The Democratic Party needs to start a 'Read the Constitution' movement

[xultar]

or effort.

It should be on bumper stickers
T-shirts
Screensavers
PC/Mac Wallpapers & desktops...

EVERYWHERE.

Billboards
The news

When you've read it you can get a button that says,

I Left the Right when I read the constiution.

Whatddaya think?

[beam me up scottie]

1. They still have that old rag?

I thought ashcroft used it for toilet paper. :evilgrin:

Good idea, I'm amazed how many people don't realize how important it is.

If this is for non-du'ers you would need to give away free big macs and
beer to get anyone interested.

[prodigal_green]

2. Great idea!

I think you can purchase small pocket-sized versions of it (though it wouldn't be too hard to print it out).

Stand near religious fanatics who hand out biblical tracts and hand them out to people. Leave them on public transportation.

Excellent idea, I'm going to start today.

You can even ask people to choose their favorite!

on edit:

You could even do a little spoof on Letterman: Top Ten Reasons to Love America, then list the Bill of Rights.

[woodsprite]

3. My son's daycare is having a booksale

and it has a couple of books I was going to buy for him. One was a very easy to understand book about the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. He'll be 5 soon, but shows an interest when I talk about articles on government in the news. Another one was "What is a democracy".

I'll also make my 12yo read them to him ;) Can't know have too much book learning, ya know?

[tx_dem41]

4. I think people even on this forum ought to take the time to read it too...

On several threads, I'm constantly having to restate what the Establishment Clause means to people who should know better.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

5. There are lots of people who read the Constitution

The problem is that one has to have at least a basic understanding of law to get it, which unfortunatly most Americans don't. The problem is the education, or lack thereof, in our schools.

[9119495]

6. Wonderful idea! It's even catchy and marketable.

It would sound good in a debate too.

[bonito]

7. Good idea

Check this out:

http://www.nccs.net/us_constitution.html

I'll contribute the first $50.00

[qwghlmian]

8. Really? Reading the Constitution is one thing -

implementing it is another. Since the Supreme Court has the authority to twist the Constitution in any way they like, what good is the Constitution?

Example: 10th amendment. Short and to the point:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

What does the Supreme Court do? They claim that this amendment is a "truism", and ignore it completely by simply claiming that anything and everything under the Sun is related to "interstate commerce". As much as you may like them, US Federal Government's offices such as Department of Education, or Department of Housing and Land Development, or National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities cannot possibly be claimed to be formed under "powers delegated to the United States by the Constitution", and thus are unconstitutional. But, since we really do not follow the Constitution any more, here they are.

[dcfirefighter]

9. I'm down with that

I think it would work wonders, I know many, if not most of my Republican friends are questioning current policies. Most of them just want to be left alone. The supreme court only has the authority we grant them. The Constitution was originally meant to be the chains that bind the leviathan. This is the moral high ground we need, and we need to be able stand their without duplicity.

'Left' programs can be funded by states. Paying for them off of income taxes will shift jobs to states that don't. Similar problems exist for commercial taxes and built property taxes. Taxing land values has the opposite effect.

[qwghlmian]

11. Well, you may be "down with that"

but I would presume (I may be wrong) that most DUers would feel very strongly that Department of Education, Department of Housing and Land Development, and National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, among others, should exist.

Educating people about the Constitution (if they realize that the 10th amendment really prohibits the Federal government from meddling in such matters) may lead to these Departments' disappearance. So - to the original poster, careful what you wish for.

[Lone Pawn]

10. I dunno. Sounds a bit sanctimonious.

Not that I disagree with the message, but saying 'You disagree with me? You obviously need to read this.' is a bit...oh...I hate to reenforce the meme, but elitist.