Constitution Essay

The U.S. Constitution’s Protections

The U.S. Constitution’s protections against mass public hysteria and political whims are one of its strengths, as is demonstrated by the fact that there have been relatively few changes made to the document since 1787.(Schuck, 2002).

The Flexible Nature of the Constitution

The United States Constitution is a flexible document that was created in a way that allowed it to adjust to the changing needs of Americans over time. However, the American founding fathers were well aware that amending such a document should necessitate a lengthy process in order to prevent the ratification and approval of poorly thought out or unworkable changes. (Schuck, 2002).

The Dual Process of Amending the Constitution

Additionally, by creating a dual process that a constitutional amendment has to undergo before being approved and ratified, they ensured that any amendment to the American Constitution served the best interest of the majority of the Americans as opposed to a few individuals (Schuck, 2002).

Judicial Review of Amendments

Moreover, amendments to the United States Constitution are subject to a judicial review process by the American courts. Such a requirement emerged from the Marbury v. Madison court case, and it allows the American courts to evaluate and revoke unconstitutional amendments approved by other branches of the U.S government (Schuck, 2002).

Maintaining the Strength of the U.S Constitution

The option for maintaining such a strength of the U.S constitution is respecting the constitutional boundaries along which the Congress and the state governments adopt and approve legislation. Besides, various branches of the U.S government should emphasize respecting the supremacy of the Constitution and only make amendments that follow the due process as stipulated in the Constitution. The law enforcement agencies should also remain vigilant to ensure that the Constitution remains protected and adhered to at all times by all citizens as a means of ensuring that no alterations are made in Constitution’s implementation process. The American Judicial system also should bend the law on political leaders. According to the U.S Constitution, elected and appointed government officials are subject to removal from public office by the court if convicted of bribery, treason, or any other misdemeanors. Such court powers are helpful in eliminating the impact of external influences from high-ranking officials in the Constitutional Amendment process.

The Archaic Provisions of the U.S Constitution

On the other hand, one of the U.S Constitution’s weaknesses is its content of the Archaic provisions of the eighteenth century, some of which are no longer applicable in the current society and are difficult to amend, such as the right to form militias or bear arms (Johnson, 2013).

The Establishment of the Constitution

During the late 18th century, the U.S constitution got established as the foundation for building a stable government structure for the country’s thirteen states during that time (Johnson, 2013). The thirteen states had relative differences and consisted of predominantly agrarian and rural societies. However, the same document, which the then thirteen states regarded as “The Supreme Law of the Land” still serves the same purpose in the modern American society despite various changes in the political, social, and economic welfare of the American people (Johnson, 3013). The American Constitution, which is about 200 years old the world’s oldest government charter, therefore faces a challenging time of increasing technological developments and urbanization. It thus requires some adjustments, though its effectiveness at guiding the United States has proven to be significantly enduring over the years (Johnson, 2013).

Improving Archaic Provisions of the U.S Constitution

One of the ways of improving the U.S Constitution’s Archaic provisions is by allowing and encouraging the legislative arm of the U.S government to make various amendments aimed at aligning the old, inapplicable provisions to the current needs of the modern American society. The U.S Constitution has the characteristic of being adaptive to emerging and ever-changing social, political, and economic needs, views, and demands of the American people. The United States lawmakers should, therefore, capitalize on such a trait of the U.S Constitution to align the less useful traditional provisions to the current needs of the American society through amendments. In such a way, the enduring nature of the U.S Constitution will continue being evident in a world of continuous technological and lifestyle advancements. Besides, by ensuring such amendments, the United States Constitution will continue serving as a role model for the transformation of several governmental institutions around the world.

Reference

Johnson, C. (2013). Jurgen Heideking. The Constitution before the Judgment Seat: The Prehistory and Ratification of the American Constitution, 1787-1791. The American Historical Review, 118(1), 176-177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ahr/118.1.176

Schuck, P. (2002). Semblances of Sovereignty: The Constitution, the State, and American Citizenshipby T. Alexander Aleinikoff. Political Science Quarterly, 117(3), 536-538. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/798297