Posted on 04/13/2010 12:39:49 PM PDT by mukraker
Roger Roth, Wisconsin Assemblyman and Candidate for Congress, Wisconsin’s 8th District, had this observation about the U.S. Constitution:
“The Constitution is a wonderful document. It’s a great piece of paper that’s got a lot of words on it. But you know, at the end of the day, it’s just a piece of paper that’s got a lot of words on it. And we need to elect representatives that believe in that.”
“It’s not so much ... I asked a class of, of, uh, you know, I go around to my local schools and talk to fourth, fifth, sixth graders, and I ask them, “what makes America great?” And they said, “Oh, we have a Constitution. It’s a flexible document” And I said, “Okay, yeah, that’s true.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M1OI8Wxn2A
The American dollar is just a piece of paper with words on it. The Full Faith and Credit of the federal government is acceptable because the government has the power to tax citizens whatever amount necessary to satisfy America's obligation.
The government derives the power to back that piece of paper with words on it from another piece of paper with words on it called the Constitution.
and I ask them, “what makes America great?”
I would wager Roger Roth has not a clue what made America great.
Was it natural resources, no other lands are equally blessed. Was it the people, no, the people who built America came from elsewhere. Was it government planning and wisdom that spurred our nation to great heights, no again?
It wasn’t what government did that made America great, it was what government was preventing from doing that made the difference.
What set America apart from other lands was freedom for the individual, freedom to work, to produce, to succeed, and especially to keep the fruits of one’s labors. American became great precisely because America prevented the stifling effect of too much government.
I can only hope the citizens in the Wisconsin district that Roger Roth is seeking office realize he is not Congressman material and not worthy of a vote. The outcome of any office he runs for will tell as much about Wisconsin voters as it does about Roger Roth.
Here I thought you were gonna name GW as the politician saying that.
Doesn’t anyone study American or US History?
The Constitution is set in stone which is why the Founding Fathers compared it to the Ten Commandments.
One MaJoR problem is that too many people think the Ten Commandments are just ‘suggestions’ or are ‘too negative.’
Someone needs to go talk privately to this man if he thinks he’s a Republican. He’s a Progressive, but he’s no Republican.
This is all the reason why you vote for conservatives and not party first types. Obviously this clown is extremely ignorant. It is candidates like this that is part of the problem with the Republican party. This something I would expect from a Democrat.
Wisconsinite ping?
He's warning us that a piece of paper isn't going to save us without people in government that believe in its principles.
Sadly, this is so edited, that context could change what he has to say entirely.
It would do us more service to have full statements, so we can get what he’s saying in full context.
The Constitution serves two purposes:
1) it sets up the structure of the government (legislative, judiciary, executive branches) with enumerated powers
2) it draws some bright lines that protect the citizen from the government (e.g., Congress shall make no law ...)
What the politicians don’t appear to understand is that the bright lines that protect us from them ... also protect them from us.
If they stay within the lines, we are obligated to follow their laws. If they step over a bright line (e.g., they decide to confiscate our arms), we have the right to abolish the government (e.g., refreshing the tree of liberty with the blood of patriots and tyrants).
DITTO Puppage, DITTO!
The left's concept of a flexible, malleable, bendable, shapeable, living, breathing, defacating Constitution is another way of promoting the notion that in reality we have no Constitution, that we are to be subject to the whim of corrupt, greedy, venal contemporary politicians.
Yea I’ve read history. Perhaps you should reacquaint yourself with the amendment process. There are several that have amended the original.
It’s a damn difficult process, so as not to be for light and transient causes, but it has been done 27 times.
But you’re right; God didn’t put an amendment process in His rules for man. But, after a couple thousand years or so of trial and error, man came up with a system, and ten very simple laws for government to live by. But being the imperfect beings they knew humans, even themselves to be, they did put in an amendment process.
Personally speaking: I think we need a 28th. Term limits for Congress! If it’s good enough for the president, then it ought to be good enough for those @$$holes.
Is this POS Steve Kagen’s district?
I've been preaching that for years, but a lot of folks think I'm wrong. But the "career" politician is our biggest problem; the public servants have morphed into our masters.
It's animal skin, but no matter.
No, silly! Just the ones they don’t like, that’s all social construct, and there is no objective standard, everything is relative, and it doesn’t matter anyway. If you want to shoot yourself, or cut your pecker off, we’ll show you how.
Oh, but our tenure and pensions, and .gov retirement are sacrosanct and inviolate. Hm.
And that is precisely why we need a 28th. But Congress itself would never propose such an amendment. It will take 2/3 of the states to bring it. And of course 3/4 to ratify it. It will be an ugly fight.
But we might just be in the middle of that “perfect storm”, and alignment of planets, for it to happen.
We just need to start talking about it more openly, with friends, family, prefect strangers.....
Bravo, well said.
Is he going to say the same thing about The Declaration of Independence?!
Alot of patriots died for this piece of paper as well.
Lord protect us from these people who choose to be ignorant of the past.
You missed my point. With only the Democrats or Republicans to vote for, nothing will change. The Tea party must field candidates, and doing it under the Republican banner alone will not induce independents to join. Without an alternative party, the status quo will continue. Look at the Scott brown election - a Republican - everyone in the Tea Party cheered. And what is Brown’s first vote? He supported the Dems cloture vote. Sorry, I’m not a troll - been here for many years with lots of posts and 6 years of Republican municipal service - the TP needs to field candidates that capture the heart of the political spectrum, and merely supporting D or R candidates based upon their philosophies won’t cut it.
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