So, Ron Paul is the pro-Peace candidate for US President

[Schneibster]

This 'separation of church and state' thing, where does it come from? Oh, right. The first amendment.

Does the first outrank later amendments? Or is it the other way around?

They're amendments. Is the answer not obvious from that?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

This 'separation of church and state' thing, where does it come from? Oh, right. The first amendment.

Does the first outrank later amendments? Or is it the other way around?

They're amendments. Is the answer not obvious from that?

If you mean they're somehow "lesser", no, they're not.

[Chinaski]

Not to mention the treaty of Tripoli, ratified into law by John Adams, which states quite clearly that the United States is in no way a Christian Nation.

[Schneibster]

This 'separation of church and state' thing, where does it come from? Oh, right. The first amendment.

Does the first outrank later amendments? Or is it the other way around?

They're amendments. Is the answer not obvious from that?

If you mean they're somehow "lesser", no, they're not.

Errr, they're amendments. They have to supercede or they won't... well... you know, work. I mean, you could have amendments that didn't supercede, but it seems kinda, I dunno, pointless, you know what I mean?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

This 'separation of church and state' thing, where does it come from? Oh, right. The first amendment.

Does the first outrank later amendments? Or is it the other way around?

They're amendments. Is the answer not obvious from that?

If you mean they're somehow "lesser", no, they're not.

Errr, they're amendments. They have to supercede or they won't... well... you know, work. I mean, you could have amendments that didn't supercede, but it seems kinda, I dunno, pointless, you know what I mean?

The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments, didn't superseded anything. Neither did the 13th. However the 19th amendment repealing Prohibition did supersede the 18th amendment. Other amendments here: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charte ... 11-27.html

[Schneibster]

Well, if there were ever a question, they'd supercede the Articles, and the later would supercede the earlier, since they'd been ratified more recently. But as you point out, a) none of them actually directly supercedes anything, except b) the 19th repealing the 18th.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Well, if there were ever a question, they'd supercede the Articles, and the later would supercede the earlier, since they'd been ratified more recently. But as you point out, a) none of them actually directly supercedes anything, except b) the 19th repealing the 18th.

This is because changing the Constitution is difficult. So a controversial amendment may be a bad idea. Look at the Equal Rights Amendment.

[Tyrannical]

Here is Paul answering various questions at the Iowa debate last month.

Worth watching, Paul is smart and well spoken. He certainly seems convinced that he has it all figured out