I had a descussion with a friend of mines, and he stated that the Gov. can't change the constitution, I stated that they can't but they can reword it to fit their needs (i.e. the right to bear arms, they could tell us that it ment we have the right to live with 2 arms, sorry, not a good example, but you know what i meant) it's all about perception, and what if the gov, took the constitution, and changed it to percieve something else?
2006-10-20 05:04:51 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
The constitution is changeable, and been done many times. That is why it is called the Amendment of the Constitution. meaning to be able to Amend it.
2006-10-20 06:41:01 · answer #1 · answered by Sierra Leone 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I would suggest a little research might help.
The constitution has been changed many times (28 or so) the process involves the US senate with a 2/3 vote and 3/4 of the states voting for the change. That's the way all changes have been done so far, if I remember correct there can be a completely new one if voted by the whole population but have forgotten the details.
Check out http://www.law.emory.edu/FEDERAL/usconst.html
for better details.
The Court system is called on to define what the writer really meant so what might appear to be clear to one us can be challenged by another and it's resolved by the courts.
2006-10-20 05:21:48 · answer #2 · answered by madjer21755 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The government & the courts change the meaning of the constitution's words all the time. For instance the 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, has a provision that no state may "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Everyone at the time understood this to refer to former slaves. However, in the 1890's the courts applied this provison to protect the property rights of corporations as well. Nobody ever thought of corporations as "persons" under that law until that time. What's more the federal Courts, at about the same time held that separate state facilities for people of different races, so long as they were roughly similar, were permissable under the 14th Amendment. So by 1896, we had a situation where the 14th Amendment, which was expressly enacted to protect former slaves, was not protecting former slaves, but was protecting corporations, for whose protections it was not passed.
2006-10-20 05:22:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The constitution has been changed many times. It's called "amending" the constitution and the procedures to do so are set out in the constitution.
I think you are speaking more about "interpreting" the meaning of the words in the constitution. That has, also, been changed many times by the Supreme Court. It is their job to interpret the constitution as it applies to specific issues of law before them.
2006-10-20 05:19:22 · answer #4 · answered by Xeod 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It used to be about interpretating the meanings, which was what arguably made the Constitution flexible and able to change and adapt over time. Now it is about ignoring its meanings and intent while the government tramples all over it. The Constitution has changed and we have fewer rights today then ever before.
2006-10-20 05:19:19 · answer #5 · answered by strider89406 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They already have! The right to bear arms with their permission, at the right time, in the right place. Freedom from religious persecution now means freedom from seeing any signs of religion at all. Etc., etc., etc. We as a nation are on the verge of having our Pledge of Allegiance changed as well as the face of our money to remove any trace of religion. The right to gather in protest and demonstrate has been changed to mean only when we say so, etc., etc.
Not a good track to be on....
2006-10-20 05:13:52 · answer #6 · answered by joycaro 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are changing it all the time,Right to bear arms,when?and where to bear arms.Texas is the only state that obeys with that Law Now.I guess we could carry a rifle down the street ,But I would be careful not to get shot by the Police by accident?
2015-07-11 17:58:52 · answer #7 · answered by james 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each time they make an amendment or come up with a new law, it takes away from many of our rights that out forefathers set out for our country.
Look at the death of habeas corpus.
2006-10-20 05:15:34 · answer #8 · answered by nordic_winds1969 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of them go as far as saying the federal government is enslavement but they enslave themselves 20-30 in a military career...
2016-05-22 05:10:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They already have look at the Patriot act and bill S 3931.
2006-10-20 05:22:15 · answer #10 · answered by Belladonna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