The Whole Constitution Pledge

Here’s the Constitutional Progressives’ “Whole Constitution Pledge” that various liberal groups are asking people to sign:

The Whole Constitution Pledge

Through the Constitution, “We the People” created the most enduring government charter in world history.

Building on the achievements of the Founding generation, successive generations of Americans have created a “more perfect union” through constitutional Amendments. These Amendments have improved our Constitution by ending slavery, enshrining guarantees of equality and citizenship, expanding the right to vote, and ensuring that the national government has the power and resources necessary to protect the nation, address national challenges and secure civil rights.

Some have advocated repeal of Amendments, including the 14th Amendment, the 16th Amendment, and the 17th Amendment, that make our Constitution better and this country great. Some have even failed to heed the lessons of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement and have advocated a return to ideas of secession and nullification.

I believe that our Constitution has been improved by the Amendments adopted over the last 220 years.

I pledge to support the whole Constitution.

But, as Ed Whelan points out, Article V is part of the “whole Constitution,” too — indeed, the part that helped bring about the Amendments that the pledge authors so praise. So I should say that I pledge to support the whole Constitution, including the provision that allows repeal of those provisions that were enacted by yesterday’s Americans but that today’s Americans choose to revise through the constitutionally prescribed means. As to which particular provisions should be kept and which should be repealed, I make no pledges.

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