The point is that Democracy is worthless if individual freedoms are not protected. Otherwise the majority can always vote to confiscate the rights, money, and property of a minority, as we see in "democratic socialist" countries.
The solution is to have individual rights and freedom further codified into our Constitution - including freedom of contract, freedom of association, etc.
What's more, the Bill of Rights tried to make this clear: that this was not a list protected by a government, but a set of hazard markers FOR government.
When I talk to Canadian conservatives about why freedom of speech is outlawed in Canada, and how conservative appointed judges upheld the laws limiting speech here, I'm consistently confronted with - 'They're constitutionalists', as if that somehow excuses it. They're serving a higher cause! They're upholding the constitution!
I'm sorry, but if the constitution is broken, it becomes a bad thing to uphold that constitution. Defending something is only noble if the thing you are defending is noble.
That's so fascinating to think about someone from a country where their constitution says "You shall not be free!" and everyone's like "Hey! That's our constitution buddy! Don't change it!".
Like, yeah I understand those words, but it's just a little different when an American says them...
The point is that Democracy is worthless if individual freedoms are not protected. Otherwise the majority can always vote to confiscate the rights, money, and property of a minority, as we see in "democratic socialist" countries.
The solution is to have individual rights and freedom further codified into our Constitution - including freedom of contract, freedom of association, etc.
What's more, the Bill of Rights tried to make this clear: that this was not a list protected by a government, but a set of hazard markers FOR government.
When I talk to Canadian conservatives about why freedom of speech is outlawed in Canada, and how conservative appointed judges upheld the laws limiting speech here, I'm consistently confronted with - 'They're constitutionalists', as if that somehow excuses it. They're serving a higher cause! They're upholding the constitution!
I'm sorry, but if the constitution is broken, it becomes a bad thing to uphold that constitution. Defending something is only noble if the thing you are defending is noble.
That's so fascinating to think about someone from a country where their constitution says "You shall not be free!" and everyone's like "Hey! That's our constitution buddy! Don't change it!".
Like, yeah I understand those words, but it's just a little different when an American says them...