Partnership and Negotiaton: Updates to the Constitution of the US

1103 Words3 Pages

To Further the Nation, We Must Ratify At Once! In 1777, the Articles of Confederation were written and became our first plan for governing the United States. They were founded on the ideals of Federalism – limited government, upholding the authority of state governments and equality between states. At the time, this form of government was crucial to prevent tyranny, in addition to organizing and effectively fighting the Revolutionary War. It also allowed us to borrow money, operate a military, ban slavery in the west, and create new states. There are current proposals to replace the Confederation with updated system outlined in the “Constitution.” But, should we even consider making changes? After all, Patrick Henry said, "The Confederation, this despised government, merits, in my opinion, the highest encomium--it carried us through a long and dangerous war; it rendered us victorious in that bloody conflict with a powerful nation; it has secured us a territory greater than any European monarch possesses--and shall a government which has been thus strong and vigorous, be accused of imbecility, and abandoned for want of energy?" If it got us through the revolutionary war, surely it can still suffice, right? Let’s face it – our current form of government plagued by the Confederation is growing weaker, and recent events such as Shay's Rebellion prove evident that there is growing unrest. As many of my fellow Federalists have proposed, it's crucial that we ratify the Constitution. Here are a few reasons why. The issue of representation is undoubtedly a heated debate – currently each state only has one vote in the legislative branch. Larger states want representation to be based on population, why smaller states want equal representa... ... middle of paper ... ...a point, where through partnership and negotiation, the Constitution meets the demands of both sides. Federalists achieve a strong central government, which will further the common good of the nation and help us become stronger. On the other side, we’ve applied concerns from Anti-Federalists regarding individual and state rights, along with the proper balancing of power. We’ve also placed the proper provisions in place, which protect against the abuse of power through through checks and balances. It may not be perfect, but as Alexander Hamilton said in Federalist No. 65, "If mankind were to resolve to agree in no institution of government, until every part of it had been adjusted to the most exact standard of perfection, society would soon become a general scene of anarchy, and the world a desert." So come now, and urge your state to ratify. Now is the perfect time!

Open Document