Panel wants Constitution amended in case of attacked

San Jose Mercury News ^ | Tuesday, June 03, 2003 | FRANK DAVIES - Knight Ridder Newspapers

[Willie Green]

WASHINGTON - The Constitution must be amended to ensure the continuity of government in case Congress is wiped out by a terrorist attack, a blue-ribbon bipartisan commission will recommend Wednesday.

If a Sept. 11-like attack destroyed Congress, the current system of holding special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives would take too long - an average of four months, depending on the state - the panel found after a year-long study.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

DONT *^#! WITH THE CONSTITUTION

[dts32041]

Former slave masters who want to tighten current slave masters rule.

[dts32041]

Former slave masters who want to tighten current slave masters rule.

[PoorMuttly]

'sounds like a good idea to me, Dr. Strangelove.

[Drango]

Makes sense to me...

[Arkinsaw]

There isn't anything wrong with Consitutional amendments per se. It depends on what they are. An amendment to provide for continuity of government seems to be a reasonable amendment.

I'm more concerned about stupid amendments such as flag burning and ERA. I would be very concerned about amendments to end the term limits on the President or change the electoral college.

In fact, I would like the *^#! with the Constitution to remove the popular election of Senators and the income tax. Some *^#!ing with the Constitution would be a good thing.

[RockyMtnMan]

I don't like it, it sounds like a scheme they've cooked up to keep the current two party system in place no matter what happens. As long as we have a leader in place, pres or vice pres, we'll be just fine. Do they really think they are that freakin important and they would even be effective in a crisis situation?

[vikingcelt]

If they all got wiped out then we could just start over. Ordinary citizens could serve as representatives of our country as opposed to these people who seem to have been there their whole entire lives. There is something wrong with the fact that a President can only serve two terms but these Congress people can serve seemingly FOREVER.

[Arthur McGowan]

Here's a better idea. If the current occupants of the Congress are annihilated, THE PEOPLE can set up a new Congress. Even better, if all the current occupants of federal office are wiped out, THE PEOPLE could set up a NEW GOVERNMENT--and this new one could operate according to--what's actually in the Constitution!

[Willie Green]

This amendment doesn't sound like a bad idea.
But I'd support it IF AND ONLY IF it also contained a clause imposing Term Limits on the Congresscritters.

[Lawgvr1955]

This is a non-starter in my humble opinion. If there were an attack like that on the center of government, I imagine the surviving chief executive would declare martial law. There would be plenty of times for elections as the government wouldn't lift martial law for some time.

[supercat]

I don't like it, it sounds like a scheme they've cooked up to keep the current two party system in place no matter what happens. As long as we have a leader in place, pres or vice pres, we'll be just fine. Do they really think they are that freakin important and they would even be effective in a crisis situation?

What would prevent the people who would be responsible for leadership if something happened to Congress, from making something happen to Congress?

[Eastbound]

"Congress shall have the power to regulate by law the filling of vacancies that may occur in the House of Representatives and Senate in the event that a substantial number of members are killed or incapacitated."

Just repeal the 17th Amendment and re-constitute state government's responsibility to name replacements to the Senate. Appoint proxies from a body of under-studies to the House where needed until the next general election. That should solve the problem nicely without everyone getting their panties in a wad.

[Mulder]

"Congress shall have the power to regulate by law the filling of vacancies that may occur in the House of Representatives and Senate in the event that a substantial number of members are killed or incapacitated."

So we're afraid of a terrorist attack against Congress, so we'll give Congress the authority to appoint replacements?

That makes no sense. It seems like more of an attempt to usurp the Right of states to choose their own representation.

[Mulder]

Even better, if all the current occupants of federal office are wiped out, THE PEOPLE could set up a NEW GOVERNMENT--and this new one could operate according to--what's actually in the Constitution!

That's probably the biggest reason the Soviets never launched a pre-emptive strike.

[Eastbound]

And/or suspend all new House Bills until a special election can be held. The country isn't going to evaporate if the House takes an extended vacation.

[yooper]

"...the nation could have no functioning Congress in a time of great crisis."

A non-functioning Congress is something we've been putting up with for some time, and it's good thing. The less time they have to think about how to screw with our lives the better.

Seriously, should such an event occur, the military would step up to the plate. They would still be controlled by a civilian, the President. I'm comfortable with that.

This is a bad idea folks. As proof I offer the fact that Tom Foley and Donna Shalala are for it.

[fightu4it]

Gosh, just think, if that happened we would be left with 50 functioning State governments. Well maybe in the early history of this country the states would have carried on and restaffed the limited (by compairson) federal positions.

Today however it would be utter chaos since all mana flows from Washington.

[Celtman]

"Congress shall have the power to regulate by law the filling of vacancies that may occur in the House of Representatives and Senate in the event that a substantial number of members are killed or incapacitated."

      So we need another Amendment extending the power of the FedGov, and reducing the power of the states, so that the FedGov can increase its regulation of the American People? .

      I don't think so.

      Congressmen die from time to time, and they appear to be replaced, without any help from DC.