hypocrisy...

[justducky2204]

thankfully, the senate's proposed amendment to the consitution to ban flag burning failed.

unfortunately, it only failed by one vote.

the supporters of the amendment say that flag burning goes against the troops who die for our country and what it stands for.

i guess those supporters have forgotten (conveniently, i might add) that the MOST important

Comments

[freegardener]

Thank god, and the constitution framers, that it is not so easy to get 38 state legislators to ratify anything. Don't some states also need to put it to a public vote? Can't remember off hand. While some people might say on a poll that they agree with the concept of a flag burning amendment, when it comes down to it, it seems like overkill. Amendments should be saved for big things.

[vfrride]

Daily Kos had an interesting post which I couldn't find again to link to... apparently there have been only 215 cases of confirmed flag burning in the last 210 years. I guess some people feel that if it happens once it's too much.

This is all just to bring out the troops to vote in the Fall. This election more than any in the past is going to be about getting your base out to vote. The Repulicans even admitted it. They are going to try and pass a series of laws this summer that is intended to create partisan reactions just to get out the vote.

[acegraxler]

I think the saddest thing is that both sides need to get out the vote. Of the many people that registered to vote via campaigns like MoveOn, only an embarassing handful showed up to actually vote. It would be really nice if neither side needed to resort to this sort of thing just to inspire people to take five minutes once a year and go vote.

[minstrel70]

Vote tally. Yea: 53 Republicans, 13 Democrats. Nay: 2 Republicans, 1 Independent, 31 Democrats.

The House resolution passed 286-130, with 77 of 184 Democrats voting for it (42%).

The amendment wouldn't actually ban flag burning. It would allow Congress to pass legislation regarding the desecration of the flag, subject to majority vote and, depending on who wins in 2008, Presidential veto (Amendments take years to be ratified by the requisite number of states; the odds of this happening before 1/20/09 would be slim). Also, as with any laws passed by Congress, a future Congress could change or overturn it.

I'm a Libertarian and strict constructionist on Consitutional issues, and not particularly convinced that the proposed Amendment is a good idea, but I do hate to see things misrepresented.

[freegardener]

I believe this is the congressional response to the Supreme Court telling them last time that flag burning was a first amendment issue and out of their area. They may be trying to get it back into their area, so to speak.

[minstrel70]

That's precisely what they are doing.

[psychowoof]

Ditto on your rant.

The selective memory of history is what really irks me. What makes this country great and different from many others is the fact that all its citizens can be distinctly different from one another.

The social researcher in me wants to know what subtle forces have been at work over the last 30 years to move our country to the point it is at now. Also, how have so many US citizens sat so blindly by as the politicians move things toward a country that so strongly conflicts the vision this country was founded on?