The Watcher Cat

The Watcher Cat

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Or, You Could Just Send the Selden Society a Check...

New Hampshire Republicans are . . . interesting:
House Bill 1580 is the product of such a brainstorming session this summer between three freshman House Republicans: Bob Kingsbury of Laconia, Tim Twombly of Nashua and Lucien Vita of Middleton. The eyebrow-raiser, set to be introduced when the Legislature reconvenes next month, requires legislation to find its origin in an English document crafted in 1215.

"All members of the general court proposing bills and resolutions addressing individual rights or liberties shall include a direct quote from the Magna Carta which sets forth the article from which the individual right or liberty is derived," is the bill's one sentence.
Guys, as a medieval legal history junkie (and how sad is that), I appreciate your interest, but even fellow addict Oliver Wendell Holmes would--and, in almost as many words, did in fact say that
It is revolting to have no better reason for a rule of law than that so it was laid down in the time of Henry IV. It is still more revolting if the grounds upon which it was laid down have vanished long since, and the rule simply persists from blind imitation of the past.
Well, yes. Thankee.

Joining and supporting the Selden Societyis really a much better way to go. And, you'll learn what Magna Carta does, and does not, have to do with today's society.

And, in keeping with today's other post:

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