I think if people are going to make claims about whether the U.S. abides/does not abide by its own Constitution, they need to back that up with facts a little more substantial than just "anyone who doesn't believe as I do has an active imagination". So I will start:
- The President can declare wars now.
Been doing that since Korea.
- If the President is not a natural born citizen, it's no big deal.
it's no big deal because the President
is a natural born citizen.
- The Judicial branch's rulings are now suggestions which the Executive may or may not choose to follow.
That does sound bad -- got anything specific in mind?
- The "state militias" are nothing more than an extension of the Federal armed forces.
They've always been known as the "National Guard" for as long as I can remember.
- Congress doesn't coin money. The Federal Reserve does.
It's been saying that on our money for the last half century -- no point getting in a twist over it now.
- Habeas Corpus may be suspended for 48 hours without cause.
Down from "indefinitely." Agreeably shameful, but at least a step in the right direction -- or at least a step away from a direction we never should've gone down in the first place.
- The State of the Union is nothing more than a "Hey look at me, I'm such a great President, re-elect me".
Politicians pander -- this is cause for secession?
- 92% of trials are no longer by jury.
Source?
- Homeland Security checkpoints flat out tell you that the Constitution is null and void there. Both at the border and all TSA checkpoints in USA airports, right in the middle of U.S. soil.
Definitely an issue; but without the others to support it, not really a civil-war-worthy issue.
- Your exercise of Free Speech* anywhere in the United States or internationally can be used as cause for Homeland Security to single you out for "further examination", resulting in further abridgement (read: ignore) of the Constitution any time you fly or cross a checkpoint; thus suspending the Constitution anywhere--not just at checkpoints.
I was never a big fan of the "Free Speech" zones myself, either -- we all should've seen the potential for abuse.
Incidentally, got any specific examples in mind?
- The First Amendment grants free speech, but "there are limits to free speech"--such as, oh, talk of secession. Zachary Taylor and James Polk specifically said they would hang anyone who spoke of secession.
So this is hardly anything new -- why get in a twist about it now?
- The police have broken up assemblies and told the people to disperse on multiple occasions, all over the country.
No surprise there -- not even the First Amendment is absolute; never has been. Police can break up assemblies for any one of a dozen reasons which trump the 1st A -- public safety being near the top of the list.
- You have to get a "permit" to assemble in most cities, which they may refuse to give you.
Again, nothing unjust about that on its face -- the only problem occurs if it becomes abundantly clear that "they" are arbitrarily and unfairly refusing such permits.
- You have a Second Amendment right to bear arms--except in pretty much any public place, some municipalities, and the police can use pretext and intimidation to arrest you for possession of any weapons they might not like.
The 1st Amendment is not absolute; did you think the 2nd would be?
- The Fourth Amendment for all intents and purposes is just completely gone.
hyperbole much?
- "Speedy" trials as per the Sixth Amendment do not exist. If it were so, Zimmerman would not be in jail now.
Or... he'd be serving his 20 to life already.
The "public defenders" granted by 6th Amendment do practically nothing to represent you, resulting in many innocent but poor people in prison today.
Sounds more like an issue of competence than Constitutionality. I'm sure those who can afford their own lawyers are doing just fine.
- The Ninth and Tenth Amendments for all practical purposes no longer exist.
There have been a couple of questionable SCOTUS decisions along those lines, which have argued that the 14th Amendment supercedes the 9th and 10th.
Kind of makes you wish the Executive branch would simply "choose not to follow" such rulings, eh?
So yeah--the U.S. does not abide by its own Constitution and is in breach of contract with its constituent states.
Happy trails, then. The rest of us will work on fixing things.