Senator Rand Paul: A long-needed constitutional amendment
Congress must live by the same rules they impose on the nation
By: Rand Paul
_www.washingtontimes.com_ (http://www.washingtontimes.com)
Washington politicians are unbelievably arrogant. They think of themselves
as the center of the universe while simultaneously thinking they should be
above the _laws_
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/24/paul-no-one-is-above-the-law-but-congress/print/#)
they create for everyone else.
Martin Luther King Jr. described accurately that a _law_
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/24/paul-no-one-is-above-the-law-but-congress/pri
nt/#) is unjust if a group compels it on others without making it binding
to itself. Congress has given us all too many examples of this type of
unjust law, with Obamacare being the most recent example.
I have introduced a constitutional amendment stating: "Congress shall make
no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally
applicable to Congress." This amendment also contains two provisions that
apply that same principle to the executive branch and judicial branch of the
federal _government_
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/24/paul-no-one-is-above-the-law-but-congress/print/#)
.
Under this amendment, Congress, federal judges and even the White House
will no longer be able to exempt themselves from the laws they create, uphold
or sign — as they all regularly do now in a plethora of ways. If
congressional staffers are still allowed to receive subsidies for Obamacare,
Americans will also be able to receive similar support from their employers
should
both parties desire such an arrangement.
I have proposed a "Read the Bills" resolution that would forbid voting on
legislation until each bill is posted _online_
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/24/paul-no-one-is-above-the-law-but-congress/print/#)
and
the Senate has been in session for at least one day for each 20 pages. If a
bill is 40 pages, this means it couldn't be voted on until at least two
session days had passed. It makes perfect sense to give lawmakers adequate
time to understand the legislation they are voting on.
As Obamacare is _teaching_
(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/24/paul-no-one-is-above-the-law-but-congress/print/#)
us, there's no excuse,
and much danger, in passing bills that no one has read. Mrs. Pelosi had it
exactly backwards: It is our responsibility and duty to read the bills and
understand what's in them before we pass them.
Obviously, amending the Constitution is no small task. It requires a
two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate and must be ratified by at
least 38 states. However, which politician will now publicly say he truly
thinks Washington should be exempt from the laws it makes for the rest of us?
What possible excuse will members of either party come up with for not
supporting this amendment?
How arrogant will they dare to be?
My constitutional amendment proposal is but one reform among many our
federal government desperately needs. When Obamacare was first being promoted,
Nancy Pelosi as House speaker said, "We have to pass the bill so that you
can find out what is in it." Americans are now finding out what's in it, and
most don't like it one bit.
Perhaps one of the most important reforms Washington needs is recycling
the people who run government. The time for term limits has come, and in
fact, is long overdue. Most of the outlandish laws foisted upon us — like
Obamacare — are concocted by people who've spent so much time in government
they've become completely out of touch with the rest of the country. Add the
influence of lobbyists and other special-interest groups that play such an
influential role in Washington decision making, and the need to limit
congressmen's and senators' terms becomes even more apparent.
In my three years in Washington, I've seen what kind of damage it does to
even lawmakers with the best of intentions. Imagine what it does to those
who've been here for decades.
When Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was the deciding vote
to uphold Obamacare in 2012, I decided that if he liked the plan so much,
he, too, should be subject to its regulations and provisions.
Lawmakers are not above the law. They should have to read the bills they
pass. They should not be in government forever. All of them should be
subject to the laws they expect the rest of us to obey and endure. Anything
less
would be hypocritical and immoral.
Welcome to Washington.
===============================
Selected Comments
How sad we need an amendment to make people read something before they vote
on it? What a joke our once great country has become. Only a moronic idiot
would vote on something before they read & understood it. Moronic idiots
they are, 80% of congress, ever look at them, the freak show anyone?
Especially in my state of NY - scarey, How do people vote for these loons?
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Also keep a list of all Congressmen who vote against it and fire them
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Yep, that's why it's so important to support the few and the brave who
stand against the status quo when they do appear....Do nothing and evil
prevails
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Now Senator Paul needs to get these ideas printed or published in left
leaning papers like the Washington Post, NY Times and many more. They are the
papers whose readers are unaware of how bad things have gotten (or maybe
they know and love it).
---
What the SEC calls insider trading is a perk to these clowns. Martha
Stewart went to jail. Her crime was nothing compared to these elected
officials.
Of course, it's all "above board" and "legal". Becoming rich with the
loopholes and exceptions in congress is truly bipartisan.
---
Conspiracy theory I have never heard before, interesting.
Is there some grain of truth here? BR
I think that [Justice] Roberts was threatened by the chicago machine, him
or his family. I do not believe for one minute he thinks obamacare is
constitutional.
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