Restraint Key Word in Constitutional Amendments.At a single moment in history, probably never to be repeated nor duplicated, some of the greatest minds of the time shared a common vision of a republican democracy. The result was one of the most farsighted far·sight·ed or far-sight·ed adj. 1. Able to see distant objects better than objects at close range; hyperopic. 2. Capable of seeing to a great distance. documents ever devised--the Constitution of the United States Constitution of the United States, document embodying the fundamental principles upon which the American republic is conducted. Drawn up at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, the Constitution was signed on Sept. . Since the Constitution and Bill of Rights were ratified over 200 years ago, only 17 proposed amendments have received the required congressional supermajorities and have been ratified by three-fourths of the states to become part of that living document. But in the 105th Congress alone, nine amendments--ranging from flag desecration Flag desecration is a blanket term applied to various acts that intentionally deface a flag, most often a national flag (though other flags can be defaced as well). Often, such action is intended to make a political point against a country or its policies. to tax increases to victims' rights victims' rights, rights of victims to have a role in the prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes against them. Nearly all U.S. states have enacted some victims' rights legislation. to campaign finance-- received subcommittee, committee or floor consideration. More of the same are forecast in a society that seems to view constitutional amendments as a panacea Some antidote or remedy that completely solves a problem. Most so-called panaceas in this industry, if they survive at all, wind up sitting alongside and working with the products they were supposed to replace. for its ills. Enter the Citizens for the Constitution, a blue ribbon blue ribbon denotes highest honor. [Western Folklore: Brewer Dictionary, 127] See : Prize , bipartisan committee of former public officials, scholars, journalists and others. The committee, part of The Century Foundation's Constitution Project, has just released a publication, Great and Extraordinary Occasions: Developing Guidelines for Constitutional Change. The primary advice is restraint in amending this venerable document. Some of the eight guidelines ask: * Does the proposed amendment address matters that are of more than immediate concern and that are likely to be recognized as of abiding importance by subsequent generations? * Has there been full and fair debate on the merits on the merits adj. referring to a judgment, decision or ruling of a court based upon the facts presented in evidence and the law applied to that evidence. A judge decides a case "on the merits" when he/she bases the decision on the fundamental issues and considers of the proposed amendment? * Does the proposed amendment embody enforceable, and not purely aspirational, standards? In her preface to the publication, Virginia Sloan, committee executive director, summarized: "Members of the Citizens for the Constitution do not believe that our Constitution is a static document that should never be amended. However, no matter what our individual views about the merits of a particular amendment, we are united in the conviction that the Constitution should be amended only with the utmost care, and in a manner consistent with the spirit and meaning of the entire document." The 46-page, soft cover book can be ordered free of charge by calling (202) 745-5487. It also is available on line at www.citcon.org. |
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