The Constitution was created and torturously negotiated to provide a stable and enduring framework to protect individuals from State excess and the majority whim of the day. The processes, however, were constructed to account for evolving community needs, priorities and circumstances that the framers understood could never be anticipated in their late 18th century world. The elegant and meticulously debated set of institutional protections, safeguards and balances woven into the Constitution were designed with the understanding that any document that only addressed the realities and priorities of 1785 would be anachronistic immediately upon passage.
Bizarre view that I have never encountered before, directly at odds with almost ALL constitutional writings worthy of note.
The beauty of the Constitution is that it was designed EXPRESSLY to process, manage and guard from excess a Federal Government response to an evolving world and its challenges. Continental Congressmen were humble and wise, they understood that they could never anticipate and address every contingent and evolving challenge that would face a future American society and citizenry. They built in an upgrade path. They operated on a little higher plateau of Maslow's pyramid than you do, tpaine. Thank God.
Maslow is your constitutional authority? I could only find this quote from him on the subject:
` "We can consider the Bill of Rights as a precious document on the psychological side, that is, as a psychological document, as a strategy and tactic of brotherly love. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other documents of that kind are--let us say it, why not--the technology of agapean love."
Agapean love? Hmmmmmm
If you don't want to pitch in to protect the lives and communities of the American group, then get the eff out of the way please. You and your ilk have no scintilla of the courage, character and commitment the founders had.
Flag wrapping becomes your style arnie, I'll grant that.
Madison, Washington, Clinton, Adams et al would hold the Libertarian debate society here on FR with the same disdain and contempt most of us here do.
Clinton?
Mewlings about the unonstitutionality of Foreign Aid is just playing with yourself. I see the countenance of Bush, Blair, Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Ashcroft, Ridge and Cheney. These people aren't screwing around, this is heavy shit we're in right now.
More flag waving, in place of logical argument.
I'm in a "what can I do?" mode, because I know this is life and death vital. We're under attack. We're gonna take out the garbage, God willing. You just keep mumbling in the corner.
Whatever arnie. Please imagine that you've made some point.
Don't ever lay on the beach, tpaine, every cat within miles will converge through a primal instinct to bury you.