> The amendment process was intended to allow the Constitution to remain a living document, and balance longevity with future flexibility.
A little bit of a tangent, but amendment process shouldn't be confused with the theory of the Constitution as a living document. In fact, they're almost opposites. The living document doctrine holds that the Constitution can change -- without formal amendment -- based on the evolving standards of a society.
E.g., what is "cruel & unusual" is not based on what the authors had in mind when they wrote the phrase, but rather what society thinks that means today.
A little bit of a tangent, but amendment process shouldn't be confused with the theory of the Constitution as a living document. In fact, they're almost opposites. The living document doctrine holds that the Constitution can change -- without formal amendment -- based on the evolving standards of a society.
E.g., what is "cruel & unusual" is not based on what the authors had in mind when they wrote the phrase, but rather what society thinks that means today.