The latest Con Meme-the 10th amendment

[booley]

Almost like clockwork, the cons come up with memes (sound bites really) to justify what they are against (because blatant greed doesn't sound as good out loud)

The latest seems to be the 10 amendment.. as in "i don't see it listed specifically in the constitution so it's against the 10th amendment".

So far I have seen this used on everything from getting rid of all social spending to getting rid of Social Security to Shrub letting the navy to ignore enviromental laws.

Anyone else notice this? Also anyone found a good response to this?

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Congress has specific authority to provide for the general welfare of the country

Article I, Section 8, which enumerates the powers of Congress, has as its first clause: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States...." If Congress deems that social spending and environmental protections are necessary for the general welfare of the country -- and they have -- then social spending and environmental protections are constitutional.

If conservatives insist on getting pissy about the Constitution, have them consider:

Article I, Section 9, clause 2: The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. (No exceptions are granted for non-citizens or "enemy combattants.")

Article I, Section 9, clause 7: No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time. (Blackbox spending is a violation of the Constitution.)

[DCKit]

3. Woah TechBear, you really know how to ruin a party!!

It's a good thing nobody in either House is paying attention to Constitutional sticklers like you.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Yeah, good thing

:eyes:

[booley]

5. thanks

you made my day.

[unpossibles]

2. because they are assholes would be my standard response

they like to pretend that the constitution serves their purposes, that it proves Jesus loves America and that any changes made post-1850 are communist bunk.