The divisiveness we are currently experiencing is only a magnified form of what the Founders called “faction.” More than disagreement, faction is the idea that people will inevitably use their voices pursuing differing goals in a representative government.
A new school of constitutional interpretation has arisen in the last 150 years called the “Living Constitution” approach. Followers of this school argue that each generation must be free to read new meanings into the Constitution, recognizing new “rights” the Framers never imagined.
As we prepare for our annual July 4th festivities, basking in the warm glow of fireworks that light the night sky, let us take a moment to reflect on the light of America’s most explosive and emblematic document, the Declaration of Independence.