New York Times Columnist Wrongly Claims the Amendment Process of the U. S. Constitution is Imbecilic

The Process is the Only Thing That Saves the U.S. from Political Disaster

After the Fall Election with Republicans firmly in control of the Congress there will be a spate of proposed Constitutional amendments, all of which will be terrible.  Writing in the New York Times we have this.

May 28, 2012, 8:36 PM

Our Imbecilic Constitution

By SANFORD LEVINSON

Advocating the adoption of the new Constitution drafted in Philadelphia, the authors of “The Federalist Papers” mocked the “imbecility” of the weak central government created by the Articles of Confederation.

The complaint is that the amendment process of the Constitution is bad..

But if one must choose the worst single part of the Constitution, it is surely Article V, which has made our Constitution among the most difficult to amend of any in the world. The last truly significant constitutional change was the 22nd Amendment, added in 1951, to limit presidents to two terms. The near impossibility of amending the national Constitution not only prevents needed reforms; it also makes discussion seem futile and generates a complacent denial that there is anything to be concerned about.

Yet it is only that process that is protecting the country from this.

Amendment to Balance the Budget

A useless amendment that will eliminate fiscal policy from the arsenal of economic tools.

Amendment to Allow Prayer in Schools

An amendment that will eliminate Jefferson’s dream of secular government and impose religion on the American public.

Amendment to Define Marriage as Only Between a man and a woman

For the first time the Constitution would be used to restrict freedom rather than advance freedom.

Amendment to Ban Abortions

Turning over control of women’s bodies to the government.

So we all need to give thanks to Jefferson and Madison and the others whose genius has, so far, prevented the country from suffering the erosion of the Constitution.  By making it difficult to amend the Constitution they have so far saved the nation, from itself.