“United States Constitution” on The Daily Caller

A balanced budget amendment will be considered on the House floor next Wednesday, The Daily Caller has learned from a senior GOP source on Capitol Hill. (more)

I am a constitutional conservative. So what does that mean? I’ve earned a couple of law degrees, but defining “constitutional conservatism” shouldn’t require a legal scholar. Let me start by pointing out that the conservative movement, as Ronald Reagan believed, is a three-legged stool. One leg consists of peace-through-strength conservatives, another of fiscal and economic conservatives, and the third of social conservatives — the values voters. (more)

Provocative? Perhaps, but that’s nothing new for Time magazine with a history of taking iconic American symbols and using them to make political statements. (more)

Last year, I threw my hat in the ring as a candidate for U.S. Senate in Colorado. I decided to run primarily out of anguish for the direction our country was headed. All of us watched as spending increased, government grew and American families and businesses struggled to keep their heads above water. Now, almost two years later, I’m afraid things aren’t much different. While on the campaign trail, I often spoke with activists, small business owners, and hard-working families about Washington’s out-of-control spending. I heard from folks who, even in a tough economy, make it a priority to live within their means and balance their budgets. Folks like us who pay our bills on time. (more)

On March 31, Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee introduced a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to make it a constitutional requirement for Washington, D.C., to end our deficit spending and our culture of debt. And our national grassroots organization, Pass the Balanced Budget Amendment, is working with them to compel lawmakers to approve this change to the Supreme Law of the Land. (more)

War is commonly defined as “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations.” By that definition, the United States and its allies have been at war with Libya since late last week. “At my direction,” President Obama told Congress, “U.S. military forces commenced operations” in Libya. (more)

Liquor wholesalers’ attempts to rationalize federal alcohol legislation would appall James Madison, the father of the Constitution. Wholesalers claim their legislation will protect “states’ rights.” But their proposal would only serve their narrow special interest at the expense of individual freedom and prosperity — exactly the opposite of what the framers of the Constitution intended. (more)

Backed by top GOP leaders including House Speaker John Boehner, Republican Rep. Mike Turner is introducing a constitutional amendment to ban the federal government from owning corporations in whole or part following aggressive intervention by the Treasury Department during the financial crisis. (more)

On the evening of January 5th, Democrats stopped time. (more)

On the first day of the 112th Congress, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) of the House Immigration Subcommittee introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, H.R. 140, which would amend “the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States ‘subject to the jurisdiction of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national; (2) a lawful permanent resident alien whose residence is in the United States; or (3) an alien performing active service in the U.S. Armed Forces.” With the Congressional balance of power now in the hands of those who favor tighter immigration controls, the Birthright Citizenship Act (introduced in previous years by former congressman, and current governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal) is a front-page national immigration story — and a source of great confusion for the journalists who cover it. Here are just a few of the recent gaffes made by reputable papers. (more)

“There’s nothing new under the sun,” said President Harry Truman, “there’s only history we haven’t learned yet.” The history we haven’t learned yet was on display on page one of the Washington Post last week. Post writers Philip Rucker and David Farenthold reported on the reading of the Constitution by newly sworn-in members of the 112th Congress. (more)

In accordance with the GOP’s pledge to make adherence to the Constitution a priority in the 112th Congress, House members read the Constitution aloud on the House floor Thursday. The left met this seemingly innocuous action — after all, the Constitution is the foundation for our constitutional republic — with harsh criticism. (more)

(Via Ricochet.com) (more)

A member of the public who doesn’t believe President Barack Obama was born in the United States and therefore eligible to be president briefly interrupted the reading of the Constitution by House members Thursday. (more)

If you plan to follow along with your own copy during Thursday’s House floor reading of the U.S. Constitution, you might notice that some members reading aloud are skipping parts of the original document. (more)

On Thursday, as part of the new House rules package, members of the United States House of Representatives will read the United States Constitution from the House floor. This is a reflection of a call from “the genius of the American people,” as Alexander Hamilton so aptly described the American people in The Federalist, that Congress not forget the guiding principles set forth in our nation’s Constitution. After all, in a republic it is the people who rule through their representatives. Even James Madison, who believed that “Liberty is to faction, what air is to fire,” would be thrilled that Congress has taken the time out of bickering to remember the foundations of our country. (more)

(Via Ricochet.com) (more)

An early push by New Jersey Republican Rep. Scott Garrett to add some “teeth” to the GOP’s new Constitution rule requiring every bill cite its specific constitutional authority failed in a Republican conference meeting Tuesday. (more)

The moment seems designed for maximum effect. Many lawmakers will participate, with one representative reading a portion of the document before yielding the floor to another representative to continue reading and so forth. Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said Democratic lawmakers are welcome to participate if they wish. (more)

Next Spring, Republicans will be faced with a serious decision over whether to vote to raise the debt ceiling. (more)