It has become glaringly obvious to any person who has been paying even casual attention to the current state of the United States that our current form of government is no longer effective. It is for that reason that we, here, at the Of/By/For Center believe that the time has come for a new Constitution that builds on the strengths of our existing Constitution, but that acknowledges that this Republic and the world have changed and that our framework of government needs to adapt to those changes. We therefore propose a new Constitution for the United States of America.

The importance of this discussion cannot be overstated. The future existence of the United States, its leadership in global affairs, and the safety and prosperity of current and future generations hang in the balance. The United States is by no means a perfect nation, but it has many strengths and virtues that are worthy of preservation.

The Constitution of 1787 is one of history’s most significant turning points. It established the world’s oldest democratic republic and, although not without its troubles, established a new model for the world of self-governance and liberty. The Constitution did not live up to the ideals of equality for all espoused in the Declaration of Independence, and it is debatable if it still falls short of such ideals notwithstanding the Constitution’s amendments and evolution. Furthermore, the political dysfunction that has occurred with ever-increasing intensity, culminating in the insurrection of January 6, 2021, calls into question whether the Union will endure. The answer depends on the nation responds to this crisis, and the failure to set the nation on a better path will be a misfortune for all.

We at the Center believe that it is time that the Constitution of 1787 be superseded by a new Constitution. We propose a discussion of (1) the problems inherent in the functioning of the Constitution of 1787 in a modern world, (2) the principles upon which improvements should be based, and (3) the provisions of a new Constitution that we propose to preserve and strengthen a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”