Pensee

They (American Family Association) are trying to get <a href="http://www.wepledge.com/" target="_blank">another constitutional amendment</a> that would forever keep "In God We Trust" and the pledge (with "under God".) Their goal is to have 10 million signatures on a petition and they appear to already have support from 12 governors. It's sponsored by Rep. Chip Pickering and Sen. Trent Lott.

What can we do?

gilly54

I think I am correct in saying thank goodness governors can't make federal law.

The site makes it look like they will succeed in passing this amendment, but the only two lawmakers that have signed on to the amendment are the two yahoos who wrote it.

Edited to add: but this amendment may prove to be an embarrassment to the hypocritical Congress-weenies if they don't support it, after their grandstanding on the Capitol steps shouting "under Gawd!"

Gilly

[ September 16, 2002: Message edited by: gilly54 ]</p>

Buffman

gilly54

I think I am correct in saying thank goodness governors can't make federal law.

Not by themselves. However, should an amendment ever be forwarded to the states for ratification, the Governors can certainly play more than a passive role depending if he/she is of the same party as the majority in the state's legislature.


<a href="http://conlaw.usatoday.findlaw.com/constitution/article05/index.html" target="_blank">http://conlaw.usatoday.findlaw.com/constitution/article05/index.html</a>

(Added)

I did not mean to totally discount the possibility of a Constitutional Convention if the total Governorships reached the critical level and common cause relationship.

<a href="http://rga.policy.net/governors/" target="_blank">http://rga.policy.net/governors/</a>

[ September 17, 2002: Message edited by: Buffman ]</p>

Stephen Maturin

Gee, what a surprise. The proposed amendment (one of several floating around in Congress) has the endorsement of Ohio Governor Bob Taft, a bought-and-paid-for insurance industry whore who has very few compunctions about ignoring court orders he doesn't like. I suspect that Taft's endorsement translates to something like, "Hey, I know the state treasury is circling the drain thanks to the incompetent and borderline-criminal mismanagement of funds that's gone on during my administration, but look how pious I am!"

Cozmoe

What is it with these right-wing fundy clowns anyway? They seem to have such contempt for the Constitution and want all these petty amendments.

First a flag burning amendment, then a defense of marriage amendment, now a pledge amendment.

When are they going to realize that the Constitution is a liberal document?

Anti-Creedance Front

I blame this on Newdow. He picked a really, really bad time to make a stink about that stuff. I mean, he's a fellow secularist and all, but the guy really could have waited a little while. I think now that the deed is done, it's time for some more activism. We can't give up on this now.
I'm handing out flyers at a local festival for my group on Saturday, hopefully I can gather some more people together. Fight the right.

ybnormal

Maybe it's a bad time to be handing out those flyers... maybe you should have waited a little while... you know, making a stink about that stuff now...

beejay

I'm not going to blame anything on Newdow. There is never a good time. Anytime we assert our rights in a significant manner, someone is going to propose an amendment to shut down those rights.

All the cited amendments above have failed because clearer, calmer minds prevail. We have the Constitution on our side and we shouldn't hesitate to use it.

Autonemesis

Newdow's case was filed during the Clinton administration. You expect him to have anticipated 9/11 and the eruption of religious sentimentalism that followed, when nobody else did?

Like, how long? When is the right time? If you don't have an answer to that question, how is your position any different in character from Bush's endless war policy?

Autonemesis

Not only is it a very liberal document, it's liberalness is the very thing that makes it so significant, one of the Great Documents of history.