Morning Bell: Our Constitution Is Under Fire Amy Payne, September 17, 2012
Today, the federal government has acquired an all but unquestioned dominance over virtually every area of American life. It acts without constitutional limits and increasingly regulates our most basic activities, from how much water is in our toilets to what kind of light bulbs we can buy.
So while we face many challenges, the most difficult task ahead—and the most important—is to restore constitutional limits on government. Forty visionaries signed a piece of paper 225 years ago today that became one of the most vital documents in the world: the U.S. Constitution.
By design, it limited the power of government under the rule of law, created a vigorous framework that expanded economic opportunity, protected national independence and secured liberty and justice for all. But how is that limitation of powers working today?
The Judicial Branch. The rise of unlimited government is most familiar and most prominent in the form of judicial activism. The Founders called the judiciary the "least dangerous branch," but progressive judges have usurped the functions of the other two branches and transformed the courts into policymaking bodies with wide-ranging power. We need judges who take the Constitution seriously and follow it faithfully.
The Legislative Branch. For its part, Congress has long legislated without regard to limits on its powers. As a result, decisions that were previously the constitutional responsibility of elected legislators are delegated to executive branch administrators. Congress is increasingly an administrative body overseeing a vast array of bureaucratic policymakers and rule-making bodies. Congress should stop delegating to bureaucrats and actively take responsibility for all the laws (and regulations) that govern us.
The Executive Branch. Meanwhile, the President has unique and powerful responsibilities in our constitutional system as chief executive officer, head of state, and commander in chief. But the idea that the president— who is charged with the execution of the laws—doesn't have to wait for the lawmaking branch to make, amend, or abolish laws, but can and should act on his own is toxic to the rule of law. It violates the spirit, and potentially the letter, of the Constitution's separation of the legislative and executive powers of Congress and the President.
It won't be easy to return to the founding principles. We'll have to move one step at a time, and walk back decades worth of bad decisions by members of all three branches of government. But it can be done, if we use the written Constitution as our guide and we believe that it means what it says and says what it means.
The Founders worked from the premise that government exists to secure God-given rights, and that it derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. And while many people take that for granted today, it was a novel idea in the 18th century and remains all too rare today.
Since Americans are equal, self-governing citizens and the United States government is limited, we have the liberty and opportunity to live our lives, control our fate, and pursue our happiness—and the American Dream.
That's worth celebrating, today and every day.
But while our Constitution remains remarkably hale and hearty after all these years (it's by far the longest-serving constitution in the world), it is under fire from many directions.
Let us remember today that we have the opportunity to rededicate this country to the Constitution and to the universal principles of liberty at its core. We can, and must, dedicate ourselves to the hard work of restoring constitutional self-government, and so preserving the American Dream for all.
we need more of those type of men from 225 years ago. some smart brave visionaries.
Agree 100%.
Fortunately for US, two such men are currently running for Pres and VP, men who believe in the vision of the Founding Fathers, men who don't go around the world bowing, scraping and apologizing for America being America, men who actually believe in our 1st Amendment and 2nd Amendment rights as American citizens.
Such men still exist.
Here's the real question: Is this nation still worthy of them?
[The constitution is] dead as shit. Haven't you heard? The constitution is a "living document". That means that on any given day it can be interpreted to mean anything you want. The founding fathers are so old fashioned. Look deeply and somewhere you'll find that healthcare, food, clothing, shelter and an i-phone are rights.
Ferris what are your thoughts on the actual controlling interests in this country? do you think that any of the people vying for votes this year will have the stones/ability to resist being controlled by outside parties/influence?
Boogiman, good questions, and I appreciate the dialogue.
The long answers to your questions are, by necessity, complex.
The short answers: Do I think there are "controlling interests" in politics? Yes. Well, maybe this is a better way to phrase it: I think there are outside interests that try to influence politics.
Re: your second question, we already know the answer as it pertains to our current president.
My hope is that Romney wins in November. I believe he is a good, honest, decent, patriotic American, who has OUR best interests at heart. It's just my opinion, but it's based on everything I've seen, everything I've heard, everything I've read, and a whole lot of gut feel.
For me to answer you further would, I think, require you to define what you mean by outside parties/influence and the ability to resist.
outside influences being namely in my current view, big finance and mainstream media.
As I've stated before, I believe Mr. Romney to be a man of principle. Big finance covers a lot of territory. I take him at his word when he says he has OUR best interests at heart.
The mainstream media? If he wins, they will continue to attack him like the hyenas they are. Will he resist? Absolutely. Will he prevail? I believe so.
resist being defined as him doing what's actually best for we the people without consideration for aforementioned interests.
I believe with all my heart that he will do just that. My opinion isn't because I've been hypnotized by the guy - he's not exactly "electric" when he speaks, if you catch my drift.
My opinion is based on a lot study, and equal amounts of gut feel.
With the current pres, we know EXACTLY what we have. We were duped in '08, but the cat is out of the bag (and well into the next galaxy by now).
The current pres promised to fundamentally transform America. It's the ONLY campaign promise he's kept.
Is Mr. Romney for real? I sure hope so, and I sure believe so.
I understand your frustration, but we've got an election coming up in six short weeks that will fundamentally decide the future direction of our country, i.e. Republic or Socialist Dictatorship.
The republicans have embraced socialist policies to the point we may not be able to go back to the main role of government. Romney/Ryan have a major battle ahead.
can't see it at work. i just have no faith that any one person is going to be able to overcome the obstacles at hand. instead i am focusing my attention on being able to survive and provide for the fam when it goes down.
You are too young to remember the optimism and economic renewal that President Ronald Reagan brought to a disheartened, dispirited America. Although I didn't vote for him the first time, it was impossible to ignore that his leadership changed America's course towards decay and collapse. I eagerly voted for his second term and I was a Democrat at the time.
you're right i am to young to recall that. so for those of old farts that can remember...lol how does this compare? were we this close to the brink of oblivion then?
the more i look into the totality of the world the less i want to be a part of any of it. i was brought up far better than this and there does not appear to be anything that can be done peaceably to stop this course of direction.
We KNOW which direction the chosen one is taking us.
I'd prefer to have a President who actually believes in America, someone who believes in YOU and ME, someone who's not in it for the glory, but for the honor.
I think Romney is such a man.
I encourage you to watch the video when you can. If you do, I'd be interested to hear if it changed your perceptions of Romney in any way.
Not sure about the old fart thing as I am sure that I am more immature than you, Brice. Just ask FB1 .
The Carter Administration was leading us down a rat hole just like the current President is now.
* Weakness caused our ally, the Shah of Iran, to be toppled by Islamist radicals. This directly led to the hostage taking of Americans for 444 days. You know that story. * The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan for Imperialist reasons unlike why America went there. * Our ambassador was murdered. * The Soviet Union was expanding into Latin America. * 16% inflation coupled with stagnation (stagflation). (today's inflation rate is a lot higher than what is reported as gasoline and food is not counted). * A weak, apologetic President.
It was looking like there was no hope for America and that it was inevitable that we were in decline.
.......then came President Reagan. America became proud again and restored the economy while defeating the Soviet Union.
--- So be brave. Romney will go a long way into starting the healing process.
just one of those days that has me thinking why bother? i have zero trust in humans at this point and even less trust in career politicians. add to that the fact that most of my generation is a bunch of mealy mouthed pansies....
then we get into the real stuff. the unmitigated greed exhibited by the majority of the population of the world. the full on religious hate being spewed from every direction. the constant and consistent intrusion into the daily lives of the citizens by the government. the constant pressure to remove what scraps of true freedom we actually have left.
hell man im 31 father of 4 do my job+ and just want to be left to live my life and can't really do that any more because i feel compelled to get ready for the end of society as we know it well within my lifetime.
the little snippets i see from time to time about the true nature of the global financial system is something that my (larger than most IQ)brain has a hard time wrapping around.
seriously i do what i can to avoid the news and so forth because it's just so damn disturbing to think that all i have been working towards and planning on for me and mine and the rest of the world is just flat out gone. even here there is a thread about warp drive! what promise does that hold? the thought is absolutely incredible that humans can achieve what is suggested there but in the back of my mind i wonder why even bother getting excited?
I feel compelled to point out that Romney is not a career politician.
He's also the father of five (whom you'll meet in video).
He's the governor of a state that is 87% Democrat, and inherited a zillion dollar deficit when he took office, yet before the end of his term his state had not only a balanced budget, but had a budget surplus.
When he was elected governor, he had his staff draw up a list of EVERY campaign promise he made, and said that by the end of his term they would go down the list and check every one of them off. And he did.
I've even heard that he refused to accept a salary as governor. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. He wears dress shirts from K-Mart. He's not frivolous with HIS money, and he will not be frivolous with OURS.
Do you know that he belongs to the NRA?
Do you know that he addressed the NRA earlier this year at their annual convention in St. Louis? He was well received, naturally - he's one of them.
Meaning he's one of US.
George Washington never stopped fighting for his belief in Liberty.
Nor should we.
We have exactly two presidential candidates this year (with all due respect for everyone else also on the ballot).
One of these men is a proven socialistic dictator.
The other is a Patriot.
Vote wisely.
And never, EVER give up. You owe at least that much to your children.