December 1, 2006

What's Wrong With the Constitution

To the Editor:

Sanford Levinson's essay on the dysfunctions of the American Constitution is striking, mostly because of what he left unsaid ("It Is Time to Repair the Constitution's Flaws," The Chronicle Review, October 13).

There is no doubt that the character of our society has long been influenced by a streak of individualism. However, there are items in the Constitution that are antithetical to this individualism — items that contribute to citizens' feeling like