We the People, the blog carnival of the Constitution

Some of the best writing about the Constitution can be found on law blogs, blawgs some call them, and blogs concerned with advocacy, politics, current events, philosophy, liberty, science, religion, and websites geared toward many other interests. The Constitution -- what it is, what it isn't, what it should be, and its application to 21st century America -- is a subject of broad appeal and serious concern. The Constitution is the foundation of our society based on the rule of law.

Even if you keep an eye out for posts about the Constitution, chances are you're missing some of the best. There are fewer "Constitution blogs" than there are political or science blogs. That so many different voices contribute to the discussion of the Constitution each week means it's been difficult to find and enjoy all of the most engaging, thought-provoking writing that touches on the subject from different perspectives.

We the People was created to change that. We the People is a blog carnival that collects and presents the best posts about the Constitution in weekly editions hosted by different bloggers from time to time. Bloggers submit their own or recommend others' posts for inclusion, and the host each week may add selected blog posts of his or her own choosing. The objective is not to produce a free-for-all vanity blog carnival but an interesting, informative digest of the best writing on the Constitution every week.

Why should you submit a post for inclusion in We the People?

Many blog carnivals are well-read and well-trafficked, and depending a lot on the effort a host puts into it, submitting a post and having it included in a blog carnival can bring new readers to your site. We the People will be well-promoted, easy to find, and will contain links to a lot of high-traffic blogs that often point their regular visitors to the weekly edition of the blog carnival.

As explained above, though, the point of We the People is to archive, digest and present, in a creative, engaging way, good, thought-provoking writing on a regular basis for self-contained entertainment and enlightenment purposes. Contributing to We the People will expose your blog and writing to many who might not otherwise easily find it, but being part of the blogosphere's premiere digest of Constitutional writing will also be rewarding for its own sake.

What kinds of posts are most likely to be included?

See our guidelines for hosts for that information.

How do you submit a post for inclusion in the next edition?

Skip ahead to find that information.

Why should you consider hosting We the People?

You might consider hosting an edition of We the People if you enjoy writing about the Constitution, enjoy reading other great posts about the Constitution, and want to be part of an effort to celebrate and highlight great writing about a subject so important to our lives in a society governed by the rule of law. Heh, you'll also get a lot of extra attention and traffic for your blog, and hopefully many new readers will discover your blog and become regular visitors or add your blog to their RSS feed readers.

As host, what guidelines or standards should you follow to select posts for your edition?

There are as few rules as possible to encourage each host to be as creative as possible. (Just look at some of the presentations of Blawg Review, the carnival of law bloggers, to see the unlimited potential for self-expression. Freedom of speech is in the Constitution, still.) Beyond these basics, hosts are encouraged to use their edition of We the People whatever gets the creative juices flowing.

• We must never forget it is a Constitution we are blogging. The appeal of We the People to readers is that it collects the blogosphere's best writing about the Constitution. Polemics that savage so-and-so as a tyrant trampling the Constitution, or condemn such-and-such legislative body for not doing its constitutional duty, or call for the impeachment of Justice so-and-so on such-and-such Supreme Court for sins against the poster's worldview should not be included, absent interesting, thoughtful analysis of the Constitutional issues presented.
• Editions should be posted on Mondays, preferably as early in the day as possible. The first three words of the subject of the post should be We the People, to facilitate better search engine indexing and results, but the rest of the title is up to you. (E.g.: We the People #4; We the People like us that Fifth Amendment; We the People comes to [your blog name].)
• Regulars and contributors will also recommend posts during the week. You should also include your favorites of the week that were not submitted or recommended by others. The reality is that many Constitution bloggers are very busy and don't pay attention to blog promotion, and the host preparing a presentation of the best writing about the Constitution each week should make an effort to find and include posts that aren't suggested by others. Also, much of the success of your edition will depend on your creativity and the personality you project; a good way to accomplish this is through selecting posts you find interesting or engaging.
• Present different views without being inflammatory. We the People should inspire reaction, criticism and robust debate, because the best writing about the Constitution does. We only caution hosts in the spirit of the guy who shushes you and makes you put your camera away when you visit the Supreme Court courtroom. Dignity and a respectful tone appropriate to the subject matter is urged, but good humor is always appreciated.

How do you submit a post for inclusion in We the People?

There is an easy to use carnival submission form at BlogCarnival.com that you can use to submit a post. You may also e-mail constitution.carnival@gmail.com and include at minimum your post link, your name as you would like the post attributed and your contact information if different from the e-mail address you're writing from. The more information in your e-mail -- context for the post, background, a reusable blurb -- the better the chance it will be included and presented by the host in a way that does justice to your contribution.

Your contributions are what makes We the People worth reading. So, whenever you spot a post concerning the Constitution that merits our attention, please take a few minutes and send its link to constitution.carnival@gmail.com and stop by this page on Mondays to see where We the People are convened that week, expounding our Constitution.