Take our country back, from the Constitution

[Clementine]

Is our constitution still in one piece after the last 4 years?

 

[Politico]

I've got a simple idea:

The next time you do..let it go.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

nothing to see here


oh well

 

[Oldguy]

The Constitution has served us well for over 200 years.

Those who think it hasn't don't know their history. They seem to assume that every problem we have was birthed full-blown on Jan. 20, 2009, that all of this is brand new and that we need to make major, irreversible changes in order to "save" America and restore it to a past which never was. Not knowing about much of anything before they were born, they assume it's really, really bad and has never been this bad before.

They are not only wrong, they are fools who would destroy the very object of their affections in the name of "saving" it.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

I've got a simple idea: Let's give up on the Constitution. I know, it sounds radical, but it's really not. Constitutional disobedience is as American as apple pie.

For example, most of our greatest Presidents -- Jefferson, Lincoln, Wilson, and both Roosevelts -- had doubts about the Constitution, and many of them disobeyed it when it got in their way.

To be clear, I don't think we should give up on everything in the Constitution. The Constitution has many important and inspiring provisions, but we should obey these because they are important and inspiring, not because a bunch of people who are now long-dead favored them two centuries ago.

Unfortunately, the Constitution also contains some provisions that are not so inspiring. For example, one allows a presidential candidate who is rejected by a majority of the American people to assume office. Suppose that Barack Obama really wasn't a natural-born citizen. So what?

Constitutional obedience has a pernicious impact on our political culture. Take the recent debate about gun control. None of my friends can believe it, but I happen to be skeptical of most forms of gun control.

I understand, though, that's not everyone's view, and I'm eager to talk with people who disagree.

But what happens when the issue gets Constitutional-ized? Then we turn the question over to lawyers, and lawyers do with it what lawyers do. So instead of talking about whether gun control makes sense in our country, we talk about what people thought of it two centuries ago.

Worse yet, talking about gun control in terms of constitutional obligation needlessly raises the temperature of political discussion. Instead of a question on policy, about which reasonable people can disagree, it becomes a test of one's commitment to our foundational document and, so, to America itself.

This is our country. We live in it, and we have a right to the kind of country we want. We would not allow the French or the United Nations to rule us, and neither should we allow people who died over two centuries ago and knew nothing of our country as it exists today.

If we are to take back our own country, we have to start making decisions for ourselves, and stop deferring to an ancient and outdated document.



Professor: Take our country back, from the Constitution - CBS News

OK the majority suspend the constitution and rule of law we then go shoot and kill ever fucking anti constitution in America, After it's over we bring back the Constitution and move on.
Does that work for You? The Constitution saves your life.

 

[asaratis]

I've got a simple idea:

The next time you do..let it go.

He never had one. He copied the entire post from the article.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

The Constitution has served us well for over 200 years.

Those who think it hasn't don't know their history. They seem to assume that every problem we have was birthed full-blown on Jan. 20, 2009, that all of this is brand new and that we need to make major, irreversible changes in order to "save" America and restore it to a past which never was. Not knowing about much of anything before they were born, they assume it's really, really bad and has never been this bad before.

They are not only wrong, they are fools who would destroy the very object of their affections in the name of "saving" it.

Most people who are credible and who are speaking of amending or revamping the Constitution know history. I have never heard any of them make the points you have raised.

The principles behind the Constitution are cherished, but that document is not the word of a god.

Even crazy Tommy Jefferson was of the opinion that no generation should be tied to the whims of a previous one.

A document written over 200 years ago is inadequate to fully address the issues that pop up in the 21st century.

The Articles of Confederation gave way to our Constitution. It may be time for a new one. Is the amendment process adequate? Only narrowly

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Majority rule would be nice.

Majority rule is great if you're part of the majority, but what if you aren't?
A majority of Americans thought the Indian should be exterminated

History News Network

 

[Oldguy]

Most people who are credible and who are speaking of amending or revamping the Constitution know history. I have never heard any of them make the points you have raised.

What about those who openly espouse taking up arms against the government? In effect, that means taking up arms against the Constitution.

The principles behind the Constitution are cherished, but that document is not the word of a god.

No, it isn't. But, it IS the word of Law.

A document written over 200 years ago is inadequate to fully address the issues that pop up in the 21st century.

How so? What's inadequate about it?

The Articles of Confederation gave way to our Constitution. It may be time for a new one. Is the amendment process adequate? Only narrowly

What makes you think it may be time to trash the Constitution and replace it? Replace it with what?

 

[auditor0007]

Majority rule would be nice.

Majority rule is not a good thing when it comes to core values and rules we follow. This is why it takes more than a simple majority to amend the Constitution and why it must pass the legislatures of 3/4 of all states. Otherwise we'd be changing the Constitution, to our own detriment, every time the wind changed direction.

