I'll add one other bit, since it's more or less clear now that I am one of those who finds the Constitution to be a remarkable document: I think it's frequently

I'll add one other bit, since it's more or less clear now that I am one of those who finds the Constitution to be a remarkable document: I think it's frequently revered for entirely the wrong reasons. The beauty in the Constitution was that it laid out plans for a very well functioning system of government. It ensured changes had to be made with broad support across the nation, and provided for a very strong judiciary. It at once created a strong Federal system that at the same time was highly resistant to tyranny (again, relatively speaking.) There have been many constitutions written across the world since, but many of them fall along the same lines as the perceptions and wishes espoused by those who misinterpret ours: They are thick documents that attempt to codify the nation's values and morals, as well as establish rules to live by. The issue with that is that people and nations change, not to mention it is disadvantageous to the weak or minorities. It's why most of the third world has gone through numerous constitutions... The U.S. Constitution did none of these things. It lays out a system of governance and conflict resolution. It specified powers. There is only one crime, treason, specif iced in the whole document. And most importantly, it laid out a system to make changes that would ensure the broadest support. That's it. I groan every time some pundit makes the charge that we don't follow the constitution because of some moral outage or perceived cultural mistake being made that the Constitution is perceived to have provided for. It's the modern day bible, held up to be followed but never read.