ConstitutionDay24BG

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 is a "living and breathing" document or Prove that the Constitution is not a "living and breathing" document http://www.benjaminrush.com/ =__**0:00-0:15 Small Talk and What is the Constitution**__=


 * 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.

1 Hello Benjamin Rush, first I would like to add my apologies for losing your Dad at a very young age.

2 Though, I see you have progressed greatly, studying medicine and then teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.

3 And just so you know, after your death, one of your beloved children James Rush, followed exactly in your inspiring footsteps. Remind him what the Constitution is

1 The constitution is the highest law in the United States.

2 It tells how the government works, it creates the presidency, the congress, and the supreme court. It can be changed by an amendment. There are 27 amendments, but the first ten, known as the bill of rights, are the most prominent.

3 It was signed in 1787 by 56 men from the first thirteen states, known as the "framers." [|My source.]**

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Why is it "living or breathing?" or Why is it not "living and breathing?" 1 The document is leaving and breathing because right now, if those men didnt take a stand, we would still be under britains control.

2 So you ask, how does that make it leaving and breathing? To me, that phrase is an expression telling me it is still there, still with us in the United States, keeping our freedom.

3 So if that doesn't answer your question, I have some for you. If the constitution wasn't "living and breathing" (still in effect) would history still go in the way it has? And would we be in the position we are right now? Thank you.

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What is your proof? 1 I dont know about previous generations but my parents do, and my grandparents do. And i know for a fact they were free americans. My grandparents(and mom) were born in Italy and came to america.

2 So if those men didnt sign and win that war between them and their mother country, would they be free and more important and would i be here talking to you right now.

3 Everyone knows for a fact that the constitution is still around, because if it wasnt would we be very vulnerable to other countries to take us over.

4 The constitution is the highest law in the United States. For that position, it must mean something.

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So what did you do on constitution day? A party? How was that? I see, I had school and i learned all about it and the way it works, pretty interesting. Another interesting debate is Obama and McCain, we shall see how that turns out. Well, I would like to thank you for your time, I'll see you around.

=//__Write your complete script below!! Do not call unless you have your script completely written.__//=

Hey Ben Rush, how you doing. I wanted to say sorry for the loss of your dad at a young age, but compliments for doing great in the study of medicine and teaching at the University of Pennsylvania. Quick stuff about the constitution, as I make a transition here. As a signer I know you know that its the highest law in the US and tells how the government works and how the presidency, congress, and Supreme Court is created. It can also be changed, which is then called an amendment as stated in article V. Enough, dont want to bore you, but is it a living and breathing document? Definitely. To me, I redefine the phrase as "still in effect." And true that is, because with the power of our country, no law would mean total power for the person in charge. More as, just like a dictatorship. With all the rules in the constitution, it saves our world from going completely lawless everyday. So, to me as long as our constitution is in effect its a living and breathing document. We're free americans because we have signed away from our, now formal, mother country, but we are also contained of many wrongdoings for the many reasonable rules such as limits to presidential control. So, I would like to thank you Ben for being one of the 56 famous singners of the constitution and also thank you for your time with this discussion. I'll see you around.