Coda Summary

In the Coda, America is described as a forward-looking country that rarely looks back, until it comes to the Constitution. The Constitution is a document that is continually being interpreted and reinterpreted, from the moment it was released to the public in 1787 to modern times. Every now and then the original intent or the original meaning of the framers is appealed to. Originalist interpretations are resorted to when it is expedient to do so and is basically an academic argument, according to Rakove.

Coda Analysis

The Constitution has proven to be a durable document. The amendment process and the vague wording allow the interpretations to evolve to fit the times and cover modern day circumstances, a testimony to the wisdom of the framers and authors. The document written in 1787 has evolved and, now in the present day, covers technology in a modern world...