Do you ever imagine what the Constitution would look like if the

[merbex]

right wing,the neo cons and fundies, and corporate America had been at the initial Constitutional Convention?

I'd be willing to bet my house that the Bill of Rights would not be included

I'd also be willing to bet that the Executive Branch would be much stronger and there would be no "advise and consent" mentioned anywhere

[Quetzal]

1. Companies would have free-speech rights

and would be allowed to freely discriminate against minorities.

[ktowntennesseedem]

2. They would have omitted the first amendment,

and entered the second amendment twice.

[pnorman]

7. Actually, the Second amendment

was in behalf of States Rights, as opposed to the "strong national government" philosophy of the Federalists. At THAT time, it was in behalf of the "common man" (yes, note the gender), as opposed to what could be considered the aristocracy.

pnorman

[baldguy]

3. .

The fundies would persecute everyone and the neocons & cororatists would ignore it.

[nookiemonster]

4. With the writing skills of

"My Pet Goat", no doubt. :P

[indepat]

5. Are we not seeing what it would be like? The Constitution surely does

not now stand in their way now.

[pnorman]

6. As it was, it was a "tough sell" against the Federalists,

which it why those Rights were unable to make it into the main body of the Constitution. Some of those Federalists like John Adams, favored a Presidency for life ... almost certain to lead to a dynasty. Alexander Hamilton was in favor of a monarchy.

A good book on that period is "American Aurora": http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312194374/qid=1107352149/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/102-5401116-6692946
That was the name of a newspaper founded by Benjamin Franllin, and continued by his grandson. The book is primarily newspaper accounts from that period; American Aurora, as well as Federalist journals, letters and other documents. Of GREAT relevance to today is the parts about the Alien & Sedition Laws, and the VERY significant Election of 1800.

pnorman

[Inland]

8. Then the original constitution would have allowed slavery--oh, wait...