slowly, we haven't evolved past the idea of kings yet? We haven't evolved past being pack animals? We need an alpha dog? Kind of passe if you think about it. "Off with their heads." (That's a quote: not inciting violence-- see Alice in Wonderland). ...[Bolding is for keywords to piss of right-wing trolls.]
--->david @ 34:
It's not too late to save your country. This election is crucial. It might be the deal-breaker for all time. Everyone needs to think long and hard, and re-read the Constitution. If people vote for candidates that "smell good", or that would be "good to have a beer with", it'll be more of the same-- forever!!! Tell your friends, neighbours, co-workers, church group??, orgy group??, *any group to which you belong, passers-by, tell everyone!!!
Breaking news: The Chinese saw this post and have started production. (But that's not a bad thing, just reality.) ;)
Please don't confuse the present for the future.
Unless I missed something, that has not happened yet. And in any case, that isn't 'Congress,' that's the Senate, which is, by the way, the upper house that has OFTEN defied the will of the lower House and it's MUCH larger caucus.
The House did not pass any kind of telecom immunity. So please quit spreading confusion by vaguely suggesting they did.
Alan C @ 33:
F*cking right. "All legislative powers" reserved for Congress would seem to negate Bush's fiat orders to sequester his presidential papers and those of this father (one of his first acts as president - makes you wonder why), as well as the hundreds of signing statements he has appended to bills with no apparent constitutional authority.
The attitude of the 'Unitary Executive' faction, including Cheney, is that if a governmental/legal power is not specifically denied to the president, then it belongs exclusively to the president by right. A dangerous, dangerous idea. Unchallenged, it will lead to fascism - or at least, what Eisenhower warned of, the subversion of democracy by an unelected military-industrial elite. It may already be too late.
I thing it is time for congress to stop their talking and BS about Bush & Cheney's criminal actions and take the action necessary to get rid of these criminals that are running this country instead of talking about it.
Then they sign his policies into law that even give him more power of criminal activity and try to make his prior criminal crimes against our country and other countries legal...
john yarmuth = hero. the fact that he is my congressman doesn't hurt either.
btw, fairness doctrine, the fairness doctrine is bullshit. it is counter-intuitive. talk radio took off AFTER the fairness doctrine went away. what you want to do is tell businesses (the radio industry) what they must air. you can't do that. government cannot tell any business how they can run their businesses. what you are saying for example is that vegan restraunts must by law cater to meat eating customers and therefore offer the same number of foods that have animal products in them as that do not. food that the owners find morally wrong and disgusting to boot.
there is not enough good progressive talent out there to counter the major conservative voices on radio plus radio stations cater to stations for a reason. i really do not want to hear hosts who have their conservative agendas rip on weak progressive people's viewpoints. it makes them look worse.
if people do not want to hear something, they should not be forced to. and if you want to do something about it, start local- demand that someone put on a progressive station in louisville and encourage others to tune in.
Here's to the fresh young Democratic blood in the Congress. The younger people must change this country, they are the only ones with the energy to do it.
"Oh, he’s #2 all right. A big, steaming pile of it!"
This quote from 'Lou Fah' just made my day.. .thanks so much.!
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