Friday A/V Club: A Nightmare Vision of a World Without Congress

The 1947 "instructional" film The Powers of Congress

Ever wonder what would happen if we woke up one day to find that Congress has disappeared? Coronet Instructional Films explores this horrific world in 1947's The Powers of Congress. The courts would collapse! Texas would have its own army! And without any regulations restraining it, a railroad would be free to charge you $600 for a ticket! That's 600 New York dollars, of course, since Washington would be out of the currency business. Watch and learn, libertarian!

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh, I'm sure one of the other two branches would be happy to take up the slack.

[Loki]

At this point the Executive branch has already usurped most of Congress' powers anyway.

Might as well just dissolve it and give regional governors direct control over their territories.

[Florida Man]

We would need some sort of battle station.

[seguin]

Fear will keep the sys...states in line.

[alittlesense]

"The courts would collapse! Texas would have its own army!" What....no dogs and cats living together?

[seguin]

Definitely mass hysteria. And have you heard about the Twinkie?

[SIV]

That wealthiest 1%er sure has a nice radio. Too bad there is nothing to listen to without the FCC!

[ZekeR]

Come back zinc! Come back!

[Corning]

That is a conflict mineral now.

Expect a visit from the FBI soon.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wait a minute. When Congress explodes it takes the Judicial with it? Just like Cetis Alpha V and VI? Nooooooo!

[puts gun to own head, clicks dry because of a lack of zinc]

[SIV]

The Constitution of the United States is all Interstate Commerce and Necessary and Proper till he gets to the all important IMPLIED POWERS which get kinda vague and all-encompassing with the lost footage and splices.

[Free Society]

No more national army? No more central bank? No more income tax? No more draconian federal judiciary? No more post offices? Ohhhhh the humanity!

http://img2-3.timeinc.net/ew/i.....-beach.jpg

[Old Man With Candy]

It's missing the part where it gets all shaky and the projectionist has to jiggle the little chrome lever.

[Andrew S.]

Screw you guys. This convinced me. I'm becoming a part of Team Red or Blue. Haven't decided yet. MOAR GOVERNMENT POWER! MOAR!

[Hillary's Clitdong]

The sad thing is that one of the reasons for dumping the Articles of Confederation and adopting the Constitution was to combat the ridiculous cronyism, localism, and competition-by-government that occurred after American independence. Now Congress just does it for everyone.

[Corning]

You ever deal with your local planning/building department?

congress does it on top of local and state government still doing it.

[sarcasmic]

It's almost as if the solution to government corruption is... more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

And if that doesn't work, then we need more government!

[Free Society]

It's not almost the solution. The need for more government is a true, objective iron-clad fact and law of nature of the highest most unquestionable order.

[seguin]

It's the Eighth law of thermodynamics.

[Virginian]

to combat the ridiculous cronyism, localism, and competition-by-government

That is what they tell you in public school yes. Myself, I'm starting to think that the time of the Articles was actually pretty awesome, and the statists and mercantilists ginned up the outrage in order to impose a central state on the country.

[Corning]

a railroad would be free to charge you $600 for a ticket!

How much did a horse with saddle and bridle cost in 1947?

Like $12?

[SIV]

Horses were expensive in '47.The war-ravaged Frogs and Belgians were eating all of ours courtesy of the Marshall Plan.

[Bardas Phocas]

The Kochtopus would rule us under its benign and uninterested tenticles.

[Corning]

@8:07

sure are a lot of women in that work force...

Yet no Blacks or Mexicans?!?!

I am calling shenanigans.

Shenanigans!!!

[AlmightyJB]

So my take away is that dreams were much more awesome back when pot and 'shrooms were legal.

[Corning]

Sooo...

If he does not need to pay income tax what the fuck does he need a stamp for?

Also Mr Bently has a hot sassy wife...what the hell is he complaining about?

[Loki]

This must be what going mad feels like...

[Vampire]

Lol, I like how they attempt to create the idea that without government there would be chaos. Government is chaos, and requires threats or acts of violence in order to survive.

If someone broke into your house, and robbed half of everything you own, wouldn't that be chaotic? Both the fed and state rob sometimes 50% or more of an individuals income. So how in the hell can someone say anarchy would be chaos, when their very own maters create chaos every day?

If people are inherently evil when left to their own devices, then why is it they should vote? If individuals are "bad", then why in the hell would anyone want to concentrate such badness in the hands of 535+ individuals, and give them power over people?

[seguin]

If Congress disappeared tomorrow, the oceans would rise and reclaim the land! The Earth would heat up to a kajillion degrees! Neighbor would eat neighbor, dogs would begin to talk! Apes would evolve into humanoids and then back into apes! Lysander Spooner would rise from his grave and eat people's brains! Joni would stop loving Chachi! Morlocks would eat all the Eloi! Black people would marry your daughter! The Golden Girls would play on TV 24/7, turning everyone gay! The gay people would destroy the soil, to make landing strips for gay Martians!

BISEXUAL VAMPIRES, EVERYWHERE!

[Vampire]

Oh noooo!!!!! But wait, there is a bright side to all of what you wrote. At least there will be girl vampire on girl vampire on me. Don't think they'd like you though. And no you can not watch!

:0P

[Paul.]

"Tax reduction and appropriations for the armed forces"?!!?!

That's a power of congress I can get behind.

[Paul.]

I like the postal service part... funny how everyone forgets that it was private carriers that created the concept of door-to-door service, and were generally more efficient and cheaper, until the Post Office sued them out of existence. LULz!

[Skip]

This is like looking into Rachel Maddow's head! But with no naked ladies.

[Vampire]

Roflmao. You mean there's no hamster on a rickety government square attempting to run after moldy government cheese in Maddow's head?