GOP Lawbreakers
Republican contempt for the Constitution continues:
In the House, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) has introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2009, which would attempt to deny children of illegal immigrants U.S. citizenship through statute rather than a constitutional amendment (thereby lowering the vote threshold). He has 93 co-sponsors for that effort including Rep. Nathan Deal, the Georgia Republican who is in a runoff to be the party’s candidate for governor.
Since many elected members of one of our major parties seem unfamiliar with the document, why don’t we quote this again:
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
Nice when the text just straightforwardly resolves a controversy, isn’t it? Bigotry being such a high priority it trumps the text of the Constitution, rather less nice.
[Edited to include correct passage from article.]
That text, and longstanding SCOTUS interpretation of it, is why they’re supporting a repeal or amendment to the amendment. So I don’t understand the criticism on the basis on their not being able to read.
Criticism on account of it being a really bad idea, on the other hand . . . .
Whoops — I meant to refer to the people in Congress who want to repeal birthright citizenship by statute; will edit either way…
I was going to write the same thing.
Favoring bigoted amendments to the Constitution is a terrible idea, but it’s not lawbreaking.
Fixed!
[...] GOP Lawbreakers : Lawyers, Guns & Money [...]
Every single cosponsor of this bill should, in fitting tribute to their willingness to blatantly defy the Constitution, be subject to expulsion from Congress on the basis of a majority vote.
Impeached for violating their oath of office to uphold said document.
[Insert wankery about "and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" here]
Indeed, I was going to point out that favorite dodge of those few wingnuts able to construct a coherent sentence on this topic. Oh, how horrible it is when “anchor babies” go on their lawless rampages, and the authorities are powerless to stop them, since the children of undocumented immigrants aren’t subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
Why, oh why, did the Founders insist on adding these weird semi-dependent clauses? Well-regulated militias and subject to the jurisdiction, spare me.
How, precisely, would one be born in the US yet not subject to its jurisdiction? Were they trying to make people born in the CSA non-citizens?
You could be the child of the ambassador of another nation and his wife, present on diplomatic passports. You could be the child of a hostile invader and his spouse, born during their occupation of U.S. lands.
[...] more from the original source: GOP Lawbreakers : Lawyers, Guns & Money Posted in Economics, Financial Services, News « {Make Money Online} With Youtube Videos [...]
How to Save Money on Software…
I hope you don’t mind, but I found your site informative. It inspired me so I added a track back. =]…
How To Make Money With Affiliate Programs…
I found your entry interesting thus I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog :)…