How Do You Know Your US Constitution?

How do you know when someone knows nothing about the US Constitution or our Constitutional Republic?

They use these phrases and arguments:

“It is a living document”: The US Constitution is about as living as the rules of poker. Rules of poker? Professor Walter E Williams of George Mason University explains so eloquently why the “living document” argument doesn’t work. He asks the question: “would you play a high stakes poker game ($10,000 ante) with me if at any time during the game I could change or interpret the rules? Say I had a pair of 2’s and you had a royal flush, if the rules were living I could change them to say 2 – 2’s beats a royal flush now.” You see, the US Constitution are the rules of the game and cannot be changed. If you want to change the rules you have to go through a process. That’s called the amendment process. It is not easy to do which is exactly what the founders intended. The mob mentality based on high emotion can create an environment to make changes that in the future could be misused. The amendment process takes time and effort which dissipates the emotion over time and allows for critical thinking and debate on any issue. Brilliant!

They reference the “Supremacy Clause”: And these people believe anything the federal government does trump the states and people. If the supremacy clause was intended to trump every state law it would render the tenth amendment meaningless. If the federal government laws were intended to be supreme, why would the founders have argued endlessly on how the constitution is a limitation on the federal government? The supremacy clause is simply the tie breaker when there are two conflicting laws on an issue constitutionally granted to the federal government. If the state has a law on immigration and the federal government has a law on immigration the federal law is supreme because it is a responsibility held at the federal government. This was really important at the founding because the states were independent and had addressed many federal issues already in their constitutions. There was bound to be conflicts. This was a way to address these conflicts. Diplomacy and treaties was expressly mentioned in the constitution. Trade was one of the main reasons for this and the commerce clause.

They reference the “separation of church and state”: There is no mention in the constitution of a “separation of church and state.” People that don’t know the constitution often reference this. To have some fun ask them the next time you hear it to tell you where it says that? Don’t let them get away with “the first amendment.”  Ask them to reference the sentence in the document? The first amendment specifically prohibits the congress from making any law to establish a religion or keep people from practicing theirs. Remember they came from England where they had a state church and our pilgrims came to this land to practice their religion. This foundation of people was determined to make sure religion was not forced or kept from them. The separation of church and state came from a letter written by Jefferson. The founders talked about how our form of government needed a moral and God fearing people to succeed.

They reference the term “General Welfare”: In the pre-amble it has no legislative power and only a descriptor of intent. In the section of the Constitution where it resides it is talking about the taxing powers of the federal government in context with its enumerated powers. Madison and Jefferson were clear in their letters that this power was tied closely to the activities enumerated and not a separate or general power to spend on anything the federal government wanted. It would negate all other enumerated powers. These guys were way too smart to want that.  

They reference only the “Militia” in the second amendment: The second amendment was always intended and argued to be the best way to maintain the freedom and liberty over tyranny. The “Militia” was a local group of citizens that would be a defense against both foreign and domestic enemies. The amendment specifically points out a right of the people to bear arms. The amendment shows the concern of tyranny against both the state and the individual and makes sense since most states and individuals were extremely distrustful of any central authority. There was an understanding of a right to self-defense in our country prior to independence as well as after. Any reading on the subject and a casual look at our recent history shows the absolute understanding of the need and right to self-defense. The Wild West comes to mind.

They reference the “age” of the document: “How can a document written 237 years ago be relevant today?” This is probably the most ignorant statement of all. The document is based on the history of human civilization and behavior which doesn’t change. The founders were students of history and politics and used their understanding to protect against the bad habits of groups of men governing over men. Free speech is free speech no matter what the medium; print, pamphlet, or iPhone. Same goes for the right to privacy.

They reference Slavery: “The founders were slave owners.” Any study of the Constitution quickly brings to light the conflict of the “all men are created equal” and slavery. The founders struggled with the contradiction but if we look at the context of the world at the time; slavery was a common practice. It was repulsive but also an intricate part of the economics of both the South and the world. A fair look back will help most conclude that the US Constitution set in motion the debate of the legitimacy of slavery throughout the world. Slavery was ended and conflicted with all the beliefs we hold to be self-evident.

They reference “old white dead men”: This is always used by angry liberals and usually means they are not worth talking to on this or any other subject.

