It Ain't Perfect

Talking on Facebook about the Senate, calling for Convention, etc, brought to mind something Madison said introducing the Bill of Rights:

[N]otwithstanding the ratification of this system of Government by eleven of the thirteen United States, in some cases unanimously, in others by large majorities; yet still there is a great number of our constituents who are dissatisfied with it; among whom are many respectable for their talents and patriotism, and respectable for the jealousy they have for their liberty, which, though mistaken in its object, is honorable in its motive. There is a great body of the people falling under this description, who at present feel much inclined to join their support to the cause of Federalism, if they were satisfied on this one point [of safeguarding liberties with a Bill of Rights]...

But I will candidly acknowledge, that...if all power is subject to abuse, that then it is possible the abuse of the powers of the General Government may be guarded against in a more secure manner than is now done, while no one advantage arising from the exercise of that power shall be damaged or endangered by it. We have in this way something to gain, and, if we proceed with caution, nothing to lose. And in this case it is necessary to proceed with caution; for while we feel all these inducements to go into a revisal of the constitution, we must feel for the constitution itself, and make that revisal a moderate one. I should be unwilling to see a door opened for a reconsideration of the whole structure of the Government — for a re-consideration of the principles and the substance of the powers given; because I doubt, if such a door were opened, we should be very likely to stop at that point which would be safe to the Government itself. But I do wish to see a door opened to consider, so far as to incorporate those provisions for the security of rights, against which I believe no serious objection has been made by any class of our constituents...

The Constitution wasn't perfect, and acknowledged as such, leading to further work improving it (an ongoing endeavor).  Similarly, something like ObamaCare leaves a lot to be desired--just look in the archive to see how much I actively fought against the ACA--yet provides us with a foundation to move forward.

Now get to work.

ntodd