Another Day, Another Congressional Constitutional Scholar
**Written by Doug Powers
A recent poll found that the general public knows more about the Constitution than elected officials, and one Congressman is on a mission to validate the poll’s findings:
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) believes the Constitution justifies Obamacare’s mandate that people must buy health insurance. According to him, the Constitution’s reference to the “pursuit of happiness” specifically justifies that mandate. There’s just one problem, the pursuit of happiness isn’t in the Constitution.
“Well, when you start off with the Preamble of the Constitution, you talk about the pursuit of happiness,” Lewis told CNS News regarding the mandate’s justification. ”You go to the 14th Amendment–it’s equal protection under the law and we have not repealed the 14th Amendment. People have a right to have health care. It’s not a privilege but a right.”
The “pursuit of happiness” is of course from the Declaration. If Lewis would have first checked with his colleagues he would have known that the Preamble of the Constitution is the one that starts with “My country tis of thee…”
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
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Doug, they probably believe ‘My country tis of thee..’ is in the Founders writings! We sure don’t need to confuse them now do we? Thanks for the laugh of the day.
L
When I saw the headline this morning on Drudge that the FBI had rounded up 100 of the top mobsters in the country, I thought they were talking about the Senate.
Nah, they’re not that smart. They thought people were singing “My country Tish of thee” believing it was from the “Addams Family”. (“Tish! That’s French!”)
After the Rangel handslap, I’m pretty sure this must be one of the amendments:
Earls and barons shall be fined only by their equals, and in proportion to the gravity of their offence.
I learned that a long time ago. It tells us the six reasons for having government.
And no, promoting the general welfare doesn’t mean the gov’t provides for you from the cradle to the grave. It means it gets out of your way (to promote) and allows you to provide for yourself.
Hey, Mr. Lewis:
The Constitution doesn’t say anything about Healthcare, Health Insurance, Abortion, etc. But, it does say we have a right to firearms. Will you be sponsoring legislation to give tax-payer funded guns to those citizens that can’t afford one?
I thought not. The STHU!
The worst part of this (for Lewis) — the Constitution was read at the beginning of this congress. Obviously, Representative Lewis wasn’t listening or taking notes.
I love it when the left describes some desired condition as a “right”. You don’t have any right that obligates another person to provide it. You don’t have the right to obligate a doctor to treat you any more than you have the right to make somebody work in your fields.
As a Georgia native I’m glad I don’t live in his district. If I did I’d move.
That “hit on his head” sure ruined a good politician. The locals still worship the ground he walks on. He has that “King Connection” ya know.
Lewis is just doing his part to make Clyburn look smart.
Staggering stupidity.
Normally when you think of this kind of uber-stupidity, you think of Hollywood, or Network News. Or HuffPo.
OK, I admit, if I really thought about it, I’d definitely believe that congress critters in general are pretty dumb; and liberal congress critters are particularly dumb. I know there are some exceptions to this. There are a few intelligent conservatives that sneak through, and a scary number of liberals who are, charitably, “High Functioning…”
But to see something like this is scary-funny.
Rights are things you are born with, not things that must be provided for you. Which, of course, is the whole point; Anything which can be given can just as easily be taken away. Additionally, if person A has a “right” to something which must be provided to them by person B, Person B is now the slave of person A. (hat tip to Andrew Wilkow) Person A has all the rights but person B has all the responsibility. But then, based on his knowledge of the Constitution, he does not recognize how this violates the laws of our nation.
Oh, and for all the Democrats that objected to the reading of the Constitution, this is why.
Rep. Lewis doesn’t have to be a Constitutional scholar to be elected in his district.
He just has to be Black and Liberal.
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) could learn something by watching this School House Rock video, but even School House Rock didn’t get it 100% right… perhaps it was just to make the song sound better, but they left out 1 of the 2 references to “the United States”…
Are you sure this wasn’t Joe Biden?
On January 20th, 2011 at 2:46 pm, Hangfire said:
According to Wikipedia (I know, consider the source, but this is probably accurate), Georgia’s 5th congressional district is 56.1% Black.
Do you think the voters of his district elected him based on the color of his skin, or the content of his character?
