THE FOUNDING FATHERS, THE CONSTITUTION, THE SENATE,CLOTURE, OBAMACARE AND YGLESIAS

DOUG HAS A GREAT POST DEMOLISHING AN ATTEMPT BY MATT YGLESIAS TO PROVIDE CONSTITUTIONAL COVER FOR LEFTISTS TRYING TO PASS OBAMACARE AT ANY COST.

MATT ARGUED THAT CLOTURE - WHICH IS HOLDING UP OBAMACARE IN THE SENATE - IS CONTRARY TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS' INTENT BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE CONSTITUTION; (CLOTURE IS A SENATE RULE; THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THE SENATE THE RIGHT TO MAKE ITS OWN RULES).

BUT HERE'S THE REAL BOTTOM-LINE:

• THE FOUNDING FATHERS INTENDED THE SENATE HAVE A COMPLETELY UNLIMITED DEBATE.

• CLOTURE WAS DESIGNED & PASSED BY THE OBAMALIKE POTUS WOODROW WILSON TO END UNLIMITED DEBATE. THAT WAS 1917.
  

• IT WAS ORIGINALLY SET AT 2/3'S OF THE SENATE TO END DEBATE AND FORCE A VOTE.

• IT WAS REDUCED IN THE 1979 TO 60 VOTES.

• REDUCING IT EVEN FURTHER WOULD TAKES US EVEN FURTHER FROM THE FOUNDING FATHER'S INTENT - NOT CLOSER TO IT.

I AM ALWAYS SUSPICIOUS WHEN LEFTISTS BRING UP THE CONSTITUTION TO BUTTRESS THEIR ARGUMENTS BECAUSE LEFTISTS - LIKE OBAMA AND YGLESIAS - HAVE NO PRINCIPLED CONNECTION TO THE VALUES EMBEDDED IN THE US CONSTITUTION.

ORIGINAL INTENT IS SOMETHING THE LEFT REJECTS.

THAT'S BECAUSE LEFTISTS ARE CHIEFLY CONCERNED WITH ACHIEVING THEIR SOCIALIST GOALS - AT ANY COST, AND THE US CONSTITUTION IS BASICALLY AN ANTI-STATIST DOCUMENT WHICH MAKES ESTABLISHING A SOCIALISTIC GOVERNMENT VERY DIFFICULT. (THANK GOD!)

THAT'S WHY LEFTISTS FAVOR TREATING THE US CONSTITUTION LIKE A "LIVING DOCUMENT" - SO THEY CAN TWIST ITS MEANING TO SUIT THEIR SOCIALIST AND GRAMSCIAN GOALS.

• REPEAT: THE CONSTITUTION INTENDED SENATORS TO BE ABLE TO DEBATE ALL ISSUES AND BILLS UNTIL EVERY SENATOR WAS HEARD TO HIS SATISFACTION.

• REPEAT: CLOTURE REQUIRING 65 VOTES (AS IT DID FROM 1919 TO 1979) DIMINISHES THAT. CLOTURE REQUIRING 60 VOTES (AS IT HAS BEEN SINCE 1979) DIMINISHES EVEN MORE.
  

• REDUCING CLOTURE TO A MERE MAJORITY VOTE WOULD BE CONTRARY TO WHAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED.

• IT WOULD MEAN THE MAJORITY COULD ALWAYS END DEBATE - AND THAT WOULD STIFLE DEMOCRACY, NOT ENHANCE IT.

IOW: MATT YGLESIAS COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG.

NOT SURPRISING: HE'S A LEFTIST.

[MORE ON SENATE RULE XXII HERE AND HERE AND HERE.]