Mike Lee: Federal Child Labor Laws Are Unconstitutional

[unhappycamper]

Mike Lee: Federal Child Labor Laws Are Unconstitutional
The Huffington Post Nick Wing First Posted: 01/14/11 11:35 AM Updated: 01/14/11 11:35 AM

Freshman Tea Party-backed Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently offered an provocative interpretation of the Constitution he holds so dear, arguing that federal child labor laws go beyond the bounds of the document.

Here's what Lee, a constitutional lawyer, had to say in a recent lecture about his view that the nation's founding political text had been fundamentally breached by (transcript via ThinkProgress):

Congress decided it wanted to prohibit (child labor), so it passed a law--no more child labor. The Supreme Court heard a challenge to that and the Supreme Court decided a case in 1918 called Hammer v. Dagenhardt. In that case, the Supreme Court acknowledged something very interesting -- that, as reprehensible as child labor is, and as much as it ought to be abandoned -- that's something that has to be done by state legislators, not by Members of Congress. (...)

This may sound harsh, but it was designed to be that way. It was designed to be a little bit harsh. Not because we like harshness for the sake of harshness, but because we like a clean division of power, so that everybody understands whose job it is to regulate what.

Now, we got rid of child labor, notwithstanding this case. So the entire world did not implode as a result of that ruling.

[NuclearDem]

1. Because it's not gonna be his kids that are sent to the work in the factories

Son of a bitch.

[Donnachaidh]

2. you know, if he wants to go that route, let's bring back another goodie

Public Stocks and public flogging -- but we'll only apply it to politicians who want to drag us back a century or two.

He can be first to be publicly horsewhipped. We can do pay pay per view, and give the profits to the dept of education. :grr:

[atreides1]

3. Dueling.

With limitations!!!

No pistols, only swords and you have to fight yourself.

[Donnachaidh]

4. IIRC, didn't Zell Miller challenge someone to a duel in the last decade or so?

I still think anything like this should be handled PPV. And politicians have to pay double to get it.

[hobbit709]

5. Actually he said they ought to bring back dueling.

Then on some talk show he kept interrupting and talking down to Maureen Dowd until she smiled sweetly and said "Pistols or swords?" At which point he shut up.

[JoePhilly]

6. He, more or less, said he wanted to duel Chris Matthews ...

Matthews was interviewing that nut during the Republican Presidential Convention in 04. Zell got angry at Matthews and said he wished he lived in a time where you could challenge some one to a duel, clearing meaning Matthews.

It was hilarious watching that nut lose his mind.

[polmaven]

7. You betcha he did...

He challenged Chris Matthews to a duel just a few years ago....(Maybe at the 2004 Convention??? Unsure about when.) Chris talked about it last noght.

[old mark]

8. So maybe he would bring back slavery, too? ...nt