C-P councilmen sponsor a resolution in support of the notion that one should subscribe to Tea Party ideas about civics before being allowed to seek public office.
When Moses descended the mount with the Constitution and parted the Delaware River to present it to George Washington ... er ...
Seriously, the Lafayette City-Parish Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a resolution sponsored by Tea Party bots Andy Naquin and William Theriot that walks like a poll tax and quacks like a literacy test, except it applies to candidates rather than voters:
A resolution of the Lafayette City-Parish Council expressing support for the Common Sense 3 Project and requesting that the Legislature review a proposal that would require candidates for public office to pass a test demonstrating basic knowledge of the state and federal constitutions.
Nothing wrong with our elected officials having a working knowledge of our state and republic's founding documents, but mandating it? And who gives the test? Ray Green gives the test.
Green, the deadly serious, seriously didactic, flag-waving council gadfly (whom we like in a crazy-uncle-at-Thanksgiving sort of way), is the person behind - as best we can tell, although it might have origins in some other cubicle at Strict Constructionist World Headquarters - the Common Sense 3 Project. As the web page for the project notes (all caps his):
The goal of this project is to restore common sensibility, awareness, understanding & application of the most important document in US history!
Would you dare allow someone with no training, no experience, no proven skills or license, to fly you & your family in an airplane?
Would you dare allow someone with no training, no experience, no proven skills or license, to perform a medical operation on you or your family member?
THEN WHY DO WE ALLOW ANYONE WITH NO TRAINING, LITTLE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT TO OUR AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE, THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, TO MAKE OUR LAWS, RULES & REGULATIONS?
OK, so far so good. But it's the sample questionnaire Green provides that puts the cray and crazy:
Please mark each statement as true or false & give an explanation for your answer:
1. The US Constitution is in direct conflict with the Holy Bible. Why?
2. A private citizen cannot legally carry a loaded weapon on his/her person. Why?
3. George Washington's picture, image or replica, is on a US one dollar bill. Why?
4. The constitution states all men are created equal. Why?
5. There are only 26 amendments to the US Constitution. Why?
6. The Federal Reserve is a true government agency or organization. Why?
7. The USA is the greatest example of a Democracy & freedom in the world. Why?
8. A declared emergency justifies circumvention of the constitution. Why?
9. Communism is actually a greater threat to our country than losing our constitution. Why?
10. The basic purpose of our Constitution is to give government the power to rule our country & our people. Why?
The Common Sense 3 Project doesn't, however, ask that candidates for city-parish government have any knowledge of the Lafayette Home Rule Charter - i.e., our local constitution.
Here's what it has to say about running for the City-Parish Council (and, basically, city-parish president as well):
? A Council member shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age and a qualified elector of the district from which elected at the time of qualification.
? A Council member shall have been legally domiciled and shall have actually resided for at least one (1) year in the Parish of Lafayette and six (6) months immediately preceding the time established by law for qualifying for office in an area which, at the time of qualification, is within the district from which elected.
? A Council member shall continue to be legally domiciled and to actually reside within the district from which elected during the term of office.