<P> Living Constitutionalists suggest that broad ideals such as "liberty" and "equal protection" were included in the Constitution precisely because they are timeless, due to their inherently dynamic nature . Liberty in 1791, it is argued, was never thought to be the same as liberty in 1591 or 1991, but rather was seen as a principle transcending the recognized rights of that day and age . Giving them a fixed and static meaning in the name of "originalism," thus, is said to violate the very theory it purports to uphold . </P> <P> As the subject of significant controversy, the idea of a Living Constitution is plagued by numerous conflicting contentions . </P> <P> The idea of a Living Constitution was often characterized by Justice Scalia and others as inherently disregarding Constitutional language, suggesting that one should not simply read and apply the constitutional text . </P> <P> Jack Balkin argues that this is not the intended meaning of the term, however, which suggests rather that the Constitution be read contemporaneously, rather than historically . Such an inquiry often consults the original meaning or intent, along with other interpretive devices . A proper application, then, involves some reconciliation between these various devices, not a simple disregard for one or another . </P>

Which of the following is not one of the principal approaches to interpreting the u.s. constitution