Flag issue may burn brightly in 2006 races

[Cocoa]

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/092005.html

The Republican-led Senate is unlikely to vote on a flag-burning amendment this fall, but the measure will almost certainly hit the floor months before next year’s elections.

Republicans will use the proposed amendment to the Constitution as political ammunition in 2006. Several targeted Democrats in the upper chamber oppose changing the Constitution to prohibit flag burning, including Sens. Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Kent Conrad (N.D.) and Robert Byrd (W.Va.).

The fate of a pending flag-burning amendment lies in the hands of a few senators. Because Sen. Orrin Hatch’s (R-Utah) amendment would alter the Constitution, it needs 67 votes, two-thirds of the Senate, to pass.

Including Hatch, the amendment has 58 co-sponsors. Based on previous votes, the measure has the likely support of 63 senators — if senators vote the way they have previously.

more...

[Sanity Claws]

1. Not again

Bush Sr. sang this song way back when. Don't they ever think of anything new? They just reach in their bag of tricks and pull out whatever worked before. I hope the sheeple wake up or at least have a long enough memory to know that it's just a ploy to manipulate them.

[stevedeshazer]

2. What a hideous joke.

That's all they have?

Yes.

[Cocoa]

3. they also have freedom fries

:eyes:

[Benhurst]

4. And that asshole Bush goes around autographing them.

Wake up, America!

[patrice]

5. I simply don't understand why Bush's religious supporters

don't see Hatch's amendment as Idolatry.

[gratuitous]

6. Well, it beats addressing any REAL issues

I mean, shoot, it's not like there's anything else going on. Wars, natural disasters, budget deficit, health care, poverty; nope, all clear. Guess it's time to tweak the Constitution.

[blm]

7. Dean needs to show this up as the emotional ploy it is. GOP should be

shamed the way they use this issue and abortion.

They really feel safe that the media will ignore their incompetent governance and ALL of their cronyism, corruption and war profiteering and shine the spotlight on 2 issues that mean nothing to good governance.

[Lefty48197]

8. Gosh, I hope they vote on this the week of July 4th

It's just not Independence Day, without somebody telling you what you can, or cannot do.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Wouldn't that be silly

:crazy:

[Massacure]

9. Good. We'll just beat them over the head with economic issues.

An election coming off the heels of a long winter is never a good thing.

[KingFlorez]

10. Grasping at straws

This will NOT be a hot button issue and there will not any traction for them. You're losing Republicans and it's only going to get worst.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. So, we've got hurricanes washing whole cities away,

hundreds of thousands made homeless and jobless, soaring fuel prices, massive and growing deficits, unwinnable wars...

and our brave politicians can't think of anything more important to worry about than the "crisis" situation of flag burning that isn't even happening.

If the Pukes get any political mileage out of this in '06, then this country deserves to go where it's going, down the toilet.

[Dr Fate]

12. ARRRGGG! The only banner ye need is the Jolly Roger!!!!!

ARRRGGGG!!!!

[liberaliraqvet26]

13. Fuck this...

lets not even fall into this stupid trap. Let it pass, it's insignificant. No more nonsense, our issue is SOCIAL JUSTICE. not these stupid wedge issues.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. You can't just let it pass

What if someone just is burning the flag to dispose of it? It's the only proper way to dispose of the flag according to the rules and regulations. Plus, it goes against the first amendment.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. Oh good grief!

Whenever they don't have anything else it's always flag, gay's, guns or something with God. Let's talk about all the people without unemployment. Let's talk about Iraq. Let's talk about Afghainstan (does anybody remember we have troops there?). This is the most ridiculous and idiotic thing. What wussy's. I guess that means no fourth of July party. Do these republicans even know what they're doing? Well duh I guess. I guess that means Bush should be arrested for flag discrition when this bill passes eh? Remember that photo of Bush signing a flag? That's a big no-no. Same for tshirts, napkins, paper plates, ballon's, bandana's, coats, the flag touching the ground, throwing away a flag, etc. A lot of people are going to be arrested....

[leesa]

17. Oh please!Not this incredibly childish, tired, pointless battle once again

[Clarkie1]

18. What a fucking waste of time.

Find something better to do with your time in the senate, morons.

[fujiyama]

19. The senators listed above

are in pretty good shape.

I don't recall how Byrd has voted on this issue in the past, but this issue has come up off and on for years now.

Cantwell is from a blue state that is unlikely to vote for a repuke regardless. The flag burning amendment is unlikely to change the trend.

I don't know the exact status of the other two, but I believe they both have been reelected in their respective states multiple times now, with decent margins.

There are some vulnerable senate races out there but I don't see how this issue alone will have such a major impact.

My hope is Dems don't fall for these threats and join in proverbially burning something much more important than the flag - the constitution itself.

[PurityOfEssence]

20. So what? Let 'em have it.

Make it illegal; big damn deal. The issue to throw back at them is how illegal it needs to be. Should burners be stripped of citizenship and dumped on some barren island somewhere? Is it a death offense? Kill your entire family, run off your livestock and salt your land?

Does it need to be an amendment to the Constitution?

I love free speech, and it's ridiculous to criminalize this, but it's an idiotic issue. Let them have it. The way to turn it back on them is to ask what other forms of protest they want to criminalize and to portray them as bloodthirsty reactionaries.

Conservatives are bullies, and when you defy their expectations, they're left to flounder in public.

[Toots]

21. "Conservatives wrap themselves in the flag and burn the constitution

Liberals wrap themselves in the constitution and burn the flag"
This is a quote from a DUer I can not remember. even though we don't really "burn the flag" I love the mindset here.