Letters to the Editor
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The Constitution's Text
It's always interesting to see the arguments people make about the Constitution without ever reading it. For instance, there were those who strongly opposed the Independent Counsel law on the grounds that the Constitution only allowed the President to appoint civil officers, only there was this language in the Constitution: "but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments." Perhaps they all thought that was "quaint."
Then we had the idiots who claimed that the first Islamic member of Congress had to take his oath on "the Bible of the United States" despite this language in the Constitution: "but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
And of course we have Bush and his clucking cabal of sycophants all claiming that the President has some kind of sole power in connection with everything that the military does, notwithstanding the language granting to Congress the exclusive power "To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces."
Want some fun? Think about the CIA's accounts, which are hidden in the federal budget, and these words: "No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time."
Guy who claimed that the Constitution permits exceptions in its text? Where?