Changing the Constitution

San Francisco Chronicle

Letter to the Editor

 

We the People

 

The two seemingly opposing views on the Constitution presented in Sunday’s Insight are perhaps the most important and controversial articles I have seen in the Chronicle for a long time. These articles were a very wise choice to focus us to address pressing and possibly catastrophic events shaping this country today.

 

First, let me point out that our government has already trampled over and reshaped this precious document. Our feelings of anger and powerlessness are quite justified. But virtually all of the problems that were discussed in these articles were not due to the shortsightedness of the framers of the constitution, but instead due to the constant tinkering done by proceeding generations. These are the amendments that need examination and national debate.

 

If we were following the direction of the constitution today, each state would be able to have the right to experiment with a great many of the ideas that were suggested by Sabato. Virtually all the ills- the extraordinary power of  multinational corporations, the perpetual war machines, the bankruptcy of our national treasury were NOT powers built into the constitution but powers that grew by stealing power away from individuals and their States.

 

Karen Leonard