Doyle Ignores Constitution

Ummm....

Governor Jim Doyle today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Wisconsin on climate change issues.  The agreement, signed by Governor Doyle and Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister of Parliament, promotes a working relationship between Wisconsin and the U.K. and builds upon current efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote low carbon technologies. 

Did Governor Doyle not study the United States Constitution in law school?

Section 10. No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation;

Wisconsin can’t legally enter into any kind of confederation with a foreign power.  He’s like a minor signing a contract.  It’s not legally binding.

UPDATE: Oops… I pasted the wrong part of the section.    This is the correct part:

No state shall, without the consent of Congress, ...enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power,....

Thanks, Steveegg.

1. I believe that falls into the last portion of Section 10:
   

   No state shall, without the consent of Congress, ...enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power,....

   I’m not a lawyer (much less a Constitutional lawyer), so I don’t know whether the plain-English reading that an explicit expression of consent governing the scope of an agreement is required before that agreement is sought is the controlling legal opinion.  If it is, then this would be unconstitutional.  If, however, it is “anything goes” either because a blanket authorization has been given by Congress or because it has been added in by the Lawgivers-In-Black, that’s another story.

   Posted by steveegg on May 12, 2008 at 2332 hrs




2. Steve:

   I think that argument that would be made in this case is that an MOU is not a prohibited item under Article 1 section 10. But, I also am not a Constitutional lawyer.

   Besides, there are more than enough reasons to argue with this document without figuring out whether or not it violates the Constitution.

   Posted by on May 13, 2008 at 0125 hrs




3. Wow, Owen, I guess this means that you were critical of former Governor Dreyfus (1975-1979) for proposing a compact between Wisconsin and Alberta for the education of Alberta students in Wisconsin with Alberta supplying oil/energy to Wisconsin?  Dreyfus called is “Crude for Thought”.

   Seriously, the state has been entering into nothingburger argreements like this with Canadian provinces and other countries for decades.  So how come when Doyle does it it’s suddenly a major deal when it ewasn’t before?

   You folks are so transparent and so hypocritical.  There is nothing that the man does which is above criticism, even when he goes down the same path as nearly all his predecessors.  I suspect that you don’t like the way that the Governor licks stamps, to quote Danny DeVito!

   Posted by on May 13, 2008 at 0854 hrs




4. Golly, Wally, considering that in 1979 I was 5 years old and living in Saudi Arabia, I’m guessing that I didn’t criticize Dreyfus at the time.  Sorry for missing that one.

   Posted by Owen on May 13, 2008 at 0858 hrs




5. Wally,

   I was wondering if I could get a look at the SOP for how to handle when a Democrat does something wrong.  I get the part where you try to distract from the issue using something from the past, but I just want to make sure I understand all the finer points.

   Posted by on May 13, 2008 at 1046 hrs




6. I would guess that it is time to hold President Bush accountable to the Constitution as well, is it not?
   I won’t go into all the abuses he has done to it, but we all know the drill.

   Posted by on May 13, 2008 at 1137 hrs




7. Today’s news tells us that Doyle, fresh from his trip to Ireland and London, and not TOO far from his trip to China, will now go off to India.

   After all, HE may as well spend that $1.5 million left in the State bank account as of 6/30/09.  He’s the Governor, no?

   Posted by dad29 on May 13, 2008 at 1941 hrs