I often hear libertarians invoke the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to argue the unconstitutionality of the draft. But was the Thirteenth Amendment constitutionally ratified? Thirty-two states had supposedly ratified it by 1866 (when there were only thirty-six states), which would have been more than enough at the time. Were at least twenty-seven of these ratifications legitimate?
Yes. What is the reason to doubt that?
Frankly, does it matter? The US Constitution is about as binding as the Pirate's Code these days, and even if you did prove that there was a legal loophole allowing people to refuse to pay income tax, all that would result in would be the loophole being closed by Congress.
Actually, it is the FOURTEENTH Amendment that was fraudulently ratified. Most of the southern ratifications were under military duress and by illegal governments and at least one Northern state rescinded its ratification.
scineram: Yes. What is the reason to doubt that?
Because alot of those states were controlled by puppet, appointed military governments? The old union died in 1865, so I agree that there is no point in yammering on about what is or is not constitutional anymore.