p.s. Hopefully your knowledge of the basic amendment mechanics has made a few folks get the doc out and read it. I begged, pleaded, and even suggested keeping the textbook in the bathroom in hopes of getting my students to read the Constitution itself.
2 Points: 1 - some states have begun to reject federal mandates. My state (the capital of the south) recently rejected an increase in Federal Unemployment funds because of the strings attached, even though the governor at the time was an Obama Lackey. Ditto SC. And most of us have heard about Schwartzenegger's bellyaching.
2. 40 years ago (I no longer know if this is true today), California required all 8th grade students to pass a test on the constitution to pass the grade. I gather you realize how really short it is? As they basically stopped all learning for 3 weeks to teach the document to the kids (in the Civics and English periods), I bascially memorized the sucker! I dont agree to teaching to the test, but some did, and the knowledge at least was worth the effort. There is hope.
p.s. I should confess to having too much fun referring to the textbook Civil War as the WoNA. For the longest time, it was a term that tagged someone as an unrepentant supporter of the Confederacy.
I do it just to tweak the noses of northern liberals. They turn the purdiest shades of purple when you mention it in those terms. 
