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Why Politicians Treat the Constitution Like Stretch Pants: Gillespie on Fox News' Freedom Watch

On Wednesday, September 9, Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie appeared on Fox News' Freedom Watch with Judge Andrew Napolitano (read his Reason archive here and watch his great talk from Reason in DC here).

Among the topics: Why Congress treats the Constitution like a pair of stretch pants, the real reasons health care reform is unpopular, and the power of dissent in a free society.

Approximately 12 minutes. Edited by Dan Hayes. Scroll down for downloadable versions and embed code.

Freedom Watch's Official Site.

Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time.

|9.18.09 @ 12:02PM|

Is Nick's shirt from the Brooks and Dunn collection?

Gilbert Martin|9.18.09 @ 12:03PM|

Speaking of the Constitution, there is an excellent editorial in today's Wall Street Journal about the health care plan's individual insurance mandates being unconstitutional.

I would say it merits a Reaon post of it's own.

|9.18.09 @ 12:03PM|

I was hoping that after Matt's appearance on The News Hour, Reason would be severing it's ties with the fucknut media.

Naga Sadow|9.18.09 @ 12:09PM|

What happened to Nick's jacket?

Sal Paradise|9.18.09 @ 12:25PM|

Liked the Melville reference.

|9.18.09 @ 12:48PM|

Nothing like looking at the default Tricaster split screen back ground.

|9.18.09 @ 1:00PM|

Why Politicians Treat the Constitution Like Stretch Pants:

Because we let them, that's why. Remember the First Iron Law:

You get more of what you reward, and less of what you punish.

A free country has to be free from the bottom up, through a culture that does not tolerate an overweening State. That culture no longer exists in this country. Ergo . . . .

|9.18.09 @ 1:10PM|

Wait, politicians allows fat people to wear the constitution in public? Makes no sense, that.

RC, can't you print your whole list of lawz? Thanks!

|9.18.09 @ 2:46PM|

RC, can't you print your whole list of lawz?

As always, your wish is my command:

1. You get more of what you reward and less of what you punish.
2. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.
3. The less you know about something, the easier it looks.
4. You aren't free unless you are free to be wrong.
5. Any power used for you today will be used against you tomorrow.
6. Money and power will always find each other.


I'm thinking of changing no. 5 to "Me today, you tomorrow." Which as actually from Sozhenitsyn, if memory serves. Pithy and elliptical is good, and it has a certain ominous/threatening tone to it that appeals, but it may be too much of a good thing.

|9.18.09 @ 3:02PM|

Thanks!

hmm|9.18.09 @ 4:43PM|

Someone needs to send the fat judge guy a life supply of beer for actually giving people who aren't partisan hacks air time. I could kiss the man for that.

~insert jacket comment here~

You will be hearing from the AARP and the Sweat Shop Workers Union about your stretchy pants crack.

Is that a three wolf moon shirt? (I couldn't resist)

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