 

[Flopper]

I'm interested in what you think should be removed?

The electoral college is a relic in which the states elect the president made sense two hundred years ago but not today.

Requiring that someone be a natural born citizen to be president is needless discrimination against those that actually worked and sacrificed to become citizens. Do we really believe that a natural born citizen is in some way better qualified to be president.

The reason people own guns is not so they can join or form a militia. How about stating the real reason for gun ownership, protection and sport.

Some of the most important issues in society such as the right to vote, immigration, separation of church and state, marriage, right to privacy, innocent till proven guilty, etc..... are not even mentioned in the constitution but inferred by other statements and many times those inferences are a real stretch.

 

[Mac1958]

The beauty of our constitution is the ability to amend it. Scrapping it is silly, we're not France, tossing out the baby with the bath water.

Majority rule would be awful.

Nails it, twice!

Our legislative process is so fucked up right now, our "leaders" are so screwy and paid-off and narcissistic right now, there's no way in hell I'd want them coming up with something different anyway.

Talk about a clusterfuck. They'd all ignore each other like boys & girls at a junior high school dance, and then run out to the teevee cameras to complain about it. No way, no thanks.

.

 

[bripat9643]

It just needs updating, that's all. Or, we could simply scrap the entire thing and make a new one, either way I'm all for it.

What changes would you make?

 

[bripat9643]

I've got a simple idea: Let's give up on the Constitution.

The US abandoned the Constitution back in 1865.

.

1861, actually.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

The problem isn't the constitution, it's what Republicans imagine it says.

Once I linked to an Onion article, which of course is pure satire and very, very amusing. These right wingers are so desperate, to this day, they insist I linked to it thinking it was news. All you have to do is read it to know it's satire, but I can understand the confusion, after all, these people think "Fox" is news. So it's no wonder they don't recognize satire.

Here it is, enjoy:

Area Man Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

This really is hilarious and worth reading.

Deany, your hatred of Republicans made you pwned yourself --and not just once either

 

[JoeB131]

I'm interested in what you think should be removed?

My quick list-

The Second Amendment. Or at least clarify it in such a way where it isn't a license for crazy people to get weapons.

The Electoral College. Plain old distorts democracy. Frankly, I'm ticked off that our presidential election was only held in 10 states.

Require a balanced budget amendment.

Put term limits on Congressmen and Senators.

I'm halfway tempted to get rid of the Senate altogether, honestly.

 

[rdean]

The problem isn't the constitution, it's what Republicans imagine it says.

Once I linked to an Onion article, which of course is pure satire and very, very amusing. These right wingers are so desperate, to this day, they insist I linked to it thinking it was news. All you have to do is read it to know it's satire, but I can understand the confusion, after all, these people think "Fox" is news. So it's no wonder they don't recognize satire.

Here it is, enjoy:

Area Man Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

This really is hilarious and worth reading.

Deany, your hatred of Republicans made you pwned yourself --and not just once either

I don't hate Republicans. Most of them I pity. But I do hate their rancid and damaging ideology. The modern Republican leadership is like Midas. Only everything they touch turns to shit and is based on a foundation of ignorance and hate. Shall we look at Republican's state party platforms?

 

[Crackerjaxon]

Why should people in Iowa be at the mercy of New Yorkers? We're not a democracy, never have been and hopefully never will be. The electoral college assures that states with smaller poplulations have an equal say in the electoral process. We have the House of Representatives for popular representation.

Would you abolish the senate, too?

If you let democracy run rampant, rural citizens would become vassals to urban citizens.

We are a constitutional republic, or should be. Let's limit democracy to the house and state houses.

Already, we have the best marketers taking the White House. Why give them any more power?

 

[LordBrownTrout]

How about we just follow the constitution.

 

[Crackerjaxon]

The problem isn't the constitution, it's what Republicans imagine it says.

Once I linked to an Onion article, which of course is pure satire and very, very amusing. These right wingers are so desperate, to this day, they insist I linked to it thinking it was news. All you have to do is read it to know it's satire, but I can understand the confusion, after all, these people think "Fox" is news. So it's no wonder they don't recognize satire.

Here it is, enjoy:

Area Man Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

This really is hilarious and worth reading.

Deany, your hatred of Republicans made you pwned yourself --and not just once either

I don't hate Republicans. Most of them I pity. But I do hate their rancid and damaging ideology. The modern Republican leadership is like Midas. Only everything they touch turns to shit and is based on a foundation of ignorance and hate. Shall we look at Republican's state party platforms?

The only thing stupider than a republican is a democrat. Democrats have dumbed our schools down to incompetence, lowered political discourse to sloganeering, reduced our cities to welfare reservations. Ironically, they do it in the name of progress.

Republicans have been bought and sold by corporate interests, as have most democrats.

At least the republicans are more honest about it.