As the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta was observed this week, the folks at the Independent Voters Network have come up with a fairly detailed list of grievances regarding the rights granted by the U.S. Constitution and the modern-day trends that are declared contrary to the Founders’ intent.
The document is an eclectic mix of Tea Party, libertarian and centrist thinking and the IVN is urging readers to add their proposed additions or deletions on a newly created website.
The issues covered are various: eliminate the Patriot Act, reform the criminal justice system and end incarceration for victimless crimes, ban partisan redistricting processes, disallow paramilitary police forces.
The author of this “remonstrance” of the people, Robin Koerner, explains his intent: “
“In true celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, and the liberty upon which the United States was founded, it seems appropriate to demand the return of our inherent rights as human beings, and remind the government that it works for the people, rather than the other way around.
“Accordingly, I’m inviting “We The People” to support this nonpartisan and non-ideological demand for the return of all our basic freedoms – a demand made in the spirit of our nation’s Declaration of Independence that both recalls and insists that the only justification for our government is to protect our Life, our Liberty and our Pursuit of Happiness. (I’m posting it at www.MagnaCarta.US, where you can lend your weight to it.) Given the aim of keeping it focused only on what unites Americans – a basic desire for liberty and justice for all – what would you add?”
