Jellyfish and Other Spineless Creatures

As reported in the New York Times, the “moon jelly, or common jellyfish, is often viewed as a problem, an ecological invader, a nuisance to swimmers, or worse. A moon jelly population explosion last month clogged the water intakes of a Swedish nuclear power plant, forcing it to shut down. The jellyfish, which can be 2 to 15 inches in diameter, is such a concern that engineers in South Korea designed seagoing, prowling robotic blenders to liquefy the offenders.”  One learns early on in biology class that one of the unique features of the jellyfish is that it is spineless.

The United States, however, is currently dealing with another group of spineless invaders clogging the lifeline of Congress’ constitutional mandate as set forth in the 14^th amendment.  That amendment mandates that the full faith and credit of the United States “shall” not be tampered with.  The Republican Party made their intentions absolutely clear, proclaiming in their 1868 party platform that “national honor requires the payment of the public indebtedness in the utmost good faith to all creditors at home and abroad,” and pronouncing any repudiation of the debt “a national crime.”  More than three generations later, in 1935, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, ruling in the case of Perry v. the United States, revisited the amendment and affirmed the “fundamental principle” that Congress may not “alter or destroy” debts already incurred.  The spineless invaders this time have, in fact, put our national honor at stake by committing the “national crime” of the repudiation of our already incurred debt. 

Just saying . . .