Great editorial this morning from the Daily News Journal in Rutherford County, Tennessee - the birthplace of the modern Democratic Party.
The editorial, written by the Associated Press (no byline), highlights the Republican Party's hypocrisy in its decisions to oppose parts of the Constitution while claiming to be "strict constructionists". It skewers Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for his two-faced opposition to Obama SCOTUS nominees and his claim to support the "plain language" of the Constitution.
In short, the GOP is picking and choosing which parts of the Constitution they like.
Here's the intro:
Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia won his seat in Congress campaigning as a strict defender of the Constitution. He carries a copy in his pocket and is particularly fond of invoking the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
But it turns out there are parts of the document he doesn’t care for — lots of them. He wants to get rid of the language about birthright citizenship, federal income taxes and direct election of senators, among others. He would add plenty of stuff, including explicitly authorizing castration as punishment for child rapists.
This hot-and-cold take on the Constitution is surprisingly common within the GOP, particularly among those like Broun who portray themselves as strict Constitutionalists and who frequently accuse Democrats of twisting the document to serve political aims.
Can there be any doubt that the Constitution is under attack from Republicans? Whether it's the First Amendment (giving minority religious groups equal protection and rights to free speech and assembly), the Fourth Amendment (protecting women from unreasonable invasions of medical privacy), or the provision regarding citizenship rights for all those born in America, Republicans today are not upholding their oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
Instead, they're playing games and looking for minority groups to oppress.
And whether it's gays in California, Muslims in New York City, or Latinos in Arizona, it's safe to say that the Republican Party today is engaging in ugly politics. They seem all too willing to throw the Constitution under the bus, just to get elected and appear "populist". Republican attorneys general are joining forces to overthrow the interpretation of the Commerce Clause that has been in effect for generations, allowing Congress and the Federal Government to regulate interstate commerce.
I encourage you to read the whole editorial and pass it along.
And if you're interested, chip in a few bucks for Brett Carter, who's running in the 6th District against wingnut Republican Diane Black. You can watch an interview with Carter here. Carter is a military veteran and an attorney who understands how government is supposed to work.
And just for a Monday morning pick-me-up, one of my favorite movie moments regarding civil liberties and defense of the Constitution and free speech: