As a nation, we have become fair-weather friends of the Constitution. As such, as a nation, we must make a decision. Do we care about the rule of law, or do we not? If we do not, then we need not argue further about the role of government, for it will be whatever role the ruling elites have the strength to impose upon us. In that case, let us stop paying lip service to the Constitution. But if we do care about the rule of law, it must begin with the Constitution itself. Without due deference to that, we abandon our nation to the despotic rule of reactionary public sentiment and those who have the power to sway it. This is the understanding from which those of us who revere the Constitution do so. It isnt merely because it represents the distilled wisdom, experience, and foresight of our nations founders. More than this, its because it is the guiding light for a civil society to self-govern and to change as it must through reasoned deliberation rather than through deception and force. The Constitution was carefully crafted and is quite clear on the role of government. It was written in English and needs no reinterpretation. If it is poorly suited to our modern era, or if we believe that the powers it grants are insufficient to the needs of the day, then let it be amended. If Congress will not amend it, the people can do so via their State Legislatures with an Article V Amendments Convention. Inevitably, some Amendments will be as ill-conceived as some of the flagrantly unconstitutional laws which we now pass. (Prohibition comes to mind.) But at least it will then be upholding the rule of law and will not, by usurpation of lawfully granted authority, invite such excesses and abuses as are commonplace today. And if we do lawfully -- Constitutionally -- forsake our freedoms, then we are given hope by the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition, that we can yet lawfully -- constitutionally -- reclaim them. Read more: americanthinker/2013/11/our_national_debate_whats_truly_important.html#ixzz2jXh6k1lW Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 01:39:46 +0000