Today is Not About You, but Despite You, Mr. Feingold
The ACLU celebrates Constitution Day by seeking words of wisdom from a leading enemy of the Constitution:
On this day in 1787, our founding fathers signed the Constitution, making us a nation of laws, not of men. The basic concepts of justice, liberty, and inherent human rights outlined in that founding document, are at the very foundation of our strength as a nation.
But 221 years later, the United States is facing one of the darkest chapters in its Constitutional history. The Bush administration has treated the Constitution and rule of law with disrespect unparalleled in our nation’s history.
…
Our next president will face a difficult challenge. He must repair the wreckage the current administration has left, which means renouncing some of the powers the current President tried to amass as he turned a blind eye to the rule of law and separation of powers.
If this quasi-historical, warm-fuzzy-feeling gobbledygook had been written by (almost) anyone else, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it.
But I’ll be damned if I’m going to be lectured about the glory of the Constitution, and the threat of certain politicians, by Russ Feingold — who has no standing, none whatsoever, to pose as its defender. As I commented at the ACLU blog:
Um, we were a nation of laws before the Constitution — ever heard of the Articles of Confederation?
And of course the Constitution did not take effect until it was ratified by the requisite number of state legislatures (June 21, 1788).
And while we’re on the subject, the second to last person in America who has any standing to celebrate the Constitution is Russ Feingold, co-conspirator in Congress’ war on the First Amendment. (The last person is of course his accomplice, Senator John “quote, First Amendment rights” McCain.)
Keep selling your soul, ACLU. Keep selling your soul.
Sometimes it takes libertarian-libertarians to remind civil-libertarians what it’s all about.
Filed under: First Amendment - Speech, Law, Libertarianism
I saw this and couldn't believe Feingold was pushed as an advocate for the Constitution. Shameful. This is nothing more than being seduced by power. "Ooooh, this famous person talked to me. I have to respect that." Nonsense.
The only reason you cite here to preempt Russ Feingold from commenting on defending our civil liberties is that he said we are a "nation of laws." Aren't you missing the point of his ACLU writing — all of which sounds pretty on-target? Smart, careful rhetoric, despite still being (what you might see as) blather, is still smart and careful. Also, as much as I love getting "ivory-towered" by Libertarians, I'd rather have open discourse with a few history mistakes than what we have now: assholes continuing to consolidate power; arrogant bastards telling me who I can marry and their minions torturing prisoners; a verbally, socially and intellectually inept president; and a religious right saying we're on a mission from God. Maybe RF shouldn't be "the" messenger, but explain more about why he shouldn't be "a" messenger…
[Kip replies: An alcoholic who only drinks beer while railing against the evils of demon rum is still an alcoholic.]
And Russ Feingold has proven himself just as willing to trash the constitution as Bush & Co. Just for a different (more popular) cause. But just as marriage shouldn't be up for a popular vote, neither should the First Amendment.