Thomas Jefferson thought the U.S. Constitution ought to be rewritten every 19 years

[fisharmor]

(edit: not sure about the 1861-65 period. Have to look it up: it has had 3 under the USA.)

The actual number is 7 total since 1776.

 

[Pericles]

Y'all have all your rights under the Constitution. They still exist. You just simply are afraid to use enforce them.

That is the provence of the 2A. The militia of the several states is the enforcement mechanism. Get the states to turn over their militias to the federal government via the Dick Act of 1903, and the Constitution is essentially unenforcable.

 

[BrittanySligar]

each time individuals could voluntarily sign it they wanted to be governed by it

Yep. That way, we could always opt out.

 

[Phil]

Saw this on reddit this morning and was thinking about posting it here. You beat me to it!

 

[Czolgosz]

That is the provence of the 2A. The militia of the several states is the enforcement mechanism. Get the states to turn over their militias to the federal government via the Dick Act of 1903, and the Constitution is essentially unenforcable.

I thought you were kidding had to look it up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_Act_of_1903

 

[mport1]

I think this is a great idea. I propose the following for the new constitution:


Done. Well that was easy enough.

 

[bolil]

The constitution relies upon citizen viligance. It is a document, it cannot protect itself. The people are responsible for the erosion of liberty, not a piece of paper.

 

[AFPVet]

I agree with some of the above posts... I don't think Jefferson could have foreseen the kinds of corruption which exists in Washington today. The Constitution works... they just need to follow the damn thing.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

The constitution relies upon citizen viligance. It is a document, it cannot protect itself. The people are responsible for the erosion of liberty, not a piece of paper.

Yeah, blame the victim. If it's a "social contract" as Constitutionalists claim it is, then it does "protect itself". (of course, it's not and it doesn't) Just goes to show how flimsy the Constitutionalists'/Federalists' arguments are. Lysander Spooner smiles.

 

[Crotale]

As an Englishman, I can't quite grasp why numerous individuals within the American liberty movement like the constitution so much. Surely freedom is derived from self-ownership not some document? You shouldn't have freedom because some piece of paper says so, you should be free because it's morally right.

 

[No Free Beer]

Nope. Not true. Much of it is being ignored, yes, but can you honestly stand there and tell me that you would allowed to own any kind of gun at all, if the 2nd amendment did not exist?


Sorry, this is a very bad idea. Everything would be up for grabs and I mean, EVERYTHING. No thanks. I wouldn't mind an amendment or two to clarify things like the general welfare clause, but that's it.


Be careful, you're sounding very much like a throw-in-the-towel quitter.

Your argument seems to be that since it's a tough road, stop fighting and just go on and become a communist country.

He is an anarchist, ignore him.

Anything you say in defense of the Constitution, he will label you as a "statist."

Been there, done that.

 

[No Free Beer]

As an Englishman, I can't quite grasp why numerous individuals within the American liberty movement like the constitution so much. Surely freedom is derived from self-ownership not some document? You shouldn't have freedom because some piece of paper says so, you should be free because it's morally right.

It's amazing how some people don't seem to understand the Constitution...specifically the BOR.

 

[Crotale]

It's amazing how some people don't seem to understand the Constitution...specifically the BOR.

Just because I don't support it doesn't mean I don't understand it. I've read and understand the constitution perfectly well thank you.

 

[Crotale]

He is an anarchist, ignore him.

Nice to see you're keeping an open mind.

 

[No Free Beer]

Just because I don't support it doesn't mean I don't understand it. I've read and understand the constitution perfectly well thank you.

I wasn't talking to you.

 

[No Free Beer]

Nice to see you're keeping an open mind.

I opened it to anarchy before, there wasn't anything there to get excited about.

 

[PierzStyx]

You're under the mistaken impression that the current Constitution is limiting them somehow.



Not gonna happen. May as well let them rewrite it so we know where we stand.



Though you still think this country wants freedom. My apologies, please ignore this post. I know a brick wall when I see one.

It is limiting. It is the people who have abandoned their part of the matter and allowed, even encouraged, government to expand.

 

[PierzStyx]

I opened it to anarchy before, there wasn't anything there to get excited about.

As an ideology its great. As a real system, communism is more do-able.

 

[TheTexan]

It is limiting.

Clearly it's not.

It is the people who have abandoned their part of the matter and allowed, even encouraged, government to expand.

Yes, that's what I've been saying, for a long time now. Including the post you quoted

 

[tttppp]

http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

In a letter to James Madison, Thomas Jefferson wrote the following:

I agree with him. Forcing the government to rewrite their laws periodically, would prevent the government from adding layer upon layer of overlapping laws and would force the government to be smaller and more efficient.

I've been saying for the longest time that the U.S. needs to scrap all its laws and start from scratch. Seems Thomas Jefferson would argue for the same thing.