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Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on Tuesday defended the constitutionality of flag burning, saying President-elect Donald Trump would violate freedom of speech if he cracked down on it.
"Nobody should burn the American flag, but our Constitution secures our right to do so. No president is allowed to burn the First Amendment," Amash tweeted.
Nobody should burn the American flag, but our Constitution secures our right to do so. No president is allowed to burn the First Amendment. https://t.co/nVkq6WcbHV Justin Amash (@justinamash) November 29, 2016
Trump earlier Tuesday floated severe penalties for flag burning, mentioning loss of citizenship or a year in jail.
Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag if they do, there must be consequences perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail! he tweeted.
Trump did not specify what inspired his 7 a.m. tweet about flag burning, which is considered protected speech under U.S. law. The Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. Johnson in 1989 that burning the American flag is allowed under the First Amendment.
A spokesman for Trump on Tuesday said he agrees with Trump that the controversial act should be outlawed.
I think most Americans would agree with me that flag burning should be illegal. Its completely despicable, Jason Miller told CNNs New Day."
Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) told CNN he disagrees with Trump, though.
I dont think we want to make this a legal issue. So I disagree with Mr. Trump on that, and the court is probably right," Duffy said.
I think the court is probably right that we want to protect those people who want to protest and their right to actually demonstrate with disgracing our flag, even though so many of us who love our country and love our flag object to it.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) also split with Trump and defended flag burning as free speech.
We have a First Amendment right. Well protect our First Amendment. Thats what the court has upheld, he said on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Tuesday.
Poster Comment:
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) also split with Trump and defended flag burning as free speechAlready there are the beginnings of an impeach Trump movement in the HOR, and he hasn't even taken office yet.
#170: nolu chan To: Roscoe (#165)
Any such request for an advisory opinion would be rejected as impermissible under the constitutional grant of powers. This has been so since Chief Justice John Jay refused to provide such an opinion to President George Washington and Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The court opines on cases or controversies before the court, pursuant to U.S. Const. Art 3, Sec. 2, Cl. 1, Case or Controversy provision.
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-11 00:51:30 Reply Private Reply
#171: Roscoe To: nolu chan (#168)
"The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. "
Congress may limit both the appellate and original jurisdiction of the inferior courts it establishes. For example, the United States Bankruptcy Court.
Poor Shit-For-Brains.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-11 05:00:17 Reply Private Reply
#172: Roscoe To: nolu chan (#170)
"Most famously, the circuit court in Philadelphia refused to carry the Act into effect in Hayburns Case, but declined to issue a decision and opinion in that case. Instead, the judges and Justices voiced their constitutional objections to President George Washington in a formal letter, as other circuit courts had also done." Whittington, K. E. (2008). Judicial Review of Congress Before the Civil War. Geo. LJ, 97, 1257.
Poor Shit-For-Brains.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-11 05:13:58 Reply Private Reply
#173: tpaine To: Yall (#161)
False interpretation of the Courts interpretive powers.
Congress lacks authority to make law repugnant to the Constitution.
The SCOTUS lacks authority to issue opinions repugnant to the the Constitution.
All three branches of our federal government, and our State/local governments, lack authority to make law repugnant to the constitution.
tpaine posted on 2016-12-11 10:10:36 Reply Private Reply
#174: misterwhite To: Roscoe (#165)
This, I like. Have the courts review legislation prior to a vote. I'm guessing they wouldn't be interested in 99.9% of the legislation that goes on, so this isn't that much of a burden.
This is an issue that's always bothered me anyways. Congress takes forever to pass legislation and, when they do, it's struck down by the courts. What a waste of time.
This way the judicial branch has their say but they're not the final word. Moreso, the court's constitutional findings could be used as part of the debate in Congress.
This places the onus on representatives elected by the people, not unelected and unaccountable justices.
(I'd also like to see Congress directly involved in passing regulations, rather than avoiding responsibility by allowing agencies to issue them. But that's a topic for another thread.)
