This is a nice sentiment, one that I believe in to my core. But, there is a possibility that it makes me an ideologue. Why? Because the status quo is so ingrained in peoples minds, it is the way our reality is framed, and there are some things that many just would not want to give up. Even conservatives have raked me when discussing whether the 17th amendment should be repealed and many balk at eliminating the Department of Education, the EPA, the FDA and so on. It does not matter that these departments, as policized as they are do not function in the best interest of the people and over time have expanded way beyond their intended scope.
This stiff opposition to my constitutionalism (which is distinct from Libertarianism) lead me to believe that I truly am quite a minority, and people like me have been likewise as far back as John Adams. The recognition of things like the Alien and Sedition Acts, constant meddeling in the financial sector, and political manipulation of states all along shake my confidence that true constitutionalism could ever be a reality.
In my opinion, that government the Founders established died a very painful and bloody death during the civil war. What we have now are bits and pieces of what was left over. We are indeed very lucky to have as many freedoms and liberty left over as we have today, but many of the attitudes from the civil war persist even to this day, only with a different face. Something and someone has to be the historic antithesis of the liberals, and I don’t beleieve it is folks like me. Constitutionalists, and even Libertarians are stuck in the middle of the persistant tug-o-war between different ways to stomp on the constitution, for better or worse. Winning and having it be their way is far more important than just letting people and society be what it is, and more importanly for society to have the ability to define, and govern itself the way that was intended in the constitution.
It is true that much of this has been ingrained in people's psyche, but it is also true that "the idea of the Constitution", rather than its actual content, has been equally ingrained. If and when people actually refer to the content of the Constitution, they will find that you are right. The point is to get them to look and educate themselves. Ron Paul and the Campaign for Liberty has been doing an excellent job of that, as have many smaller organizations.
That you feel this to your core makes you a Patriot, not just "an idealistic dogmatist".
Even conservatives have raked me when discussing whether the 17th amendment should be repealed and many balk at eliminating the Department of Education, the EPA, the FDA and so on
There are many people here on FR and beyond who are primarily Social conservatives rather than Constitutional conservatives, many of whom like big government and big government power -- their only dispute is how that power is used when it denies their agenda. They virtually never question whether government should have that power over us at all -- unless the opposition is in office and then they start the Constitutional chest-beating. It's a hard to make them realize that once you allow those powers to a President and government you like, you've also allowed the powers to the next government who you may hate.
Social Conservatism is the RESULT of a functional free society where people are responsible for their choices. It cannot be achieved by government decree whether we wish it so or not.
In my opinion, that government the Founders established died a very painful and bloody death during the civil war. What we have now are bits and pieces of what was left over. We are indeed very lucky to have as many freedoms and liberty left over as we have today, but many of the attitudes from the civil war persist even to this day, only with a different face.
Probably true, but politics is always a push-pull with history, yet there was never a Constitutional amendment passed to deny the rights of the States to secede -- that says something about the limits that the Fed had, even after that bloody Civil War.
"Something and someone has to be the historic antithesis of the liberals, and I don’t beleieve it is folks like me. Constitutionalists, and even Libertarians are stuck in the middle of the persistant tug-o-war between different ways to stomp on the constitution, for better or worse."
Yes, and it is exactly where they should be right now because they have elements that appeal to be shared with both sides in fighting for our freedom and our country. IMHO, this should not be a purely partisan fight -- until or unless one of those Parties, hopefully the Republicans, come to their senses and begin to defend (rather than just try to cash in on) preserving those freedoms that this country was based on.
At worst, the Constitutionalists and libertarians will have stopped both Parties from moving further and further ideologically Left away from the Constitution, and at best, will have moved the discourse back toward a more Constitutional and libertarian model.
I think that we need to quit thinking of "idealist" as a dirty word, because without "ideals" we will have no sense of direction whatever.