Seeking input on the most under-appreciated part of the US Constitution
On this day in 1787, the Constitution was signed, and the anniversary is being marked by the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Constitution Project, and the Cato Institute, all in D.C., in addition to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and, we are sure, many other venues as well.
In addition to encouraging everyone to take the time to read the full US Constitution today, I thought it might be fun to celebrate today by asking readers to note in the comments what part or provision of the Constitution seems under-appreciated.
For fans of personal liberty and limited government like me, it is perhaps a bit too easy point to the Ninth Amendment as the most jurisprudentially under-appreciated provision of the Constitution. But, as I reflect on the modern document and also my affinity for modern American democracy, I am also a huge fan of the 15th, 19th and 26th Amendments, each of which extended and safeguarded voting rights. One reason I am often troubled by broad felon disenfranchisement laws is because I view the ever broaden of voting rights to be one of the many hallmarks of the greatness of this country.
Moving to a slightly different front, I think the 18th and 21st Amendments also should get a lot more love and attention as we consider our founding charter. Though a national prohibition on alcohol now seems quite foolish, at least the temperance movement used the constitutional amendment process to achieve its policy goals rather than simply declaring a “war on alcohol” and having the local police power used to this end.
And, even more importantly, once we collectively realized how foolish the 18th Amendment proved to be, we had the gumption and good sense to repeal it via the 21st Amendments. I like being able to point my kids to these amendments when I say that everyone makes mistakes, and that the truly wise are the ones who admit their mistakes and then seek to fix them.