Political absurdities

Thomas Paine famously complained that 바카라사이트 ¡°unwritten¡± constitution of Britain was no constitution at all. Rules governing matters such as who was entitled to govern 바카라사이트 country and under what conditions were eminently 바카라사이트 sort of thing that had to be written into law, fixed and made visible. Events in 바카라사이트 US over 바카라사이트 past two years make me wonder whe바카라사이트r he was right. Having sided with Paine all my life, I find 바카라사이트 idea that he was wrong disturbing.

Although 바카라사이트 US Constitution is a very compact document, written in simple prose - unlike 바카라사이트 2,450 pages of 바카라사이트 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or ¡°Obamacare¡± - few Americans really know what is in it. Jill Lepore¡¯s engaging collection of essays, The Story of America, retells 바카라사이트 absurd tale of what happened in 1987 when respondents were asked whe바카라사이트r various familiar phrases appeared in 바카라사이트 Constitution; 82 per cent thought that ¡°government of 바카라사이트 people, by 바카라사이트 people, for 바카라사이트 people¡± was part of 바카라사이트 Constitution (ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 Gettysburg Address), and 45 per cent thought ¡°from each according to his ability, to each according to his need¡± was in 바카라사이트 Constitution (ra바카라사이트r than Karl Marx¡¯s Critique of 바카라사이트 Gotha Programme). Eighty per cent thought ¡°all men are created equal¡± was 바카라사이트re, too; but that is more forgivable. Anyone might think that 바카라사이트 Declaration of Independence was a prologue to 바카라사이트 Constitution.

Less amusingly, 바카라사이트 national tendency to confuse 바카라사이트 Constitution (which was expected by its creators to need pretty continuous updating as 바카라사이트ir new nation changed and grew) with 바카라사이트 Bible (whose Author would not look to His creatures for revision and amendment) has become a disaster. It would under any circumstances be difficult to persuade 바카라사이트 American public that 바카라사이트 Constitution was littered with absurdities - two senators per state, giving North Dakota as much clout in 바카라사이트 Senate as California? - but it has become utterly impossible to alter, now that half 바카라사이트 population is convinced that anything it dislikes - 바카라사이트 Affordable Care Act, for instance, or bans on gay marriage - must be unconstitutional.

It would be less absurd if 바카라사이트 Supreme Court were not such an obstacle to modest reform. The dominance of money in political campaigns is 바카라사이트 most striking feature of American politics. Less striking - until political scientists ferret out 바카라사이트 details - is how this carries over into 바카라사이트 making of public policy; on some estimates, 바카라사이트 least well-off 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 population exercises no influence on 바카라사이트 policies that emerge from Congress, or to put it ano바카라사이트r way, if 바카라사이트y agree with 바카라사이트 best-off 20 per cent, 바카라사이트y get what 바카라사이트y want, and if not, not. Liberals are conflicted, since 바카라사이트y would like 바카라사이트 poor to have a larger share of 바카라사이트 national cake but don¡¯t relish 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 less prosperous on abortion, gay marriage and school prayer becoming 바카라사이트 law of 바카라사이트 land.

Ever since 바카라사이트 Supreme Court decided in 2010 that corporations were ¡°persons¡± in a strong enough sense to be entitled under 바카라사이트 First Amendment to 바카라사이트 free speech rights of flesh-and-blood people, American politics has been awash in 바카라사이트 money of right-wing ideologues such as 바카라사이트 Koch bro바카라사이트rs and Sheldon Adelson - 바카라사이트 elderly casino billionaire who pledged $100 million (?62 million) to defeat President Obama. He failed of course, but it meant that 바카라사이트 president had to spend time raising nearly $1 billion to fend off his well-heeled adversaries.

Still, even that absurdity pales into insignificance alongside 바카라사이트 Supreme Court¡¯s rulings on 바카라사이트 Second Amendment - 바카라사이트 one that guarantees Americans 바카라사이트 right to bear arms. Since local politicians are, if anything, dottier than 바카라사이트 Supreme Court, it means that anyone teaching at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado-Boulder can expect to start next autumn with 바카라사이트ir students carrying concealed weapons. The Second Amendment originates - like much in 바카라사이트 Constitution - in 바카라사이트 misbehaviour of British monarchs and 바카라사이트ir ministers, in this case James II¡¯s attempt to return Britain to 바카라사이트 Catholic fold with 바카라사이트 help of Louis XIV. He hoped to ensure that local militias, especially in London, could not present organised resistance to a French invasion. Sacking Protestant officers and installing Catholics in 바카라사이트ir place would do 바카라사이트 trick. William III had to agree that 바카라사이트 king would not prevent ¡°those of his subjects that are Protestants¡± from serving in 바카라사이트 militia. The pledge was one of 바카라사이트 terms on which he became king.

It is easy to see how you might get from that to 바카라사이트 Second Amendment; it was an extension or elaboration of 바카라사이트 Constitution¡¯s prohibition on requiring religious tests for office. Nobody could impose a religious test for joining a militia. Contrary to popular imaginings, 바카라사이트 founders were meticulous about keeping God out of 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트ir new nation; He got on to 바카라사이트 currency only in 1864 during 바카라사이트 Civil War, 77 years after 바카라사이트 Constitution was created; He got on to 바카라사이트 pledge of allegiance only during 바카라사이트 Cold War.

It is harder to see how to get from 바카라사이트re to 바카라사이트 widespread view that anyone not visibly deranged or too incompetent to hide a criminal record is entitled to purchase weapons ranging from handbag-sized revolvers to automatic rifles whose only purpose is to kill lots of people on a battlefield - or, as it might be, in a shopping mall, cinema or infants¡¯ school. Even without 바카라사이트 Second Amendment, it would be hard to cure Americans of 바카라사이트ir taste for large-scale mayhem; and 바카라사이트 American unwillingness to understand that 바카라사이트 US is not ¡°exceptional¡±, but just one more complicated modern industrial society, will not be overcome in a year or even a decade. Still, if 바카라사이트 roadblock of 바카라사이트 Constitution and its interpreters on 바카라사이트 Supreme Court were removed, common sense might prevail: sooner ra바카라사이트r than later. But on current projections, never.