Perfecting the Constitution
Subtitle: the case for the Article V amendment process
By: Darren Patrick Guerra
Publisher: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
Published: 2013
Language: eng
Number of pages: 239
ISBN-13: 9781498515443; 9780739168387
Subjects: Constitutional amendments; Constitutional law
Description: "This book shows tha Article V is a unique and powerful extension of the American tradition of written constitutionalism. It was a logical extension of American constitutional development and it was a powerful tool used by the Federalists to argue for ratification of the new Constitution. Since then it has served as a means of 'perfecting' the U.S. Constitution for over 200 years via a wide range of amendments. Contrary to contemporary critics, the historical evidence shows Article V to be a vital element in the Constitutional architecture, not an expendable or ancillary piece. This book defends Article V against critics by showing that it is neither too difficult, undemocratic, nor too formal. Furthermore, a positive case is made that Article V remains the most clear and powerful way to register the sovereign desires of the American public with regard to alterations of their fundamental law. In the end, Article V is an essential bulwark to maintaining a written Constitution that secures the rights of the people against both elites and themselves."--Publisher
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-239).
Table of contents: title: Creation of Article V; title: Perfecting the Constitution; title: Constitutional Revolution; title: An Ultimate Remedy : Creating and Ratifying Article V; title: The Founders' Article V Consensus; title: Criticism of Article V; title: The Progressive Challenge to Article V; title: The Critics : Article V is Too Difficult; title: The Critics : Article V is Undemocratic; title: The Critics : Article V is Too Formal; title: Conclusion : The Case for Article V.