# US Dopers: have you read the Constitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304 "2016-07-30T16:58:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/41 "2016-08-03T19:27:44Z")
I have read it, along with all of the amendments, and have read a book or two on it. I recommend the companion book to the PBS series _The Constitution: That Delicate Balance_. In fact, based on some of the posts I have made here (mainly based on whether “elected” in the 22nd Amendment includes becoming President in other ways, or if, based on a strict reading, both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush can run for Vice President without violating the 12th Amendment), some people claim that I have read it a little too much. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/42 "2016-08-05T02:40:08Z")
Of course, there’s no need to read it. It says whatever Anthony Kennedy decides it says. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/43 "2016-08-05T22:22:30Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > what used to be called Civics What’s that class class called now? I figured it would either have the same name or not exist. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/44 "2016-08-05T22:26:50Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Disagree. Judicial review is implicit in the statement that the Constitution is to be the supreme law of the land, and was foreseen by the drafters of the Constitution. It’s still not actually in there, though. I mean, all court decisions claim that their ruling is implicit in the Constitution–well, unless it’s explicit. ## No, Marbury v. Madison didn’t invent it out of the whole cloth, and it wasn’t a form of “judicial activism.” But it’s still something you might not know if you didn’t read the decision. I also had a Civics class, which is when I actually read the constitution, even reading the parts they crossed out to say they were amended. And it was in my textbook, hence I’ve read a book on it. I’ve read a lot more articles, though. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/45 "2016-08-06T00:54:14Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > What’s that class class called now? I figured it would either have the same name or not exist. Social Studies ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/46 "2016-08-06T01:14:41Z")
At the high school level it’s usually called **American Government**. At my school it is a required semester-long class for seniors. The other semester is **Economics**. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/47 "2016-08-06T01:54:17Z")
You’re trying to equip your students with actual knowledge of how governments and economics work?!? I always knew you were a subversive pinko! 😃 Next thing you’ll be saying is that you teach them about how burning stuff heats things up. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/48 "2016-08-06T06:27:07Z")
I had to read it and the Federalist Papers in high school. So I picked the second option because I didn’t understand the post high school qualifier. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/49 "2016-08-07T16:12:02Z")
I took a Constitution test (both U.S. and Illinois) in 8th(?) grade and again in high school, as required by the State of Illinois and/or the federal government at the time. As with most source material upon which I was tested in school, I didn’t read it cover-to-cover and instead focused on only the relevant bits. More importantly, the teachers “taught to the test,” as they say, and only focused on the relevant bits that would be on the test. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304/50 "2016-08-07T18:28:35Z")
Lol why would I? The govt can break it all they want so long as they put a confidential top secret stamp on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-have-you-read-the-constitution/761304.md?page=2)