Friday, October 11, 2013

Because someone has to: School the House Rock (video)

Roy Zimmerman uploaded this video to help out during the shutdown, pointing out how easy it is to remember that there are three branches of government, just like the three corners of their revolutionary hats.

At least one House Republican believes there are 4 branches of government, not three.


















Watch:

 


 Such a simple concept, even a Tea Partier can understand it.

The words:

Hey, Tea Party House members: This one's for you!

You dress up like a Founding Father
So you might think you'd bother
To read the Constitution in your pocket
But you need some schooling, so let's rock it!

There are three branches
Three branches of government
Three branches of government
Like the three corners of your hat

That should make it easier for you to remember.

There's the legislative branch - that would be you
The Executive Branch - that's ... You-Know-Who
And then there's the branch that you call the Ju...
Diciary
And that's necessary for the

Checks and balances
Checks and balances among the three branches
Three branches of government
Like the three corners of your hat

With me so far?

Now, you can pass a bill, and when you do
It's signed into law by you-know-who
Or vetoed, and then it comes back to you
And you might override it, 
But once it's been decided it's a law

Yes, it's the law of the land, and all the negotiations and compromises have happened already.

Now you may say the law's "Unconstitutional"
Then the Constitution tells us the solution'll be
To take the question of its constitutionality
To the Supreme Court to decide it's ultimate legality

Now you can repeal a law, unless you try 42 times and you don't have the votes. But you can't find a law unconstitutional; that power belongs to the Judicial Branch. And withholding funding from a law you don't like is, in effect, vetoing that law. And funding only certain parts of the law is an attempt to exercise a line-item veto. You don't have the power to veto; that power belongs to the Executive Branch. So, if the Legislative Branch - that's you - usurps the power to determine constitutionality and the veto power, what's really being vetoed is the Rule of Law. And what's really being compromised is the Constitution. Still with me?

So you can pass a bill, and when you do
If you cry "Boo hoo, it's unconstitu...
tional," then try to veto it, well here's a clue:
Your hat only has one point

That's the School the House Rock 
That's the School the House Rock

H/T: Veracity Stew