 

July 4th 2013

It has been 237 years since the initial Declaration of Independence. It is a miracle we are still free from tyranny but that has only happened because a few good men and woman make it their mission to protect our liberty.

The natural human condition has always been to be ruled by a handful of kings, tyrants, and despots. It seems like a long time ago but it really isn’t. The declaration our founders made was not only an act of courage, it was an act that had not occurred anywhere throughout history in an effort to pronounce individual liberty as the natural state of the human condition. Up until 1776, the individual was seen as a ward of the state, subject of a kingdom, the cog in a society to be used as needed for the good of the ruling class.

Even today, England still holds on to a class structure that assigns future hopes to the status of which you are born; heredity. Even today, the opportunity to move through classes is limited and not likely to happen. The world is still full of places that do not live by the rights we hold to be self-evident. It is where our concept of “exceptionalism” comes from, and rightfully so.

Unfortunately our current President doesn’t understand why the United States is exceptional. We are exceptional because we value the individual over the government, we believe that are rights come from God, and we never turn our backs on people that want to be free. We have spilled more blood and treasure on behalf of others than any other nation. That is why we are exceptional. Not because we are rich in treasure, but because we are rich in spirit, honor, and faith in God. We do not worship man, we are skeptical of the will of man. That is why the US Constitution that evolved out of the Declaration of Independence and our founding fathers is relished by so many and considered a miracle.

Our country was founded by a small group of visionary leaders that succeeded in convincing a majority of people that the individual believing in faith and God was the key to a prosperous and meaningful future. At times they must have felt isolated as so many of us do now. But they persevered over the most difficult odds. They knew what they were offering was worth their lives and sacred honor.

On July 4^th 2013 we must remember that the US Constitution was a miracle and can only endure if we continue to respect and defend it. We must defend it with all the gusto our founders defended her with. It is the least we can do to protect the last best hope on earth…

God Bless America.

The Answer is Simple

If you are one of the people that believe our future is being jeopardized by an out of control federal government the fix is simple and laid out clearly in the US Constitution. The fix is the Tenth Amendment. The text is short, clear, and concise:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

All acts, laws, and dictates of the federal government must be delegated to it in the constitution. Where is it delegated that the federal government should be a pension fund, medical fund, or arbiter of welfare money? Any attempt to justify 90% of what the federal government currently does is tortured logic. There are 18 specific powers. None of them include the power to take the wealth of some and give to others.

The founders were very conflicted in the creation of the United States. They knew that too much central power would turn to tyranny, and not enough central power would leave the states vulnerable to foreign interests and could undermine the ability of the states to thrive economically and independently. It is critical to note that the Constitution was intended to limit the central power of the government. Every argument about the ratification discussed the potential of the central government to infringe on the rights of the individual and states. That is why the Bill of Rights was added and especially the Tenth Amendment.

The founders even argued about the Bill of Rights. Many didn’t even believe it was needed because the Constitution was inherently a document limiting central power. It was assumed that the people would hold a central government in check. In the day, it was not uncommon for people to violently revolt against the tax collector or representative of any central authority. Limiting power was absolutely the intent. To think the central government was a means to happiness or prosperity would have been laughed at and rejected hands down. But fortunately for us today, many did not trust a central authority and would not ratify without the Bill of Rights. If not for these ten amendments we would not have the country we have today.

There has been a concerted effort not to teach the founding in context. If the education of our youth included the true intent of the US Constitution and the founders, we would be in much better shape today. The bright side is many people are starting to realize how right the founders were. There is a growing movement to utilize the Tenth Amendment and the process of nullification. Nullification is simply the states and people rejecting unconstitutional laws.

Rejecting unconstitutional laws utilizing the Tenth Amendment and nullification is the simple answer. Once this movement gains greater ground it will take hold. To learn more go to www.tenthamendmentcenter.com. You will be glad you did…

Crisis of the American Family…

There comes a time when two entities that once loved each other, depended on each other, and respected each other have to face the reality that things have changed. Time can be cruel to relationships and 237 years, although young in comparison to others, seems to have taken the bloom off the rose.

