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Gregg Easterbrook's avatar

Thanks!

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Paul Drake's avatar

Almost all of this finds me in deep, thankful agreement. The part that does not relates to the electoral college. It is massively unpopular, but I find myself in agreement with what Isabel Paterson argued a century ago in God of the Machine. Retaining the independent influence of all states, independent of population, was and is key to sustaining this federacy. Her argument that it was a mistake to go to direct election of senators also resonates with me.

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David Zugman's avatar

If DOI isn't the birthday, maybe it's the conception day!

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Dave Lunt's avatar

Still a great essay, a year on, and now I am reading up on the Hanseatic League. :) . Thank you.

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Michael M's avatar

“The United States Constitution is the oldest continuously used constitution in our world. Number two is the constitution of Norway, adopted 1814. “

American do polish decent here. I think the Polish constitution is second. 3 May 1791. Word has it, the US constitution might have had some influence on it.

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Gregg Easterbrook's avatar

That reference is for constitutions in continuous force

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Bob's avatar

I hope all Americans realize the upcoming election could be the most important in their history. There is an ongoing, mainly internal and continuous attack on the very good values and intentions that the Constitution grants. Some States are putting in law anti-freedom rules, the Supreme Court is clearly biased, and there are so-called leaders at every level supporting the worst policies seen in many years. People must stop being allied with one or the other party, and start looking at what they want for a country and its people. I personally couldn't stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial and look Abe in the eye and ignore what I know to be self-evident. The precipice is approaching and something must be done to not go over it.

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Jay Janney's avatar

I enjoyed the essay very much, but I wouldn't describe the amendments as patches. Amendments permit change to occur peacefully, as society changes.

My family were abolitionists, so of course slavery was a stain on the US. But the alternative at the time was to not have a union. When you look at claims on westward land (Connecticut claimed its strip went all the way west), conflict would have been inevitable. For that time, it was the best that could be done. Could any of the individual states done the Louisiana purchase? The states made compromises in order to form a union....

Consider gay marriage. Obama originally campaigned against it...Should there never be a school named after him as a result? No statues someday? I think it'd be a mistake. He was wrong, he changed his mind. Those freedoms are now secured.

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AMIT PATEL's avatar

America’s Deathday fast approaching

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