The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Call Me A Literalist

Posted on | August 18, 2010 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

However, this blog will echo CNSNews in calling foul about the tweaking of the Constitution that’s gone on at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Your tax dollars have been spent so that some Progressive could elide crucial bits of text:

The full text of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 says: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States.”

One marble exhibit case, however, is inscribed with these selected words: “The Congress shall have Power To … provide for the common Defence.” Another bears these selected words: “The Congress shall have Power To … provide for the … general Welfare.”

The full text of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 gives Congress the power “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”

RTWT.

Maybe, in her dotage, the Speaker of the House thinks that this cheerfully, conveniently airbrushed variation is what the Founding Fathers so carefully thought through when they delegated the minimal Federal powers necessary to defend the United States to the Federal government. Thus, when a clueful citizen (pesky CNSNews reporter) asked concerning her Constitutional basis for the ObamaCare debacle, she replied “Are you serious? Are you serious?”

Does anyone know how to research who was the contracting officer for that project? It would be interesting to interview the civil servant responsible (are those words meaningful in that sequence?), to see if he or she grasps the enormity of this seemingly innocuous edit, as it feeds into the noose of Federal overreach currently constricting the public throat.

I’d better stop here. Having sworn to support and defend the Constitution as often as I have, I grow steadily more irritated the more I consider this.

Category: Progressivism

Comments

7 Responses to “Call Me A Literalist”

  1. Those darned Literalists! | The Daley Gator
    August 18th, 2010 @ 7:10 pm

    […] darned Literalists! Posted on August 18, 2010 by Gatordoug| Leave a comment Smitty examines how our Constitution is slowly being “politically Corrected” by the Left! this blog will […]

  2. Bob Belvedere
    August 18th, 2010 @ 11:43 pm

    It’s Time To Play: Which Department Is It?

    [it] controls information: news, entertainment, education, and the arts. …in the [Records Department], “rectifying” historical records to concord with Big Brother’s current pronouncements, thus everything the Party says is true.

    Is it
    a) Ministry of Truth (Newspeak: Minitrue)
    or
    b) The Speaker’s Office

  3. Bob Belvedere
    August 18th, 2010 @ 7:43 pm

    It’s Time To Play: Which Department Is It?

    [it] controls information: news, entertainment, education, and the arts. …in the [Records Department], “rectifying” historical records to concord with Big Brother’s current pronouncements, thus everything the Party says is true.

    Is it
    a) Ministry of Truth (Newspeak: Minitrue)
    or
    b) The Speaker’s Office

  4. Estragon
    August 19th, 2010 @ 4:27 am

    Bureaucrats prefer quiet anonymity. While this might cost them accolades and recognition for their efficiencies, it also helps to insulate them from any accountability or consequences for their actions.

    It is offensive to have taxpayer monies spent disfiguring the Constitution – either in the editing of the words, or the ignoring of them as Pelosi has made her common practice and policy.

  5. Estragon
    August 19th, 2010 @ 12:27 am

    Bureaucrats prefer quiet anonymity. While this might cost them accolades and recognition for their efficiencies, it also helps to insulate them from any accountability or consequences for their actions.

    It is offensive to have taxpayer monies spent disfiguring the Constitution – either in the editing of the words, or the ignoring of them as Pelosi has made her common practice and policy.

  6. The Crater and The Shrew « Obi's Sister
    August 19th, 2010 @ 6:56 am

    […] the way, since Congress is the topic, did you know the US Capitol Visitor’s Center has differing versions of the Constitution on display? Congress, under her leadership and using our tax dollars, has taken wanton liberties with our […]

  7. The Ministry Of Truth Strikes Again « The Camp Of The Saints
    August 19th, 2010 @ 11:07 am

    […] for turning me on to this report.  If you are a long-time reader of TCOTS, you are well aware that our good friend is Mr. Tenth Amendment and the Capo Di Tutti Capi of Federalists, so let’s see some of what […]