[Jason]

swear to uphold



http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN08265639

“WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. president should be forced by law to consult Congress before going to war, a bipartisan panel including several prominent former U.S. officials said on Tuesday.”



Hmm last I checked the US Consitution specifically states

Article 1 Section 8

The Congress shall have Power…

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;



Article 2 Section 2 says

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States

"when called into the actual Service of the United States"...think called into service might be refering to that declaration of war thing?

But nowhere does Article 2 (which lays out the powers of a president) say he can go to war without Congress

[designbydave]

I would be in favor of a new amendment to the constitution:

Anyone government official found to be acting in a manner that is contrary to this document shall be subject to sever punishment at the hands of the people. This punishment is to include a Horse, donkey or goat and is to be broadcast live on the Fox television network. Or, a lottery will be held to select 10 lucky citizens whom will have the privilege to publicly beat said government official.

[Jason]

[sg]

I have a new idea for an amendment.

When govt officials violate the constitution, they have to immediately buy SG a new SUV, BECAUSE MINE JUST F-ING DIED TODAY



Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!!!!!!!!

[designbydave]

[Nibs]

Well, technically didn't congress authorize it in 2002 after the administration provided all that phoney intel?

As far as punishing someone for violating the constitution, you'd have to prove it first and so far, the administration has been claiming "executive privilege" for pretty much any question that could get them in trouble.

[sg]

People no longer take the constitution seriously.
They simply wave their hands and claim whatever part of the constitution they dont like is "dated", and should be ignored

Lets face it, most americans, are clueless about their own history, and the ideas/philosophy the founders debated over endlessly which resulted in the constitution. Problems that are TIMELESS.

In the end, it comes back to education of the masses, or lack thereof.

[Jason]

What does “when called into the actual service of the United States” refer to, I think it refers to that whole declaration of war thing. And is referring to not just the Militia but also the Army and Navy, that sentence reads just fine as

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States when called into the actual Service of the United States



Otherwise it would have read

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States; and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States

[Jason]

[sg]

What percentage of americans over the age of 18 do you think have actually read the full constitution at least once in their lives? I wonder.

[Thog]

Where in the Constitution does it say that if you are wealthy you should get raped even more than the average American on your taxes? Isn't absurd taxation what our Founding Fathers went to war over?

Whoa, where did that come from? Does my comment above even relate to this thread?

Mark

[knumbknuts]

All Congress has to do is not fund it. Boom. No War.

[Jason]

[knumbknuts]

Yea, their approval rating just dropped below 10%

[noman]

I say purge the politicians every 50 years and start over a new.It will help get rid of special interest groups and corporation ties.Even if you start over a new u r going to get some corruption but at least you will get some whistle blowers in there.

[designbydave]

[rafaelcjr]

The problem with the US constitution is that it was written in a time when
honor and ethics meant something. They never envisioned that the LAW creating
body of the US Government was going to end up in the hands of the most dishonorable,
unethical, corrupt, selfish and spineless members of our society.

The founders should have included a clause in the Constitution to make sure that
any law passed by Congress should need to pass a simple contitutional test before
it can be fully ratified.

Right now any obstacles that the Contitution places is easily circumvented
by our "Millionares Club", all they need to do is pass a New Bill into Law.
They know that it usually takes many years for any new law to be actually
reviewed by the Supreme Court for it's Contitutionality - this happens usually
after some citizen, who has been snared by it, cries for help and has to
dedicate a portion of his life and finances to bring a case in front of the Supreme Court.
(one has to go thru many courts prior to this)

Examples:

War Powers Act of 1973
(probably Unconstitutional but nobody has brought that up yet with the Supreme Court)

Current grand jury practices -
(again probably Unconstitutional but nobody has brought this up
yet to a final showdown in front of the Supreme Court)

[Erik Boehm]

[Erik Boehm]

[Jason]

you may well be right, but will all the fuss over commas in the consitution these days.........