Today Is Bill of Rights Day! Is It Too Early To Start Drinking?
The Cato Institute's Tim Lynch celebrates Bill of Rights day with a sobering look at the current state of the Constitution's first 10 amendments. Here's a sample:
The First Amendment says that "Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech." Government officials, however, have insisted that they can gag recipients of "national security letters" and censor broadcast ads in the name of campaign finance reform….
The Fifth Amendment says that private property shall not be taken "for public use without just compensation." Government officials, however, insist that they can use eminent domain to take away our property and give it to other private parties who covet it….
The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments. Government officials, however, insist that a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense is not cruel….
The Tenth Amendment says that the powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states, or to the people. Government officials, however, insist that they will decide for themselves what powers they possess, and have extended federal control over health care, crime, education, and other matters the Constitution reserves to the states and the people.
Read the whole depressing thing here.
