Did the Founders Hate Government?

[CTyankee]

23. Mal, we do not "know it all." That has been our problem all along. We think we "got it right,"

just like that, snap, done! But we really didn't. I'm not saying some people didn't try. God knows, they did. Many good people. Many still do. And they are losing. Losing to corruption and lots of money in politics and the derision of RW republicans to distort and defame real reformers in our society. But you know this.

I just really want us to stop with the "American exceptionalism" stuff. We can do this, but we don't have the political will and the Constitution doesn't do much to require that we do, nor does it provide much flexibility. So we ARE left with a "piece of paper." "Adumbrate" means to "give a sketchy outline." Great. That and 50 cents used to get you a ride on the BMT line in the NYC subway.

When I see that women and children in Scandinavian countries have a constitutional right to the care and services they and their families need (and their countries rely on for their economic progress!) I wonder, what happened to us? Why aren't we doing this? When I see that gun deaths on a U.S. scale are vastly above what they are in France and Belgium, I wonder what happened to us? When I see that Ruth Bader Ginsburg would prefer the Constitution of South Africa (as noted in the NYT article) I wonder, what happened to us?

These other countries don't just "adumbrate." They DO. To quote Yoda: "Do or not. There is no try."