[Eastbound]

"One method of assault [by treaties, executive orders, etc., pro-active courts, congressional mis-chief] may be to effect, in the forms of the Constitution, alterations which will impair the energy of the system; and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown."

(Bracketed comment mine)

Thanks for the link, Ohioan. It appears every admonition Washington offered was ignored -- and even to this day. We are so accustomed to being the re-actors to the whims of government we forgot that we the people are supposed to be the pro-actors.

Is it time to say that most of our Constitution has been overthrown indirectly?

[Ohioan]

Is it time to say that most of our Constitution has been overthrown indirectly?

One can certainly make that argument.

If you review the Congressional Debates, over the generations, you will note, I think, a decline in the amount of discussion that even takes place on the Constitutionality of legislation. At the same time, there has been an enormous increase in legislation completely outside anything even mentioned in the Constitution.

Your question is a very apt one.