Barbara Boxer wants to ratify U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (Hillary Clinton)

From this:

The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which opponents say could destroy American sovereignty by imposing international rulings on American law, could reach the Senate within 60 days. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) says she wants a 60-day timeframe for the State Department to complete its review so the Senate can move toward ratification of the UNCRC. During the Senate Confirmation hearing between Boxer and UN Ambassador-designate Susan Rice held on January 15, 2009, Boxer told Rice the UNCRC would protect "the most vulnerable people of society."

Opponents vehemently disagree. Under the Supremacy Clause (Article VI) of the U.S. Constitution, ratified treaties preempt state law. Since virtually all laws in the U.S. regarding children are state laws, this treaty would negate nearly 100% of existing American family law. Moreover, it would grant the government authority to override parental decisions by applying even to good parents a standard now only used against those convicted of abuse or neglect.

Rice said she supported the UNCRC, but also appeared to give Boxer a run-around on the timing. So, Boxer is going to have a chat with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about it.

You can read the text here: ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm. See also this, this, and this.

Note also that the UNCRC is one of the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals, and that Obama supports one of the other goals with the Global Poverty Act.

Sun, 02/08/2009 - 05:47 · Importance: 4