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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums36 Senators Introduce Bill Prohibiting Virtually Any New Law Helping Workers
36 Senators Introduce Bill Prohibiting Virtually Any New Law Helping Workers
By Ian Millhiser
More than three-quarters of the Senate Republican caucus signed onto legislation introduced Wednesday by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Rand Paul (R-KY) that could render it virtually impossible for Congress to enact any legislation intended to improve working conditions or otherwise regulate the workplace. Had their bill been in effect during the Twentieth Century, for example, there would likely be no nationwide minimum wage, no national ban on workplace discrimination, no national labor law and no overtime in most industries.
Like many Tea Party proposals to neuter the federal government, Coburn and Pauls bill is marketed as an effort to bring America back in line with a long-ago discarded vision of the Constitution. Its named the Enumerated Powers Act of 2013, a reference to the provisions of the Constitution outlining Congress specific powers, and it claims to require all federal legislation to contain a concise explanation of the specific authority in the Constitution that is the basis for its enactment.
The key provision in this bill, however, would revive a discredited interpretation of the Constitution that America abandoned nearly eight decades ago. Although the text of the bill is not yet available online, a press release from Coburns office explains that it (p)rohibits the use of the Commerce Clause, except for the regulation of the buying and selling of goods or services, or the transporting for those purposes, across boundaries with foreign nations, across State lines, or with Indian tribes.
<...>
What is somewhat surprising, however, is the sheer breadth of support for Coburn and Pauls discredited view of the Constitution within the Senate Republican Caucus. According to Coburns press release, their bill is cosponsored by Senators Ayotte (R-NH), Barrasso (R-WY), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coats (R-IN), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), Cruz (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), Fischer (R-NE), Flake (R-AZ), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Heller (R-NV), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johnson (R-WI), Lee (R-UT), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Moran (R-KS), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), Scott (R-SC), Sessions (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Toomey (R-PA), Vitter (R-LA), and Wicker (R-MS).
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/02/2404301/36-senators-introduce-bill-prohibiting-virtually-any-new-federal-law-helping-workers/
By Ian Millhiser
More than three-quarters of the Senate Republican caucus signed onto legislation introduced Wednesday by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Rand Paul (R-KY) that could render it virtually impossible for Congress to enact any legislation intended to improve working conditions or otherwise regulate the workplace. Had their bill been in effect during the Twentieth Century, for example, there would likely be no nationwide minimum wage, no national ban on workplace discrimination, no national labor law and no overtime in most industries.
Like many Tea Party proposals to neuter the federal government, Coburn and Pauls bill is marketed as an effort to bring America back in line with a long-ago discarded vision of the Constitution. Its named the Enumerated Powers Act of 2013, a reference to the provisions of the Constitution outlining Congress specific powers, and it claims to require all federal legislation to contain a concise explanation of the specific authority in the Constitution that is the basis for its enactment.
The key provision in this bill, however, would revive a discredited interpretation of the Constitution that America abandoned nearly eight decades ago. Although the text of the bill is not yet available online, a press release from Coburns office explains that it (p)rohibits the use of the Commerce Clause, except for the regulation of the buying and selling of goods or services, or the transporting for those purposes, across boundaries with foreign nations, across State lines, or with Indian tribes.
<...>
What is somewhat surprising, however, is the sheer breadth of support for Coburn and Pauls discredited view of the Constitution within the Senate Republican Caucus. According to Coburns press release, their bill is cosponsored by Senators Ayotte (R-NH), Barrasso (R-WY), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coats (R-IN), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), Cruz (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), Fischer (R-NE), Flake (R-AZ), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Heller (R-NV), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johnson (R-WI), Lee (R-UT), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Moran (R-KS), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), Scott (R-SC), Sessions (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Toomey (R-PA), Vitter (R-LA), and Wicker (R-MS).
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/02/2404301/36-senators-introduce-bill-prohibiting-virtually-any-new-federal-law-helping-workers/
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36 Senators Introduce Bill Prohibiting Virtually Any New Law Helping Workers (Original Post)
ProSense
Aug 2013
OP
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)1. Certainly looks like a list of the usual suspects.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)2. It would be good if
"Certainly looks like a list of the usual suspects."
...there was a way to ensure that the Senate Rebublican caucus is reduced by a few more seats in 2014.
elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)3. MORE Theatrical Unconstitutional FUCKERY from aynRand Paul, lol
surprise! no.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)4. Rand Paul is the Confederacy (pro-slavery) candidate.
This is to be expected of him.
spanone
(135,795 posts)5. k&r....republicans = anarchists