It's Time to Rediscover the Constitution
By Lisa Brown, Executive Director, the American Constitution Society. Today marks the third anniversary of Constitution Day.
Most Americans can name the Three Stooges, but not the three branches of the U.S. Government.
- 2006 Zogby Poll
Most Americans can name more members of Homer Simpson’s cartoon family than can identify the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
- 2006 study by the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum
More Americans can identify the winner of American Idol than can name the Chief Justice of the United States.
- 2007 Newsweek Poll
What does our nation’s splendid and durable founding document, the United States Constitution, have to do to garner the respect it deserves? Sure, American politicians, journalists, jurists, lawyers and teachers repeatedly stress its enduring importance, but continuing national ignorance of even the most basic constitutional facts is all too obvious.
Ours is the world’s oldest written constitution still in effect, but how many U.S. citizens realize that or could name the date on which it was signed? Or, more importantly, why that’s significant? Every school child knows the date we declared our independence from the British. But while the Declaration of Independence gets a long July 4th weekend and fireworks, the Constitution has been absent from our national holiday calendar — consigned to mundane study in history or law classes rather than joyous celebrations.
Happily, there is an opportunity to change this, the result of a new federal holiday declared only four years ago. We now recognize September 17th — the date that the 39 delegates to the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution back in 1787 — as Constitution Day. Unlike its better known older sibling, Constitution Day does not evoke backyard barbeques, fireworks and parades. While such celebrations may be unnecessary, our Founders’ vision will not be realized unless we all engage in the life of our Constitution and the life of our nation.
The Constitution’s preamble begins with three majestic words: “We the People.” These words can only have effect if we, the people, understand the basic precepts of our constitutional system of government and our rights and responsibilities. Yet far too few today understand these concepts. Constitution Day offers an opportunity to celebrate and revitalize our Constitution by using it as a springboard to discuss our amazing constitutional democracy and the role we as Americans play in our nation. This is particularly true in an election year leading up to yet another peaceful transfer of power.
It is time to bring the Bill of Rights and other constitutional guarantees to life for new generations of students, young and old. As former Supreme Court Justice William Brennan once noted, constitutional guarantees are “tissue-paper bastions if they fail to transcend the printed page.” The Constitution is not simply some aging historical document displayed in the National Archives, but rather defines the powers of our government and the rights of the people on a host of issues that will shape our future.
My organization, the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS), a growing network of progressive lawyers, law students, law professors and judges, whose mission is to promote the vitality of our Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses, is working to promote increased constitutional literacy with our “Constitution in the Classroom” project. With the goal of energizing and empowering students to become lifelong participants in the democratic process, we place ACS volunteers in classrooms across the country to teach students about the Bill of Rights with grade-specific lesson plans. But this is just a beginning.
We all need to make our Constitution part of our ongoing dialogue about the future. Begin with small steps — volunteer at a school, read and discuss a portion of the Constitution with a young person or student, talk at the family dinner table about a particular constitutional provision and how it could have an impact on you. Examples could include being fired from a job for your religious beliefs, having your school locker searched or having your medical or telephone records reviewed by the government. The Constitution is a participatory document.
Perhaps Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), sponsor of the statute authorizing Constitution Day, put it best: "Without constant study and renewal of our knowledge of the Constitution and its history, we are in peril of allowing our freedoms to erode. If we fail to understand the importance of the checks and balances between Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Executive Branch, we will not be in a position to know when these checks are threatened."
While a Constitution Day celebration might not need fireworks and marching bands, it most certainly requires a better informed and more engaged citizenry. Cake and balloons wouldn’t hurt either.
Written By:Richard McClung On September 17, 2008 4:48 PM Written By:Remind Myself On September 19, 2008 11:16 AM
remindmyselfinstock.blogspot.com
The top management of the listed company salary should be tied a portion of it to the shares.... so when the shares price drop, it don't just penalise the investors, but those who don't take care of the company.....
Since the U S is going to have president election, should they bring this out as a topic for discussion?
