In the last 8 years, during Obama's presidency, do you remember one time when he proposed something, and the immediate reaction from the media was, 'Is President Obama's proposal constitutional?' That should be the very first question anyone asks when any branch of the government proposes something.
It should go:
- Is proposal legal?
- Is proposal effective?
- Is proposal possible?
- What are the costs/drawbacks of the proposal?
- Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
In the last 8 years (the last 16 years for that matter), I can't remember a single time when the left has asked question #1 at the onset of a policy discussion. In my memory, they only discuss constitutionality when the right tries to assert the constitution to prevent policies.
I welcome the left's newfound dedication to constitutionality just as I do its newfound interest in federalism (and here). If these turn out to be lasting, and consistently applied, Trump's election will be worth it.