Permanent Constitution or a Permanently Changing One?

[VetLegion]

Most countries of the world change their constitutions quite often. On the other hand, USA don't change theirs much, and the original text is still there.

In my country, it takes 2/3 of representatives and the Constitution can be altered in any way desired. Which has been done fairly often (...1974, 1991, 2000 are the latest).

I don't know what does it take to create amendments to the US constitution, but we shall for the purposes of this thread consider it "permanent".

So, which approach to having a constitution do you consider superior? What do they have in your neck of woods? When was the last change?

[Jon Miller]

n amendment to the United States Constitution must be ratified by three-quarters of either the state legislatures, or of constitutional conventions specially elected in each of the states, before it can come into effect [1].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_amendment

Jon Miller

[Starchild]

In the UK, there is no written constitution. So all it takes is Parliament to pass a law and major constitutional areas can be changed. Our constitutions is fluid and dynamic.

[Will9]

Article V of the United States Constitution:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

[VetLegion]

Yeah, UK is another interesting aspect to it.

BTW., I forgot to say that I prefer the US way of doing it. Constitution has more value when it's not changed every couple of decades.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, but the only way it has been able to remain "unchanged" and still function is that the interpretation of the words has been expanded/fleshed out based on changing times.

[EyesOfNight]

Yeah, but the only way it has been able to remain "unchanged" and still function is that the interpretation of the words has been expanded/fleshed out based on changing times.

Which is a nice way of saying liberals and activist judges have gone around what the constitution says in order to get laws passed that the constitution does not allow for. The constitution at this point is basically defined by whichever party is in power, or which judge is making a decision, as it has become fashionable to find just about any meaning you possibly can in the constitution.

[Odin]

Originally posted by EyesOfNight


liberals and activist judges

Bush is a liberal?

[DRoseDARs]

I had a nice long smackdown of that idiocy, but it's my birthday so my gives-a-sh*t is offline today.

[Ecthy]

Why are you not having sex?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yeah, but the only way it has been able to remain "unchanged" and still function is that the interpretation of the words has been expanded/fleshed out based on changing times.

Is that code for making **** up whole cloth?

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Ecthy
Why are you not having sex?

Who's says I'm not right now as I type this? That's right, I'm pimp.

[DinoDoc]

He must be very bad.

[DRoseDARs]

Better than Eyes I'd imagine.

[Ming]

I think some people need to chill a little... remember...
The topic, not the posters...