We are not a democracy!!!!! Our founders called democracies mobocracies as they are simply majority rule. We are not a simple republic either, we are a Constitutional Republic as our government is supposed to be restricted by the limits"We the People" placed on the federal government by restricting their operation to a few enumerated powers, and then further restricting the government by separating their powers. Sadly we have lost most of these safe guards as Congress and the other branches ignore their limits, and We the People seem not to care so long as they keep redistributing others wealth.
As I'm sure you've heard others say, "I love my country, but I fear my government".
I feel more threatened by what our president and congress are doing right now than what happened on December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001.
There was an answer to those threats, but where is a U.S Citizen to go to defeat whats being purpitrated on us from the Oval Office and the floors of Congress?
Our country is being ovwerthrowm from within.
One's Protection of The U.S. Constitution is no more. Many Law makers, Judges, have committed perjury. Many contract for consumer now have small print of just 3 deceptive words which takes one Constitutional Right away. The deceptive words American Arbitration Assoc. or AAA. AAA shows rule, oath, ethics, laws, fairness, but when the consumer tries to enforce any of them because of unjust enrichment or misconduct the consumer find AAA has taken away there right to the constitution. How deceptive to use the word American while taking one right away. To the point the victim is force to pay the Criminal which is AAA client. No matter what the fact or evidence. The consumer find AAA can violate and break all rule, oaths, ethics, and laws. Even make award in spite of the law. The use of fraud and false statement causing victim to be forced to pay criminal which is AAA client. Only the consumer is bound by Rule oath ethics laws. AAA even if caught red handed just needs to cry immunity. My point is how can law be enforced by law makers Judges giving AAA power to restrict one Constitutional Right.
Perjury, Corruption, Fraud .
Oath of Office
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God Investigate and charge Martha Stewart for what! Not to investigate crimes,perjury,fraud against all America is disturbing. Unjust laws have now put America on it knees. Honor and Respect of are just laws are needed.
Americans to stupid, to scared, to weak, to enforce the Laws to stop
Financial Disaster.
CEOs Fed Congress make statements they conspired took bribes and unjustly
enrich them self. Corruption believe the few American that will demand
Justice can be over looked or payed off. To many violation to count. Here
Are 2. From CEOs Fed and Congress own mouth
. 1] " Many parties are to blame" Law Dictionary; A conspiracy exist when
the parties use legal means to accomplish an illegal result
2] "The Bail Out is Bribery" Encyclopedia; Any item of value to
influence the actions of an official in discharge of a public or legal duty
Solution ; Unjust Enrichment
Knowledge is immaterial under the law of unjust enrichment
Wed, 4 Jan 2006 17:23:00 -0500
Re: Unjustly enriched executive
"Former HealthSouth Corp. chief executive officer Richard Scrushy has been
ordered by a judge to repay his former company more than $47.8 million in
bonuses, according to published reports. ... Judge Allwin E. Horn III of
Jefferson County Circuit Court in Birmingham, who made the ruling as part of
a summary judgment in a shareholder lawsuit, determined that Scrushy is not
entitled to the payments whether or not he participated in the fraud or knew
about the scheme."
Prosecution evidence
Fed lowers Interest to prop Fannie and Freddie
2001 to mid 2003 the Federal Reserve lowered its interest rates 13 times,
from 6.25 to 1.00% overnight rate averaged 0.68% June 2004,
the Federal Reserve System target interest rate continued to do so 17
straight times
In March 2006, the Federal Reserve ceased to make public M3, arguably the
most reliable means of measuring the money supply.
Fed declared that the costs of collecting this data outweighed the benefits
Here's the kicker
The Fed needed to increase rates not lower them
Quote". overnight overdrafts (more than three occurrences in any 12-month
period), the overnight overdraft rate increases by one percentage point for
each additional occurrence."
American Demand Law Enforcement and Remove ,the Corrupt CEOs, Fed,
Congress
.Recover $500+B, Honor and make corruption look stupid.
