REPORT: The GOP Needs To Tell The Truth About Their Views On The Constitution

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/05/tell-the-truth/



Tomorrow, as part of the GOP’s broader messaging strategy to falsely paint themselves as the party of the Constitution, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) will lead the new GOP-led House in a ritualized reading of the United States Constitution. Yet while the GOP has been big on this kind of constitutional theatre for much of the last year, most Republicans have been coy about revealing what they actually think the Constitution provides. When asked last night if he shares the widespread conservative view that the minimum wage is unconstitutional, for example, Goodlatte claimed that he did not know the answer to the question.

Yet, while most GOPers have remained carefully vague about how they view the Constitution, those few who have revealed their specific views leave little doubt why the rest of the party is keeping quiet. Their views are both dangerous and radical:

* Child Labor: In three separate opinions, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas called for a return to a discredited theory of the Constitution that early twentieth century justices used to declare federal child labor laws unconstitutional. Many GOP elected officials have embraced rhetoric suggesting that they agree with Justice Thomas that child labor laws are unconstitutional. They should answer directly whether they agree with him or not.
* Whites Only-Lunch Counters: In a now-infamous interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) claimed that there are constitutional problems with the federal ban on whites-only lunch counters. Justice Thomas’ pre-New Deal understanding of the Constitution also supports Paul’s view.
* Minimum Wage: Although Goodlatte claimed not to know whether the minimum wage is constitutional, Thomas and many other prominent Republicans believe that it is not.
* Education: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) believes that all federal education programs — including Pell Grants and student loan assistance — are unconstitutional. And he i

They don't tell the truth about anything else.