CMRivdogs

TBH, I'm basically agnostic about it. As I've written I don't think there is any chance of even another amendment passing in the next 15 years or so. None of the latest proposals I've seen have any real traction. I spent my formative years in Virginia, so Jefferson is close to my political and philosophical thoughts a lot. I believe he was a good philosopher, showed a varied interest in new and marvel ideas especially considering his inventions and attempts to bring new agricultural products to Virginia. His religious freedom statute was probably his greatest document, and is ignored by many so called christians today. (I call myself a back pew Presbyterian). My wife was one of the first coed undergraduates at UVa and we've spent a bit of time there. I don't believe he or any other politician of the 17th century should be judged solely on 20 or 21st century believes. He was a man of the times, not a deity. He inherited Sally Hemings from his late wife (they were half sisters, and basically a surrogate to her daughters after she died). Who knows what arrangements Jefferson and Hemings made other that his agreeing to free their offspring. The fact that Virginia law did not recognize freed slaves may have played into the picture since he did free on of Hemings brothers while living at Monticello. (The man bought his freedom)

The Federalist Papers were basically 1780 something blogs written in support of the proposed constitution.

Rewriting the Constitution would require intelligent, thoughtful persons. Unfortunately there aren't very many of them around today willing to take on the task.

Besides, It's probably not necessary to scrap and burn the whole thing, just bring it into say the 20th Century. We do have the power to amend, but how has that worked in the past 60 years or so.

I prefer to call it retool. After all we've gone from a constitutional democracy to a corporate controlled oligarchy. Do you include states with you thoughts on constitutional change. Michigan, for example has changed its constitution 5 times since 1835. If you actually read my entire post (and the links in the Jefferson letter) you'd see that my final conclusion is be careful what you wish for.

So Thomas Jefferson proposed in a letter to James Madison that the US Government be overthrown every generation? Times change, and so has how a lot of things that the group of politicians that we have dubbed as the infallible "Founding Fathers" thought at the time no longer apply. Take National Elections and the Electoral College for example. The thinking behind it was the general electorate at the time (Land owning men only) could not be trusted to elect a Chief Executive directly. Now we do so and have done so for a few generations. but still use the convoluted method of voting for a group who supposedly makes our decision for us. At the same time a large percentage of the population's votes are basically cancelled with the winner take all system. Do you actually believe that is what Mr Madison intended. I could do the same with several of the Bill of Rights Amendments, many have been bastardized by politicized court interpretations. The only laws that were ever written in stone were the Ten Commandments, (and even that is probably questionable)

A bit more of his argument On the other hand I remember talk back in the '70s about the need for a new Constitutional Convention. The thought then was something akin to be careful what you wish for. Given today's political climate it's probably the same.

Gonna throw this out here. I came across this as part of a letter TJ wrote to James Madison while he was still Ambassador to France. Jefferson played no role in the writing or adoption of the Constitution, aside from probably a few remarks in letters. He and Madison communicated a bit since their plantations were relatively close. This was also written around the time that the French Revolution was brewing. https://oll.libertyfund.org/quote/thomas-jefferson-on-whether-the-american-constitution-is-binding-on-those-who-were-not-born-at-the-time-it-was-signed-and-agreed-to-1789 https://jeffersonpapers.princeton.edu/selected-documents/thomas-jefferson-james-madison The crux here is that TJ realized that times change and laws cannot remain stagnant as time goes on. With changes in technology and other factors. A 200 plus year document written by middle aged men (politicians) should not remain in stone forever.

And for desert partake from the peach tree dish....

I'd be pleased if he came close to his dad's numbers....

The guy definitely suffers from small penis issues

Let's take it one step further. Unless one is proficient in using a gun and is accurate, the weapon is still virtually useless. Even if one has hours of training and hours at a range, the body chemistry changes once something like an intruder enters the picture. Add the addition of adrenalin to the scenario which will probably make you fumble with locks, ammunition and so forth, you're more likely to become a victim rather than a hero. Most people would be better off stocking their pantry with cans to throw at an intruder than buying a gun.

I'm old enough to remember that when one or two people in the class misbehaved, the whole class was punished. And that was back in the "good old days (50's and '60s). Same with employers, If one or two folks broke the rules, privileges were removed. Now the pampered employees of the NRA need to feel the same pain.

Worth a read from Tim Miller https://www.thebulwark.com/in-uvalde-the-most-enraging-press-conference-in-american-history/

And always spouting the party line. No original thoughts

Larry Gatlin and Larry Stewart were the other two...

I'd be ok with allowing an 18 year old have an assault type rifle if they signed up for a three year military tour first.

Good for them. Now spend your free time doing something useful

I'd like to add some sort of certification. Similar to a drivers license test, including a written test. All preformed by a reputable certified organization, none of these fly by night guys I see on facebook. Minimum of 16 hours training before taking test.