In a gesture to their Tea Party handlers, House Republicans made the first order of business in the 112th Congress a reading of the United States Constitution text. The event achieved nothing tangible and gave politicians a chance to preen before the media. Republicans ruffled feathers by deciding to omit unpleasant sections of the United States Constitution text and a lady was ejected for insulting the president. Looks like somebody could be needing payday cash loans to buy their way out of trouble.
Watching the Tea Party in the House
The party who gave Republicans the majority of the house in the 2010 election was the Tea Party which is why the U.S. Constitution was read in the House. The reading took a while. An hour and a half time was needed. The new Republican law was being emphasized with this reading. Apparently, Republicans say, that in order to become law, a bill has to cite the U.S. Constitution showing why it is allowed to become law. The preamble words were spoken by new Speaker of the House Re. John Boehner, R-Ohio:
“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Three-Fifths Clause doesn’t make the cut
Fighting started immediately. The U.S. Constitution wasn't even being read yet. There were parts of the Constitution that needed deleting, says Republicans. Anything an amendment changed should go. There was one section in particular argued. That "Three-Fifths Clause" was the section. The Three-Fifths Clause states slaves are only to be considered “three fifths of all other persons.”. Rep. Jesse Jackson, D-Ill, said “Many of us don’t want that to be lost upon reading of our sacred document.” Many think that the Three-Fifths Clause should remind conservatives that the Constitution isn't set in stone as it can change with the nation when amendments are passed.
Saying ‘Help us Jesus!’
The reading of the U.S. Constitution text was shared by both Republicans and Democrats in what may be the final bipartisan gesture in the 112th Congress. The section that requires a person to be a "natural born citizen", read by Frank Pallone, D-N.J., was where things went wrong. A woman in the audience shouted “Except Obama, except Obama, help us Jesus!” The woman was arrested and escorted from the chamber.
Citations
ABC News
abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-representatives-read-constitution-floor/story?id=12555114&page=2
Washington Post
voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/huck_finning_the_constitution.html
NPR
npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/01/06/132708560/birther-disrupts-u-s-house-constitution-reading
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