Revising the constitution

719 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Influence of technology change on today's society

The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are very detailed and intricate documents. They remain effective documents for guiding our country even today. Many people believe that there should be regular reviews of the documents with regular updates. Technology, accepted lifestyles and world events have changed significantly and continue to change at a rapid pace. The constitution should be written to include all states, replacing individual state constitutions. Although the Constitution and Declaration of Independence remain applicable today, they require regular review and update. For example, in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States, it states “To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years (Harmon, Carolyn).” The war powers are defined in Article 2, Section 2, Congress declares war, while the president wages war. It seems that this should be clarified as presidents have sent US troops to battle without a declaration of war, these battles lasting much longer than two years. In Article II, section 2, “The President shall be Commander in Chief … and he shall have the Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in cases of Impeachment (Harmon, Carolyn).” Why should the president have sole power to pardon people? This seems unfair, especially after the person has been tried and found guilty and a sentence has been imposed. The president should not have to the power to overrule the verdict and release someone. Article III, section 3 “No person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court (Harm... ... middle of paper ... ...ricans will have an opinion about something in the Constitution. Our government has a system of checks and balances but without compromises, stalemate is inevitable. Constitutional amendments can be added, ratified and repealed over time. Through its amendments, our constitution is changed. Regular reviews of the constitution would ensure that is is relative to our world today. Our Constitution and Declaration of Independence have endured for 225 years and remain powerful and effective tools to guide our country, however our world continues to change at a rapid pace. Some argue that the Constitution needs to be discarded and completely re-written. Ongoing regular review and update of our Constitution would guarantee that the problems of the United States are addressed and that our Constitution remains applicable to current world issues and times.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing the United States Constitution with Local State Constitutions

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is much debate in political theory about the definition of a constitution. Generally, it is considered as a “single governing document”. If that is the case, then the U.S. Constitution is the oldest in the world (Berry, 2011). The Framers, upon writing it, aimed to create a document that would stand the test of time. Despite changes in population size, racial and religious components, and even the modern day technology, the objective has clearly been achieved. Elkins claims that this is primarily due to its flexibility. Judicial review interprets the document with the rapidly changing society in mind (as cited in Garza, 2008). Many state constitutions, on the other hand, have not survived as long. Since many have been written with specific people and localities in mind, they have not been able to adapt to change well. Louisiana, for example, has had 11 state constitutions. It is common today, for states to consider overhauling their current constitutions (Morris, Henson, & Fackler, 2011).

    Read More

  • The War Powers Act of 1973

    1541 Words  | 4 Pages

    Under the Constitution, war powers are divided. Congress has the power to declare war and raise and support the armed forces (Article I, Section 8), while the president is the Commander in Chief (Article II, Section 2) (War Powers Resolution, Wikimedia). It is generally agreed that the Commander in Chief role gives the president power to repel attacks against the United States and makes him responsible for leading the armed forces. During the Korean and Vietnam wars, the United States found itself involved for many years in undeclared wars (War Powers Resolution, Wikimedia). Many members of Congress became concerned with the erosion of congressional authority to decide when the United States should become involved in a war or the use of armed forces that might lead to war. The Senate and the House of Representatives achieved the 2/3 majority required to pass this joint resolution over President Nixon¡¯s veto on November 7, 1973. (War Powers Resolution, Wikimedia).

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A More Perfect Constitution By Larry Sabato

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    Larry Sabato author of “A More Perfect Constitution” implies the United States Constitution could use some revision. Written over two hundred years ago, I do not think this concept is astonishing. I believe the founding father were aware of potential flaws, allowing for amendments or changes. Sabato book proposes some changes and the “calling for a twenty-first-century constitutional convention.” This book review will look at four of Sabato suggestions; reforming the Senate, balancing the budget, a six-year presidential term, and the Electoral College. These four recommendations were of greatest interest and intrigue. Although I do agree with all his ideas, I do feel there is more to improvement in our constitution and commend his efforts is awakening the American people to a need for reform.

    Read More

  • Understanding the Controversies of the US Constitution

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Constitution of the United States is one of the most iconic and important documents of all time. However, when it was first generated, its writing and ratification caused some major concerns. The purpose of the Constitution was to address the great number of issues of a new nation. To be more specific, the Constitution was meant to resolve the political, economic, and social problems of the country. Nevertheless, the document spurred much discussion and concern over people’s rights, the economy, and political corruption.

    Read More

  • Modern Interpretation of The First Amendment

    1663 Words  | 4 Pages

    Through the years many changes have taken place, and technologies have been discovered, yet our Constitution remains. Some say that the Constitution was written for people hundreds of years ago, and in turn is out of step with the times. Yet its principals and guidelines have held thus far. The framers would be pleases that their great planning and thought have been implemented up until this point. However this does not compensate for the fact, that the we the people have empowered the government more so than our fore fathers had intended. Citizens were entrusted with the duty to oversee the government, yet so many times they are disinterested and only seem to have an opinion when the government’s implications affect them. As time has changed so has the American people, we often interpret our freedoms in a self serving manner, disregarding the good of the whole and also the good for the future. Thus there are no true flaws in the Constitution, it appears that the conflict emerges in the individual and their self, and poses question when we must decide when to compromise the morals that our Constitution was founded on, or when to stick to what we know is right and honest.

    Read More

  • The Inefficiency of the U.S. Constitution

    1287 Words  | 3 Pages

    The United States' Constitution is one the most heralded documents in our nation's history. It is also the most copied Constitution in the world. Many nations have taken the ideals and values from our Constitution and instilled them in their own. It is amazing to think that after 200 years, it still holds relevance to our nation's politics and procedures. However, regardless of how important this document is to our government, the operation remains time consuming and ineffective. The U.S. Constitution established an inefficient system that encourages careful deliberation between government factions representing different and sometimes competing interests.

