Mitchell Hamline Professor Mike Steenson: The Constitution gives freedom a voice

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

59% : The Second Amendment provides that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
58% : The Third Amendment, which provides that government cannot quarter soldiers in our houses without our consent, is not much of a concern.
56% : The Eighth Amendment provides that they cannot be cruel and unusual, however.
55% : The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments.
51% : The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
51% : The Seventh Amendment provides for the right to trial by jury in civil cases where the matter in controversy exceeds $20.
50% : In criminal cases the Fifth Amendment provides for the right to a speedy trial.
50% : As an example, in Minnesota, the state Supreme Court has interpreted the Minnesota Constitution to provide broader protection for religious liberty than has the Supreme Court of the United States under the First Amendment.
46% : Rather, the Constitution gives us certain freedoms from government interference for certain actions we might take (or refuse to take).
46% : The degree of protection afforded by the Second Amendment is hotly debated today.
46% : Very importantly, the Ninth Amendment provides that just because certain rights are set out in the Bill of Rights or elsewhere in the Constitution, the recognition of other rights retained by the people is not foreclosed.
45% : The Fifth Amendment includes various rights, among them
44% : The First Amendment seems to be written in absolute terms.
44% : As an example, you may have a right to stand on a street corner and speak out against certain government action; you do not have the right to make your case on a bullhorn at 2 a.m. in a residential neighborhood.
43% : The Sixth Amendment provides for the right to a "speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury."
41% : That makes it hard to argue that the death penalty is unconstitutional because it has been part of our long history.
39% : Due process does not mean that people cannot be incarcerated or, in some cases, be subjected to the death penalty.
39% : All punishments appear to be cruel, including the death penalty.
31% : The Fourth Amendment is very familiar, especially if you have watched any of the numerous police procedural programs on television.

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