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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Today's Idiot (literally) |
| 2007-01-09 |
| State weighs cutting "idiot" from constitution PHILADELPHIA, Jan 8 (Reuters Life!) - New Jersey is to consider cutting the word 'idiot' from its constitution so that people with some mental disabilities won't be barred from voting. State Senate President Richard Codey introduced a bill on Monday that would remove language from the New Jersey constitution that was designed more than 150 years ago to prevent people suffering from mental illness or handicap from casting their vote in national, state or local elections. Codey wants to eliminate a section that says "no idiot or insane person should enjoy the right of suffrage" and substitute with a reference to "a person who has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting." Codey, a Democrat who was previously acting governor of New Jersey, said in a statement the term "idiot" is "outdated, vague, offensive to many and may be subject to misinterpretation." He said individuals with cognitive or emotional disabilities may be capable of making decisions in a voting booth, and those people should not be discriminated against. "This is another big step toward removing the stigma of mental illness," Codey said. The proposed changes will be included in a constitutional amendment which voters will be asked to approve in a statewide ballot in November. It must first be cleared by the state legislature. |
| Posted by:Free Radical |
| #10 Might as well, they allowed to let the stink out.... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2007-01-09 14:34 |
| #9 Thought idiots voted all the time and that explains the current congress. Next up on the agenda: "Letting the dead vote for at least two years." |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-01-09 14:13 |
| #8 Democrats courting the idiot vote hardly qualifies as news. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-01-09 13:57 |
| #7 If they can just do a find/replace of that one section and then leave it be I'm fine with it. If they have to scrap the existing docs and reprint them and the thing costs money than this State Senate President is a tool. Remember the old days when little things like this didn't require a press conference. People just got things done and moved on. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-01-09 13:54 |
| #6 Next thing, they'll want to take "We the People" out of the US Constitution. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-01-09 13:39 |
| #5 How come I'ma thinkin'..."Let 'em do it." Jersey's so far gone, it really won't make a difference, will it? |
| Posted by: BA 2007-01-09 13:28 |
| #4 What about Moron, Retard, Imbecile, Dumbass and Farthead? I guess they'll still wont be able to vote. Oh I forgot they already did vote in November! |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-01-09 12:44 |
| #3 I can see how idiot would offend the liberals.... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-01-09 12:34 |
| #2 Codey, a Democrat who was previously acting governor of New Jersey, said in a statement the term "idiot" is "outdated, vague, offensive to many and may be subject to misinterpretation." Sounds like he's taking this very personally... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-01-09 12:08 |
| #1 Idiots, dead people, who cares? As long as they vote for the right candidate, it's ok. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-01-09 12:04 |