Kathleen Sullivan writes about the recent increase in proposed amendments to the United States" Constitution and how this could possibly be detrimental to our government in the future. She begins by mentioning how little the constitution has been amended in its history (only 27 times). This, she writes, is due to the level of difficulty that is attributed to this process. Using a system of checks and balances, there are only two ways to ratify an amendment. Either both houses of Congress must agree by a vote of two-thirds or two-thirds of the states may request a constitutional convention. Even after these processes are achieved, three fourths of the states must vote to ratify before the amendment is passed. According to Sullivan, it is this process that has preserved our Constitution's "purity" and our government's time tested way of enacting and maintaining laws. Obviously believing that frequent ratification of new amendments is a threat to our system, she gives us five reasons why our Constitution works as it exists today.
The first reason Sullivan gives for the Constitution's continuing success is its stability. By this she means that we can rely on it being unchanging because it has been for over 200 years. Laws may change according to era and popularity but the basic principles set forth by our forefathers are still in tact.
Secondly, she mentions the rule of law. Basically, the Constitution was set forth to be a base on which to build a government. It was not meant to be specific. That task was to be left to individual state constitutions.
Sullivan also writes that the Constitution was written as a whole document. How things worked together was important. Adding amendments in a "piecemeal" fashion undermines the basic principles set forth. One example given is the amendment proposed to ban flag desecration. By banning protest (flag burning) it is inhibiting freedom of speech.
Now when asked the question, "Did the Amendments to the Constitution make the nation more or less democratic?" ... The Amendments were the most moving change to the original Constitution. ... Amendment 17 did away with this allowence. ... Though this amendment was not the cure-all. ... The Amendments to the Constitution have made this national document become more democratic. ...
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is one of the most important and controversial facets of the historic document. ... Hence, the Bill of Rights was included as the first ten amendments to the Constitution. ... At this time it was unclear who had the authority to interpret the Constitution and its amendments. ... This precedent gave the judiciary authority to interpret Constitutional Law and determining what was allowed according to the Constitution and its Amendments and what did not. ... However, this applies only to the First Amendment of the f...
The question of whether our Constitution is still alive in America today is a difficult one. ... I feel that modern America is not keeping our original Constitution alive. ... While some amendments a nd rules in the Constitution are still followed, I feel that the main ones are being forgotten or too modified. ... One of the lines in the preamble is that the Constitution will ensure domestic tranquility. ... The first amendment is about freedom of press, religion. and SPEECH. ...
Constitution is the first ten amendments to the constitution. ... These factors that lead to many amendments of the Texas Constitution differ greatly from the United States Constitution. ... Second, the numerous amendments to the Texas Constitution have made it extremely disorganized (Casey). ... A potential solution that has been discussed for this issue is disallowing further amendments to the Texas Constitution until a new constitution can be written (Casey). ... Also, disallowing amendments would not solve the problem as completely as just rewriting the constitution. ...
This was the Constitution of the United States, two years later the Bill of Rights was bestowed on the nation. The intent of this paper is to provide a look at the United States Constitution and the Amendments that followed, I will also further give insight into three Amendments that I found interesting. ... This is exactly what you would expect to see of Constitution of the United States. ... While it is unfortunate that many Americans have not and probably will not read the Constitution in its entirety, I was given the opportunity to do just that and share Amendments that stuck out to me. ...
" The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States The first amendment was written by Thomas Jefferson, and effected on Dec 15, 1791, it is also known as Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition. ... The constitution freedom of speech help the U.S become an improved country because they have taken note to their people voice and opinion which is a very powerful amendment out of all the amendment in the bill of right. ... In conclusion, due to the fantastic part of the constitution, the U.S had proving that they are difference from other countries because the U.S has...
The constitution was the great solution to all of the problems. ... Freedom for everyone was very loosely interpreted by the Southern states, but this was addressed in the constitution by the 13th amendment. The thirteenth amendment was set in place to put a real end to slavery, but did not fully succeed without federal supervision which was important to make sure every person could be given the right to freedom. ... Liberty is the right to be free without being oppressed, which showed in the thirteenth amendment and the first amendment, meaning the Constitution truly achieved two of its ideal...
In this paper we will analyze the First Amendment of the Untied States Constitution. ... (United States Constitution, 2004) As you can clearly see, that first sentence states "congress shall make no law." ... Constitution. ... Constitution. ... (www.findlaw.com) The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees "the right of the people peaceably to assemble- The constitutional right of peaceful assembly means that people can gather in public to discuss their opinion about government or other concerns. ...
For over 60 years prior to the Civil War, the Constitution was able to unify the Nation. ... The Union felt threatened by the Slave Act through it's potentially dangerous precedent of removing the right of trial by jury (violation of the seventh amendment) from not only blacks but the "superior" white citizens. ... On the other hand, southerners believed that the constitution supported slavery. ... His case transferred to the Supreme Court where the court then judged him to be property of his the slaveowner who possessed him therefore, it would be a violation of the third amendment which ...