Obama: Constitution ‘just a piece of parchment’ — Video

January 11, 2017

During his farewell speech on Tuesday, President Obama referred to the Constitution as “just a piece of parchment.”

“Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift,” he said. “But it’s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power – with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.”

As Twitchy observed:

We understand what President Obama was getting at in his farewell speech when he explained that the U.S. Constitution is really just a piece of parchment. Still, it would be easier to hear from someone whose party was eager to tear out portions of it after the 2016 election didn’t go their way, and whose supporters deemed it a failure, declaring it time that America give up on the idea of being a constitutional republic.

One commenter at Real Clear Politics responded:

Thank GOD the three presidents we had will be no more.

President ME.

President MYSELF.

President I.

I will be singing…..nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, GOODBYE!!!! to all three of them.

No doubt, many others will be as well.

There was also sharp criticism on Twitter:

Guy who went hard after Little Sisters of the Poor’s religious liberty now telling us about the Constitution.

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 11, 2017

“Constitution” is just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own.” Oh boy. #ObamaFarewell

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) January 11, 2017

and THAT'S been the problem for the last 8 years.

— Patrick Riot (@Pat_Riot_21) January 11, 2017

Keep in mind this is the same president who has repeatedly touted his “pen and his phone.” This is also a man who once referred to the Constitution as a “charter of negative liberties.”

https://twitter.com/andrewpcurrier/status/819011297119506432

A post at MRC TV observed: “Many of his critics would argue that his statement on the Constitution alone sums up his legacy.”

We agree.

Here’s video of Obama’s full speech, if you can stand it: