The Constitution isn't good enough but the Magna Carta is?

[Justice wanted]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/01/04/397520/new-hampshire-gop-bill-mandates-that-laws-find-their-origin-in-1215-english-magna-carta/


New Hampshire GOP Bill Mandates That New Laws Find Their Origin In 1215 English Magna Carta

New Hampshire Republicans are taking textual originalism to a whole new level: three lawmakers have proposed a bill that requires that all legislation find its origin not in the U.S. constitution, but an English document crafted in 1215.

When the legislature reconvenes this month, Republicans want their colleagues to justify many new bills with a direct quote from the 800-year-old Magna Carta:

_______________________________________________________________________________


What the Constitution is too liberal because it was written and re-written to keep people from being slaves or treated as second class citizens OR prevented servitude?

[eShirl]

1. Just guessing: the Magna Carta is compatible with the feudal system.

[WolverineDG]

2. Well, the Magna Carta was pretty liberal for its time

It standardized the laws across the kingdom--only the King's Law was recognized & only the King's Courts. The idea that accused persons were to be tried by a jury of their peers was revolutionary. That no one, even the King, is above the law. And so on.

The Magna Carta still influences our legal system today, but it's not recognized as law in the US.

(and it's also "foreign law," being that it's from Great Britain & all)

[Justice wanted]

3. I give you all that. The Magna Carta even influenced the Founding fathers in what they put in

our constitution BUT honestly they are saying our OWN constitution is crap.

[WolverineDG]

4. They obviously don't know history either

(no big surprise) & obviously didn't read the wiki page. I've always been fascinated by the Magna Carta.

[Gman]

5. Why not go back 400 more years to the origins

Of Shariah law? LOL!

[maggiesfarmer]

6. like this quote

<snip>
New Hampshire Democratic Party spokesman Ray Buckley said he was “mostly speechless” when he heard about the bill. “I appreciate all the hard work the Republican legislators are putting into the effort to make them look like extremists,” he said. “Saves us the trouble.”
</snip>

[eShirl]

9. lol

thanks for posting; that's gold

[Mnemosyne]

7. The Carlyle Group purchased it in 2007:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=auoTNHlhv5F0

[Octafish]

14. Amazing. Armand Hammer bought Da Vinci's notebook and renamed it the 'Hammer Codex'

http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/archived/hammer.htm

[Mnemosyne]

21. Good lord, is nothing sacred! The ego involved in such renaming is astounding. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. That's one copy, and not from the original issue in 1215

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta#Exemplifications

To give Rubenstein his due, his copy is on permanent loan to the US National Archives.

[Mnemosyne]

20. Thank goodness! I thought they got the original. Thanks for clearing that up, muriel. N/t

[SpiralHawk]

8. Why do Republicons HATE the US Constitution?

This is their latest anti-American outrage.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Wow!

This is NOT an Onion article?!!!

[CanonRay]

11. How we all long for the good ole' 13th Century

Burning at the stake, serfdom. A paradise.

[mwooldri]

12. Magna Carta renders this bill unconstitutional.

This bill is unconstitutional because it doesn't recognize the US Constitution as being the Supreme Law of the land. Even Magna Carta says so, Clause 29 in the 1297 charter (or 39 in the 1215 charter) - the right to "due process" - refers to the "law of the land" and the law of this land is the US Constitution. This is one of the 3 clauses that are still in place to this day in England.

If this crazy bill somehow becomes a law, then I hope there are many people versed in Latin at hand in the NH Legislature.

[baldguy]

13. Franklin, Jefferson, Madison - DAMN SOCIALISTS!

[Aerows]

15. Well that's new

I guess they REALLY want to preserve their privileges as the upper crust of society just like the barons they believe themselves to be.

&#740; <--- That was meant to be the irony symbol of a reverse question mark, but got mangled.

( &#1567; ) <--- so was that. Oh well.

Just note the irony.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. Isn't it the GOP that wanted to bar all 'foreign' influence in our laws? Doesn't believe in

'international law'?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

18. There's a big difference in adhering to international in international affairs

and allowing international norms dictate laws for the US, its states and municipalities. In fact, much of interntaional law is geared towards insuring individual national soveriegnty.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

17. Silly people

The Magna Carta was written for a constitutional monarchy. Our own constitution mandates a republic.