GOP Lawmaker Grilled by Tea Party Activist on His Knowledge of the Constitution!

Dittos Rush! ^ | 4-7-10 | James

[xrmusn]

I can’t recall EVER thinking the ACLU was anything but a hindrance to progress etc.

[Tarpon]

Me neither, but the public did. Lately the ACLU have really shown their true colors.

[Publius6961]

Take your Constitution to town halls.
Here is a sample question: Can you show me where in the Constitution it says the federal government can take over the entire countries student loan program? Quote it for me.

It's not that simple.
Here, for instance, is a useful copy of the Constitution with notations of how Amendments modify the original words.

Constitution with annotations

Then the gazillion laws passed in the last 220 years, which passed unchallenged by Congress (The legislative branch), in turn modify both the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, so long as they remain unchallenged.

In short, can amendments and laws be in force and unconstitutional?
Sure.

So long as they are not challenged.

The Supreme Court cannot declare a law unconstitutional on their own. Some external "person" must file the challenge.

The current argument about the intrusiveness of the census, and how the requirements can contradict several amendments, is open ended, as interpreted today.

Article 1 Section 2 says, literally, "... the actual enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct..."

So yeah, unless challenged, Congress can make the census as despotic and intrusuve as they feel like!

Nowhere does it say that they may only ask address, names and ages of permanent residents.

Nowhere.

I would love, however, to see what the first few census forms looked like.