General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis is one of the reasons why our founding fathers were some of the wisest men ever.
When they wrote the constitution they understood human nature. They recognized their own faults and the faults of all people.
They knew people needed laws, a constitution that protected the people from themselves and from people with power. They knew people could never to be trusted to always do the right thing.
With all their faults our founding fathers were amazing men. Their wisdom is what is protecting us at this very moment.
My favorites are John Adams and Thomas Paine.
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)shockey80
(4,379 posts)marylandblue
(12,344 posts)They did a good job for the time, but they could not see into the future. The document is old and creaky and needs a rewrite, but a Constitutional Convention now would create something much worse. Three things protecting us are an independent judiciary, Republican dysfunction, and the civil service. The founders didn't anticipate political parties, so didn't have anything to say about them. They also didn't have a concept of an independent civil service, that came much later. Thankfully they gave us the Judiciary Branch which we still have fortunately, but it's only good as long as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy stay on.
unblock
(52,206 posts)I don't think any of the founders would have wagered on the constitution lasting anything near this long. Had it lasted only 50 years they would have considered it wildly successful.
The real problem is that the power of businesses is eclipsing the power of nations, thanks in part to globalization and the changing nature of business. It's no longer as easy for a government to just take over or shut down a business, so it's harder to keep them in check. As a result, business had used their power to corrupt the institutions of government and political reporting.
As businesses merge into mega-multinationals, I think governments can only keep up by effectively merging as well. The European Union has considerable control over businesses, and the world needs more mergers like that to keep up.
Imho.
marylandblue
(12,344 posts)Corporate personhood dates back to a 19th century misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment and we've been stuck with it ever since. But I do think your right, we need a transnational system to control big business. Maybe we are closer to that than we think.
BannonsLiver
(16,370 posts)But where I get off the the founders were geniuses train is in regards to some of the problems we have no mechanism to deal with, like having do over elections when things like 2000 come up. Drumpf could have been revealed to be a KGB agent but there would have been no way to remedy that between the election and inauguration. We could have a massive hurricane devastate the east coast, wrecking the election. Hard to vote when your house is under water, and yet there is no mechanism to postpone an election. There are all kinds of examples of obvious procedural stuff they never thought of.
greeny2323
(590 posts)For their work on separating church and state in Virginia. And also Madison's amazing work at the convention in Philadelphia.
shockey80
(4,379 posts)I believe Washington did do this.
doc03
(35,328 posts)compass or loyalty to the country over party. By all rights Trump would have never got the electorial vote.
shockey80
(4,379 posts)I completely disagree with originalists. They make no sense. They do not consider that time changes things.
shockey80
(4,379 posts)I doubt it. They would see that as a threat to the republic.
Irish_Dem
(47,014 posts)But yes Adams and Paine too.
moondust
(19,978 posts)there's no way they or anyone else could possibly anticipate all the greedy tricks and scams and power grabs that bad people might dream up over time to serve their lust for money and power. Thus, ongoing wisdom is necessary to adapt to changing conditions and technologies as they arise. A few current examples in need of "adaptation" IMO: 2nd Amendment, Citizens United/money in politics, voting machines, gerrymandering, and voter suppression.
SweetieD
(1,660 posts)I do not like that our constitution is based on negative rights rather than affirmative ones. It has caused a lot of problems in our society.