TB+Continuous+Constitutional+Debate

//Continuous Constitutional Debate //  The Constitution was officially written in September 17, 1787 in response to the problems that plagued the Continental Congress. Its main goal was to create a strong central or federal government. It stated that the federal government would be comprised of an executive branch headed by a president chosen by the legislature, judicial branch with a supreme court as its head, and a bicameral legislature with a Senate and House. //The Constitution was written a relatively vague language due to the fact it must fit all 13 unique republics that made up the United States at that time so the way it was written leaves the document up to intense interpretation.// The Constitution expressly states only a limited amount of information on the powers of the federal government that would created with the ratification of it. It states in article one, “t he Congress shall have power... To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.” The clause “execution of forgoing powers and all other powers” leaves the Congress to assume all powers that may arise later. Also, when stating the succession of a president who is unable to fulfill his term it said “the same shall devolve” which leaves it unclear as to whether or not the vice president should assume the presidency or he just assumes the powers of the office. The Constitution was so unclear that the writers included the establishment of a federal or supreme court which decides if laws are constitutional or not. The Constitution can be read in one of two ways. One is to see the Constitution as a guideline that prevents tyrannical extremes like how many Federalist viewed the document, or to view it as a strict statement of the powers of the federal government has like how Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans felt. The Constitution leaves an uneasy balance between the states’ rights and the federal government’s rights which have only been stabilized by tradition.