A constitutional plan

"This is the way the establishment handles grass-roots movements," he added. "They humor people who are not expert or not fully cognizant. And then once they've humored them and those people go away, it's right back to business as usual. It looks like this will be business as usual -- except for the half-hour or however long it takes to read the Constitution out loud."

A constitutional plan
Reading is a nod to tea party
SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2011

House Republicans will start the next Congress with a reading of the Constitution.

The planned reading on Thursday is part of a package of rule changes proposed by Speaker-designate John Boehner after he is sworn in and control of the House shifts to Republicans.

Lawmakers will take turns reading portions of the 4,543-word document with all 27 amendments, which could take a half-hour or so. In a bipartisan spirit, Democrats will be welcome to participate.

The gesture will play well with conservatives and tea partiers who believe the government has strayed from the Constitution. It will likely be interpreted as a GOP-led return to the principles of the Founding Fathers.

But others are less convinced about the significance.

Kevin Gutzman, a history professor at Western Connecticut State University and tea party sympathizer, believes it is "entirely cosmetic."

"This is the way the establishment handles grass-roots movements," he added. "They humor people who are not expert or not fully cognizant. And then once they've humored them and those people go away, it's right back to business as usual. It looks like this will be business as usual -- except for the half-hour or however long it takes to read the Constitution out loud."

Then after the grandstanding, the House can get down to business.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110102/OPINION01/301029961