We dunno. It's a bad week for gay-bashing political types in the Tennessee legislature. They just KNEW they had an ace in the hole, a sexciting new way to ban the Supreme Court from forcing gaysexual homo-nasty into their Christian throats, with a bill called the Natural Marriage Defense Act, which would have overturned the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage, at least for Tennessee's purposes. Or that's what the bill's supporters
Teachable moment here. The Constitution was written by the rich urban elite. And thank God for it, because if the process had been really democratic, we wouldn't have the Constitution. Because a LOT of people did not like having any central government except the most rudimentary. They were called the Anti-Federalists and they tended to be more rural and less educated. The one thing we can really thank them for was an explicit Bill of Rights, but everyone pictured it as limiting only the powers of Congress. It was not until Gitlow v. New York (1925!) that SCOTUS held that the First Amendment applied within the states. "Banned in Boston" once meant exactly that. Separation of Church and State? Cantwell v. Connecticut, 1940(!) Since then, the so-called Incorporation Doctrine has extended most of the Bill of Rights to the States, piecemeal, as cases arose.
We have always had a Tea Party. There has always been a strong undercurrent of opposition to applying the Bill of Rights at the local level. And there has always been a strong undercurrent of belief that the Federal Government has only the most minimal powers. The Framers omitted the "expressly" that had been in the Articles of Confederation, but the Tea Party keeps writing it in over the White-Out. There's a direct lineal descent from extremists of the McCarthy Era to today's Tea Party.
Okay, so nullification? Well, lest you think only nut cases do it, like South Carolina in 1832, realize that Virginia and Kentucky called for it in 1798 with regard to the Alien and Sedition Acts, and Wisconsin in 1859 with regard to the Fugitive Slave Act. The theory justifying nullification typically invokes the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Failure to mention something doesn't constitute grounds for denying it, and anything not listed is reserved to the states and the people. Since neither nullification nor secession are expressly prohibited, ergo, the states can do them. If you, like, ignore the Supremacy Clause and Article III.
Same reason the Declaration of Independence used a lot of words to say "We're out of here." Or the Emancipation Proclamation used a lot of words to say "If you can get out of rebel territory, you're free."
Speaking as a Floridian, descended from generations of Floridians dating back to when we were still part of the Spanish Empire, I can certainly sympathize.
My recent browsing experience on Wonkette was crappy until I downloaded a new Adobe Shockwave. Things seem to have stabilized. (Knocks on wood--no, not THAT wood.)
My sympathy. Call if you want the number for Mayflower Movers.
In fairness, it does take longer to style a wig.
Preach it, man!!
Teachable moment here. The Constitution was written by the rich urban elite. And thank God for it, because if the process had been really democratic, we wouldn't have the Constitution. Because a LOT of people did not like having any central government except the most rudimentary. They were called the Anti-Federalists and they tended to be more rural and less educated. The one thing we can really thank them for was an explicit Bill of Rights, but everyone pictured it as limiting only the powers of Congress. It was not until Gitlow v. New York (1925!) that SCOTUS held that the First Amendment applied within the states. "Banned in Boston" once meant exactly that. Separation of Church and State? Cantwell v. Connecticut, 1940(!) Since then, the so-called Incorporation Doctrine has extended most of the Bill of Rights to the States, piecemeal, as cases arose.
We have always had a Tea Party. There has always been a strong undercurrent of opposition to applying the Bill of Rights at the local level. And there has always been a strong undercurrent of belief that the Federal Government has only the most minimal powers. The Framers omitted the "expressly" that had been in the Articles of Confederation, but the Tea Party keeps writing it in over the White-Out. There's a direct lineal descent from extremists of the McCarthy Era to today's Tea Party.
Okay, so nullification? Well, lest you think only nut cases do it, like South Carolina in 1832, realize that Virginia and Kentucky called for it in 1798 with regard to the Alien and Sedition Acts, and Wisconsin in 1859 with regard to the Fugitive Slave Act. The theory justifying nullification typically invokes the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Failure to mention something doesn't constitute grounds for denying it, and anything not listed is reserved to the states and the people. Since neither nullification nor secession are expressly prohibited, ergo, the states can do them. If you, like, ignore the Supremacy Clause and Article III.
Same reason the Declaration of Independence used a lot of words to say "We're out of here." Or the Emancipation Proclamation used a lot of words to say "If you can get out of rebel territory, you're free."
Goddamn bucket list gets longer and longer and at my age there just isn't that much time.
If that happens don't you need to just buy a truss? What's the big deal about that? Seems pretty civilized to me.
(Oh, "rApture" hmmmm)
Someone always wants a loophole, I guess. "No, wait! There's gotta be some legit way I can fuck you over still!"
Speaking as a Floridian, descended from generations of Floridians dating back to when we were still part of the Spanish Empire, I can certainly sympathize.
My recent browsing experience on Wonkette was crappy until I downloaded a new Adobe Shockwave. Things seem to have stabilized. (Knocks on wood--no, not THAT wood.)
A lot of southerners have some incredible relatives. (Yes, I'm a "southerner" by birth.)
He can't do that. He hasn't paid all the installments on his new tinfoil headgear.
Patimokkha or bust!
Are they shooting craps?
Dear RWNJs, I'm am going to quote a fine singer, Miss Lily Allen...
Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you very much. I really hate you and all the things that you do, so please don't stay in touch.
my brother moved to Tennessee a few years back . . . i never dreamed he'd be this successful teaching those idiots how reality works.
[ note to self: self, must call him and offer congratulations ]