In 2004, Democratic Sen. Bob Byrd of West Virginia passed a small amendment to a funding bill to create Constitution Day. Sen. Byrd always carried a copy of the Constitution in his coat pocket and believed most Americans did not understand how central it was to our freedom. He picked Sept. 17, because that was the date the Constitution was signed.
Sen. Byrd understood a key component of American exceptionalism.
While the Declaration of Independence is our founding document (and we are celebrating its 250th anniversary) the fact is the Constitution is our governing document. In 2037, we should put similar energy into celebrating the 250th anniversary of its creation.