(I'd also like Congress to issue a "Declaration of Conflict" whenever we send troops into battle anywhere. Time for them to go on record before money is spent and people start dying. Again, another topic for another thread.)
OK. I'm done.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 11:10:32 Reply Private Reply
#175: misterwhite To: Roscoe (#165)
If the review is nonbinding the court could say whatever they want. If they try this "emanation from a penumbra" bullshit, Congress could simply laugh at them
Besides, the court has always looked at Congressional legislation as nonbinding. Screw 'em.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 11:16:41 Reply Private Reply
#176: misterwhite To: nolu chan (#166)
Congress sure thought they could. The House even passed legislation removing judicial review on the definition of marriage. Had it gotten out of committee and passed the Senate you'd be eating your words.
"Taking away the APPELLATE jurisdiction of the Supreme Court would not make the UNCONSTITIONAL legislation CONSTITUTIONAL."
It would make the constitutional/unconstitutional argument moot. The court would not be allowed to rule on the issue. We would never know.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 11:28:27 Reply Private Reply
#177: Roscoe To: misterwhite (#175)
Yep. Or even say nothing at all.
Congress could remind them of their silence if they later pray for permission to consider a constitutional challenge to that particular federal statute.
Exactly.Roscoe posted on 2016-12-11 12:16:29 Reply Private Reply
#178: Roscoe To: misterwhite (#176)
Yep. Congress, in its act of 27th March, 1868, removed the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus appeals. In response, the Court, in Ex parte McCardle, 74 U.S. 506, (1868), went to its collective knee and kissed the legislature's, er, ring.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-11 12:36:40 Reply Private Reply
#179: jeremiad To: hondo68 (#0)
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 12:43:20 Reply Private Reply
#180: Roscoe To: misterwhite (#174)
Good point. Helping to clarify potential legal considerations in the legislative history and aiding statutory interpretation in future adjudications. That could even reach to more pedestrian concerns such a statutory ambiguity.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-11 12:48:07 Reply Private Reply
#181: jeremiad To: misterwhite (#1)
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 12:51:40 Reply Private Reply
#182: jeremiad To: hondo68 (#5)
I couldn't agree more.
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 13:03:30 Reply Private Reply
#183: jeremiad To: Deckard (#14)
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 13:06:31 Reply Private Reply
#184: jeremiad To: Roscoe (#18)
This comment is not sarcasm.
It has always struck me that the USSC and the US Justice system is very much like that of the Jewish religion. They follow more the commentary on the Word, than the Word itself. Centuries of thought by what they say is the best and brightest, is thought to be equal to or above the actual words handed down to Moses.
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 13:10:51 Reply Private Reply
#185: misterwhite To: jeremiad (#181)
I understand. As I'm sure you understand that to most people the American flag is a symbol of our country and it stands for something.
And I'm sure you understand how some people (not you, obviously) could become upset when someone burns the flag at a protest. And that action could lead to violence.
Now. Why would you want to protect this behavior yet ban "hate speech", "fighting words" and other behavior that acts as an incitement to imminent violence?
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 13:14:37 Reply Private Reply
#186: misterwhite To: jeremiad (#183)
Hate speech is just words and nothing is burned. Yet there are laws against it.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 13:16:54 Reply Private Reply
#187: Hondo68 To: jeremiad (#179)
Not a good record.
Trump's comment about jail time is bad enough, but the idea of "loss of citizenship" is too much. Most of us were born in the USA of citizen parents. What would one be if they lost US citizenship, United Nations citizens?
Where would they deport someone who's not a citizen of any country? Some dopey kid who burned a US flag, would likely become radicalized. If you just laughed at them, they'd likely outgrow it in a few years and become a great American.
The "cure" is worse than the disease.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-12-11 13:26:25 Reply Private Reply
#188: misterwhite To: Roscoe (#18)
Well, original "something". Scalia was big on original meaning.
Original intent would be what the writer had in mind when he wrote the words. Original meaning would be what an average reader thinks when he reads those words in that historical period.
Either one would be better than the method the courts use today ... which is "what they think".
