Please tell me the courts will shoot this right down

[ceebeegee]

House passes flag-burning amendment.

I am as patriotic as anyone--I literally clutched flags after 9/11 as a security blanket, and still have them all over my apartment. I love the American flag, and I don't want to see it burned. But this is ridiculous. The flag is a symbol--it is not the real thing. "...They accused detractors of being out of touch with public sentiment"--how is that relevant? Public sentiment is now the trump card in amending the Constitution? If that were the case, why the hell did they pass Prohibition? Isn't the Constitution supposed to give us freedoms--not take them away? Isn't that why Prohibition failed?

(Can the Supreme Court shoot down an Amendment? I dunno--I think only the legislative branch can overturn it, by repealing it.)

Aaaaaugh! I hate these people! This is ridiculous!

Comments

[jayspec.livejournal.com]

The Supreme Court can not shoot down an amendment, because an amendment to the Constitution is, by definition, constitutional.

However, the House passing a bill is just the first in a long and high series of hurdles an amendment needs to pass. It must pass the Senate (by 2/3?) and must be ratified by 3/4 of state legislatures.

[dje2004.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, there's a good chance that this time, the Senate will pass it, and if they do, it's also likely the states will ratify it.

[minstrel70.livejournal.com]

Where are you hearing that there's a "good chance" in the Senate and that it's "likely" to pass 38 state legislatures? I haven't read anything of the kind. This has come up twice before, been passed in the House, and died in the Senate both times. I'm fairly confident that this'll be strike 3.

[foulpost.livejournal.com]

The previous two attempts did not have the # of republicans in the senate yammering over this.

[minstrel70.livejournal.com]

It can't pass without Democrat votes, and more than a few.

[foulpost.livejournal.com]

So are you for or against an amendment?

[minstrel70.livejournal.com]

I believe I've already stated my opinion in the matter: burn the flag if you like, just kindly do me the favor of wrapping yourself in it first. Saves me the effort of kicking your ass when you're done.