    Read More

  • The War Powers Act or The War Powers Resolution

    558 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...nt and Congress shared power as an Executive and Legislative. As an Executive, President can command to take an action in military force. Meanwhile, as a Legislative, Congress has power to declare the war. There are a few controversies regarding to some parts in the War Power Act. Yet, the War Power Act does not violate the constitution.

    Read More

  • Essay On War Powers

    2436 Words  | 5 Pages

    The question in this case was whether or not the president had the power to order a trial by military for a group of German Nazi saboteurs, and whether or not that violated their fifth and sixth amendment rights. The agents attempted to sabotage various US targets, but failed. They were arrested and ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt to stand trial by military commission. They were all found guilty and sentenced to death. Seven of the eight agents filed a writ of habeas corpus directly to the Supreme Court, who decided to hear the

    Read More

  • Drafting the Constitution

    2555 Words  | 6 Pages

    By the late eighteenth century, America found itself independent from England; which was a welcomed change, but also brought with it, its own set of challenges. The newly formed National Government was acting under the Articles of Confederation, which established a “firm league of friendship” between the states, but did not give adequate power to run the country. To ensure the young nation could continue independently, Congress called for a Federal Convention to convene in Philadelphia to address the deficiencies in the Articles of Confederation. While the Congress only authorized the convention to revise and amend the Articles the delegates quickly set out to develop a whole new Constitution for the country. Unlike the Articles of Confederation, the new Constitution called for a national Executive, which was strongly debated by the delegates. There were forces on both sides of the issue trying to shape the office to meet their ideology. The Federalists, who sought a strong central government, favored a strong National Executive which they believed would ensure the country’s safety from both internal and external threats. The Anti Federalists preferred to have more power in the hands of the states, and therefore tried to weaken the national Executive. Throughout the convention and even after, during the ratification debates, there was a fear, by some, that the newly created office of the president would be too powerful and lean too much toward monarchy.

    Read More

  • US Constitution Then and Now

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... document and not the will of those in powers is tremendous. Except for the 17 of the 27 amendments that make part of the United States of America constitution, the constitution has remained largely the same. What has changed, and continues to change, is the interpretation of some parts that have expanded to include contexts that were not envisioned by our founding fathers. It is truly remarkable that the Constitution has sustained many powerful historical events over time and today remains pretty much intact.

    Read More

  • The Us Constitution Has An Impact On My Life Essay

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    Today our country is who we are today based on an important document that changed our lives forever; The Constitution of The United States. This document is a revision of the Articles of Confederation that was ratified in 1781; the United States Constitution was ratified in 1788. The document contains 4,543 words and 27 amendments that are the reasons we can do the certain things we do today. The United States Constitution has an impact on my life as a college student living and working due to me being able to attend college as a black student, taxes being taken out of my everyday life activities, being a young woman able to work and having equal rights as men, and lastly being an 18 year old citizen having the right to vote for our president or in our case presently, electoral college.

    Read More

  • Should The Constitution Be Changed Essay

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1787, The United States of America formally replaced the Articles of Confederation with a wholly new governing document, written by the delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This document, known as the Constitution, has served as the supreme law of our land for the past 228 years. It has stood the test of time and a majority of Americans still support it today (Dougherty). The Constitution was designed in a way that allows for it to be amended, in order to address changing societal needs. Article V discusses the process by which the Constitution can be altered. This feature has enabled it to stay in effect and keep up with current times. The Constitution should not be rewritten every 19 years because it would not only weaken its importance, but it would also hurt foreign relations and continuously rewriting it would give political parties too much power.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The US Constitution

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Constitution leaves in its wake a long legacy, forever shaping the fate of many other countries. Whether those countries are currently in a state favorable to liberty or not, it is undeniable that the U.S. Constitution’s principles have caused people to rethink how to organize their political systems” (Hang). Time has only added value to the Constitution, for every time we reference it in our lives it is a testament of our trust and loyalty in what it states about our rights as individuals and the role the government plays in our lives. When it was written, the Constitution was the law of the land that gave people rights they had previously lived without. Similarly, we live lives of choice and independence because of the same document while other countries limit all the rights we are guaranteed in the Constitution. Simply put, “The Constitution is important because it protects individual freedom, and its fundamental principles govern the United States. The Constitution places the government 's power in the hands of the citizens. It limits the power of the government and establishes a system of checks and balances”

    Read More

  • A Summary Of The Exchange Between Thomas Jefferson And James Madison

    1133 Words  | 3 Pages

    After reading the exchange between Thomas Jefferson and James Madison on the question of central importance to American constitutionalism—whether any Constitution, including the United States Constitution, needs to be positively reauthorized or not by every succeeding generation for it to remain legitimate, I believe that what Jefferson demands in his letter as in all too much else, is ignorance, even rage against the past. His principle on expiring the constitution and laws every 19 years would only result in weak government that offers no social continuity and stability.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Us Constitution And The Declaration Of Independence

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    The United States Constitution and The Declaration of Independence are two of America 's most famous documents and most cherished symbols of liberty, however they are very different in their intents and themes, although both together laid the foundation for our independence as a nation. The Declaration of Independence proclaims the United States of America a free and independent nation that would no longer be under British Rule. The Constitution is the basis of the U.S. government. It can be rightly stated that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are best friends necessary in support for each other. There are two proofs necessary to make this argument: the first being, the Declaration requires limited, constitutional union

    Read More

More about Revising the constitution

Open Document