Constitution Day: A Day To Commemorate, And A Warning Of Our Potential Future

Today, September 17, is Constitution Day, the day that the Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

It has survived 230 years since it went into effect in 1789, and has weathered the crises of the Civil War, the Great Depression, the two World Wars, the Cold War, Watergate, and now the Donald Trump threat to the enforcement of the Constitution.

We are in a constitutional crisis, the greatest since Richard Nixon, but in many ways, far more massive, and all efforts must be taken to insure that Donald Trump does not destroy our Constitution, which he is so intimately involved in trying to do as we go about our business every day of supporting our families, and trying to insure a long term future for our children and their children.

The Constitution is not perfect, and needs reform over time, but the idea of calling for a new Constitutional Convention is horrifying, as it would open up the possibility of abolishing the Bill of Rights and transforming the nation into a full scale Fascist dictatorship, with right wing forces wishing to destroy all of the reforms that have made America a more equitable and decent society within the last century from Theodore Roosevelt onward through Barack Obama.

3 comments on “Constitution Day: A Day To Commemorate, And A Warning Of Our Potential Future

  1. Jeffrey Moebus September 20, 2019 3:54 pm

    Why are all You folks so terrified of a new Constitutional Convention?

    On what basis do You fear “the possibility of abolishing the Bill of Rights”? Which proponents of a new Convention have proposed that? Given that all the impetus for a Convention is coming from the Right, which of those articulated “Rights” do You think they are intent on abolishing?

    And, are You not forgetting that any new Constitution, or Amendment thereto, has to be ratified? Unless, that is, the new Constitution eliminates ratification of Amendments to the old Constitution and changes the rules completely: sort of like the Convention in Philadelphia back in 1787 did with respect to “amending” the then-operative Articles of Confederation.

    Are You really that fearful that maybe there are more Trumpatistas in this country than there are traditional “liberal” Democrats, Progressives, and neo-proto-Socialist or Social Democrats who would rally together to prevent ratification of any Constitution that eliminated the Bill of Rights?

    Or is the problem that You like the Constitution just the way it is; at least when You are in Power?

    It won’t be a Constitutional Convention that transforms this nation into a “full scale Fascist [or Socialist {Nationalist or otherwise}] dictatorship.” All it will take is for more people to want the government to be in charge of everything that they deem to be important, and that is worth taking other people’s money and freedom in order to accomplish. That, or another 9/11.

    Many of those “reforms that have made America a more equitable and decent society within the last century from Theodore Roosevelt onward through Barack Obama” were carried out in either direct and bandied violations [or at best, completely ignoring] of that Constitution. Or else by changes to that Constitution, via Amendment.

    Do You really think the Constitution is working today? At least working anything at all like the folks in Philadelphia thought it might, and hoped it would? How well has it been working since 9/11, long before Trump?

    Y’All’s fear of a Constitutional Convention reminds me of Y’All’s new-found hatred of the Electoral College [a Convention could get rid of that artifact, You know]. i wonder what the stand would be if the results of 2016 were exactly the opposite: If Trump had won the popular vote, and Hillary the College. Then whose Ox would have been getting gored?

  2. Rustbelt Democrat September 20, 2019 7:56 pm

    Hillary would have been a much better president than Trumpty Dumbty.

  3. Former Republican September 20, 2019 10:05 pm

    I’m in agreement with the Professor. It’s a dangerous idea. While convention proponents argue that a convention can be limited to a single subject, the lack of rules means anything could be on the table. Republicans are very eager to turn back decisions by the Supreme Court and Congress on voting rights, marriage equality, health care, environmental protection and abortion. Your right to free speech could even be in danger.

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