“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce. ... The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives and liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State.”And further here:
"If the new Constitution be examined with accuracy and candor, it will be found that the change which it proposes consists much less in the addition of NEW POWERS to the Union, than in the invigoration of its ORIGINAL POWERS. ... The proposed change does not enlarge these powers; it only substitutes a more effectual mode of administering them. "
The "federal government" was created with LIMITED and SPECIFIC powers and scope of operation. "FEW and DEFINED" are the words of Madison.
This was primarily to allow our Republic* to be represented outside the country in dealing with other Nations and Foreign States in matters of international commerce and war, to "coin money", "providing for the common defense", and allowing for inter-operation and acceptance of each states laws and management to create an actual "United" union of States.
It was NOT created to micro-manage and infringe the freedom, liberty and commerce of citizens or states.
Managing commerce and interactions within the state was recognized as the responsibility of the States, unless specifically and in a proscribed way granted to the federal organs - Congress, Executive branch or the Federal Courts.
Managing relationships and choices by intividuals is the right of the individual.
Within familes, it is the role and responsibility of parents to govern in the roles God created when HE declared the marriage or union of a man and a woman. HE created the family unit, and retains sovereignty over it.
God also inspired men to create our form of Constitutional Republic, unique in all the world, by and with its' founding documents, to among other things protect the "unalienable Rights" endowed upon man "by their Creator".
Self management of endowed "unalienable Rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", as well as other rights to property, free speech, freedom of religion and the right to bear arms rests with "We, the People" to manage ourselves, ultimately being accountable to the Creator for their exercise, as the source from who they derived and were recieved as "endowed".
Is there not a tendence almost inbred in man to dominate his fellow man and serve self, especially those "elected" to public office or appointed to a position? Do many of them not seem to act like they are more interested in satisfying their needs/ego's and vanity, enriching themselves and almost exclusively serving or being beholden to those who elected/appointed them rather than serving and representing ALL those they are charged to represent, protect and defend, including the Constitution f the United States?
What about living true to their oath of office? THAT is their mission statement, job description, marching orders, etc.
Their Oath is Constitutionally mandated in Article 6 - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."The first Congress developed this requirement into a simple, 14-word oath:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States."As a reminder to us, and specifically to all those who have taken the federal oath, the current oath enacted in 1884 states:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."What does "support and defend" mean to you? Does your elected/appointed official, judge, senator or representative exhibit that behavior in word, action and association? Are they doing it "against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC"?
The CONSTITUTION, and all the Rights and values and principles identified therein is what they are charged to "support and defend", first and formost, not their benefactor, mentor, or even their state or their constituients. And they are specifically charged by statue and rules to NOT represent their donors, PAC's and/or their syncophants, OR themselves or their personal interests.
It is also anti-thetical to their role and responsibility to dip into the public trough to "bring home the bacon" for their state by voting and allowing their "Esteemed Collegue" to do the same!!! All for votes and to stay in power. from the largess of the public treasury.
Though speaking of a democracy and not a Constitutional Republic, the words of Alexander Fraser Tyler's Cycle Of Democracy (1770) seem to apply all to well today, to both the elected AND the electorate (my italics and bold highlight):
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over lousy fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world’s great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to Complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependency back again to bondage. http://www.famousquotessite.com/famous-quotes-6934-alexander-fraser-tyler-cycle-of-democracy-1770.html
Are we still at dependency or are we already at the bondage stage? How can we tell - it feels much the same!!!
Why do we as voting citicizen continue to tolerate this abuse of power and in many cases treachery and treason with malice aforethought in the hallowed halls of what should be the place of trust, honesty, integrity, leadership and competence in servant representation? Is it because so many of US are "voting ourselves largess from the public treasury" through them?
It was written well and true:
"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.(my italics added) - See Doctrine and Covenants 121:39-40 here http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/121/45.
Hence many are called, but few are chosen. "
While this scripture refers to priesthood authority using the power of God, I believe the principles apply to governing and servant leadership in public office as well.