It does appear to be the latter.
I guess that’s an even bigger slam on the constituents than if you had said “…the former”, which I believe is more correct.
Lewis won with 73.7% of the vote.
Care to guess what percentage are receiving government benefits?
Mind-numbingly moronic.
And this esteemed tool votes on laws that affect my life?
The Three Stooges would make better congressmen.
Just more proof that progressivism is headed for EPIC FAIL.
Is there ANYTHING written ANYWHERE that says someone cannot buy health insurance? Even if you can’t find a private carrier, every state has a pool for people to buy health insurance.
Everyone in America has a right to dig into their pockets and pay a premium for health insurance. Even if it means take the bus, rent a smaller apartment, disconnect the cable, sell the WII eat beans and rice instead of steak and make it work. That’s what pursuit of happiness you refer to means. Pursue for yourself and let the rest of us pursue our own happiness by not having to support your lazy ass.
This is as stupid as whatsherface saying the 5th amendment applies to health insurance. The idiocy of these people just boggles the mind.
Doug, you can’t assume Democrats know anything about our founding documents. After all, they’re more likely to refer to them as the “foundling documents.” Orphaned, indeed.
Perhaps I missed a MM post about this, but I do think we should say
to the Republicans (and 3 Democrats) who voted to pass the House bill to repeal Obamacare.
Support for Obamacare has always been purely partisan,
while OPPOSITION to Obamacare has been bipartisan.
On January 20th, 2011 at 2:59 pm, Dexter Alarius said:
That’s odd… I was thinking “It does appear to be the former“,
but for unknown reasons I typed “It does appear to be the latter“.
I specifically said “Black and Liberal.” No mention of “Black and Content of his Character.”
It means simply that the Left in his district is covering all bases. And this guy is definitely a character.
On January 20th, 2011 at 3:06 pm, John Deaux said:
How bad is it?
A Freudian petticoat, perhaps?
I really think this guy Lewis is suffering from retardation or mental illness, if not mad cow disease. It is extremely uncomfortable to hear his dibbling. He really should be removed from office for cause.
Right. I finally found the right link for the rollcall.
Hey great news for Liberals in Lewis’ district: Baby Doc Duvalier is back in Haiti. Ton Ton Macoutes for ObamaCare! Da roof is on fye-yah! Da roof is on fye-yah!
What is it with D politicians from GA? Remerber Lewis claimed the Tea Party hurrled racial epithets at him, but could never prove it (even after a cash award was put up for the proof and with Rep Jackson using his cell phone to tape the Tea Party people present). And who could forget Rep Hank Johnson who was worried that the Marine build up on Guam would cause it to capsize…
Don’t know much about history...don’t know much about biology, but I do know how to talk smack. If you would only stop questioning the words I speak, what a wonderful world it would be – well at least for me
John Lewis.
It’s downtown Atlanta. 99.54% urban.
Oh, and the prior 4 elections, Lewis won with 100% of the vote.
Good job GA GOP!
no, no, no…the preamble starts, “Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”
That dipstick is violating my pursuit of happiness by his presence and voting record in DC.
Yet another “living document” aberration. A statement from a totally different document, and an ammendment that has nothing whatsoever to do with health care and stretched to cover it.
As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, he is a spotted owl.
Untouchable. Beyond Reproach. Protected.
It’s getting tedious to hear this line of reasoning from the left. Receiving health care shouldn’t be confused with purchasing health insurance.
People who cannot afford health insurance receive health care.
People who can afford health insurance pay for people who can’t.
I have it direct from an insider that a couple of Lewis’ “aides” were caught using cocaine – one of them was dealing and went to jail for it. Those dummies who vote for him don’t even know who Lewis is…they just vote for the Dem. I know, I lived in Atlanta for over 6 years.
*Good thing he only gets one vote; Too bad he wastes most every one of them by not voting the right way to aid the black folks in getting out of the liberal plantation he helped create; He has become irrelevant, just like the NAAPC(National Association..Advancement..Political Correctness)
*Which would you guess to be a higher number, the years he’s served in Congress, or the IQ?; I’m guessing one is going down while the other is going up!
His IQ doesn’t even make the scale.
