Writing the Constitution

During the virtual Democratic Party convention (August 17- 20, 2020) former President Barack Obama delivered an address standing in front of a “Writing the Constitution” exhibit in the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA.

The museum may have planned the exhibit as an educational tool, but Obama seemed to have used as it as backdrop for a subliminal message, i.e., that the Constitution is in the process of being written.

This is a particularly insidious message. If it is not “final”, then it can be ignored or interpreted according to one’s political desires.

Contrary to Democrats” beliefs, the United States Constitution is a not being written, it is written.

It is right there in the Rotunda of the National Archives Museum.

Every knows what it says.

The text is printed in books, pamphlets everywhere.

Not a comma can be changed except through the amendment process outlined in the Constitution itself. The criteria are so demanding that there have only been 27 amendments in 234 years.

There are strict constitutional constructionists and there are liberal constructionists but no reasonable person has suggested that the Constitution should be re-written or disregarded as written.

Until now.

Americans are witnessing violent hordes invading our cities. A video, a rumor, and suddenly hooded, black clad, masked men and women flood the streets, blocking traffic, burning cars and attacking police. They assault police stations and courts (symbols of authority, law, government) and businesses (capitalism). They do it in Democrat controlled cities because they know Democrat mayors and governors will do nothing to stop them.

Has Obama been cautioning reason, restraint?

Until two days ago, when poll numbers indicated that voters are appalled at the riots, the answer would have been “No.”

The former president of the Untied States, through his double-speak, misspeak and refusal to call the arsonists anything but “peaceful protestors” tacitly encouraged the anarchy and mayhem.

The Preamble of the Constitution states:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfar, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Frisson.

The Constitution is a deceptively simple document but is full of insight, presciently anticipating the complex challenges that would confront the nation in the years to come.

And it works.

The Democrats’ refusal to acknowledge the results of the 2016 election, their endless attempts to oust President Trump, from spying on his campaign to the use of false affidavits to impeachment have been an attack on the constitutional vision of peaceful transition of power.

Obama, in his August 19, 2020 DNC address said the following:

“I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies. I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously; that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care. But he never did. For close to four years now, he’s shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves. Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t. And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone while those at the top take in more than ever. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before.”

Every president whose term ended, packed his bags, shook the hands of his successor and moved on.

Except Obama.

He purchased a mansion two miles from the White House and kept up his woeful, hollow-sounding, divisive, “You didn’t build that!” claim in one version or another for the next four years.

“You didn’t build that!” now has morphed into “You can’t stop us from tearing it down!” through burned cities and destruction of the very compact that made us a nation and a people, the Constitution.