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 13:39:24 Reply Private Reply
#189: misterwhite To: hondo68 (#187)
Well, they obviously hate the United States. So they must believe there are other countries they'd prefer. Ask them to pick one and we'll work something out with that country.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 13:45:17 Reply Private Reply
#190: misterwhite To: Roscoe (#180)
Yeah. What you said. That too.
(I think "The Ambiguous Statutes" would be a great name for a rock band.)
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 14:07:05 Reply Private Reply
#191: Hondo68 To: misterwhite, Obamas Canaries, Tyranny Worship, *The Two Parties ARE the Same* (#189)
No, most likely they just hate the corrupt unconstitutional government.
You seem to love Obama and worship his tyrannical regime, but you're in the minority.
Love the USA, but hate the rotten D&R government.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-12-11 14:35:49 Reply Private Reply
#192: misterwhite To: hondo68 (#191)
The American flag represents the country, not the current government. If you "Love the USA, but hate the rotten D&R government", then find something else to burn.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 15:08:22 Reply Private Reply
#193: Hondo68 To: misterwhite, tpaine, Thomas Paine (#192)
Hondo68 posted on 2016-12-11 15:20:31 Reply Private Reply
#194: misterwhite To: hondo68 (#193)
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 15:32:44 Reply Private Reply
#195: buckeroo To: misterwhite (#194)
Protecting our country includes the symbol such as flag burning to make an explicit perspective that there is whole lot of wrongs by the US Government that are not addressed by politicians.
buckeroo posted on 2016-12-11 15:36:15 Reply Private Reply
#196: misterwhite To: buckeroo (#195)
Liberal clap-trap gobbledygook.
You don't like the government? Burn something else.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 17:16:29 Reply Private Reply
#197: buckeroo To: misterwhite (#196)
With a government closing free expression, that you agree with, no wonder the place has turned into a tyrannical do-nothing failure for all the world to see.
buckeroo posted on 2016-12-11 17:40:05 Reply Private Reply
#198: misterwhite To: buckeroo (#197)
Do you mean banning "hate speech"?
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-11 18:56:16 Reply Private Reply
#199: tpaine To: jeremiad, yall (#184)
False interpretation of the Courts interpretive powers.
Congress lacks authority to make law repugnant to the Constitution.
The SCOTUS lacks authority to issue opinions repugnant to the the Constitution.
All three branches of our federal government, and our State/local governments, lack authority to make law repugnant to the constitution.
I've made that argument many times here, to our local chumps, --- but they can't seem to understand. Maybe it's because they don't really honor our constitutions original intent.
tpaine posted on 2016-12-11 19:14:43 Reply Private Reply
#200: buckeroo To: misterwhite (#198)
buckeroo posted on 2016-12-11 19:43:11 Reply Private Reply
#201: jeremiad To: misterwhite (#186)
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 22:04:39 Reply Private Reply
#202: jeremiad To: hondo68 (#187)
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 22:05:34 Reply Private Reply
#203: jeremiad To: tpaine (#199)
People are mad, and we voted for Trump hoping for a new chance at restoration. Now most of his voters are filling up the Obama worshipping lane in the Church of DC.
jeremiad posted on 2016-12-11 22:09:40 Reply Private Reply
#204: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#111)
You have no class. You lie and make up stuff when you are challenged on your hypocrisy.
A K A Stone posted on 2016-12-11 22:35:13 Reply Private Reply
#205: nolu chan To: Roscoe (#171)
[Roscoe #165] Rather than limiting and regulating the appellate jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court and the lesser federal courts by a specific topic or set of topics, Congress could and should restrict judicial review generally.
Damn, you are truly a fucking idiot, and apparently proud of it.
To support your idiotic argument that Congress may limit the appellate and original jurisdiction of the inferior courts it establishes, you cite the bankruptcy courts in a discussion of your pathetic and braindead argument that Congress can take away the original and appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. District Courts.
You merely demonstrate how dumb, stupid and ignorant you are.