‘tear the roof off the suckah
tear the roof off the suckah
tear the roof
tear the roof
off the suckah!’
–George Clinton/Parliament
Give Up the Funk
plus, he’s way behind schedule getting Breitbart his video…
this will all be much more entertaining now that the GOP wants to provide a constitutional basis for any legislation. The Dems will be coming up with the most ridiculous things… like the good and plenty clause.
This early in the new school year he didn’t expect a pop quiz so soon!
Lewis is obviously a graduate of the Maxine Waters school of Constitutional Studies.
There ought to be a 3 strikes and you’re out rule for CongressCritters who publicly demonstrate via statements or votes they don’t know squat about the Constitution they have an oath to protect.
Raise your hand if you care if enforcement (of said common sense rule) takes out a few RINOS in the process… It’s important to know your targets.
It is TOO in the Constitution! Right next to the part about “separation of church and state.”
this Lewis guy sounds like he maybe related to Hank Johnson of Guam fame.
It is kind of like when they claim they’re “Right to feel safe” trumps the 2nd Amendment. They really, deep down in the core of their befuddled beings believe that nonsense. None of it is about how they “feel”.
You know I hate to quote Republican cronies, but in this case, John Hawkins said it best:
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) belongs on Saturday Night Live doing a parody of himself. Except for being a bitter, nasty, lying fool he is pretty funny.Could we send the man a copy of the Constitution? Would that help? No, I guess not.
Yes happy2behere many of our CongressCritters really are that stupid aren’t they?
===
Let your sidearm be like American Express:
Don’t Leave home without it.
Resistance is mandatory
They aren’t stupid at all.
Truth is, they ALL know what is in the Constitution. They go on these permanent amnesia sprees because they think YOU don’t. They think YOU are stupid enough to believe them when they say these things. It’s about cramming their illegal agenda down your throat despite the basic law set forth in the Constitution.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
We can laugh at the ramblings of these fools, but stop for a moment and think, who elected this bunch of idiots! Everyone of those idiots in the House were up for election last November. Where were you?
Right here not voting for them. Jeff Flake (R-AZ 6) ran pretty much unopposed. I did work the Tempe precincts to defeat Harry Mitchell-(Weird-AZ 5).
THEY may not be all that stupid but listening to Lewis I am convinced HE is that stupid
===
I feel much safer defending the Right to Keep and Bear Arms-how about you?
My guess is the donations to DNC will drop off now that 100 of their donors are in jail. JMHO of course.
RSS kamikaze non sequitur coming in 10, 9, 8, 7….
A serious question for our constitutional scholars (Chap, Obama), why isn’t the “Progressive” tax law in America a violation of the 14th Amendment? Equal Protection under the law should mean that every entity considered a person by law be taxed equally. This is also noticed in property taxes where different assets of the same vale are taxed vastly differently (farm 11%, house 21%, business 32% in Missouri).
Judge Napolitano really beat up (metaphorically speaking here) on Lewis and the other Congresswoman on their complete lack of knowledge and understanding of the Constitution on Fox 360 this morning. He was laughing at them. The lady apparantely graduated from the Virginia School of Law. The dem “lawmakers” are a bunch of dolts….
I’d put Napolitano on the ticket for POTUS any day.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
I’m a big opponent of progressive income taxation, but I don’t see any constitutional problems with it that way. Otherwise, everyone would have to be taxed the same exact amount of money – not just the same percentage, but the same amount. Ever since the founding of this country, there have been different taxes on different types of items and activities. If one such activity is making over a certain amount of money, then that can be taxed at its own rate.
Grossly misguided policy, but constitutional.
Some are, some aren’t. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) is my Congressman. Bright guy, served in Iraq. And although I loved Tancredo because he is such a hoot, I think Coffman will have more effect in the long run. As for Lewis, scary isn’t he?
AZ – Mr. Happy and I go back and forth on the gun thing. I feel God will protect us. He thinks we ought to buy while its still legal. I dunno, I mean a nuclear bomb could go off next to his ear and he wouldn’t wake up. So the person going for the gun would be me, without my glasses. I wouldn’t feel that safe if I were him.