Our Secret Constitution

Our Secret Constitution PDF

Author: George P. Fletcher

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2003-01-16

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 9780198032434

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Americans hate and distrust their government. At the same time, Americans love and trust their government. These contradictory attitudes are resolved by Fletcher's novel interpretation of constitutional history. He argues that we have two constitutions--still living side by side--one that caters to freedom and fear, the other that satisfied our needs for security and social justice. The first constitution came into force in 1789. It stresses freedom, voluntary association, and republican elitism. The second constitution begins with the Gettysburg Address and emphasizes equality, organic nationhood, and popular democracy. These radical differences between our two constitutions explain our ambivalence and self-contradictory attitudes toward government. With September 11 the second constitution--which Fletcher calls the Secret Constitution--has become ascendant. When America is under threat, the nation cultivates its solidarity. It overcomes its fear and looks to government for protection and the pursuit of social justice. Lincoln's messages of a strong government and a nation that must "long endure" have never been more relevant to American politics. "Fletcher's argument has intriguing implications beyond the sweeping subject of this profoundly thought-provoking book."--The Denver Post

The Secret Constitution and the Need for Constitutional Change

The Secret Constitution and the Need for Constitutional Change PDF

Author: Arthur Selwyn Miller

Publisher: Greenwood

Published: 1987

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13:

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As we approach the third century in the life of our republic, some observers question whether the American Constitution, established in 1787, can effectively handle an increasing number of contemporary problems. Divided into two main parts, this volume represents a radical analysis of the Constitution in relation to major conflicts of modern society.

Our Lost Constitution

Our Lost Constitution PDF

Author: Mike Lee

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2015-04-07

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0698189205

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The still-unfolding story of America’s Constitution is a history of heroes and villains—the flawed visionaries who inspired and crafted liberty’s safeguards, and the shortsighted opportunists who defied them. Those stories are known by few today. In Our Lost Constitution, Senator Mike Lee tells the dramatic, little-known stories behind six of the Constitution’s most indispensible provisions. He shows their rise. He shows their fall. And he makes vividly clear how nearly every abuse of federal power today is rooted in neglect of this Lost Constitution. For example: • The Origination Clause says that all bills to raise taxes must originate in the House of Representatives, but contempt for the clause ensured the passage of Obamacare. • The Fourth Amendment protects us against unreasonable searches and seizures, but the NSA now collects our private data without a warrant. • The Legislative Powers Clause means that only Congress can pass laws, but unelected agencies now produce ninety-nine out of every one hundred pages of legal rules imposed on the American people. Lee’s cast of characters includes a former Ku Klux Klansman, who hijacked the Establishment Clause to strangle Catholic schools; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who called the Second Amendment a fraud; and the revered president who began his first of four terms by threating to shatter the balance of power between Congress and the president, and who began his second term by vowing to do the same to the Supreme Court. Fortunately, the Constitution has always had its defenders. Senator Lee tells the story of how Andrew Jackson, noted for his courage in duels and politics, stood firm against the unconstitutional expansion of federal powers. He brings to life Ben Franklin’s genius for compromise at a deeply divided constitutional convention. And he tells how in 2008, a couple of unlikely challengers persuaded the Supreme Court to rediscover the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms. Sections of the Constitution may have been forgotten, but it’s not too late to bring them back—if only we remember why we once demanded them and how we later lost them. Drawing on his experience working in all three branches of government, Senator Lee makes a bold case for resurrecting the Lost Constitution to restore and defend our fundamental liberties.

The People’s Constitution

The People’s Constitution PDF

Author: John F. Kowal

Publisher: The New Press

Published: 2021-09-21

Total Pages: 493

ISBN-13: 1620975629

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The 233-year story of how the American people have taken an imperfect constitution—the product of compromises and an artifact of its time—and made it more democratic Who wrote the Constitution? That’s obvious, we think: fifty-five men in Philadelphia in 1787. But much of the Constitution was actually written later, in a series of twenty-seven amendments enacted over the course of two centuries. The real history of the Constitution is the astonishing story of how subsequent generations have reshaped our founding document amid some of the most colorful, contested, and controversial battles in American political life. It’s a story of how We the People have improved our government’s structure and expanded the scope of our democracy during eras of transformational social change. The People’s Constitution is an elegant, sobering, and masterly account of the evolution of American democracy. From the addition of the Bill of Rights, a promise made to save the Constitution from near certain defeat, to the post–Civil War battle over the Fourteenth Amendment, from the rise and fall of the “noble experiment” of Prohibition to the defeat and resurgence of an Equal Rights Amendment a century in the making, The People’s Constitution is the first book of its kind: a vital guide to America’s national charter, and an alternative history of the continuing struggle to realize the Framers’ promise of a more perfect union.

OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?

OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say? PDF

Author: Ben Sheehan

Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal

Published: 2020-04-14

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 0762498463

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Do you know what the Constitution ACTUALLY says? This witty and highly relevant annotation of our founding document is the go-to guide to how our government really works (or is supposed to work). Written by political savant and entertainment veteran, Ben Sheehan, and vetted for accuracy by experts in the field of constitutional law, OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say? is an entertaining and accessible guide that explains what the Constitution actually lays out. With clear notes and graphics on everything from presidential powers to Supreme Court nominations to hidden loopholes, Sheehan walks us through the entire Constitution from its preamble to its final amendment (with a bonus section on the Declaration of Independence). Besides putting the Constitution in modern-day English so that it can be understood, OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say? gives readers all of the info they need to be effective voters and citizens in the November elections and beyond.

The Secret Government

The Secret Government PDF

Author: Ismael Perez

Publisher:

Published: 2007-06-01

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 9781604022599

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In his shocking book, The Secret Government, author Ismael Perez exposes the existence and purpose of a secret society which has been in existence since pre-Biblical times. Perez uncovers a secret government, an underground society of the worlds most influential leaders, working together to form one government. The society, known by many as The Secret Government, includes world leaders, politicians, religious organizations, corporations, and some of the most influential families in history. Its purpose is to mold world events, using calamities, assassinations, diseases, terrorism, and political elections, in their quest for world domination and control. They have been the power behind most of the worlds empires and institutions and have maintained their stronghold over the earth through secrecy, conspiracy, manipulation, division and wars.Taking the reader through history, Ismael Perez exposes the workings of this dark, hidden hand society as they attempt to bring all nations under their control. From the days of Adam and Eve, their bloodline has evolved and is currently behind the economic, political, and social corruption facing the world today. The Secret Government reveals the real reasons behind the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the assassinations of presidents, as well as their method of economic dominance through control of the worlds banking system. From the highest echelons of world organizations, Perez provides proof that this dark brotherhood exists in the United Nations, the pharmaceutical companies, in organized religion, as well as the political arena.Years of research performed by Perez and other truth seekers bring these undeniable truths to light. It is time to familiarize ourselves with the meaning of the great awakening in relationship to the declining power of the dark forces. The great awakening has long been prophesied, and its taking place for many people who are becoming aware. The disclosure of the oppressive forces will be a great step in the awakening process, states Perez. Through The Secret Government, he shows us how we can use this information to change our future and prepare for the final conflict between Good and Evil, only then can the full restoration of the earth take place and we can begin the age of light marked by brotherhood, peace, justice, and freedom.The Secret Government is the first book written by Ismael Perez, and is based on extensive study of the Bible, as well as many political, historical, economic, and social events and documents throughout history. Perez is currently researching his next book, Our Cosmic (Divine) Beginning.

American Treasures

American Treasures PDF

Author: Stephen Puleo

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2016-08-30

Total Pages: 432

ISBN-13: 1250065747

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The dramatic, never-before-told stories behind the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address: America's crown jewels that define its commitment to freedom.

The Words We Live By

The Words We Live By PDF

Author: Linda R. Monk

Publisher: Hachette Books

Published: 2015-08-11

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0316381861

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THE WORDS WE LIVE BY takes an entertaining and informative look at America's most important historical document, now with discussions on new rulings on hot button issues such as immigration, gay marriage, gun control, and affirmative action. In THE WORDS WE LIVE BY, Linda Monk probes the idea that the Constitution may seem to offer cut-and-dried answers to questions regarding personal rights, but the interpretations of this hallowed document are nearly infinite. For example, in the debate over gun control, does "the right of the people to bear arms" as stated in the Second Amendment pertain to individual citizens or regulated militias? What do scholars say? Should the Internet be regulated and censored, or does this impinge on the freedom of speech as defined in the First Amendment? These and other issues vary depending on the interpretation of the Constitution. Through entertaining and informative annotations, THE WORDS WE LIVE BY offers a new way of looking at the Constitution. Its pages reflect a critical, respectful and appreciative look at one of history's greatest documents. THE WORDS WE LIVE BY is filled with a rich and engaging historical perspective along with enough surprises and fascinating facts and illustrations to prove that your Constitution is a living--and entertaining--document. Updated now for the first time, THE WORDS WE LIVE BY continues to take an entertaining and informative look at America's most important historical document, now with discussions on new rulings on hot button issues such as immigration, gay marriage, and affirmative action.