The U.S. Supreme Court, the Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. District Courts are Article III courts. Their jurisdiction is derived from Article III of the Constitution.
The jurisdiction of Article III courts is assigned by the Constitution and not derived from Congress. Congress has a grant of authority to limit the appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court. It has no other grant of authority to limit the original or appellate jurisdiction of any Article III court.
And Bankruptcy Courts are Article I courts. Article I is the section on the powers of the EXECUTIVE branch.
You do not know what the hell you are talking about.
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-12 01:01:28 Reply Private Reply
#206: nolu chan To: Roscoe (#172)
[Roscoe #165] Congress could even invite a nonbinding review from the Court prior to final enactment of selected legislative proposals, although that opportunity could be withdrawn at the first instance of judicial abuse of the privilege.
Laurence Tribe, American Constitutional Law, 3 Ed, p. 207, note 3:
- - - - - - - - - -
Continuing your public display of being dumb, stupid and ignorant about U.S. law and the U.S. legal system,
George Washington, via Thomas Jefferson, asked if he could receive an advisory opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court. Correction to my #170, it was Jefferson and not Hamilton who wrote on behalf of President George Washington.
- - - - - - - - - -
John Jay responded that the U.S. Supreme Court that the Court could not do so.
- - - - - - - - - -
The supreme Court spoke to the action of the Circuit Court in its later case of United States v. Ferreira.
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/54/40/case.html
United States v. Ferreira, 54 U.S. 13 How. 40 (1851)
- - - - - - - - - -
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/514/211/case.html
Plaut et al v Spendthrift Farm, Inc, et al, 514 US 211 (1994)
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/530/327/case.html
Miller v. French, 530 U.S. 327 (2000)
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-12 01:08:37 Reply Private Reply
#207: nolu chan To: Roscoe (#172)
Re Hayburn's Case, Annals of Congress, 2nd Cong, 1st Sess, Appendix, pp 556-57 and 572-573, April 13 and 21, 1792, ltr fm judges April 18, 1792
https://www.scribd.com/document/333927309/Hayburn-s-Case-2-Dal-409-1792-Legislative-Review-of-Juciciary
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-12 01:10:36 Reply Private Reply
#208: nolu chan To: tpaine (#173)
Correct interpretation of the powers of Congress.
The Court decided in Obergefell that laws prohibiting same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. Congress has no lawful authority to pass a law prohibiting same-sex marriage. The Court in Roe v. Wade decided that laws prohibiting all abortions were unconstitutional. Congress has no lawful authority to pass a law prohibiting all abortions. Deal with reality.
Once the Supreme Court has decided that something is unconstitutional, their opinion prevails over all others.
You may not like the American system of law and desire to replace it with your own personal bullshit. Take your bullshit to tpaine's Court of the Imagination.
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-12 01:17:57 Reply Private Reply
#209: nolu chan To: misterwhite (#176)
Congress thought it could? It didn't get out of committee.
Had the dog not stopped to take a shit, it would have caught the rabbit. Had the Congress passed an unconstitutional law, the Judicial branch would have struck it down.
Nonsense. After the Court of Appeals finds your unconstitutional law UNCONSTITUTIONAL, you would have no appeal. Remove the appellate jurisdiction of SCOTUS and the decision of the Court of Appeals is final.
The original jurisdiction of the District Courts would not disappear, and neither would the appellate jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts.
The existing decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court would not be changed. They would remain binding precedent upon all lower courts.
Laurence H. Tribe, American Constitutional Law, #rd Ed., Vol. 1, pp. 272-73:
nolu chan posted on 2016-12-12 01:34:16 Reply Private Reply
#210: Roscoe To: nolu chan (#206)
[Shit-For-Brains] congress could not require federal courts to provide the executive branch with advisory opinions
An invitation is not a requirement, Shit-For-Brains. The Court would be free to refuse. Then Congress would be free to deny appellate jurisdiction, per its explicit constitutional power.
