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Ensign: Think About 'Solemn Oath' When Voting On Health Care Bill
Eric Kleefeld | December 23, 2009, 3:04PM
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During the debate today on the health care bill, Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) declared that Congress is not empowered by the Constitution to reform health care at all -- and that Senators are violating a "solemn oath" by passing such a bill.
"When each one of us comes to this floor after we're elected, we raise our right hand, put our hand on the Bible, and take an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. We in no way take an oath to reform health care, or do anything else that we think is good to do," said Ensign. "Anything on health care or any other good provision that we want to do around here has to fit within the powers that are listed within the constitution of the United States. That's the oath, the solemn oath that each and every Senator takes. And that's what each and every one of us needs to think about when we're voting on this constitutional point of order."
Ensign, whose presidential aspirations were derailed earlier this year due to an extra-marital affair, does appear to have a point on this one. After they are elected, Senators walk down the aisle of the chamber and perform a serious ceremony, committing themselves to the bonds of their office. And breaking those vows is not to be taken lightly.
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ondioline
December 23, 2009 3:19 PM
That last paragraph was almost cruel...
What if my sides had ruptured? Or I'd been electrocuted from the spit-take hitting my monitor and keyboard? Won't somebody think of the childish?!?!?!
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rbe1
December 23, 2009 3:22 PM
Oh God, coming from this guy, this is really so rich ! God must love irony, he made so many republicans.
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Lonesome Otter
December 23, 2009 3:32 PM
"forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live" another solemn oath he's probably uttered somewhere..............
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jsdc007
December 23, 2009 3:34 PM
These C-Street "Family" Republicans really do believe its one rule for them and another for everyone else. Really. Its part of their creepy, "Jesus has a special message for powerful, sleazy, rich, white douchebags" belief.
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AhTrini1
December 23, 2009 3:42 PM
Blah, blah, blah, I am talking out my arse, and amazingly teabaggers eat it up and fall in lock step with the stupidity, wow, what the power.
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pl3bian
December 23, 2009 3:47 PM
Sociopath.
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texscubarat
December 23, 2009 3:53 PM
Let's see. I guess laying down while your president leads us into an illegal war is written in the constitution. The ability to circumvent law, as well. What a hypocrite. I can't believe he was actually voted into office. Even more so, how he can (with a straight face) talk about honoring a solemn oath. What a ?x*!bag
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margaret
December 23, 2009 4:02 PM
Is that solemn oath kinda like the marriage vows he took?
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jsfox
December 23, 2009 4:07 PM
Hmmm indeed. SNL doesn't even need to change a word.
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glblank
December 23, 2009 4:31 PM
Ya gotta wonder about these married C Street frat boys acting like drunken sailors on shore leave and daring to talk of solemn oaths. Republiswine in pure cognitive dissonance. Then ya gotta wonder about the folks who call themselves Independents drinking from the Kool-Aid. The fellow Swine I can understand, Sheeple as Mark Marin used to say. Manlambpig.
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tweakyd
December 23, 2009 4:33 PM
Play the man off, Keyboard Cat!
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Virginia
December 23, 2009 4:49 PM
So Medicare is unconstitutional. Why isn't Ensign coming out for it's abolition?
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sailor1939
December 23, 2009 5:02 PM
I think Ensign is trying to claim Doug Feith's title as the "dumbest fucking guy on the planet".
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Brooklyn Democrat
December 23, 2009 5:13 PM
Perhaps this irony-free fool doesn't think that the Constitution's preamble ("...in order to promote the general welfare") wasn't covered by the oath he took.
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Rich in NJ
December 23, 2009 5:15 PM
Does he sell used cars at night?
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tmccarthy0
December 23, 2009 5:17 PM
OMGWTFLOLROTFL, irony has made a huge comeback./
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HarpoSnarx
December 23, 2009 6:00 PM
Yeah we know how much oaths and vows mean to you CongressWhore.
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CVille Dem
December 23, 2009 6:21 PM
Only a republican would come out with such hypocrisy and not be laughed off the floor of the Senate. He wasn't laughed off, was he? I didn't think so.
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howie911
December 23, 2009 7:35 PM
"When each one of us comes to this floor after we're elected, we raise our right hand, put our hand on the Bible, and take an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. We in no way take an oath to reform health care, or do anything else that we think is good to do", said Ensign.
I wonder if shitheads like Ensign even hear themselves when the speak.
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