On 12/12/2012 9:36 AM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:45:28 -0500, Warp wrote:
>
>> Could someone explain to me how this is *possible*? Does nobody in the
>> United States actually enforce the constitution and make sure that the
>> member states follow it?
>
> Any law can be passed, it's up to someone who wouldn't meet the criteria
> to challenge it in court.
>
> And yes, there are people who challenge laws like this as a matter of
> course - FFRF has a track record of doing so - but in order to bring an
> action, they have to have standing to do so (or be representing someone
> who does).  They can't just say "this violates the constitution so we'll
> challenge it" if they're not a resident of the state in question with the
> intention of running for an office that has this requirement.
>
> Jim
>
Because, being a citizen and/or resident of the state, for some damn 
reason, doesn't qualify you as "having standing". Its this sort of BS 
that allows them to get by with a lot of shitty stuff, including the 
recent decision in one state to vote in a "right to work" law, in such a 
way that, supposedly, it can't be just shot down via a referendum (i.e., 
private citizens are not allowed to present a bill, which targets the 
removal of the law). And, of course, this was in direct retaliation 
against unions, who had tried, and failed, to put through a law which 
would have protected their rights, and, in the process, killed a list of 
other laws already on the books, which already undermined their ability 
to negotiate. Now.. no one gets to, basically, negotiate, and any thing 
the unions do get, and, as in the case of health insurance here in my 
state, with a similar law, have to pay for, ends up coming out of the 
pocket of the union, even if only one person in the entire store is in 
it, and there are 150 employees, all of them getting the "same" union 
paid insurance. (Well, I think the store puts in some money, since they 
recently shafted us $5 a week, then gave us a pitiful 10 cent raise to 
compensate, over, "We imagine the cost will go up, so, you need to pay 
some of it out of your pocket!" Because, you know, the $25 co-pay for 
just seeing a damn doctor wasn't screwing us enough...)

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