Quote:
Originally posted by Yorick:
Timber. Do you presume America will exist forever? I wonder what a Roman in 17AD would have said if asked the same question.
Making changes incredibly difficult now, only makes changes later more so.
|
I do not presume America will exist forever. However, having a Constitution forming the basis for a Representative Republic with term limits and periodic elections is intended to be a legal and governmental structure that allows peaceful revolution from the inside. The people want change, the vote for it. No need to grab the guns. That's the idea, anyway. I *hope* but do not *presume* it will continue to work.
The Constitution is the limit, the "check" on this system, which can be rather majority-driven. However, the Constitution defines the limits of what the government *can* do, and the Bill of Rights and other Amendments define what it *cannot.* There is a lot of gray room in between, and the courts take care of hammering that out.
In short, the changes are NOT difficult. While an Amendment is a high hurdle, the document is general enough to allow most all changes you would want. Plus, we have over 20 Amendments, so it ain't all that hard.
Take your beef with the 2nd Amendment. Well, as I pointed out, that has not limited Chicago from banning ALL handguns. You want a constitutional convention. Why not just lobby your mayor instead? Plus, then YOU would get a chance to get involved, instead of leaving it up to some ethereal THEY to do it for you.
What do these modern constitutions have that we need?? A prohibition on guns? Please. That is controlled by local rule (State, normally) in our country, and it would offend the states if we removed ALL power to the federal government (and threaten liberty as well).
Seriously, what is the US Constitution missing?? If you have a specific nag, like the 4 you listed on the fascism thread, take it to the legislature, don't go rewriting the country because you don't like smoking.
[ 05-27-2003, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]