Protecting the pledge, theocracy-style
20 July 2006 by BobHouse OKs bill guarding Pledge from courts
WASHINGTON – Legislation to bar federal courts from ruling on constitutional issues arising from the Pledge of Allegiance, including the “one nation, under God” reference, passed the House after lawmakers argued that the pledge is linked to the nation’s spiritual history. [...] The measure faced an uncertain future in the Senate after the House voted 260-167 on Wednesday. [...] “We should not and cannot rewrite history to ignore our spiritual heritage,” said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. “It surrounds us. It cries out for our country to honor God.”
Ok, who can spell “stupid-pissant-distraction?” Enough already with the posturing bullshit.
With people dying all over the world, you’d think this wouldn’t be too much of a priority. (Like, can’t you vote on something else with all that time on your hands?)
But, as one representative said to another (about a third): “If you think he’s an idiot, you should see his constituents.”
20 July 2006, on 9:31 am
All this smacks of Republican desperation about November. Nobody is listening. The daily death toll out of Iraq — among so many other things — is too loud.
The fuckers will stop at nothing. But that dooesn’t mean it will always work for them.
20 July 2006, on 9:42 am
Well, isn’t that special. Don’t we all feel more godly, now? I know I do.
20 July 2006, on 10:01 am
But, considering that the phrase “under god” was added in 1954, it is apparently alright to rewrite history to include a “spiritual heritage” that they made up in response to godless communism.
Goatfuckers.
20 July 2006, on 10:05 am
One bright speck of hope is that this will actually improve the cases…. it removes juristiction from the “federal court system” not the SCOTUS. Congress created the federal court system and has the right to modify it, but in this case all that happens is the case goes directly from state supreme court to the SCOTUS.
20 July 2006, on 10:36 am
“All this smacks of Republican desperation about November. Nobody is listening.”
Isn’t it hilarious to see them reeling so hard on all other issues that they have to prostrate themselves to the radical right to maintain control?
20 July 2006, on 10:53 am
I’ve got to say here that, not only is this complete bullshit, legislative worms to that shrieking nest of hungry fundies, but it’s really also a nonissue for us- or ought to be. I mean, think about it. I recited the pledge, gawd version, growing up, and, to be quite frank, I don’t think a single one of us in that classroom ever really paid attention to the words themselves- god or otherwise. It was just something we did everyday between attendance and the announcements, about as significant as sharpening a pencil or remembering our lunch money. Having people like Michael Newdow getting shrill about the pledge does more damage to our cause than it does good because it really isn’t a breach of our beloved wall of separation, just a dirtclod thrown over the top.
20 July 2006, on 11:37 am
This one’s been in the hopper for a while — see our earlier pos t from October 2004 on this too: “The Pledge Protection Racket” at http://tinyurl.com/ma3t5, which in turn links to 2 good FindLaw pieces on the subject.
20 July 2006, on 1:24 pm
Thanks to the person who supplied a title for my post…
20 July 2006, on 3:09 pm
Sounds like something you would read in The Onion. Please say that’s where you got it from.
“denying a child the right to recite the pledge was a form of censorship
I’m not an American so correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t children required to do this even if they don’t want to? Am I missing something? Who is preventing them from saying it as many times as they want?
“We believe that there is a God who gives basic rights to all people and it is the job of the government to protect those rights”
Why does an all powerful god, with the power to create universes, need a mortal, elected by sinners government to protect human rights? If someone denies rights to others, why not just wait and deal with it when they get to hell?
20 July 2006, on 3:10 pm
Oops! Missed a tag there somewhere.
20 July 2006, on 3:36 pm
OK. Gee. Gay marriage amendment. Flag burning amendment. Pledge of allegiance legislation. All introduced by Republicans. All in a desperate fucking attempt to draw some kind of line in the “culture war” that they started in the first place in order to win in November.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
They offer this country more fear, more bigotry, more religious zealotry, more civil rights abuses, more educational deterioration, more debt, more environmental destruction, more isolationism — AND NOTHING MORE.
Come November: VOTE!
20 July 2006, on 3:44 pm
Sean: Come November: VOTE!
PLEASE!
20 July 2006, on 4:00 pm
Sean,
“Come November: VOTE!”
Eve,
“PLEASE!”
Me,
OR I’LL EAT YOUR SPLEEN!
20 July 2006, on 4:07 pm
Good people allow me to re-post something I posted re: Embryonic Stem Cell research. I think it applies and it is how I see it. Thanks in advance.
