Althouse: "What would James Madison do if he was staring down a four-hour, closed book Constitutional Law final?"

December 13, 2011

"What would James Madison do if he was staring down a four-hour, closed book Constitutional Law final?"

"I mean besides, you know, not writing the Constitution. I like to think he would have just broken down and started destroying stuff rather than confront the reality of his own intellectual inadequacy and poor post-graduate educational decisions."

13 comments:

Kirby Olson said...: I attended a conference on Liberty at Brown U about three weeks ago and the historian Gordon Wood said that Madison wanted Federalism because he wanted to "elevate the level of decision making" away the local yokels who had no serious education, and were clomping around with mud on their shoes, if they had shoes, and he thought he would do a better job since he had been to Princeton. I was shocked, but it seemed to me that Wood continued to think this was a good idea. It reminded me of Plato's Philosopher-King, and how he silenced everyone else and took all decisions to himself.; 12/13/11, 7:23 PM
ndspinelli said...: He would probably stare @ the rack of his law professor and say, "Oh Dolly, please forgive the lust in my heart."; 12/13/11, 7:27 PM
Peano said...: I wouldn't take too much stock in anything Gordon Wood gave as fact about the Founders or the Founding Era.; 12/13/11, 7:37 PM
SunnyJ said...: For some unknown reason I was drawn to go to the link and read then entire essay/post.

That was fun. Great fun. Manic fun...right before the depressive part, but heck...fun for now.

You cannot help but wonder if the Founders could ever have forseen the abusrdity that has spun from the very brief and elegant founding documents.; 12/13/11, 7:58 PM
Kirby Olson said...: Peano, why not?; 12/13/11, 8:43 PM
edutcher said...: Before he starts criticizing anybody else, our young writer might want to learn the difference between plural and possessive.

I'll bet young Jim did.

ndspinelli said...

He would probably stare @ the rack of his law professor and say, "Oh Dolly, please forgive the lust in my heart."

No, he'd have gone over to his girlfriend's and said, "Come on, babe, unhook 'em and let 'em ride".; 12/13/11, 8:51 PM
Scott M said...: No, he'd have gone over to his girlfriend's and said, "Come on, babe, unhook 'em and let 'em ride".

Shouldn't that be, "unhook 'em and let me ride?"; 12/13/11, 9:07 PM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: Sure, armed rebellion would be fun and all, but I'll be screwed when the insulin supply dries up.; 12/13/11, 9:16 PM
Paul said...: No doubt Madison would spend the four hours lecturing the teacher on how INADEQUATE the teacher and course was.

For you see many a 'Constitutional lawyer' now days doesn't know their arse from a hole in the ground and only pontificate on what they THINK the Founding Fathers ment (or what they feel the founders SHOULD have ment.); 12/13/11, 9:29 PM
edutcher said...: Scott M said...

No, he'd have gone over to his girlfriend's and said, "Come on, babe, unhook 'em and let 'em ride".

Shouldn't that be, "unhook 'em and let me ride?"

That, too.; 12/13/11, 9:55 PM
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...: When the protesters were in high gear I wondered what the namesake of your city and the author of the Constitution would think.

Would he be pleased that the protesters were free to express dissent without fear of adverse repercussions, such as becoming a political prisoner?

Or would the father of limited government be repulsed that the protesters were essentially advocating for MORE government?; 12/13/11, 9:55 PM
cassandra lite said...: I bet the 27th amendment would've stumped him.; 12/13/11, 11:51 PM
Peter said...: James Madison would obviously flunk, as he couldn't possibly know the mass of precedent that's adhered to the Constitution over two centuries.

But, it would surely be interesting to ask him if he thought it might someday be possible to devine Constitutional priciples within the emanations from penumbras cast by the actual text.; 12/14/11, 9:29 AM