Unable to cope with her past, she is gradually condemning herself to a dysfunctionally rosy outlook for the future. False hopes that she can be great, without being good, are making her more and more pitiful to look upon, not only by her own most well-informed citizens, but by the rest of the world. She still possesses almost of all of the great documents and political tools to return to her original glory. The depth of denial has increased with each decade of her deliberate and willful ignorance. The mental nutrition available in a typical history or political science course is not quite up to the MDR that was standardized during the Founders' generation.
Law schools are far worse.
We don't need to commiserate anymore about our ignorance. We need to roll up our sleeves and return to the study of the law and the Constitution. Yes, before we can build an American bridge to the 21st Century, we must repair the bridge to the 18th. Whatever we choose to ignore from that period will continue to haunt us until we acknowledge and learn the aspects of political technology that were mastered in that period. Sadly, we live in a generation so ignorant of history that they may repeat it without ever knowing.