A constitutional error recently discovered shows that North Dakota has never technically fit the requirements for statehood.
John Rolczynski, an 82-year old Grand Forks resident, discovered the error in 1995 and has been been campaigning to fix North Dakota's constitution ever since. The problem lies in the state constitution's omission in requiring the governor and other top officials to take an oath of office. In failing to require these oaths, North Dakota's constitution is at odds with federal requirements established by Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, therefore making statehood illegitimate.
After nearly 16 years of fighting to change the constitution, Rolczynski may finally see his goal accomplished: Senator Tim Mathern of Fargo introduced a bill this spring that would fix the error.
if they were never legit as a "State" ... then even the current Government in ND can't pass a Bill or any other action as a "State" ... technically it should still be a Territory, and be given back to the Sioux/Lakota Tribes!
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
motorfirebox said:
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
motorfirebox said:
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
motorfirebox said:
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
motorfirebox said:
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
Mexico?
Probably. Someplace brown, anyway.
I edited for someplace "Socialist" instead of brown.
motorfirebox said:
Man, and I thought it was bad when it was just individual people entering the country illegally, now we've got entire illegal states? Go back to where you came from, North Dakota!
You could just sent that statehood down my way. Republican successionism has taken hold among local county supervisors that would like to carve a tax free slice of freedom from California and form an new stronghold of conservative bliss called South California. The idea has been around since the days California first became a state, and has been mulled by both northern and southern Californian local governments. Riverside County supervisor, Jeff Stone, has spearheaded the latest effort to bring conservative leaning counties together to explore the option amid the gridlock that has become a permanent fixture in Sacramento.
Personally, I hate the idea. I grew up here in southern California and really don't want this place to become any more an enclave of ignorant assholes than it already is. I wouldn't want to give up calling this place the Golden State just so it can called a red state. Alas, if such an unlikely event were to occur, I'd imagine this standard would be fitting:
Coyotemike said:
I always assumed it was just a part of Canada.
No, they told us we had to take it if we wanted to keep the lil' doggie part of Michigan, or they'd burn the White House down again. Fuckers.
And you better fix that little constitutional problem because we don't want them to switch sides
*goes and gets matches just in case*
Hey! You Canadians gave the world Celine dion, the least you could do is take north Dakota.
Hey, it's not our fault she escaped, learned English and then you guys built her a Hotel in Vegas...your just going to have to live with the choices you have made, and that includes North Dakota
Coyotemike said:
I always assumed it was just a part of Canada.
No, they told us we had to take it if we wanted to keep the lil' doggie part of Michigan, or they'd burn the White House down again. Fuckers.
And you better fix that little constitutional problem because we don't want them to switch sides
*goes and gets matches just in case*
Hey! You Canadians gave the world Celine dion, the least you could do is take north Dakota.
Hey, it's not our fault she escaped, learned English and then you guys built her a Hotel in Vegas...your just going to have to live with the choices you have made, and that includes North Dakota
Also: I'm no con law expert, but I really don't buy any of this, my admiration of Mr. John Rolczynski's tenacity notwithstanding. I'm feeling about this a lot like I felt about the "ZOMG! Did you know that you're not a Scorpio anymore because of this new sign with a name no one can pronounce, like some sort of astrological Prince or some shit?!?" story back whenever that was. It wants to be a thing; it really does. But it's not a thing.
Weird but true: no court in the country would ever accept that argument, because what satisfies the "republican form of government" clause is considered a political question to be decided by the legislature.
i___zombie
USA
June 2003
JUL 14, 2011 12:22 PM