Utah State students propose, debate a hypothetical new U.S. Constitution

USA Constitution with feather quill pen.

LOGAN — Students at Utah State University displayed more courage than caution when faced with the hypothetical challenge of drafting a new constitution for the United States of America this past semester.

The new constitution proposed by USU students enrolled in Constitutional Design (Political Science 4800) and a Senior Research Seminar (Political Science 4990) would have far-reaching impacts, according to Associate Professor Robert Ross and Instructor Steve Sharp.

Among the revolutionary changes the student proposed codifying were abortion rights; voting procedures; the two party system; environmental rights; congressional and Supreme Court term limits; plus, eliminating the Electoral College and the Senate filibuster.

In addition to the direct election of the president and expansion of the House of Representatives, the students’ new constitution would provide for the designation of Election Day as a national holiday and expand the Bill of Rights to include rights deemed essential by the United Nations.

Ross explained that students in the upper-division courses were tasked with overseeing the semester-long process of researching and writing a new constitution while dealing with several real-world scenarios.

“The hope,” he added, “is that our students learn about the politics of constitutional design and that they come away with their own political views enlarged.”

At the end of the semester, the students’ constitution was proposed to the 175 students of the introductory Political Science 1100 course taught by Associate Professor Michael Lyons, who acted as the public deciding whether to ratify the new document.

“My introductory students commonly express a certain degree of reverence for the U.S. Constitution,” Lyons admitted. “But few have given much thought to how the Constitution actually shapes the political behavior of citizens and office-holders.

“Even fewer have considered the possibility that a different constitution might produce different results – for better or worse,” he added.

The debate over the possibility of a new constitution is not entirely a hypothetical question, however.

In addition to the traditional method of amending the Constitution by congressional action, Article 5 of the Constitution suggests another path.

That article says that two thirds of state legislatures could call for a convention of states to amend or replace the Constitution. That would require a formal request from 34 state legislatures.

As of July 2022, the Business Insider reports that 19 state legislature have officially joined the convention movement and similar resolutions have “made progress” in another nine states.

On a more dramatic note, former President Donald Trump recently called for the termination of the U.S. Constitution, presumably to be replaced by strong-man rule.

Not all of the USU students advocated for a new constitution.

While acknowledging problems with the current Constitution, loyalist students argued that the current document was created with change in mind and that lawmakers should use the established process to deal with issues as they emerge.

Those loyalists also expressed concerns about fully-federalizing the election process and infringements on the free market in the proposed new constitution.

Ultimately, the new constitution was adopted by the majority and moved on to the ratification process.

A show of hands at the start of Lyons’ class on Dec. 2 showed that 84 percent of the lower-division students favored ratification on the new document.

Following classroom debate, however, that support dropped to 59 percent.

Regardless of the final outcome, Sharp believes that the unique format of these classes helps student make meaningful connections for the future.

“In our wrap-up session,” he recalled, “one student pointed out that he now had a new appreciation of the founding fathers, one that could not have been realized without trying to do what they had done.

“The design and building of democratic institutions is a challenge for every generation. These students now understand that.”

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7 Comments

  • Donny December 21, 2022 at 7:44 am Reply

    The professor’s done a great job of indoctrinating them. Well done!

  • KA December 21, 2022 at 11:05 am Reply

    I’ve lived here over 40 years as a non-LDS person. I’ve been invited to various LDS events, had them knock on my doors all the time, listened to church talk all though school and in every job I’ve ever had. Ya know what? Still not LDS. Have faith these kids aren’t the smooth-brained snowflakes you think they are.

  • Verlo December 21, 2022 at 1:45 pm Reply

    Sounds like a wish list written by the dnc. The left does have a fascination with grooming and indoctinating the younger generations.

    • KA December 21, 2022 at 4:07 pm Reply

      Or local Cache Valley men. Just follow Cache Valley Daily. You get 3-4 stories a day.

  • Ttunac December 21, 2022 at 5:27 pm Reply

    How in the he’ll did you get this:
    “On a more dramatic note, former President Donald Trump recently called for the termination of the U.S. Constitution, presumably to be replaced by strong-man rule.”
    Out of this:
    “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”

    • Higher Education is a Farce December 22, 2022 at 12:08 am Reply

      Our public and privately-funded colleges and universities have become nothing more than indoctrination centers for leftist ideology. These young adults are being completely brainwashed into adopting Marxism and communism as being truth, that transgenderism is real, and how to be good little obedient cogs in the political machinery that will eradicate every ounce of freedom we as Americans have enjoyed for two centuries. These libtard professors play on the inherent goodness and naivety of their students and, under the guide of inclusivity, most of these college students have no idea they are being fed lies, and if they question their professors or show they hold conservative views, these students will be penalized. Higher education has become an expensive farce; a choking ground for critical thinking, and the environment where weaknesses are celebrated rather than as challenges to overcome. I have two degrees and I know this liberal indoctrination has only got worse in the decade since I graduated.

  • Royce December 21, 2022 at 5:56 pm Reply

    I would agree. The only difference would be INDOCTRINATION. Teach them that we have a method for changing the constitution, and the last thing we need to decide us is a constitutional convention. Each point that he was teaching or the students were recommending is a Democrat point. And we should know that everything that a Democrat politician touches turns to crap. At least some of us know that. Maybe I should have said “ everything a politician touches” Hope I made my thoughts clear.

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