FLASHBACK: Mitch McConnell: We Must Rewrite The Constitution Because ‘Elections’ Haven’t ‘Worked’

[Galraedia]

Speaking on the Senate floor this morning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered what may be the most concise summary of conservative constitutionalism ever spoken — America must rewrite the Constitution to force conservative outcomes because we the people consistently elect lawmakers who disagree with McConnell:

The time has come for a balanced budget amendment that forces Washington to balance its books. If these debt negotiations have convinced us of anything, it’s that we can’t leave it to politicians in Washington to make the difficult decisions that they need to get our fiscal house in order. The balanced budget amendment will do that for them. Now is the moment. No more games. No more gimmicks. The Constitution must be amended to keep the government in check. We’ve tried persuasion. We’ve tried negotiations. We’re tried elections. Nothing has worked.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/07/13/267791/mcconnell-hates-democracy/

[shraby]

1. I guess Mitch hasn't noticed how well it's worked out for the states that have balanced

budget amendments. For most it's absolute disaster time.

[Citizen Worker]

2. I believe that the 50 states are already required by their various constitutions to have a balanced

budget. Deficits are not permitted. Additionally, most states governors have line item veto power, something the rethugs have wanted for a long time but the federal constitution does not permit.

[RC]

5. They only want the line item veto when a republican is president.

Under Clinton, it only lasted till he used it.

[treestar]

3. Elections are still underpinning any Constitutional amendment

Congress and the state legislatures that would have to carry it out are elected.

What an idiot.

[Possumpoint]

4. Oh, I'm All For Rewriting The Constitution

Under the current system, we can't drain the swamp. The corruption of both parties by corporate interests, continues. Election of a third of the Senate at a time doesn't cut it. Within a week of arrival, new electees for both the house and senate are invited to a seminar to train them on raising donations and to introduce them to the lobbyists that work the Washington circus.

I want changes to limit members to two terms. I want all members of the Senate to face re-election every four years. I want them and their staffs to face the same laws as the rest of us when it comes to insider trading. I want the health benefits given to members to be no better then what is offered in Medicare. I want their pension benefits bought back to reality. I want corporate lobbying outlawed. I want corporations defined as just that without the rights given to them by the SCOTUS.

Don't want much do I? Won't happen because Congress isn't about to relinquish the power and money flowing in.

[jwirr]

6. And a good question is haven't worked for whom? The rich?