Strict Constitutionalists...we know your game.

For years, the right wing of the Republican party has enveloped itself in the constitution...so far they have gone as to call the document "sacred". They even carry it with them everywhere they go, this is only for show, but when it comes to recite it or refer to it they get it wrong most of the time.

So, what is strict constitutionalism. Strict constitutionalism leaves no room for ideas. Everything must adhere to it--thus making amendments in the constitution moot. It is well known that Supreme Court justices who practice strict constitutionalist theory will typically legislate from the bench--citing the constitution to overturn Congress. However, justices who are not strict constitutionalists will typically defer to Congress unless it violates any of it's articles or amendments. However, the articles are the most important in regards to how the government is supposed to govern and how federal law supersedes state law. Plus it also provides guidelines on how states are to interact with each other.

So, don't be fooled when you run across a politician that criticizes Supreme Court rulings or rulings from the judicial as not being what the founding fathers intended. The reality is that the founding fathers left room for change and even anticipated amendments to the constitution to be added. The founding fathers had no inkling of what society would be like three or four hundred years later but they were progressives that knew change was coming and they designed a government that was willing to adapt. Those conservatives or strict constitutionalists want to turn back the clock and stick to original document so much that they are willing to erode the freedoms earned in the last 300 years. They want things to be like they were in simpler time, when only those with property voted and anyone of color was subjugated and oppressed...a time when a huge industry was...slavery.

Strict constitutionalists are not only throwbacks to that way of life...but they are people who disguise themselves as reasonable, when in reality they want to bring back a time when only the elite ruled and everyone else served them. They want to go totally against what the founding fathers wanted...they are only interested in destroying the progressive movement that has propelled us forward.

Change is here...but it's not what you expected...

Yesterday, the day after Usama Bin Laden was killed the results of the midterms were never clearer as a teacher in Texas demonstrated. The Headline read:

TX Teacher Suspended After Telling Muslim Student 'I Bet You're Grieving'

The male teacher decided to deride a Muslim student through insults and traumatizing her to espouse his political views. The result, a traumatized and hurt student...and his suspension pending an investigation. Hopefully, he will be fired and will never teach in school again. However, it does not end here as we have seen around the country.

The sad thing is that there are states like Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas and others in the sunbelt that have been taken over by Republican extremists who are ok with this type of behavior. They want to change historical accounts in textbooks, profile everyone who is of color or dress differently than the rest and while I hear people from those regions express the desire to change the dynamic in their states--its unfortunate they do not have the power to make any changes immediately. They are against a power system by these extremists who are now trying to pass laws to suppress the vote. In Missouri for example, a redistricting law eliminating democratic seats was vetoed by the Governor but overturned by a Republican veto proof legislature.

Other politicians are expressing a desire to change the voting age to 21 because they believe younger voters tend to vote democratic and believe these younger voters don't know what they are doing--but they know what they are doing in a military uniform at that same age and are eligible for the draft.

Folks the mid terms had consequences...liberals stayed home, progressives did not show and young people ignored them...now voters are suffering in the south and midwest. Wisconsin taught us that extreme thinking conservatives have taken over the GOP...and guys like this teacher in Texas are now emboldened to say what they want and vilify anyone they want--even our children.