Consider for a moment why the Fourteenth Amendment exists. It was drafted and adopted as a direct response to the US Civil War, which ended May 9, 1865. Many US states attempted to secede, leaving the United States to form a completely separate nation, and they did so to preserve legal slavery. The Fourteenth clarifies a number of things which the Confederacy used to justify and execute secession.
Section 1 makes all native born or naturalized people citizens, and the specific purpose was to make African-Americans citizens, with the full rights that citizenship carries.
Section 2 eliminates the three-fifths compromise, where each five slaves were counted as three "persons" for the purpose of representation in the House of Representatives. That was always a shitty compromise, because the slaves states got to have their cake (slaves with no rights, including the right to vote) and eat it too (but we get to count them so that we have greater power in the House). This basically made votes from citizens of slaves states, and their representatives in the House carry more weight than votes in non-slave states. (We still have the scale-tipping electoral college doing the same thing then, and today, but to a far lesser degree).
Section 3 is the part that's being pointed out as pertinent to current events in 2023. This was important in the aftermath of the Civil War in order to prevent secessionists who had held office prior to the Civil War from holding office again. "Did you take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, and then break that oath by engaging in insurrection or rebellion against that Constitution? You don't get to be in charge of anything governmental ever again." That "disability" exists, it does not require a trial, it does not require indictment, because in 1868, it was plain to all who was bound by this disability. But it clearly just exists, because a vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress can remove it. Donald Trump is absolutely not the only person to whom this section can apply. I would expect some state to prohibit Trump from the ballot on this basis, and then for that to end up before Congress for that vote. The outcome of that vote would determine the future of the United States in every meaningful way.
Section 4 basically says, "Hey assholes, you're going to have to take part in paying the expense of having to put down the rebellion you started, and you're not able to claim any expenses of that rebellion, and we're not paying you because you lost your slave labor. Fuck you."
Finally, section 5, "If this wasn't clear enough, we'll make it clearer with additional legislation."
Because he's still currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for US president in 2024. What he says may not make any sense; that the right wing in the US is embracing it means that his statements cannot stand unchallenged.
If reasonable people ignore him, he won't go away, because unreasonable people are paying attention to him. The sadder thing is that even if he goes away, his supporters will not suddenly become reasonable.
Boomer mother started going off about voting Trump because “illegals”.
“Nah, we handled that shit in Florida. Passed legislation scaring 'em right the fuck out of here. Of course our crops are rotting in the fields, we got no medical helpers, maids or janitors. But they left! Sure, there were 100 business owners interviewed saying they supported the bill, but didn’t think the consequences would work out like that. They need to hire real Americans. If they can find 'em for $5 an hour…”
We also got the “gay agenda” under control around here. Woke companies taking their convention business, and business in general, away, but at least we made a stand!
This is the reality GOP voters don't want to confront. The migrants are the fucking backbone of America - moreso than anyone born in this country. If it doesn't have an underclass to exploit, this country cannot be as successful as it has been. They provide the underpaid workforce that has allowed for wage stagnation to persist for decades.
The federal government should step in and offer to insure people with the condition that they can’t rebuild anywhere that can’t get private insurance. Eventually we’re going to have to deal with the fact that large sections of today’s coast is going to be unsafe in the near future and those people need some way to afford to move when the homes and land they move from will be worthless. Like all of Florida.
This is probably the most humane answer. But it would certainly be cathartic to see a bunch of dipshit millionaires and climate change deniers lose everything.
Cathartic but without real emotions behind it. Since as we've seen from COVID these people will cry about COVID not existing as they die from it. I fully expect them to drown and die, and lose their homes and still complain about Dems.
We eliminated malaria in the USA at great cost and effort in the 50's. Now this is all being undone by a GOP that would rather scapegoat drag queens and engage in a culture war than govern and keep Americans safe from disease. The pandemic, embracing of anti-vaxxers, scapegoating the CDC with conspiracy theories, an irrational hatred of Fauci, promotion of quack cures like ivermectin, and all the distrust in public health they have sown has made Republicans de facto pro-disease.
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