American have no choice but to take the Law in there own Hands or the
corrupt have take control of America
Rem; Congress did not fail they scammed,
Rem; Congress had many red flags about the credit problem
Use the war to decoy American focus
Congress , Falsely accused, made statements of treason and stopped much
funding to protect our Military.
Congress disrespected the position they held to the point of treason.
The rule ; one is judged on how they have judged then they need to go to
prison for life and hell for eternity.
Rem; Corrupt CEOs, Fed and Congress believe they are above the law and
Americans to stupid, to scared, to weak to enforce the law..
article by Poor Sinner
After contemplating ( Poor Sinner ) it would appear that this man is locked into the system that he absolutely deplores, What a shame, most of us citizens was given the stamp as Americans being schizophrenic. Paranoid. The problem too was that Dr'Freud's attempt to put onto a third rail of baffled thinking will only corrupt an individual's one-track brain. Poor Sinner should means well, but should
re-examine his liberalism, and find a productive lively hood.
Is this post designed for file
thirteen--trash basket?
The constitution is a great thing and needs to be recognised. It is the whole of what our country stands for. America was founded on these principals and people need to remember that
The founding fathers of the Declaration of Independence, or rather was factored,
Article 6, Sec 6; by them, was political
manipulation through the treaty concept.
Read this section carefully. Well lain
in advance, was a subtle scheme lain
that would eventually be implanted, cancer like. Through time various methods
that would find its way into the United
Nations established in 1945. Yes, the United Nations is part and party weaved
into our supposed to be Republican form
of national government. Take a look at the Security Council, and still believe that national status has not been weakened by the proponents of entangling
Third World nations through the International Monetary fund. America is fast becoming a Banana republic. All because of under the table treaties with with Third World Treaties through State Departments representatives owing allegiance as appointed by Presidents and Congress yielding to outright treason, in dealing with Third World dictatorships. Of course, our
Marines were ready at hand to install or
replace Third World dictatorships through
rubber stamping within the highest seat
of national government. The Treaty clause
should be reconstructed, and not used as
a previously allusion as the ignorant and
super ignorant sustain without common sense!
I will be glad to take up this matter with anyone who loves our republican way of life hogorina@att.com
We keeping on harping about internal laws
respective of international carriers, not bothering to protect citizens on the high seas. Little attention has been paid to some of these floating whore houses regarding murders and robberies.
It is about time that passengers
with integrity given rights on floating
whore houses, deserving recognition on the water ways as same as the florishing
flop houses aliening the back alleys in our dear old Washington, D.C.
years past, I watched four hippies
raping a young lady in front of the White
House. The reporters turned their backs.
From rape in front of the White house to
ravishing on some floating prostitution
ring tells me to beware of what is taking
place in front of our noses.
Some years past Washington Confidential
was floated through the national pulp industry giving information on various Red Light districts that most likely many
congressmen had visited often. What is the difference, a floating whore house ( excursion crews ), or someone laid within
the nation's capital should be protected from body lice and and the creeping crud.
The late Oliver Wendell Holmes of the Supreme court: Tourist are nothing
less than international scavengers. Shame
on this master of law for downgrading our
mafia controlled watering holes on hold
for future tourist activities, more
protection is needed. These folks need
constitutional rights too!
America is being studded with No Tell Motels. If we were to tax all the floating barges misnamed Excursion ships, and flop houses in the nation's
capital, we could pay off the national Debt. in five years. What is the hold up1
The only thing scarier than the lack of knowledge of the Constitution in our society is the knowledge that you and your like are infiltrating schools to brainwash our kids with a twisted version of it.
While I am a staunch supporter of the Constitution and believe that we should have had a day a long time ago to celebrate the greatest document written by man, I think that you need to need to re-evaluate your terminology somewhat. We are not a democracy, we are a republic. Our forefathers made it clear that they did not intend for us to be a democracy, because it is the most vile form of government. When you say the Pledge of Allegiance, do you say to the democracy for which it stands? Think about it. It is not a matter of semantics; there is a distinct difference between the two.