Posted at newmenu.org
You wouldn’t know it, but today is Constitution Day, the day we remember the signing of the US Constitution in 1787. In fact, when you look at America today, there’s hardly any sign of the Constitution at all.
The government in Washington
* makes war when it wants to,
* raises taxes when it wants to,
* raises the national debt to over $10 trillion when it wants to,
* throws American citizens in jail without trial when it wants to,
* bails out multi-billion dollar corporations like Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, and AIG when it wants to,
* tortures prisoners of war when it wants to,
* and in numerous other ways violates the Constitution with impunity and denies the natural rights of citizens without being called to account.Clearly, this government is “too big for its britches,” as people used to say. It’s time the People stood up and demanded the meager rights that are guaranteed them by the Constitution.
* No more taxation to support the war machine.
* No more taxation to support the corporations.
* No more illegal searches and seizures.
* No more raising taxes on our children while foreclosing on their parents.No more taxation for any of these things!
* Taxation to support a new energy infrastructure to help our people who are struggling with gas and electric prices.
* Taxation to support rebuilding Iraq, the once-beautiful land-between-the-rivers that we destroyed.
* Taxation to support a National Truth Commission to fully investigate the events of the last 8 years, including 9-11.
* Taxation for human needs.
* Taxation for investment in the future.Everyone knows we can amend the Constitution, but most people aren’t aware that the Constitution itself contains a provision (Article V) for calling a new Constitutional Convention to re-write the whole thing. I’ve been luke-warm to that idea, fearing it could be hijacked by the radical Right Wing or Christian fundamentalists, but now that the old one has been shredded, it seems clear that we need major changes.
At a minimum, we need several far-reaching amendments which could probably best be considered by an Article V Convention. For example, we must amend the Constitution regarding war. Since World War II, the Constitution’s loose language on the military has been used to justify a mighty military machine that is now in the process of bankrupting us and destroying the world. Even when the Soviet enemy curled up and died, the machine kept lumbering on.
We need to make it crystal clear that only Congress can declare war. We need a two-thirds vote to declare war or to authorize any use of American military forces outside of our borders by a two-thirds vote. We need to include provision for a national initiative wherein the People can vote to end a war even if Congress declares one. War is in some ways the most important issue: while defensive war is necessary at times, endless war is a poison pill for any democracy, including our own.
On this Constitution Day, let us consider what we have lost and how we might go about, peacefully, regaining control of the government in Washington.
I think the danger is total and inescapable – bear in mind that in a ConCon, the ENTIRE document is on the table, there is no provision for a limited convention to only fix the “broken parts” even if you could get agreement as to what those are.
Further, remember that per Article V, the delegates to the Con
Con would be selected by the governments of the states – IOW the same Demopublican / Republicratic machine that got us into the current mess – think they are going to be willing to give up ANY of their power?
ART
“Since World War II, the Constitution’s loose language on the military has been used to justify a mighty military machine that is now in the process of bankrupting us and destroying the world. Even when the Soviet enemy curled up and died, the machine kept lumbering on.
We need to make it crystal clear that only Congress can declare war. We need a two-thirds vote to declare war or to authorize any use of American military forces outside of our borders by a two-thirds vote.”
I agree, although I’m not convinced about the need for a convention.
What do other people think? Would the dangers outweigh the potential benefits?
“The government in Washington
* makes war when it wants to,
* raises taxes when it wants to,
* raises the national debt to over $10 trillion when it wants to,
* throws American citizens in jail without trial when it wants to,
* bails out multi-billion dollar corporations like Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, and AIG when it wants to,
* tortures prisoners of war when it wants to,
* and in numerous other ways violates the Constitution with impunity and denies the natural rights of citizens without being called to account.
Clearly, this government is “too big for its britches,†as people used to say. It’s time the People stood up and demanded the meager rights that are guaranteed them by the Constitution.
* No more taxation to support the war machine.
* No more taxation to support the corporations.
* No more illegal searches and seizures.
* No more raising taxes on our children while foreclosing on their parents.
No more taxation for any of these things!”
This part is well said and completely correct.
Now, if only the author understood that taxation is far from the best way of achieving these worthy goals, and is in the long run counterproductive to them:
“* Taxation to support a new energy infrastructure to help our people who are struggling with gas and electric prices.
* Taxation to support rebuilding Iraq, the once-beautiful land-between-the-rivers that we destroyed.
* Taxation to support a National Truth Commission to fully investigate the events of the last 8 years, including 9-11.
* Taxation for human needs.
* Taxation for investment in the future.”
Silvarticus – The Constitution already gives Congress the unlimited power to tax and destroy anything and everything. That’s why it sucks.
I think the point is to make a new document that people respect more.
What’s the point of making a new one when nobody follows the Constitution we have now? And unlimited taxation for socialism? No thanks.
Taxation for direct democracy…