The U.S. Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America was great and miraculous at the time of its creation, and has been updated a few times to improve and strengthen it. Its great strength was the compromises made to bring all the States together into a unified whole. Of course, that was also its great weakness.

The periods of U.S. history are generally bookended by Constitutional crises, periods where events and social pressures run smack into the grout between the Constitution’s bricks, and the Constitution says, “Ouch.” The most painful of these frequently result in new Amendments to the Constitution. Unfortunately (and, perhaps, fortunately), a great deal of pain usually is required. The people of the United States don’t move easily, but when the pain reaches a critical threshold, they can spin on a dime, and then you’d best not be standing in the way.

The last five amendments have been added during my life time, which seems close to par for the course, at least for a reasonably lengthy life. But, in my all-too-rapidly lengthening life, it’s become apparent to me that the Constitution is badly in need of some new guard rails. Too much of the Constitution has depended upon the good