Theprominentconstitutionallawscholar’sfascinating(andyes,mind-boggling)argumentthatwedon’tneedtheConstitutionafterallForsome,toopposetheConstitutionistoopposetheAmericanexperimentitself.ButleadingconstitutionalscholarLouisMichaelSeidmanarguesthatourfoundingdocumenthaslongpassedits“sell-by“date.Itmightsoundcrazy,butSeidman’sargumentsarebothpowerfuland,well,convincing.AsSeidmanshows,constitutionalskepticismanddisobediencehavebeenpresentfromthebeginningofAmericanhistory,evenwormingtheirwayintotheFederalistPapers.And,asSeidmanalsopointsout,noonealivetodayhasagreedtobeboundbytheserules.InFromParchmenttoDust,Seidmanoffersabriefhistoryofthephenomenonofconstitutionalskepticismandthenproceedstoamasterfultakedownofourmostcherished,constitutionallyenshrinedinstitutionsandbeliefs,fromtheSupremeCourt(“anarroganteliteinrobes“),totheveryconceptsofcivilrights,dueprocess,andequalprotection--allofwhichhearguesarejustpretensesforpreservingafundamentallyriggedandinequitablestatusquo.Ratherthanrelyonthespecificwordingofaflawedandoutdateddocument,rifewith“Madison’smistakes,“Seidmanproposesinsteadaversionthatbetterreflectsoursharedvalues,andleavesittopeoplecurrentlyalivetodeterminehowthesevalueswillplayoutincontemporarysociety.FromParchmenttoDustisashort,sharp,andiconoclasticbookquestioningthevalue(andultimatelythehypocrisy)ofembracingtheConstitution--which,afterall,waswrittenmorethan230yearsago--asourmoralandpoliticallodestar.
