O'Donnell - stone cold stupid

[SpaceCadet]

• Tweet

I was willing to give O'Donnell the benefit of any doubt.  I was even dismayed by what I thought was unfair treatment of her by the vast majority of the media regarding her inability to instantly recall Supreme Court decisions that she disagreed with.  I only heard CNN point out that she did mention a couple later in the debate.  I imagine that Fox did also, but since I don't watch it, I wouldn't know.  Also, as was pointed out on CNN, the SCOTUS is largely conservative in its makeup, so there have probably been few decisions that she would disagree with.  Add the pressure of the moment to that.

But her total ignorance of the 1st Amendment, demonstrated today, is inexcusable.  It is yet another indication of the shallow nature of so many candidates that the Tea Party conservatives are currently so in love with.

"Ms. O’Donnell later returned to this question, demanding of Mr. Coons, “So you’re telling me the phrase, ‘the separation of church and state,’ is found in the Constitution.”

Mr. Coons began reciting the Establishment Clause, as it is known, prompting Ms. O’Donnell to ask, “That’s in the First Amendment?'"

Truly embarrassing.

This came when she was trying to argue that public schools should be able to teach religion in the guise of science.

Her ignorance of the Constitution doesn't stop there, of course, and she went on to display more of it.

People like her don't have any business being candidates, much less actually holding public office.  What does it say about today's conservatives that there are so many public figures on their side currently that are such intellectually shallow anti-science religious fanatics?  Nothing good.

What is with all of the current female conservatives uttering phrases to male candidates like "man up", or Obama doesn't have the "cojones".  Is that kind of thing okay now, in the current political environment?  It's disgusting.

The Right should be severely punished and repudiated for this state of affairs.

[Malone22]

Actually she is correct....

Separation of Church and State - The Metaphor and the Constitution
"Separation of church and state" is a common metaphor that is well recognized. Equally well recognized is the metaphorical meaning of the church staying out of the state's business and the state staying out of the church's business. Because of the very common usage of the "separation of church and state phrase," most people incorrectly think the phrase is in the constitution. The phrase "wall of separation between the church and the state" was originally coined by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. His purpose in this letter was to assuage the fears of the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists, and so he told them that this wall had been erected to protect them. The metaphor was used exclusively to keep the state out of the church's business, not to keep the church out of the state's business.

The constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Both the free exercise clause and the establishment clause place restrictions on the government concerning laws they pass or interfering with religion. No restrictions are placed on religions except perhaps that a religious denomination cannot become the state religion.

http://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm

[SpaceCadet]

No, she is not correct:

"...the First Amendment guarantees the principle of the separation of church and state - by implication, because separating church and state is what allows religious liberty to exist. "

But this is not even what I was referring to.  We could have, and we have had, a somewhat valid argument over the principle of separation of church and state, even though President Jefferson himself used that phraseology as shorthand for the ideas present in the Consitution, and the general principle has been used by the courts ever since.

What I was referring to as a total embarrassment is that when her opponent began citing the actual text of the 1st, she asked, "that's in the Constitution?"!  You might have to see the actual video to really get the effect.  I was stunned when I finally saw it tonight.

[SpaceCadet]

We also use the phrase 'right to a fair trial', which does not appear in the Constitution, as shorthand for what the Constitution actually says.  That doesn't mean that the idea is not in there.

[flyboy]

Actually she is correct....

sO I take it you have no problem with a public school teacher
drilling students on the Ten Commandments then?
And of course you support building an Islamic center near ground 0?

[Malone22]

sO I take it you have no problem with a public school teacher
drilling students on the Ten Commandments then?
And of course you support building an Islamic center near ground 0?

???Boy do you miss the point or what....Separation of Church and State..is not in the constitution, that is the issue here, I know you all would like to think it's implied in the Constitution. Answer.com is wrong for saying it is a myth, it's not there.
If you want to believe it is implied that is entirely up to you, you have that right...but those words are not there.

[SpaceCadet]

???Boy do you miss the point or what....Separation of Church and State..is not in the constitution, that is the issue here, I know you all would like to think it's implied in the Constitution. Answer.com is wrong for saying it is a myth, it's not there.
If you want to believe it is implied that is entirely up to you, you have that right...but those words are not there.

But hopefully we can all agree, with the possible exception of Ms. O'Donnell, that the 1st Amendment is in the Constitution.   

[Malone22]

Really SpaceCadet there are so many other things wrong with O"Donnell, you don't need this(lol)

[SpaceCadet]

Really SpaceCadet there are so many other things wrong with O"Donnell, you don't need this(lol)

I guess that's true.  I've been trying to be generous, though.

[flyboy]

???Boy do you miss the point or what....Separation of Church and State..is not in the constitution, that is the issue here, I know you all would like to think it's implied in the Constitution. Answer.com is wrong for saying it is a myth, it's not there.
If you want to believe it is implied that is entirely up to you, you have that right...but those words are not there.

Yes it is in the constitution.  Because every time you try to mix the two, it has the same effect as inching us closer to the establishment of a religion, which is a violation of the actual wording.  Yes it is implied in the constituion Mr. Alito.  Now as to my question do you approve of teacher led prayer in public schools?  Or are you here not to debate but just be another drive-by wuss.

[Malone22]

Actually I am not here to answer your question...The topic here is whether or or not those words are in the constitution...Flyboy are you on drugs or is problem you don't take your medication. BTW I don't think religion should be taught in public  school any religion and why would they(teachers) be leading prayer in public school?  I don't think they should be leading prayer in public schools. There are prayers in  Congress, what do you think about that, is that a violation of separation of church and state?

[Pepsi]

Actually she is correct....

Because of the very common usage of the "separation of church and state phrase," most people incorrectly think the phrase is in the constitution. The phrase "wall of separation between the church and the state" was originally coined by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. His purpose in this letter was to assuage the fears of the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists, and so he told them that this wall had been erected to protect them. The metaphor was used exclusively to keep the state out of the church's business, not to keep the church out of the state's business.

The constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Both the free exercise clause and the establishment clause place restrictions on the government concerning laws they pass or interfering with religion. No restrictions are placed on religions except perhaps that a religious denomination cannot become the state religion.

http://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm

Oh come on Malone.. yeah, we get it "the exact phrase" is not in there, it's the gist of it's meaning we are talking about.    Sheesh.   I saw Limbaugh defended her with the same line of thinking.   

[Pepsi]

But hopefully we can all agree, with the possible exception of Ms. O'Donnell, that the 1st Amendment is in the Constitution.   

 

[johnhp]

???Boy do you miss the point or what....Separation of Church and State..is not in the constitution, that is the issue here, I know you all would like to think it's implied in the Constitution. Answer.com is wrong for saying it is a myth, it's not there.
If you want to believe it is implied that is entirely up to you, you have that right...but those words are not there.

Of course it is.  Let me quote the pertinent passage from the First Amerndment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

When people refer to the separation of church and state they are referring to disestablisment of religion from government institutions.

[johnhp]

Actually I am not here to answer your question...The topic here is whether or or not those words are in the constitution..

First, do you really ever answer complicated questions put to you?  i am not sure of that.  Second, are you going to try and claim that when people say that the separation of church and state is in the constitution they mean the phrase and not the concept of disestablishment?