Constitution+DayA1S08

While attempting to become the Republican candidate for President in 2008, Fred Thompson said, "//I do not believe the Constitution is a **living, breathing document**. I am committed to appointing strict constructionist judges to the bench if I am elected President, strict constructionists who believe the Constitution has a fixed meaning that can be applied to cases that come before the courts today. They do NOT believe the Constitution is a living, breathing document, whose meaning, constantly changing with the sifting sands of our culture, can be determined and applied by unelected judges."//

Al Gore made the following statement while running for President in 2000: //"I would look for justices of the Supreme Court who understand that our Constitution is a **living and breathing document**, that it was intended by our founders to be interpreted in the light of the constantly evolving experience of the American people.//"

Who was right?

Prove that the Constitution should be a "living and breathing" document or Prove that the Constitution should not be a "living and breathing" document

Your answer and evidence is due on Friday. It will be a phone call to one of the signers explaining to them how the Constitution should be interpreted today. It will be between :55sec and 1:05 minutes long. You can work in a group or by yourself.

Directions for recording the phone call (It will not cost you one cent)

Conversation with Philip Livingston =__**0:00-0:15 Small Talk and What is the Constitution**__=

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Livingston 1. Hey Phil! Hows New York?
 * Say hello and make small talk about things going on in the person's life. List a few things you could talk about with your person.

2. Really that's great. I heard you finally finished Yale, that's awesome.

3. Oh and say hi to the kids for me.

Remind him what the Constitution is http://www.fee.org/Publications/the-Freeman/article.asp?aid=3460 http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2917/1809con.html 1. The Constitution is the single document containing the supreme laws, rules, and regulations of our nation.

2. Its words and statements help govern the U.S. and breaks down the government. This document gives our whole country great structure.** =**__0:15-0:30__**= From the U.S. Constitution, http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/ 1. Symbolically, the Constitution is living and breathing document because it tells us our amendmants and laws.
 * Why is it "living or breathing?" or Why is it not "living and breathing?"

2. It also tells us how to structure our government.

3. By changing one part of the Constitution, you change it almost entirely. Just like a major event in a persons life.**

=**__0:30-0:45__**=

1. One example is that the Eleventh Amendmant was ratified in Febrluarty 7, 1795.
 * What is your proof?

2. The Constitution splits our government into three branches. The Legislative, Judicial, and Executive. This breaks down our government so we can work better as one functioning flawless union.

3. An Amendmant that was ratified not only changed itself but changed section two article four of the Constitution.**

=**__0:45 -1:00__**=