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Proud Liberal Dem

(24,962 posts)

58. Don't think the Constitution is really the problem here

Mon Oct 14, 2013, 11:59 AM

Oct 2013

it seems like a lot of arcane rules in the House/Senate (which aren't in the Constitution AFAIK) and a law (debt ceiling) that some Congress- for whatever reason- passed a long time ago are gumming up the works. While the rules have almost certainly been used/abused by both parties for some time, the Republicans have taken them, seemingly, to the point of no return in their attempts to undermine/obstruct President Barack Obama. Once a Republican gets back in the WH, they will turn around and immediately denounce- vociferously- any attempts by Democrats to even think about using such hardball tactics (which they likely wouldn't resort to but anyway).

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At what point can we say the Constitution has been a failure? [View all] Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 OP

Civic religion. That's really the long and short of it. NuclearDem Oct 2013 #1

Never. It's a living document. ScreamingMeemie Oct 2013 #2

It's nearly impossible to amend it now Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #3

Amendment process has not changed. MicaelS Oct 2013 #7

There have been five Constitutional amendments in my lifetime. hack89 Oct 2013 #48

Sorry, disagree with you here, Ranchemp. Oct 2013 #4

I don't think anybody's going to kick down your door and drag you away for posting that OP. rrneck Oct 2013 #5

The Constitution is no match for Wall Street. Rex Oct 2013 #6

Good point Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #14

No. Its the polititians and courts Wall St owns... HooptieWagon Oct 2013 #38

What might you suggest replacing it with, and how would you get it accomplished?? madinmaryland Oct 2013 #8

+1 onenote Oct 2013 #10

Don't replace it all. Change the Legislature to a unicameral body like Nebraska where it's worked hooverville29 Oct 2013 #17

Good idea Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #18

Or if we're going to radically alter Congress, keep both bodies NuclearDem Oct 2013 #23

Anything is better than the dysfunction we have now. GreenPartyVoter Oct 2013 #28

1861. Nt. Warren Stupidity Oct 2013 #9

A huge problem is the big disparity in state size taught_me_patience Oct 2013 #11

Split California into North and South California; combine North and South Dakota, etc. FarCenter Oct 2013 #16

Do that and we're a lot less potent Democratic force n/t melody Oct 2013 #19

It would benefit the Democrats -- the margin in the senate would increase by 2 FarCenter Oct 2013 #45

The whole fight isn't about Congress melody Oct 2013 #46

The great failure in this country is education. DURHAM D Oct 2013 #12

I think it's basically good but needs a couple modifications treestar Oct 2013 #13

If I am not mistaken, some of the framers Downwinder Oct 2013 #15

You think a parliamentary system would be better? Azathoth Oct 2013 #20

Of course we should not allow the kind f gerrymandering we see today Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #21

In Florida, a few Dem incumbents aided and abetted... HooptieWagon Oct 2013 #41

Racist drivel with, thankfully, no recs. Skip Intro Oct 2013 #22

What's racist about my OP? Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #25

Oh please. Skip Intro Oct 2013 #30

It was written by older white men. NuclearDem Oct 2013 #32

They were white men.... Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #33

Wow. Skip Intro Oct 2013 #36

Because those old white men didn't give women the vote or treat African Americans as actual people? NuclearDem Oct 2013 #37

No they didn't. It was the times they were living in. SomethingFishy Oct 2013 #60

How did I use race and gender in a derogatory way? Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #44

It was written by white racist slave owners. morningfog Oct 2013 #54

how many white people were kept in slavery because of the constitution? CreekDog Oct 2013 #65

How on earth did you construe that as racist? NuclearDem Oct 2013 #27

Cali is trashing the Constitution, and uses race, age and gender Skip Intro Oct 2013 #31

And you're absolutely proving the point CD was making. NuclearDem Oct 2013 #34

Notice how he goes after me for mentioning the founding fathers were white men Cali_Democrat Oct 2013 #35

The lack of inclusion goes to the fallibility of the document. morningfog Oct 2013 #56

Actual racist often only see the reverse racism morningfog Oct 2013 #55

Reverse racism doesn't exist... Decaffeinated Oct 2013 #61

Yes, I know that. That is very much my point. morningfog Oct 2013 #62

So it's OK to scream "racist" when people point out that the Constitution was written by white men? ProSense Oct 2013 #39

It's not the constitution that's the problem. It's the idiots misinterpreting it. Initech Oct 2013 #24

Might I suggest you offer something to replace it with? Savannahmann Oct 2013 #26

Too many people treat it with religious relevance Nevernose Oct 2013 #29

I am awestruck that the Constitution is still going strong after 200+ years. Nye Bevan Oct 2013 #40

I don't think the Jamaal510 Oct 2013 #42

There is nothing wrong with the Constitution ProSense Oct 2013 #43

A couple of things. NCTraveler Oct 2013 #47

The problem is how vague and loosely construed it is. NuclearDem Oct 2013 #49

Agree almost 100% with your post. NCTraveler Oct 2013 #52

Well, when I mention radical, it's more in the context of different from how we do things NuclearDem Oct 2013 #57

I'd say, now, probably Spider Jerusalem Oct 2013 #50

When you are no longer allowed to ask that question. Puzzledtraveller Oct 2013 #51

It isn't the document as much as it is the ability to change interpretations rustydog Oct 2013 #53

Don't think the Constitution is really the problem here Proud Liberal Dem Oct 2013 #58

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got Waiting For Everyman Oct 2013 #59

The Constitution isn't the failure. The men who misuse it and constantly refer to it... ScreamingMeemie Oct 2013 #63

Given the overall condition of western "civilization" at the time the Constitution was ratified, Zorra Oct 2013 #64

It's not the Constitution that's the problem, it's our lawmakers ecstatic Oct 2013 #66

Parliamentary systems are usually less stable than ours. JVS Oct 2013 #67