Honestly, how many of us had ever heard the term “originalists” until this past week? I’ll answer honestly, I hadn’t. I’d heard Federalist before, but originalists was a new one. And, based on what it means, it is not a good one to know along with being very bad for most Americans.
In reading the Constitution, I found some very interesting things I did not know. Somethings were also affirmed. Let’s just say I’m pretty sure I don’t want to go back to the good ol’ days of the 1770 and 1780’s. If you are a woman, a person of color, and a renter, you also might want to rethink any support you have of Amy Coney Barrett, the originalist Supreme Court nominee. You just might want to call your senator to urge him or her not to vote to confirm her.
Article I.
Section 2 Number 3 talks about taxes. It is bad news for a lot of southern states. Representatives and taxes can only be apportioned among the states based on the whole number of free persons, Indians are excluded, and anyone not free count as three-fifths of all other persons (essentially this would be blacks and indentured servants). There goes a lot of Federal aid to our southern citizens.
Section 5 Number 4 states neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. Remember when McConnell went on vacation and didn’t vote on the Covid-19 relief bill. If I’m reading this correct, Pelosi must have given her permission for him to do so because Congress was in session. That actually doesn’t look good for Pelosi, unless neither she nor McConnell haven’t read this Section, because the Democrats in the House would have had to have voted it was okay for the Senate to adjourn.
Section 8 Number 12 talks about raising and support armies, but only for a term of two years. If that is the case, how is it we have a standing army?
Section 9 Number 8 really puts anyone in Congress or a President in hot water if they accept a present, Emolument, Office, or Title of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State, without the consent of Congress. It really puts the incumbent in trouble since he is taking a lot of money from all of those people at his hotels. I’m pretty sure the Congress hasn’t given explicit permission for him to do so, have they?
Article II.
Section 1 Number 2 was interesting. It states, in relation to electors, those electors can’t be a Senator or Representative, hold an office of trust or profit under the U.S. Makes me wonder who many electors are not legal due to these restrictions.
Article III.
Section 1 talks about supreme and inferior court judges. It says they shall hold their offices during good behavior. I’d like to see the rubric on good behavior to see how many judges should be removed from their office, inferior and Supreme Court judges.
Section 2 Number 4 mentions exceptions and regulations Congress shall make in which the Supreme Court would not be able to rule upon. Wonder if this has ever been used. Wonder if it might be time?
If you have a moment, I highly recommend reading the original language of the Constitution. You will see many things we believe are in the Constitution really aren’t. Things like voting and privacy are absent. Voting came later in the Amendments, but I don’t believe privacy is explicitly addressed at all.
I recommend reading it because if Amy Coney Barrett actually becomes a Supreme Court Justice, which is all but written she will, this is, based upon her self-labeling herself as an originalist, how she will look at every single case that comes before the Court. Stop and ponder for a moment if you are represented in the original writing of the Constitution. Are you a man? Are you white? Are you straight? Do you have debt? Do you own your house outright? Are you a Christian?
If you aren’t able to answer yes to every single one of those questions, and very few of us can, you are not represented in the original thinking and text of the original Constitution.
This is why, if you can’t answer yes to all of the above questions, you must, and yes it is a must, call your Senator (202-224-3121), Democrat or Republican, and tell them to either vote no on her confirmation, or to delay any vote until after January 20, 2021, when the next president is sworn in, regardless of whom it may be.
Don’t delay, call today!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 