Do you think it's constitutional for the government to make polygamy illegal?
2007-02-13 13:43:02 · 19 answers · asked by Tiff 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I think that it is clearly not constitutional for the government to make polygamy illegal...The 9th and 10th amendments to the constitution make it clear that any power not SPECIFICALLY given to the government in the constitution is NOT theirs to take.....Since there is not a single word in the constitution regarding the government's authority with respect to marriage, they cannot regulate it......
This is one of the ways in which false conservatives misunderstand their ideology......Conservatism calls for a strict interpretation of the constitution.....It abhors any extension of the government's power. The growth of governtment power and intrusion into our private lives SHOULD be what conservatives fight against most strongly.......Instead, they are the folks that call for the government to extend its powers and move into regulating marriage....They dont understand their own ideology.....
2007-02-13 14:13:15 · answer #1 · answered by Dave K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that the Constitution grants some pretty broad powers to the legislative branch. And I think that sometimes the members of the legislative branch get carried away with their own importance. I think such a thing happened with the passage of the 18th amendment--where the consumption of alcohol was forbidden in the United States.
I think that probably the laws concerning multiple marriage partners were probably passed in the same vein of thought.
Although, speaking as a 'happily married man', who in the world would want multiple wives?
2007-02-13 14:43:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Constitution isn't involved in the question of polygamy.
Frankly, I don't care how many wives or husbands or children someone has - just as long as I am not supporting them.
2007-02-13 15:42:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is contitutional for the Government to determine that they will only recognize one marriage. But, most polygamists are only legally married to the first wife, and the rest of the wives are just "spiritual" wives.
What they do not realize is that if the husband died, only the first, legal, wife would legally have a claim to the property obtained during the marriage. Also, I haven't figured out the benefits for the junior wives. By law, my employer would have to extend benefits to my wife, if I was married. But, given that they are only legally married to one wife, what happens to the other wives?
But, to answer your question, polygamy is not illegal. The government only recognizes the first marriage. The rest are just spiritual.
2007-02-13 14:51:13 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe your constitution forbids state and church to define whats right and proper for the other to do.
So no, the state shouldn't be allowed to define polygamy as illegal for any religion.
You can not outlaw foolishness, too many people would have to be locked up.
2007-02-13 13:55:32 · answer #5 · answered by Old guy 124 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats a very interesting question.
For entertainments sake I would argue that the constitution has no right to limit ones ability to marry multiple partners, so long as neither were under age. That could fall within religious freedom--again, so long as no women or man was under legal age.
But I would add to that that under benefit coverages, for estate and what not, that only one person would be eligible for benefits if there was more than one.
2007-02-13 13:48:59 · answer #6 · answered by writersbIock2006 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it is constitutional but the government does things that are not constitutional all the time. They definitely do not limit themselves to constitutional law. To bad, it would solve them alot of problems.
2007-02-13 13:59:51 · answer #7 · answered by Karen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equally, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It seem that our founding fathers believed that if you found happiness with more than one spouse than it was you right to pursue that happiness. So how can any branch of our government, with by the way, governs at our, the peoples pleasure deny us the right to plural marriage Our forefathers fought a war, then came up with another document that guarantied these rights
2007-02-13 14:23:07 · answer #8 · answered by Rick M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Constitutional? No! But any sane man knows better. I have enough problem with one woman nagging me. I can't imagine 2 or 3, it would drive me nuts.
2007-02-13 13:49:31 · answer #9 · answered by Yo it's Me 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whatever Floats Your Boat.
2007-02-13 13:48:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