Part IX — A Blueprint for an America250 Declaration of Constitutional Renewal

by Darius A. Lecointe, PhD, JD 

As America approaches 2026, the 250th anniversary of independence offers a rare constitutional moment. Anniversaries alone do nothing, but they can focus national attention. America does not need a new constitution — it needs a renewed commitment to the one it already has. A Declaration of Constitutional Renewal would not alter the text but would re-anchor the national identity that the Constitution describes.

1. The Declaration Must Begin With Identity

A constitutional system cannot function without a shared identity. A renewal document must affirm the sovereignty of the Constitution, the equality of all citizens bound by it, and the primacy of responsibility over power.

Without shared identity, governance fails.

2. It Must Reject the Myth of Judicial Supremacy

A Declaration of Renewal should clarify that all branches — and the people — share responsibility for constitutional fidelity. The Court interprets; it does not define the nation. Renewal requires rebalancing constitutional duty across the system.

3. It Must Reaffirm the Oath as a Living Obligation

The Oath binds officials to protect the Constitution at all times, not only when litigation arises. A renewal declaration should restate that duty clearly. The Oath is not symbolic; it is the mechanism that connects identity to governance.

4. It Must Restore the Sequence of Constitutional Life

The Declaration should articulate the foundational order:

Identity → Governance → Fidelity → Force

Reversing this sequence produced the instability of 2025. Renewal requires restoring it.

5. It Must Acknowledge the Full Story of the Nation

A sustainable constitutional identity cannot be built on incomplete narratives. Renewal requires honesty about Indigenous sovereignty, the mixed motives of early settlers, the failures of institutions, and the resilience of constitutional principles.

Truth is the foundation of fidelity.

6. It Must Call Citizens Back Into Constitutional Stewardship

A Declaration of Renewal must emphasize that citizenship is an active constitutional role. The people are not observers of constitutional life; they are its engine.

7. It Must Chart a Forward Path

The Declaration should outline commitments for 2026 and beyond: i. institutional restraint, ii. legislative responsibility, iii. executive fidelity, iv. and civic vigilance.

The Goal of the Declaration

The objective is not ceremony. It is clarity.

A nation struggling with identity must deliberately reaffirm it — or risk losing it entirely.