What if the US had to write a constitution from scratch? (CS Monitor)

[Up2Late]

(This is an excellent commentary, I with I could have posted it to LBN, but it would have ended up here in the end.)

Commentary > Opinion
from the August 19, 2005 edition

What if the US had to write a constitution from scratch?

By Brad Rourke

ROCKVILLE, MD. – What if, like the new Iraq, we in America had a matter of months to draft a new Constitution? Could we do it? No way - we can barely meet our annual October budget deadline.

First, we'd argue over whether current amendments should stick around; over whether there should be new language articulating a right of privacy. Someone would float a provision protecting the flag from the scourge of desecration. Another would propose limiting the right to bear arms, so Uzis don't flood the cafés. Someone would maintain it's critical for us to define when life begins, so we can protect the unborn from abortion. And so on. You can make your own list from today's headlines.

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What have we done for democracy lately? This isn't a question posed to some government institution, or even a political party. This is a question we can all ask of ourselves. What have I done, today, to make the public square the kind of place where debate can occur? What have I done to ensure fairness for the other side as well as my own? Most important: What would I be willing to give up for the good of the nation and not just my corner?

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In Crawford, Texas, grieving Cindy Sheehan won't budge until she gets a meeting with the president so she can demand that he end the war in Iraq. President Bush has dug in, refusing to meet with her. Outside agitators have entered the fray, and it's already escalated to vandalism and name-calling. Another bad example we should hope others don't emulate....

<http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0819/p09s02-coop.html>
(more at link above)

[Up2Late]

1. kick n/t

:kick: