While not in the top tier, Florida's 22nd Congressional District is on the GOP hit list for 2010. And they would love nothing better than to win this back from Ron Klein who finally flipped this district to a big D after 13 years under Clay Shaw. The Cook Partisan Voting Index for FL-22 is only D+1, and although in 2008, Klein did outperform Obama (who won the district 52-48 %) by a couple points, GOP candidate and former U.S. Army LTC Allen West did garner more support than expected.
Looks like West is running for the Republican ticket again this year. Of course he could stand to brush up on his knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. Check out what he slipped into his speech at the Revolution Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale, currently making it's rounds via YouTube:
"The Constitution says promote the general welfare, not provide welfare"
Not so fast. The Preamble to the constitution does indeed say:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
But beyond that introductory statement, we find this gem in the actual text of the Constitution:
ARTICLE I, SECTION 8: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
Maybe it was just opposite day?