Kyle HughesWe are presently living through the worst-case scenario of the administrative state given to a bad actor. It gives me great pause. Is there any way forward without dismantling it?
If hardening our democratic institutions meant becoming a Pocket Constitution person and advocating for the rights of gun ownership, could you do it?
Matt Massicotte@kyle I see no point
@mattiem which part, for what reason?
@kyle I see no point in making concessions with a group that will not cooperate, to defend a document that has proven to be insufficient
Jamie Blumberg@jamie_blumberg @kyle I think it’s educational that the US constitution is not used as a blueprint for any fledgling democracy (as far as I understand)
@jamie_blumberg @mattiem No offense, but I personally do not wish to entertain the idea of replacing the Constitution at this time.
@kyle @jamie_blumberg While I believe it is effectively non-functional, I do see that you are saying.
@jamie_blumberg @mattiem I don’t want to entertain it because (1) I am advocating for an extreme level of focus on the present and (2) I don’t believe I have the perspective to advocate for dissolving the world’s oldest constitutional democracy.
Personally, I think that would be a mistake in line with what the Lord Ruler did prior to the events of the Mistborn trilogy.
I don’t mean to disparage that viewpoint. I just can’t be part of these conversations.
@kyle @jamie_blumberg Honestly, I find it quite encouraging that people believe the current system is salvageable. I can’t see the future - it’s absolutely possible!
Ralph Waldo Pickle Chips@mattiem @kyle @jamie_blumberg I think the constitution is effectively nonfunctional, and I think it would still be a mistake to try and replace it wholesale. It should be amended so heavily as to be fundamentally different, but an explicit rewrite is unhelpful at best and harmful at worst.
It useful for myth making and nation building—and fundamentally that is what rewriting the constitution would be—to preserve the thread of continuity.
@mattiem Hmm. I am looking at it from the perspective of needing to find the strongest lowest-common-denominator origin story to unite people through that doesn't need new buy-in. The American Revolution × Constitution × Amendments are the best ones we have. If we decide we need to align around a new concept of freedom in this moment, and concede that the Constitution should not be honored, we are cooked. It is a classic progressive stumble to only accept perfection, which is why I asked yes/no.
@mattiem The question wasn’t—do you think this is possible, which we likely disagree on—but would you do it if this is what it would take? Which is purposefully challenging for my audience, I know.
@kyle If I had some kind of assurance that it would make meaningful progress: definitely.
@mattiem Thank you for participating in the thought experiment 🫡
I grew up exclusively in conservative environments and this has always been the hole I have had my eye on that we can thread the needle through. I really believe it, and unfortunately may live to see it tested.