What we’ve shown here is that Abbot both figuratively and literally doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to the kooks. I’d call it win-win, as I hop in my hand basket for a trip.
I’ve actually met conservatives who argue that the phrase “…and subject to the jurisdiction thereof…” means that the children of illegal residents do not automatically gain citizenship. Since they’re “illegal” they aren’t “subject to the jurisdiction.” i.e., they can’t vote, don’t get counted in the census…and thus don’t get citizenship for their kids.
It’s horribly and sadly wrong, but it is a fringe view that’s out there. (Along with the gold fringe on the flags in admiralty courts, I guess.)
Although I strongly disagree with their proposed amendments, I don’t see what’s stupid about wanting a vote on them. If they are going to throw up one silly amendment after another just to derail the process, that’s despicable but not stupid, but I don’t see any indication that they’re doing even that – the amendments seem to express their sincere position on the issue, although IMO they are wrongheaded.
In a related story, I have always thought that it’s stupid for the leaders of the House and Senate to have the power to indefinitely prevent votes on bills or amendments that would pass if voted on.
In my last year of Youth Lege, lo those many decades ago, we started off the weekend sessions with the usual practice run, having one of the students’ bills put up for floor debate. It rather quickly devolved into members working to amend the bill. Eventually, I called a point of order, that we do not amend bills on the floor without forming a committee of the whole, and the process was ended with a motion to refer back to committee.
So, how is it that these guys just blithely ignore Robert’s Rules of Order? Is it because the author was a Brit? I suspect we might complain a bit less about Congress if they did things the right way.
From the article: "The 14th Amendment, King told the panel, ‘did not contemplate that anyone who would sneak into the United States and have a baby would have automatic citizenship conferred on them’.”
Can we use that same logic that the 2nd amendment didn’t contemplate semiautomatic weapons and schools being shot up?
He’s right, sort of. Congress didn’t contemplate anybody sneaking into the US, period, because there were virtually no restrictions on immigration when the 14th Amendment was written.
He forgot the third option: Abbot doesn’t care. He doesn’t have to believe or be scared of them to go along, he just has to care more about getting reelected than whatever bullshit the nutjobs are clamoring about.
I thought the Democrat plan was to keep blacks impoverished so they’d continue to vote for the crypto-Islamic Kenyanist ticket?