Let's Talk About the Constitution

Have you grown weary of politics?  Does the constant drum of special interest groups make you want to cover your ears and cry out that you’ve had enough?  Does it strike you as strange that the most generous, protective country in the history of the world is being attacked from inside our own borders?  Do you wonder how we got to this point?

I believe the reasons for our decline in the last few years can be traced to two distinct issues.  The first is jobs (or lack thereof).  The second is our disregard for
the Constitution.  This applies to both political parties.  Let’s talk about it.  This blog will spend time looking at issues through the prism of the Constitution.

I’ve been pondering these topics for the last few months. It comes back to the question of what went wrong.  Over the next few months I will be looking at
issues and making a few comments.  I welcome your responses and additional thoughts and suggestions.  My idea is to prime the pump and then listen
to you, the citizen, fill in my knowledge with your insights.

As a starting point I would like to suggest we have forgotten our Constitution.  Many who dislike this country and would like to see us less successful, less powerful, and have less influence in the world would like to distract us from this God-given document.  They are having a lot of success.

Our education system has done a lousy job, in the last 30 years, of making young
people aware of this awe inspiring document and the rights it gives to each citizen.  Ask any young person under the age of 30 to give you the thought processes that went into the idea of States Rights.  My guess is you will get some
guesses and a few wild guesses.  Most young people will have no idea of the power in this one thought.  When was the last time YOU gave the idea of
States' Rights a lot of thought?

States’ Rights are really something worth thinking about.  Did the idea of States' Rights in the Constitution envision the Federal Government ordering a State not to enforce immigration policy within their own state?  Did the Founders think the interstate commerce clause would be used to require a citizen to purchase an item dictated by the Federal Government? Did the Founders imagine the Court would write laws and direct the government to take actions interfering with the lives of everyday citizens?  Were the Founders thinking it would be wise to give 9 people the right to void votes and insert their own plans to millions of citizens?  Or, were these exactly the things the Founders were attempting to avoid?

I would like to ask a couple questions and invite you to respond through The Patch. Were the Founders wrong to separate the powers of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of the government?  How important is it for States to remain relatively free from interference from the Federal Government?  In this period of the Imperial Presidency we better start asking ourselves questions like these.  Not earth shaking thoughts, but spend a few minutes and think about it.

Until then get a copy of the Constitution and review it. It may have been a long time and you will find some interesting things to question.  In the meantime, get back to me with your thoughts on the power of the individual states.