Posted on 06/26/2006 6:09:02 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate began debate Monday on a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the desecration of the American flag, the latest in a series of election-year votes pushed by the chamber's Republican leaders.
Observers give the flag amendment a better chance of passing than the one to ban same-sex marriages that was defeated earlier this month.
That was another vote aimed at mobilizing the GOP's conservative base before November's midterm elections.
A vote is expected this week, before the Fourth of July congressional recess.
Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, compared the measure to Supreme Court decisions banning so-called "fighting words," slander, libel, obscenity and pornography involving children. As such, he said, it has no "social value."
"Flag burning is a form of expression that is spiteful or vengeful," the five-term Pennsylvania Republican said during the debate. "It is designed to hurt. It is not designed to persuade."
Sen. Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, argued that burning the American flag was precisely the kind of speech the First Amendment is meant to protect.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
These wimps need only to look at Patriot Rick Monday... now that's love for your country.
You beat me to it. I was just going to say, "open with what, burning a flag without a prayer?"
How perfect. Just in time for the 4th of July.
One, I can think about a dozen. Kennedy, Durbin, Kerry, Levin, Clinton, Boxer, Feingold, Harkin, Biden, Feinstein, Hagel, Jeffords
I'm not sure about this guys. The way I see it, it's just one more thing I can't do. This isn't expansion of freedom.
If we get another Clinton type president, I may want to burn a flag in protest.
Republicans should be working on more important issues.
By debating flag burning, the United States Senate takes on the single most important issue facing America today. Thanks, guys !
Flag Burning is hardly an issue that mobilizes the GOP base. Most Republicans support it and have for a long time but I don't know any that get fired up and charge the polls about it. The electoral advantage of the issue is not its effect on the GOP base but rather its effect on the Democrats base. Those few remaining, beer drinking, NASCAR watching, America loving Democrats will once again be shown how far their parties values are from their own.
Considering what they did on their Illegal Immigration bill, I feel safer if the Senate sticks to things like Flag Burning, Gay Marriage etc.
No matter what your political affilation, or level of anger, burning an American flag is just wrong. If not for yourself, just think for a moment of those that gave the last full measure to protect it from harm.
Even if we got worse than Clinton, burning an American flag is just wrong, and it means nothing except that a person burning it knows nothing of history, and has no respect for those that stood for the flag.
Of course it is wrong. Many things are wrong. That does not mean they should necessarily be illegal.
Amendments to the Constitution should be reserved for only the most serious issues affecting the very life of the US. Flag burning sure as hell isn't one of them.
Personally I am rather offended at the insinuation that I am so stupid I will be distracted by this amendment that has 0 chance of passing and won't notice them trying to sneak amnesty past.
Neither gay marriage nor flag-burning, no matter how outrageous, rise to the level of a thing requiring a Constitutional amendment. What we really need is repeal of the amendment which allowed the income tax, and laws restricting the courts from jurisdiction over certain areas. Nowhere in the Constitution do we find justification for the principle of judicial nullification of state and local laws and referenda. The courts are the problem, not the Constitution.
I dont think this amendment would be necessary if not for those idiotic Supreme court decisions that said Flag burning equates to free speech which it is not.
I think this amendment should be clear and let individual states decide on this issue, it Flag burning needs to banned so be it.
Ah yes, one of my Stupid Conservative tricks. This is so idiotic, I really hope I dont have to explain myself. I hate most flag burners, dont get me wrong, but it is assinine to "ban" it, except in as much as you can ban the burning of anything. This is really stupid...
Another "REALLY IMPORTANT" issue. Oh boy.
You can always count on Arlen Sphincter to be on the wrong side of a debate. Thanks again Mr. bush.
"By debating flag burning, the United States Senate takes on the single most important issue facing America today. Thanks, guys !"
Too bad flags don't vote...eheheheh!
The Senate is a bunch of overbloated no guts no glory windbags. If they had any stones marriage would be protected in the Constitution first....a far greater and weightier issue than pieces of patriotic cloth.
Considering that as of Jan 2007, we will have a new Senate with a New Republican Leader (Frist is retiring) maybe it is better if this cureent Senate just runs out the clock instead of trying anymore "fixing".
Ok, that is being silly about a serious issue but I honestly think this current Senate would do more harm then good on any real issue.
Considering what they pass when they try to "Fix" things I am surprised supposedly "Conservative-Libertarians" are not HAPPY they are wasting their time.
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