[Roscoe] "Most famously, the circuit court in Philadelphia refused to carry the Act into effect in Hayburns Case, but declined to issue a decision and opinion in that case. Instead, the judges and Justices voiced their constitutional objections to President George Washington in a formal letter, as other circuit courts had also done." Whittington, K. E. (2008). Judicial Review of Congress Before the Civil War. Geo. LJ, 97, 1257.
[Shit-For-Brains] Any such request for an advisory opinion would be rejected as impermissible under the constitutional grant of powers. This has been so since Chief Justice John Jay refused to provide such an opinion to President George Washington and Secretary Alexander Hamilton.
The Constititution wasn't amended between the Hayburn advisory opinions provided by multiple judges and Justices, and Jay's refusal. Jay's refusal did not amend the Constitution either, Shit-For- Brains.
[Shit-For-Brains] "'[N]o decision of any court of the United States can, under any circumstances, ... be liable to a revision, or even suspension, by the [l]egislature itself, in whom no judicial power of any kind appears to be vested' "
Non sequitur, Shit-For-Brains. The invitation is prior to decision. Prior even to appellate review.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-12 03:08:18 Reply Private Reply
#211: Roscoe To: nolu chan (#205)
The Circuit Courts of Appeal and the U.S. District Courts aren't even mentioned in Article III. They, like the Bankruptcy Courts, are creations of Congressional legislation, which may be amended or rescinded at will, Shit-For-Brains. Here's what Article III actually says:
Half liar, half imbecile.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-12 03:19:05 Reply Private Reply
#212: Roscoe To: nolu chan (#207)
And because they thought the examination of invalids a very extraordinary duty to be imposed on the Judges, they offered advisory opinions to the Government, resulting in the modification of the statute.
Nice foot shot, Shit-For-Brains.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-12 03:24:01 Reply Private Reply
#213: Roscoe To: jeremiad (#184)
At least those precedents dependent on "judicial review." Congress has the explicit Constitutional power to reign those in.
Outside of the Court playing super-legislature, precedent has value to the extent that it makes the law predictable.
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-12 03:28:10 Reply Private Reply
#214: Roscoe To: misterwhite (#196)
Like his EBT card?
Roscoe posted on 2016-12-12 03:40:01 Reply Private Reply
#215: misterwhite To: nolu chan (#209)
Then that would represent a perfect example of how the courts are out of control. Under Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to eliminate judicial review.
How can you possibly say it's unconstitutional?
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-12 10:44:02 Reply Private Reply
#216: misterwhite To: nolu chan (#209)
Ah! So your conclusion is that it didn't get out of committee because it was unconstitutional?
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-12 10:51:17 Reply Private Reply
#217: misterwhite To: jeremiad (#201)
Well, we have them. And since we do, I don't see how flag burning is any different.
But, think outside the box. Isn't it possible that Trump brought this flag burning issue up precisely because of hate speech laws? To get people to see that both are the same thing?
And that the result will be that people will insist on free speech, thereby forcing the elimination of our hate speech laws.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-12 10:56:51 Reply Private Reply
#218: misterwhite To: buckeroo (#200)
Whatever it is, Congress banned it. And my position is that flag burning is hate speech and should also be banned.
Or, conversely, both hate speech and flag burning should be allowed. Your choice.
misterwhite posted on 2016-12-12 11:00:17 Reply Private Reply
#219: tpaine To: nolu chump, aka shit for brains, yall (#208)
False interpretation of the Courts interpretive powers.
The SCOTUS lacks authority to issue opinions repugnant to the the Constitution.
All three branches of our federal government, and our State/local governments, lack authority to make law repugnant to the constitution.
Congress lacks authority to make law repugnant to the Constitution.
You bet, nice to see a shit for brains agreeing for a change.
True,Congress has no such authority, nor does the Court have any except to issue it's opinion on constitutionality. Court opinions do not change the Constitution.
Deal with reality.
The Courts opinion remains an opinion, not a law.
You may not like the American system of law and desire to replace it with your own personal bullshit. Take your bullshit to nolu chumps Court of the Imagination.
tpaine posted on 2016-12-12 15:33:00 Reply Private Reply