It seems people think that they have a right to everything these days: a right to the Internet, to free health care, to a good job, and to a free college education. The Supreme Court is famous for finding new rights in the “penumbras” and “emanations” of the Constitution. Today marks the 220th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. What better opportunity to look at the rights the Constitution actually guarantees? A right is not merely something you want or claim. You may, for example, want a …
Many Americans praise the first ten amendments to our Constitution, collectively called the Bill of Rights, as providing the true protection of our liberty. But if the Bill of Rights had not been added on December 15, 1791 (which we now celebrate as Bill of Rights Day), would our fundamental liberties still be protected? Would the original Constitution be enough to guard our liberty? A bill of rights was controversial during the ratification debates over the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists made it their rallying cry. Many founders, though, rejected the inclusion …
This Bill of Rights day, Let’s Celebrate the Constitution Many Americans praise the first ten amendments to our Constitution, collectively called the Bill of Rights, as providing the true protection of our liberty. What if there were no Bill of Rights? Would our fundamental liberties still be protected? Would we still have the rights to speak freely and to worship God according to the dictates of our conscience? Sure we would! The Bill of Rights was never considered to be chief guard of our liberty. In fact, many founders argued …
Just in time for today’s recognition of Bill of Rights Day, the anonymous scribe within The Heritage Foundation – self-identified only as ”A Conservative” — pushed the send button on a fifth electronic circular under the nameplate “New Common Sense.” The e-circular, which bears the headline “The Constitution Protects Us Too,” reads as follows: On Dec. 15, 1791, the first 10 amendments were added to the Constitution after being ratified by three-quarters of the states. Many Americans have taken to praising these amendments, collectively called the Bill of Rights, as providing the true protection …
