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Happy Constitution Day!

On this day (September 17) 223 years ago the Constitutional Convention convened for the last time and signed the United States Constitution.

The Convention had begun on May 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fifty-five delegates gathered representing 12 states. (Rhode Island did not send delegates.) They faced a very difficult situation. The first constitution – The Articles of Confederation – was not working. They reasoned together and developed a solution. The Preamble to this document read,

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution of the United States of America.”

One would like to think that our most educated, experienced, articulate people are in control of our country today. One would like to think that above all, they would sacrifice everything in order to uphold the United States Constitution and to find ways to unite our country, not divide it – lead the people through times of turmoil and bring us closer together.

The primary elections are now over and evaluating the candidates who have moved onto the next round is no easy task.

The modern day campaign is a whirlwind of marketing. Inundating the people with massive amounts of data. The media sifts through the propaganda/data and picks out pieces that agitate one demographic or another. One side gets pitted against the other in a ridiculous battle. Candidates become cartoons. They cannot compromise. They must not agree. They must yell at each other until they are both blue in the face and no one listens to either one anymore.

Imaginary lines are drawn and roles are chosen.

As Republicans and Democrats spar over the next months, I wonder, are any of them capable of finding ways to bring us together like the founding fathers? Or are their ambitions better served if they pull us apart?