U.S. Constitution

Latest Posts in U.S. Constitution

Capitalism and Democracy: Can This Marriage Be Saved?

Capitalism and Democracy:  Can This Marriage Be Saved? It’s an odd-couple, with deeply conflicting social values.  Though they have been living together for many centuries, the strains are increasing; their relationship may now be in jeopardy.


We the People Proclamation

Most Americans are compassionate and caring people who want to build better lives for themselves, their children, and their communities. We are enriched by working together to achieve goals that benefit the common good. Regardless of our political affiliation—blue vs. red, conservatives vs. liberals, or republicans vs. democrats, we believe in our core democratic principles. We believe we have more in common that is good and true. The issues that divide us are less important. It’s like Benjamin Franklin said, “We can choose to hang together, or we will all hang separately.” 


The Right to Vote is Hard Earned

When the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1789, it was meant to be a means by which the states  ascribed powers to the federal government, but its first ten amendments -- the Bill of Rights -- defined limits on the federal government to enumerate constitutional protection for individual liberties.  The principle of representation was an intensely argued one when the Constitution was drafted, most particularly in how slaves would be counted (as three-fifths of a person) in a federal census every ten years.  In her book, These Truths, Jill Lepore notes “The most remarkable consequence of this remarkable arrangement was to grant slave states far greater representation in Congress than free states.” (125) 


"All Rise!"

“All rise!” is what the clerk of court calls out when a judge enters a courtroom, at all levels of our legal system, from traffic court to the Supreme Court. We are asked to rise out of respect for the judge, who represents the judiciary branch of government, in which we place the even-handed enforcement of what we call the rule of law.


“A House Divided”: It’s Time to Heed Lincoln’s Warning

There is a deep political division in this country today that is more threatening than at any time since the Civil War.