Tea Party’s Constitution fraud: Why the movement’s “devotion” is a situational sham
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/16/tea_partys_constitution_fraud_why_the_movements_devotion_is_a_situational_sham/
Im hardly the first to make this point, but because its such a popular rhetorical tactic in our politics, it bears repeating: Policy arguments that focus on form and process instead of substance are, with notably rare exceptions, a disingenuous waste of everyones time.
For example: Because Republican politicians have so often worked themselves into high dudgeon over the way the Affordable Care Act cleared the U.S. Senate, a casual observer could be forgiven for assuming that opposition to reconciliation is a bedrock principle of modern-day conservatism. It is not. But arguing that the other side isnt playing by the rules is sometimes easier, politically, than engaging in an actual policy debate especially if your preferred policy is to allow insurers to deny sick children coverage and to renege on guaranteed healthcare for millions.
Confusing the issue is even more of an imperative if your chosen policy on a hot-button issue like immigration is to either maintain an unpopular status quo or to deport more than 11 million. And that, essentially, is the position congressional Republicans find themselves in right now, which was made crystal clear in the House on Wednesday, when the vast majority of GOPers voted to repeal President Obamas recent unilateral moves to reduce undocumented immigrant deportations. It wasnt much of a surprise, then, to see Speaker John Boehner try to frame the vote as having little to do with immigration policy per se, and everything to do with reversing an executive overreach [that] is an affront to the rule of law and a threat to the Constitution.
That said, the vote happened less than 48 hours ago. So, yes, I am a bit taken aback by a report from Politico that shows the Republicans facade of Constitution-fetishism and fealty to tradition has already crumbled. But thats the unavoidable conclusion to be drawn from the article, which offers a preview of the agenda House Tea Partyers plan to unveil to their fellow Republicans during a GOP-only retreat. Its an agenda that, in two key respects, has the ultimate goal of amending the Constitution.