14th Amendment Under Assault

 Posted by at 2:24 am  Politics
May 292010
 

The controversy over this one is just beginning.

China-flag Congressman Barney Frank, in an interview with Shanghai Peoples Daily, announced his support for a Constitutional Amendment stating that no people born outside the borders of the United States should receive automatic citizenship.  “People not born here are not true Americans,” Frank said.  “To become citizens, they should undergo the same naturalization process as any other foreigner.”  This would impact the children of diplomats and military families born abroad.

Republicans have been adamant in their response.  Mitch McConnell called it a Democrat party takeover of our freedoms.  Michelle Bachmann said, “Frank is trying to distract us from our legitimate claim that Barack Obama was born in Kenya.”  John Boehner commented, “Democrat socialist-fascists went to a communist publication to announce their betrayal of America.  John McCain, who was born in Panama, called it a “personal attack against me.”…

Inserted from <Nowhere>

The preceding citation is completely bogus.  I made it up.  But can you imagine the screaming hissy fit that the GOP would have if it were true?

The fact here is that the 14th Amendment is indeed under attack, in an interview with foreign press, but the culprit is Rand Paul, who wants to negate the citizenship of undocumented aliens born here.

Keith Olbermann covered the issue with Thomas Frank.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Why is it that Republicans harp on the Constitution but use it for decoration only?

Share

  25 Responses to “14th Amendment Under Assault”

  1. You got my Miao on that one Tom!! Free Speech for all–as long as you say the “right” thing!! HAHA

  2. Geez,

    That sounded so authentic that you almost had me.

    er, Barney Frank?

  3. You almost had me hooked.

    Ahem. Barney Frank?

  4. I gasped, too! But your point is well-taken.

  5. Geez. I thought Barney Frank? The rest of ’em? Sounds just like ’em. I think the GOP use the Constitution for TP.

  6. Brilliantly done – I was scratching my head as to why Barney Frank would say such a thing..you almost had me. I especially liked the line about Michelle Bachmann.

    You made your point very well – if the shoe were on the other foot the GOP would be all over it.

  7. I didn’t buy it for a minute. 🙂 I hope Rand Paul loses his shorts in the general. I’d LMAO.

  8. For all of the yammering about the Constitution, how many Republicans (or Democrats) have actually read it and could tell you what is in it? Same thing for all of those who demand that as a “Christian nation” we post the Ten Commandments everywhere. Have you ever asked any of them if they could recite all ten?

    • Charles, I imagine very few. I have known many right wing Christians who could recite the decalogue, but I doubt thet the political wing could.

  9. LOL…Well done Tomcat! You had me, and I’m saying…I must be missin’ something. Barney is my man! lol…point made!

  10. Everyone, I chose Barney Frank for two reasons. First, he is one of the last ones who would actually support such a position. Second, if he actually did, he is one of the few people in Congress with a big enough pair to actually come out and say it plain.

  11. OK – since Rand needs some help about on our Constitution, I’ll lend him a hand. Rand Paul said:

    We’re the only country I know that allows people to come in illegally, have a baby, and then that baby becomes a citizen. And I think that should stop also.
    [Emphasis added]

    Our 14th Amendment is based on English common rule of law, under which a person’s citizenship was determined by the place of his birth, known as jus soli – “law of the soil.”

    Nations that fully observe jus soli include:
    Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

    Nations that observe jus soli with some refinement include:
    Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom

    Source:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_soli

    • Thanks, Nameless. I thought that might be the case, but did not know the jargon term under which to look it up. You have a wealth of information.

  12. Nice spoof. You had me going too. I kept thinking “WTF??? No way!”

    And it really shows that Republicans only care about the Constitution when it protects the NRA and large corporations. For everyone else, the Constitution is “a God damn piece of paper.”

  13. I was focused on the various quotes before I continued on… the Bachmann one got me!

    I am sure that something like this is not far off. Because of this whole “birther” garbage, I have heard some state that the constitution needs to be modified to be more specific, because after all, the founding fathers intended on it to be the way they see things…

    I love how the constitution is the all mighty document until there is something these teabaggers don’t like… then it is open to interpretation…

  14. Well I’m late to comment as per usual, I have to tell you TC that was a bit of brilliant.
    The rest of the comments summed it up quite well

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.