Lawsuit of the Day: More Presidents to Forget About Memorize
Americans already struggle with knowledge of history. Now, some guy wants to make the whole “Founding Fathers” thing even more complicated. If he has his way, George Washington will no longer be the correct answer to “Who was our first president?” It’ll be Samuel Huntington, who was elected president under the Articles of Confederation.
Ever heard of Elias Boudinot, Nathanial Gorham, Arthur St. Clair, or Cyrus Griffin? Well, those are some of the other guys that Stanley Klos wants you to remember as Founding Fathers and American presidents.
We’re getting a headache. From the Suncoast News:
Klos has written a book on the subject and formed a corporation called Forgotten Founders Inc. He had an exhibit at the 2004 Republican convention and plans another at this year’s Republican convention.And now he has brought his case to federal court. He is suing Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, trying to force the government to include his 10 presidents on coins. The suit cites the “Presidential Coin Act,” which directs the Treasury secretary to issue $1 coins emblematic of the Presidents of the United States, and to mint the coins until each president has been honored.
Klos claims in the lawsuit that failing to recognize these men harms his children and all students in America by misleading them about “the existence and identity of the earliest founders and the presidents of the United States.”
Klos said U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday, who has been assigned the case, “has a chance to right history. If he does it, it’ll finally correct the textbooks.”
We are still recovering from Pluto being declared “not a planet.” How much more revision of our elementary school understanding of the world are we expected to take?
Scholar Sues To Recognize ‘Presidents’ Before Washington [Suncoast News]
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Comments
First to say that the Articles of Confederation sucked.
First to say this *****ing **** should be benchslapped with sua sponte Rule 11 sanctions for wasting judicial resources.
George Washington was the FIRST President of the United States of America.
Is Samuel Huntingon the "president" any relation to Samuel Huntington the Harvard professor?
I have been before Judge Merryday several times. The only history he will be making is possibly a historic ass whooping handed down on this douchebag.
I hear they are not making an Alexander Haig coin eiither. But due to popular demand, a Josiah Bartlet will be produced.
Kash, I know you're not a lawyer, but come on, this is just ridiculous--he obviously has no standing.
....and Arthur St. Clair was personally responsible for the worst defeat of American arms on American soil (in Ohio, of all places). Not sure we really want to commemorate him.
See 31 USC 5112(n)(3)(A) ("ORDER OF ISSUANCE- The coins issued under this subsection commemorating Presidents of the United States shall be issued in the order of the period of service of each President, beginning with President George Washington.")
Samuel Huntingdon was the first "president of the congress" or something of the sort. He was our first chief executive but not our nation's first "President."
Was there a "United States of America" under the articles? There could be a president under the articles, but if it's not a POTUS, then does it count?
The Articles make no mention of a national chief executive and certainly no mention of a POTUS, even if the presiding member of Congress acted as such in a de facto capacity. Just to get that out of the way.
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/artconf.htm
And, @ 10:25(2) - Bartlet for America!
Somehow I doubt the Presidential Coin Act contains a private cause of action ....
His case = kicked --> curb
That guy looks like Chris Walken - Christopher Walken's eerily-more-off-putting sister.
speaking of lawsuit of the day: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/05/08/ex_employee_alleges_she_was_drugged_at_firms_party/
Boston to...roofies?
I hope this creates a debate about whether the Articles of Confederation should be used in interpreting the Constitution.
Otherwise, this dude's a tool.
Kash is the best thing that ever happened to ATL. Love the pluto line.
Gallion OUT!
11:42 / Gallion - Why don't you register for a commenter identity? Or is "Gallion" a collective (like some speculated about "Loyola 2L")?
Loyola 2L to 190K !!!
He is just pale. Like Count Dracula
Samuel Huntington was the first "President of the United States Congress Assembled". This position was an elected position within the Continental Congress itself. Members chose from everyone sent to Congress from the Colony they lived in. The true President of the United States of America, is the head of the executive branch of our government, a branch of government that did not even exist at the time. This guy is an idiot, and does not even know his history. They liken this position to the modern day Speaker of the House. Maybe he should sue for a coin for these morons!