The search for a new constitution - on both sides of the pond

[Corinna Lotz]

Let's Give up on the Constitution.....This article in the New York Times is relevant to the project for an Agreement of the People for the 21st Century....."As the nation teeters at the edge of fiscal chaos, observers are reaching the conclusion that the American system of government is broken."

[Roger Alexander]

Thanks for the simple explanation Corinna.  It is of constant amazement to me that people in the UK can be in opposition to any human rights legislation and think of themselves as decent human beings.

[Corinna Lotz]

Hi Roger - thanks for your comment.

The project for a new Agreement of the People does not propose that any written document could or would please everyone - or bring about much needed transformations by itself.

Indeed, the 1% who presently dominate the economy and the financial world will surely be displeased with the notion that basic rights for ordinary people could be enshrined and legally enforceable. The opposition to the European Human Rights Act under New Labour and now under Cameron is surely an indication of that.

In any case, the draft document does not propose to do away with the rule of law, or those aspects of British law which have been won through long struggles over the centuries. Instead it simply proposes that the constitutional settlement of 1688 and present relationship between the state and the people - and indeed the legal system as it stands -  cannot possibly be the last words in democracy.

All best,

Corinna

[Roger Alexander]

The problem with a written constitution is that it tries the impossible  .... to please the majority and honour the aspirations of all of the minorities.

People do not understand that the UK has a written constitution called common law that is constantly ammended in our courts in the public domain.  This is officially recorded and becomes law as decisions are made.

We have statute law that is laboriously framed in parliament and signed by our monarch who cannot be corrupted as she is stinking rich and not subject to the law.... she IS THE LAW.

People may criticise our system but it is continuously under review.  The problem with the present age is that the population have been brainwashed into believing that money is something other that a means of trade and barter.  It is in fact the purest form of democracy in the everyone votes with their pocket and the 'market economy' undermines the pretence of many citizens who  say one thing and buy another.

You only have to look at the issues of the day alcohol and drugs... no one forces anyone to indulge.  People take drugs and drink themselves stupid as they enjoy it.  It sure beats singing miserable hymns and standing to attention.

The people who are trying to write a new constitution cannot succeed as they do not have a democratic majority in the population.