The previous three columns have examined the foundational tools that are necessary for restoring our nation to its constitutional government, but more importantly to its constitutional roots. We have witnessed for the past century or more our political leaders’ failure to honor and defend our constitutional principles. We have no reason to believe that they will have a series of epiphanies and move to the light from their locations on the dark side. Many have claimed to be in favor of “smaller” government, but I suspect that if they were grilled under harsh lights with their hands restrained and blindfolds in place, they would admit that they believe the basic Constitution of the United States is too severe and extreme for 21st Century citizens. So, the education of America must include many allies in the political class as well as the mass of uninformed and ignorant citizens.
For the past two or so years many groups have assumed the task of educating their members and communities about the Constitution, the Declaration and other founding documents. The educational cornerstone going forward must be the “relevance” of those documents for our present time. Relevance as point of view should never be allowed to undermine the purity and the intent of our national heritage, rather relevance should be defined to indicate how the enduring wisdom of the Founders and Framers developed a structure that can withstand the various trends and feel-good schemes of every generation. The keystone of the educational movement must be the absolute principles included, enclosed and embedded in the documents, debates and decisions of the activists during the Founding and the leaders of the Framing.
Although many changes have occurred in our nation (e.g. more states, larger population) since the adoption and ratification of the Constitution, some things have not changed thus underscoring the legitimacy of the document. Some people thirst for power and seek to use it to bend others to their wills. Others are constantly on the prowl to discover opportunities for tapping the resources of others. Some seek to perpetually hold office by distributing the wealth of workers into the hands of non-productive voters. These types of behaviors and attitudes have existed since before our founding, but the proponents of them have become more brazen as time has drifted further away from the passion of our beginning. Human behavior and human desires are relatively constant from era to era. The additions of laptops, cell phones, HDTV, jet travel, air conditioning and robotics haven’t changed human nature or political calculations.
The Founders and Framers were not strangers to human foibles. Indeed, nearly every flaw in human development could be found among them. Their collective genius sprung from the realization that imperfect people would be tempted to pervert the most liberty-friendly government design in human history. As a result, they forged a template for governing that limited the federal government’s impact on the freedoms and daily lives of the governed. The underlying advantage of such a structure is that it could possibly tamper the desires of people to seize the levers of governance because of the relative powerless nature of the federal entity. Nevertheless for the past two and a quarter centuries and especially for the past 100 years, power-hungry politicians and their do-gooder cohorts have corrupted and distorted our finely balanced government. Now instead of sovereign states that join together to provide for a common defense and other national necessities, the federal government has assumed preeminence and dictates to the states as it continues to grow and assume more power over states and citizens. All three branches of the carefully crafted design have assumed power and oversight far beyond what the Framers envisioned. The delicate balance of power between the branches has become a consuming race for power over the lives of the people as each branch seems to consistently find new ways for abusing and exploiting the people. Many citizens are wondering what happened to their inalienable rights, and the states have become mere identifiers for mailing and zip code directories.
Defining objectives and steps are vital for starting the process of recapturing the government, the nation designed by the Framers. Federal government power (and state power too) must be severely curtailed and constrained. All three branches must undergo radical dismemberment and reductions. One branch should be chosen as the beta, and that would be Congress. No candidate should be promoted or supported unless she or he pledges absolute fidelity to the Constitution and her or his oath of office. During the vetting process candidates should demonstrate that they have a full understanding and familiarity with the Constitution, the Declaration and the underlying principles. Candidates must be unwaveringly committed to individual liberty, federalism (the sovereignty of states) and reducing national government to its constitutional role as literally defined by the Constitution of the United States. Any candidate who falters on any portion of the knowledge and commitment requirements should receive either an “unfavorable,” a “not supported,” or an “actively oppose” resolution from the vetting group. The results should be published with justifications for the designation. Another reason for choosing Congress as the first line of education and recapture is that with the two-year cycle in the House, the turnover process can be implemented more quickly than it can in other branches or chambers. Vetting organizations must have the courage to reject incumbents who are “generally OK.” Our nation is in economic, fiscal and political peril. There is no more time available for “close enough” candidates who are NOT committed to plan laid out by the Founders and the Framers. It’s time to stop pussyfooting. The time has come to either commit to saving the nation or to surrender it to socialist statism.
Comment: cearlwriting@hotmail.com
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