GOP in Turmoil Over Reading of Constitution

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Tue Jan-04-11 05:55 PM
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GOP in Turmoil Over Reading of Constitution

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The scheduled reading of the entire United States Constitution on the floor of the House of Representatives during tomorrow’s opening session as well as a vote on a similar proposal in the Senate appeared in jeopardy this afternoon following unexpected dissent within the Republican Party.

Incoming House Speaker John Boehner has reportedly been bombarded in recent days with letters from members of his caucus expressing everything from ‘grave concern’ to ‘outright disgust’ over the proposed reading on the House floor. A vote on a proposal by Senator Jim De Mint (R-SC) and incoming Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that the historic document on which the nation’s system of government is founded also be read aloud on the Senate floor faces a possible filibuster — not by Democrats, but by Republicans.

“This is eerily reminiscent of what happened with the New START Treaty before the recess,” lamented Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ). “This is, as I’ve repeatedly warned, exactly the sort of thing that happens when a vote gets rammed through before people have had a chance to read what they’re voting on.”

When asked to elaborate, Sen. Kyl explained, “I certainly don’t mean to imply that any of us — as far as I know — don’t support the Constitution, per se. But personally, as all activity that takes place on the Senate floor becomes a part of the official record, I’d prefer that any reading be limited to the good parts — you know — I mean, I don’t see where wasting the People’s time by reading, for example, the 14th and 17th Amendments would serve any meaningful purpose.”

According to one Boehner staffer, while some on the House side echoed Kyl’s sentiments, many of the GOP’s more senior Representatives expressed more grave concerns. “Many of them endeavored, over the Christmas recess, to actually read the document for the first time,” according to Newton Toomey, a senior aide who spoke on condition of anonymity, “and they didn’t like what they saw. Don’t quote me on this, but I believe it was Joe Barton who put it best when he wrote that, ‘having the whole damn thing on the record can only come back one day to bite us in the ass.’”

That view appears to be in agreement with that of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who said in a statement released by his office late this afternoon, “I just don’t see where increasing the public’s knowledge and awareness of the Constitution could possibly aid the Republican Party in pursuing our agenda.”

Despite the controversy, as of this writing incoming Speaker Boehner insists that the Constitution will be read on the House Floor during the opening session of the 112th Congress. “Whether or not we’ll skip certain parts and just emphasize the highlights is something we’ll have to sit down and hammer out tonight. But personally, I’ve been looking forward for a long time for that moment when the clerk reads the part of the preamble that says, ‘We hold these truths to be self evident…’ I’m gonna collect on a lot of bets when that becomes part of the Congressional record.”

One interested party certain to be tuned in to C-SPAN is former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin who, when asked her thoughts about the proposed reading told reporters, “This is a moment that will be a personal highlight for me personally. I first began reading the Constitution during the 2008 campaign, and ever since I’ve been dying to see how it ends.”

http://thedesperateblogger.com/2011/01/gop-in-turmoil-over-reading-of-constitution/