—–
Well this can be summed up in two words: POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP.
Rove is simply making a calculated move. He knows most “Republicans” would never vote for a Democrat.. BUT they may stay home! And many of them are disgusted enough with Bush to do just that passive-aggressive act. Bad bad for Repubs.
So enter the relative SMALL minority that believe this god-shit. These people (mostly fundie fanatics) will work like the slaves they are to defeat the godless Dems. Rove knows that with the right justification they will work to rally the iffy voters (disgusted Repubs who otherwise would sit home then actively show support for the Bushies).
But even the fundies need a justification to be rallied!
So [Flag whatever, Pledge whatever,] gay-marriage and ESC issues rally the nuts, and the nuts (masters of guilt-trips and fear-mongering) will get the “I really hate them all – R’s and D’s” Repubs out to vote.
Dems have no such nuts in the wings that are as well organized and effective. Nor do the Dems have a rallying cause (the war you say? — don’t believe it — Rove can manipulate that issue — watch around the elections).
Face it, CHURCHES are Republican, and the they have ruled the middle and south of the USA for a long time. They are established and organized already. They just need the right “justification” to be slaves for the Repubs.
And Rove has their sorry asses pegged!!! Too bad this gamesmanship – however cleaver – messes us over. To Rove and the Repubs — it is about maintaining power. They will slowly erode progressive agendas, then finally owning enough apparatus and without a cumbersome Bill of Rights, they will change our Nation into the semi-fascist, elitist, self-serving state they wet-dream about.
20 July 2006, on 4:49 pm
ConcernedJoe,
You know, I tend to agree with your assessment, or at least I did when it came to 2004.
I’m not so sure that it’ll play like that this time out, though. Sure, the fundies can mobilize big time. Falwell, Dobson and Robertson have built a hell of a (illegal) grassroots network.
However, there have been reports of the fundie leaders (Dobson especially) are unhappy with the failure to get parts of their agenda made into law. The pledge thing is just one issue. Flag burning failed. Abortion is still legal. Prayer in school is still illegal.
Now, I may go back to agreeing with you, but not until after the primary season is over. That’s when Rove will ratchet up the bullshit.
Anyone know if the ACLU (or anyone for that matter) is monitoring church political activity? This would be the year to bust their asses if there ever was one…
20 July 2006, on 5:21 pm
“Anyone know if the ACLU (or anyone for that matter) is monitoring church political activity? This would be the year to bust their asses if there ever was one…”
Definitely. Unfortunately I know of no agency that’s watching them at all.
“Gay marriage amendment. Flag burning amendment. Pledge of allegiance legislation…”
Don’t forget about the War on Xmas!
20 July 2006, on 5:22 pm
Dear Da Rat — I do see your point.. and maybe the war/Middle East/Etc. (and I am NOT hoping this is so — even though it would make throwing the bastards out easier) will be so out of control disastrous that even red states will out the more idiotic Repubs in protest.
But never underestimate Rove’s cleverness. Bill Clinton was (is) the consummate politician. But Rove and his children being real sociopaths of a sort have an edge. Note how they can re-cast issues, twist the focus, etc. I’ve never seen such DEVILOUS skill in my 50 years of political awareness. It is not just the lies — it is the judo they use to turn opponents strengths into weaknesses.
I don’t admire them in the least. But we must recognize and respect their skills and their willingness to use them ruthlessly, if we are every going to steel and prepare ourselves to defeat them.
20 July 2006, on 6:16 pm
Sort of “know thine enemy,” huh, CJ?
Kinda makes us like FBI profilers – only the stakes are ultimately higher…
20 July 2006, on 6:35 pm
Don’t put this all on the GOP, this idiocy (and flag burning and gay marriage) got a lot votes from the gutless Democrats.
If we got rid of the Reps we would still be left with a different pack of pinheads.
All of these clowns should be booted out.
21 July 2006, on 6:48 am
BobE “Don’t put this all on the GOP, this idiocy (and flag burning and gay marriage) got a lot votes from the gutless Democrats.”
Yup – but they (Dems) are NOT the ones that introduced the bills — they were the ones who were forced to vote in a way to effect the least damage to their re-election.
Yes Dems and Repubs are full of stinking politicians… BUT don’t ignore the high probability that if the Dems were in power these things would not have hit the floor… and new Supreme Court justices would probably have a fuller commitment to the Bill of Rights and the concept of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.