Canadian here. Do Americans generally feel that the U.S. Constitution should be updated, if not revamped? Or do they generally feel that the Constitution is perfect just the way it is?

27 comments

1. Not a single person likes everything in it/not in it. Nothing inherently wrong with that. It isn’t perfect, but it has been really really good.

   We have a way to change it. In fact we have 27 times.

2. We have a process for updating it. We have made many amendments.

3. The constitution is fine, as is, and there is a procedure to modify it if enough citizens feel that modification is necessary.

4. It can be amended but it should not be replaced. This is the *majority* opinion. What you see on Reddit is NOT the majority of what Americans think. The Consitution is the social contract of the land and as such it is the document that describes the relationship between the government and it’s citizens. Which has not changed all that much. Technological progress doesn’t change this much if at all.

   There are some groups who want to change it from.the ground up but those people tend to fall into the category of wannabe tyrants. Who merely want the limitations to be removed, and nothing else, for their own desires.

5. Since it has a mechanism for amendments if needed, I don’t see any reason to update or revamp it.

6. We have processes that updates and amends (amendments) the constitution.

7. We’ve changed it 27 times. It’s a difficult process to change it which I agree with personally.

8. Why revamp it when we have amendments?

9. There are a few amendments I’d like to see. Age limits for officers of all three branches, add a procedure for states to leave the union, etc.

10. Neither. There are parts of the constitution I would change if I could, but I have zero trust that delegates to a new constitutional convention would represent me or my interests. The amendment process is intentionally difficult in order to protect what we benefit from in the constitution and bill of rights. I’m ok with that.

11. Maybe not the most charitable observation, but people seem to either treat the constitution and bill of rights as holy gospel or not care. Personally I think the constitution would be a much healthier document if we exercised Article V more often. Our hesitancy to update the constitution leaves it to the courts to decide what the law is based on some hagiography of the sacred texts, personally I prefer democracy.

12. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous that our complex mass society in 2022 is governed via a document written by slaveowners in the 18th Century.

    >But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain—that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it.  In either case it is unfit to exist. – Lysander Spooner, [*No Treason*](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/No_Treason/6#6-VI)

    This is an unpopular opinion, but I’m fine with that.

13. It’s been updated 27 times.

    But if you were to read it, it’s short, you’d see it really just sets up government structure and affirms rights. It is not where our laws are housed.

14. I don’t think it’s perfect, but I don’t think it’s wise to be fundamentally revamped beyond the current amendment process. First, I’m not sure we’d update it in a way that doesn’t also have downsides. Second, updating it will involve needing to mediate different interests, and anything we come up with will be imperfect anyways.

    I’d rather stick with an imperfect thing that we know functions decently than switch to an untested imperfect thing.

15. If it needs to be altered there is a process in place for that to occur.

16. What do you think amendment means?

    http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/education/all_amendments_usconst.htm

17. We have a process for amending it. And in 233 years we’ve only saw fit to amend it 27 times. It’s an intentionally difficult process and not one that we take lightly.

    Completely “updating” or “revamping” it are extremely niche and unpopular opinions.

18. The constitution is fine. Any issues that can come up are dealt with at a state level. The framers left morality out of the constitution as our priorities and morals shift depending on where we live.

19. Wow. It’s REALLY obvious you know nothing about the Constitution.

20. It definitely needs to be updated.

21. It can be updated at any time, there is already a process in place to do so. It has been updated several times.

22. I personally think the electoral college needs to go. It needlessly distorts presidential elections. And maybe a good look at the Senate as well.

    The real problem, though, is politics. America is heavily divided at the moment and no government can work effectively until that problem is solved.

23. Amendments would be nice, but they’re hard to do.

24. I’m good with it as is now.

25. It’d be nice if it were adhered to

26. Do you guys understand it’s been updated a number of times? that’s what consititutional amendments are.

27. I think there’s some things that need to change, but the bulk of it works well enough