Hi again. Today I am going to assert my convictions about the United States Presidency. The current election has certainly dominated the airwaves and set a lot of people to thinking and a lot of teeth on edge. Everyone seems to sense and feel that the nation is at an important crossroads and that the stakes are high. There are deep and profound worries about the economy, social conflict, crony capitalism, debt, student loans, civil rights, terrorism, security, immigration, inequality, and many other topics. There is a lot of anger and that has been reflected in the primary season where candidates outside of the traditional mainstream have made quite a splash and sometimes some resounding “thuds”. Within the two major parties there is major dissent and even talk of walking away on principle – even if it means party sacrifice.
Despite all this, I think it can be sincerely said that both parties want a strong, healthy, secure, prosperous, and harmonious nation. At the same time politicians are people and people are not angels. Government is a two edged sword and politics is a competitive win-lose affair that has often in our history brought out the worst rather than the best in both citizenry and candidates. Our founders knew this and experienced it. They saw a continual sacrifice of liberty and justice that led them to declare separation from their mother country.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Of course you will recognize these words from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. Foundational, essential, and true principles: People have rights that governments cannot remove or alienate. Governments are instituted to protect life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Governments are servants and not masters. Governments are to be judged in how they serve their essential role in protecting life, liberty, and property. If governments fail sufficiently they must be changed by the people – as is their very right and duty. Government laws must be just and not violate the life, property, and liberty of the people who institute them.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
I would challenge you to re-read our nation’s constitution (click below). It takes less than 20 minutes to read it. It is a masterful and surprising document. Even without knowing the historical context and the myriad of writings that accompanied it (such as the Federalist papers), it is clear that this is a government established to serve within strict boundaries. The very tone and substance is “this is what the Union of States can do and it shall do no more”.
The founders rightly feared what could become of the new country. In the history of England many times the government had to be “thrown off” to restore essential liberties. The Magna Carta, English Bill of rights, and deposed monarchs testify to this battle for the rights of people and the constraint of government. The Declaration and Constitution were the product and legacy of 600 years of English values of liberty and justice. A free people with a history of hard fought liberty were well able to see the signs of a government drifting from its moorings. The constitution did not dissolve the sovereignty of the people or the states. Quite, quite the contrary. It was a compact (contract) made between the states to define and limit the powers of the union and protect the unalienable rights of the people and the role of the states.
I can feel your angst. You probably sense and are reacting to the possibility that I am even suggesting that we have once again reached such a point. Has our government become “destructive to these ends”? The founders of our nation would continually challenge us to ask this question and to restore rightful government when it is necessary. I do believe that we are at such a point in history and that the attacks on liberty have accelerated and our government has evidenced a “long train of abuses and usurpations”. This is most striking to me in what has become of the executive branch. We now have presidents that not only presume to legislate but to set up huge organizations that pass laws that have never been approved by our elected representatives and that go far beyond constitutional authority (See section 1 – Article 8 of the constitution). We have presidents that commit the nation to war without the required declaration of war from congress. We have presidents that lead the government’s spying on its own people and willfully disregarding the 4th amendment. This list just goes on and on.
Here is my challenge to you. Reconsider the founding principles of our nation. Don’t for a minute believe that you cannot read and understand our nation’s foundations and our constitution. Do not accept the empty rhetoric that the constitution is a “living” document that can be conveniently ignored. It is a contract between the states and clearly stipulates how it can be modified by the states through ammendments. Remember that the founders stood on 600 years of England’s struggle to maintain the unalienable rights of the people. They built on that foundation and we must too. Every generation must pull the weeds from the garden of liberty.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
So what would a return to liberty look like? I have painted a picture for you. It is a job description for the presidency. One that reflects their sacred oath:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
In a later blog I will comment in more detail on this job description. Suffice it to say for now that it is a constitutional / liberty lens on the presidency and the government. Accordingly it will both comfort and offend the sensibilities of current day republicans and democrats (and thus almost all my dear friends and family).
All for now – Will
