Constitutional Basis

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade October 2001

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I think if the framers of the constitution were alive today they would have a heart attack if they saw how the constitution has been amended. When they were composing it they didn't even want to give the federal government the power that they did. They felt as though the states should govern themselves and deal with their specific problems. Look where all the power is held today, the federal government, which is exactly what the framers of the constitution didn't want. True, the states do still have some power, but not even near what the framers of the constitution wanted them to have. In my opinion the way the constitution is being amended has been great. So far, each and every amendment has been for the good of the masses. I can't think of any amendment that has hurt this country. Sure it could've hurt a few citizens, but you can't be perfect and please every single person in a country, it's just not possible with today's society.

When the constitution was composed it had four basic political principles. Republicanism is a form of government in which power resides in the people and their opinions are exercised by elected representatives. Federalism is the division of sovereignty or power among two or more governments. Constitution vested powers in national and state governments or powers from a sovereign people, which is also described as a dual citizenship. Separation of powers is also known as law-making, law-enforcing, and law-interpreting and independent legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Checks and balances, which is giving each branch some scrutiny or control over other branches. Looking over how the government, which runs on the laws of the constitution, is dealing with 300 million or more people, is doing quite well. The government is ran quite well since day 1, in a broad sense, other than the scandals we still have that is involved in our government. It's a one of a kind constitution and it will be very difficult to duplicate, let alone replace it. It took many long nights for all our upper class gentlemen to study the good and bad of each country and what they tried to do to fix it, before our country finally come up with such a document in Philadelphia. Sure, other countries claim to have a constitution, but where can they be seen? I don't think they have the original constitution on display. All-in-all, I do agree with the ways the constitution is being amended today because our country is the "role model" to all other countries. We have the best armed services of any country and have never lost an actual war. The framers of the constitution would probably throw a humongous hissy fit of the way the country is being ran today.