Guy Fawkes on Capitol Hill, part 2

In a recent post, we discussed the unnerving possibility -- first raised by employees of the Capitol Power Plant (who outlined their fears in a letter to several congressmen) -- that terrorists could use little-known steam tunnels beneath the Capitol building to plant explosives. Cops don't go into these dangerous tunnels, but other people, presumably the homeless, have been spotted scuttling in and out of them.

A participant on the Randi Rhodes forum brings our attention to another story which may prove germane. On January 9, 2005, the Boston Herald published an article titled "Congress passes 'Doomsday' plan."

With no fanfare, the U.S. House has passed a controversial doomsday provision that would allow a handful of lawmakers to run Congress if a terrorist attack or major disaster killed or incapacitated large numbers of congressmen...

But under the new rule, a majority of living congressmen no longer will be needed to do business under "catastrophic circumstances."

Instead, a majority of the congressmen able to show up at the House would be enough to conduct business, conceivably a dozen lawmakers or less...

The House could be run by a small number of lawmakers for months, because House vacancies must be filled by special elections. Governors can make temporary appointments to the Senate.

You consider that law unconstitutional? Don't expect the current Supreme Court to agree with that view.

Could a cabal of some dozen-or-so congressfolk change the Constitution? Article V does allow for the calling of a new Constitutional Convention, which would also need ratification by two-thirds of the "several States." And some right-wingers have lusted after this very possibility. See, for example, here. You may also take an interest in the hypothetical arguments raised here.

Pleasant dreams!