At the beginning we shared a common bond, we made what we thought were lifetime commitments to each other, and we swore our allegiance to always respect the vow we signed. Maybe it’s a sign of the times where commitments no longer seem to be enough to maintain a relationship or maybe we have just found new interests that no longer align with each other. Either way it is time we do what is in the best interest of everyone involved and separate.

Our federal government was created by the states to help protect us from foreign enemies, make us stronger competitors on the world stage, and referee disputes among the states, but now it seems the federal government has become the enemy of the people. How did this happen?

The first thing we did wrong was to put too much trust in the federal government. When we encountered difficult situations we ran to the federal government. When the federal government took more than it was sanctioned to in the vow we took, we ignored it and enabled it to drift from us. Even though we knew how out of control the federal government became we kept telling ourselves that it will get better. The federal government would say it was sorry by showering us in “gifts” that we knew were taken under duress but we ignored that too.

So we find ourselves on the brink of disaster with a partner that has become an addict of our enabling and no longer can control its anger and abusive power over us. It is time to act in the interest of our nation by taking back the control we gave up over the years that no longer can be ignored. As it is with any addict we can’t expect the addict to cure itself. It needs an intervention. That intervention is the reapplication of the original vows our US Constitution.

To expect this monster we have created through neglect and enablement to reform is not realistic. We must use a tough love approach and although times will be tough as we navigate the DT’s, it will be worth it in the end. The children are counting on us to do the right thing is this relationship which is to break the bond and separate until the federal government once again respects our place in this relationship and stops the abuse it has inflicted on the American family.               

 

We’re Not Stupid

There are ads running on every conservative news outlets on both radio and television. They are sponsored by a group called the conservative movement for immigration progress or some other such nonsense. They feature clips of Senator Rubio, Congressman Paul saying how our immigration policy is broken. These ads are funded by the left. They talk about how this new immigration bill is going to fix immigration but it has the same border provisions as the current law.

These ads will not work for one reason: conservatives are much smarter and have a healthy skepticism of government and the media than the left does. Conservatives don’t fall for the emotional arguments like the sappy left. You have to have facts to back up your case if you want to convince conservatives to support your position.

The argument comes down to one issue: the border. The border must be secured. Marco Rubio says what we have is not working but why is it not working? Because the federal government refuses to secure the border as the law requires. So why would a new law with the same border provision be enforced this time? Conservatives and every thinking American knows that the border will not be secured and the new law will be enforced the same way the current law is enforced; not! It will be another free for all stealing the jobs from our youth, low skilled Americans, and giving our hard earned tax dollars to people that have broken the laws of this land.

I guess the good news is that the left is throwing money away that could have been used on their more gullible constituents for the 2014 election. I have a message to the left: We are not stupid like the people you normally try to persuade with this garbage…

Wishful Thinking

Does anyone really believe the Federal Government in the capital city of Washington D.C. will ever reform itself? I have to hold back the laughter, anger, and frustration I feel toward the people elected to represent us at the federal level. Everything is upside down.

The country is being drained of all of its greatness at break-neck speed, and many of us feel powerless to stop it. Conservative Americans complain that the federal government has gotten too big, and liberal Americans complain that we spend too much on the military and “tax breaks for the rich” (whoever they are) but nothing will change if we wait for the same people that are benefitting from a big government to take any steps to reduce their influence.

Elections come and go at the federal level and nothing changes. In contrast, elections happen at the state and local level and a lot changes. State budgets are getting balanced (thanks to conservatives), businesses are growing, and energy is being harvested all in spite of an out of control central government intent on destroying everything good in its path. The state level changes happen because the people have more control of holding local politicians accountable. The further away government is from the people the smaller and more limited it needs to be.

The only solution to changing the federal government is to invoke the constitutional rights of the states. The states are the dominant power structure in the constitution. The federal government is given the authority it has by the states and the people. It is time to wean the federal government off of the power it has become addicted to at the state level by a collection of Governors around the country.

Similar to a drug addict, it is foolish to think the drug addict (federal government) should be given the keys to the pharmacy (printing press/borrowing authority) and expect the drug addiction to diminish. The only effective remedy is a full blown intervention of an outside source to ensure that the addict has a chance to succeed. Any other effort to limit the federal government’s destruction of our future is wishful thinking…