Many have been called/elected, but few have have been chosen as worthy examples. Some have magnified their office and calling - be that citizen, patriot or elected official - yet far fewer than should. And the effect on the whole of our "leadership" groups and upon us individually by those who do not has been devestating.
I encourage all to vote their conscience in the current and all future elections. And I hope that conscience is in harmony with the principles and values upon which this great nation was founded, and Divine Providence without whom our endeavors are in vain.
Vote for those faithful and true, just men and women, who did and do and will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, that this great land may continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave and it's people able to enjoy the fruits of liberty and freedom by obedience to the principles upon which it did and still does stand, so help us God.
It came to us in better shape than we currently hold it. My parents generation, many who lived through the great depression and the wars that followed at least had a clue.
Many of my generation, aka the "Me" Generation at times, and many of the X, Y and Z and subsequent generations have let it pass as sand through fingers. Our children, and our children's children's children deserve better from us and no less than a return to the faith of our fathers, our Founding Fathers, to preserve this nation as a heritage and legacy that they can enjoy and pass on to their children, as well as continue to spread throughout the world.
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* Our governmental form is a Constitution Republic, founded on the rule of law and a representative government "OF the People, By the People and FOR the People" with the Constitution of the United States as the primary and final authoritative repository of that law.
It is NOT a Democracy, or a system of economics or politics or a social reform/equality or and philosophical -ism (Fascism, Socialism, Communism, Marxism, or even Capitalism), and especially should never be a "Demoncracy". I fear we are getting much to close to the last as we stray ever farther from the first.
Oh, and the Supreme Court is not authorized to interpret the Constitution, it is to determine the Constitutionality of new legislation and judical decisions, BASED on what was and is in the Constitution, AS IT WAS WRITTEN, not based on the thoughts of the day, and especailly NOT what passes for law and ideas from other nations and countries who have neither our Constitutional form of Government nor our history, culture or Judeao-Christian heritage.
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At it's foundational roots, in the heart of the founders and like minded citizens when created and today, and in it's Constitutional framework, America IS a CHRISTIAN nation. If it "IS" not as called a Christian Nation, it is at the very least closer to that than any other definition or tradition.
True, not all citizens are Christian, but that is not the definitional distinction.
The freedom "OF" (or "from"; look it up in the dictionary!) religion, specifically a governmental imposed required membership in a specific religion is a tenant of Christian faith, in direct opposition to Islam or any other that requires and compels by force of both political and religious law acceptance and allegience of it's creeds and it's God.
America is NOT nor will ever be a home or even a place for SHARIA law, unless we abdicate the very foundation upon which this nation and our society was built. They are inconsistent with each other, just as are any of the -ism's mentioned previously.
Speaking generally, public school have failed (some would say miserably so) and as generations passed parents have failed in willingness or capacity to teach our true history and heritage, and the majesty, wonder and inspired creation of our nation and the founding documents upon which it was built by men inspired by Almighty God.
Because of that to a degree, and in the absence of references to true and correct history and records, we as a people have lost our sense of identity and purpose - how "We the People", "E Pluribus Unum", came to be and who we really are as "one nation under God", in unity.
We then are subject to the snake oil salesman that would sell us any concoction with empty promises of blessings and benefits, many free, NONE of which they have the power within themselves to deliver, WITHOUT FIRST TAKING FROM US AND OTHER THEM MEANS TO DELIVER SAID "PROMISES". We are led as sheep to the shearer, or as lambs to the slaughter, but the very shepherds that we thought would feed us and protect us. We follow the words of the world (media and those who would manipulate the truth for gain and power) and forget the very WORD Himself, and His desire and will for us and this country.
We lose our way and are subject to vain and crafty deceit and the philosphies of men and the influence of evil when we take Diety out of the equation in relationship to our country. When and if we prevent honoring Jesus Christ as the God of this land, we will at that time fail to merit the promised blessings of His protection and benevolence which enable us to "prosper in the land".
A little down home discussion with Texas-bred. Comments?
10/27/2010. All rights Reserved.
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