But giving Scalia his due, a search of the Federalist Papers should provide some guidance, if any is to be found, as to what the original originalists felt concerning “citizen” and “person” and “people.” Sadly, however, for Scalia and McCain, those authors — John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton — do not bother themselves with such a Clintonian — “Depends on the definition of ‘is’” — dissection.
Quite parenthetically, what we do have is laid-on-the-table evidence undeniable that one, John McCain is no more acquainted with the United States Constitution than he is with economics, and two, those who are wont to cling to their breasts the “strict constructionist,” or “originalist” appellation(s) are as a case in fact the most egregious of phonies and hypocrites. They are constructionists/originalists only when it suits their agenda(s), and are whatever it takes Orwellian 1984 Newspeak polemicists when that becomes necessary.
We’ve either got a Constitution that means something, or we’ve got nothing more consequent than fancy tissue paper, the use of which is to the whim of the user. If all men were angels and all times were easy, we wouldn’t need a constitution. And it’s for the protection against those who are not the least angelic and during the times that are most challenging that the very notion of a written constitution was deemed to be of the highest importance to the founders of this republic. They were right, then. And they still are. We ought to never forget that.
As to the “safety and security of this nation” being the “first obligation,” Senator McCain could not be more wrong. (But what else is new?) Not only are the essential tests of "rebellion or invasion" not present, the only oath he has sworn to is to “[to the best of his ability] preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The CONSTITUTION senator! The CONSTITUTION; protecting IT, another thing that apparently just befuddles him.
— Ed Tubbs
Palm Springs, CA
Free URL to the US Constitution: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
Free URL to the Federalist Papers: http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/
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