Carol, Carol, Carol

Every time I read something about Carol Shea Porter I'm left shaking my head wondering how she ever was elected to office in the first place.

For starters there is the story found HERE about her upcoming town hall meeting.

People who want to attend a town hall event for Rep. Carol Shea-Porter in the “Live Free or Die" state of New Hampshire better be able to pass through a metal detector.

The congresswoman, a Democrat, has scheduled her only two town hall recess events in federal buildings that require citizens to pass through heavy security checks. They'll need to come early, too. The rooms only have room for roughly 100 people.

...

www.BlueHampshire.com, a popular liberal blog, sponsored a “Blue Hampshire Bash” where Ms. Shea-Porter appeared with along with Democratic New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes and DailyKos Founder Markos Moulitsas Zuniga.

Dean Barker, managing editor for BlueHampshire.com, said in an email to the Washington Times that there was, “no security that I’m aware of, though the restaurant had every right to contact police if there was a disturbance on their private property.”

Carol's actions make it very clear who she caters to and who she'll listen to.  For you and I, that lesser folk... we cannot be trusted.  We must submit to pat downs and screenings before we even have the chance of addressing our grievances with the woman who works for us.

Now if this isn't bad enough this past Tuesday Carol in a radio interview on WGIR made the following statement in response to the question "I just wanted to know where it says in the Constitution that the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party for that matter, can pretty much do what they’re trying to do?"

"I would point out to you that in the Constitution it also does not say the government can build roads or should build roads. It also doesn’t say the government should make sure the drugs are safe. It doesn’t say the government should look at airplanes to make sure they are safe to get on. It doesn’t say we should have a police force in Manchester. So, the Constitution did not cover everything”

Has this woman ever read the Constitution?

Let's break down her claim line by line.

"I would point out to you that in the Constitution it also does not say the government can build roads or should build roads."

Article I Section 8 states:

To establish post offices and post roads;

"It also doesn’t say the government should make sure the drugs are safe. It doesn’t say the government should look at airplanes to make sure they are safe to get on."

These are both covered under the commerce clause of Article I Section 8:

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

The Supreme Court has supported this with rulings in cases such as Southern Railway vs US (railroad cars without safety devices endanger interstate traffic even if they only travel within a single state).

"It doesn’t say we should have a police force in Manchester."

Now this claim by Carol shows her absolute ignorance of the Constitution and for that matter how government even operates and works.  I would seriously argue that this last statement even disqualifies her from her position as a Congress person.

The Manchester police are a body within the Manchester town government, not the federal government.

This is covered under the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Serious, how can you be a member of Congress and not know about the 10th Amendment?

And the fact that since as she put it "the Constitution doesn't cover everything" the government can just do anything and everything it wishes?  That's a frightening though and goes completely against what the Founding Fathers intended when crafting the Constitution.

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." - Patrick Henry

With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators. - James Madison

If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare... they may appoint teachers in every state... The powers of Congress would subvert the very foundation, the very nature of the limited government established by the people of America. - James Madison

What would these men have said if confronted by the likes of Carol Shea Porter?

Comments

[Ed Naile]

Excuse me Rick but:

Shouldn't the title be Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

Yea, I think it has a ring to it.

[Rick Barnes]

Ed, the difference between that and what I wrote would be what exactly? ;)

[Ed Naile]

Rick:

Ya got me.

[Chaz Proulx]

How about Rick Rick Rick

or

Ed Ed Ed