When the 39 delegates signed the Constitution on a hot summer’s day in Philadelphia, not one of them believed their work was over. It was not until the document’s ratification the following year that Benjamin Rush declared, “Tis done. We have become a nation.” Hungary, whose history predates America’s existence by a thousand years, is now working to pen a new constitution that reflects her independence from the former Soviet Union. Thus far, however, Hungary’s leaders have overlooked the essential importance of popular ratification. We support the Hungarian government in …
In what will surely be a publicity boon for Apple, especially among political scientists, Hungary’s new constitution is being written on an iPad. Thus far, this is one of the best known bits of information concerning Hungary’s current constitution drafting process. But lovers of liberty should take note of Hungary’s project not because it is a technological milestone, but because it represents a rare moment for constitutionalism and the rule of law. It is also a singular, albeit uncertain, moment in Hungary’s history. As such, the proposed text and the …
History is not a strong point of this Administration. Last month it was President Obama declaring another “sputnik moment” for America–only to rattle off a list of big government ideas completely at odds with how Eisenhower responded to Sputnik. Yesterday, it was White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs delivering another dose of “say what?” history. What’s been happening in Egypt over the last week or so, he informed the press, “are events that many people have not seen — nobody has seen in their lifetime.” Gibbs was born in 1971. …
NOTE: Remarks by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez added to the end of this post. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Victims of Communism Memorial, located a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. A ceremony this morning, presided over by Heritage’s Lee Edwards, commemorated the more than 100 million victims of communism. During his remarks, Edwards outlined a new goal: creating an online Global Museum on Communism, which will launch in 2009. Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of communism’s collapse. Here is Edwards’ prepared text: …
