The youth do not always understand the realities of the world around them. Often, their view is tainted by distortions taught to them. Through the lens of history, present reality and future possibilities and probabilities become more clear. When that clarity presents inconsistencies, we should look deeper in history to find the missing pieces.
Today's America is not just fundamentally different from that of the 80's, the 1780's, 1880's, and even the 1980's, it is the exact opposite of the Nation founded by Our Forefathers. This is not just recognized by "The Tea Party" but evidenced by those, including the Department of Homeland Security, which identifies those that quote the Constitution, as "extremists." A sizable portion of the population sees no issue with the present state of America. Many have accepted today's reality as an acceptable trade of "a little Liberty for security." Many justify the incursions into their lives with "if you're doing nothing wrong then you have no reason to fear" the government tracking your words and deeds.
These changes will continue, in the wrong direction, until the People themselves understand why they should not accept them, and send Representatives to Washington to stop them. The People will not come to this understanding, until someone or some persons, can effectively communicate why they should stand up for Liberty, instead of accept the suppression of it. The Constitution was not blindly accepted in 1788. Those that believed in it presented their case, to the People.
Those that opposed it, presented the opposing view. Neither side were convinced that just because they said it was the best plan, the People would just blindly accept it. They may have been some of the smartest people in the room, but they understood that they had to present their case to convince others of the value of the plan.
That is the component missing in today's politics. Today, politicians expect that because they said so, or because the party says so, the partymembers should endorse it. And too often, most often, the members do and then call the opposition names for opposing it, and for supporting their own politicians' policies, blindly. Most legislation is written in legalese even the politicians cannot understand, much less those calling others names for not supporting or opposing the latest bill. Even the budget has grown so complex that few, if anyone, including lawmakers, know where it all goes.
Too often the means are confused with the ends. Too often the ends are used as justification for the means. For example, no piece of equipment or metal is inherently evil, or good. It is just a tool. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV, UAS, or drone if you prefer, is not inherently evil. It is a tool, that can be used wisely, and within the confines of International Law and the Constitution, or it can be used in contradiction to it, whether armed or not. While the use of drones is not specifically covered in the Geneva Conventions or the Constitution, both have provisions which makes clear legal and illegal uses.
International Law affords a Nation sovereignity over its airspace. Incursions into that airspace can be considered an act of war, particularly if that incursion is used to drop explosives on the land of that Sovereign Nation. The Geneva Convention forbids the targeting of non-combatants. It really doesn't matter if the invasion of airspace is manned or not. When drones invade the airspace of a Sovereign Nation and drop bombs on a civilian TV station, it is not only an act of war, but a war crime.
The Constitution, or more specifically, the Bill of Rights, guarantees US Citizens the God-given Right to be secure in their persons, their homes, their effects, and their papers. If drones are used to usurp that Right, then it is the incursion, not the vehicle which is un-Constitutional.
How is today's America fundamentally different than the Nation which was founded? It begins with the most fundamental provisions of the Constitution. The Constitution lays out the authorities and responsibilities of the Federal Government. It lays out the means of the branches of government and the authorities of each. Often, the "three branches of government" are discussed along with "the 4th estate" or "branch" being used to describe the press. One could more readily make the case that "the 4th branch" is State government.
The Constitution is clear. The role of the federal government is Foreign Affairs, almost exclusively. It requires the maintenance of a Navy. It allows the raising of an Army. It places the making and agreeing to of treaties as exclusively that of the federal government, but also the minting of a common currency and establishment of postal roads. It requires that all actions of the Federal Government be fair in treatment of all States, but limits the legislative power of the Federal Government to that of Interstate Commerce.
Internally, the Constitution preserves the Right of People to be governed by a republican form of government by the individual State, while requiring the States to respect the Rights of Citizens of other States.
Juxtapose that with the current situation in which the Federal Government requires residents of the Nation to buy certain things and forbids them from buying other things.
Why would it be better for the State Government to make laws for the Citizenry? Well, the people of Arizona face different situations than do the people of New York. It is far more necessary for the people of the peninsula of Florida to have a law forbidding the tying of an alligator to a fire hydrant, than for the peninsula of Michigan. The residents of Massachusetts are far more supportive of paying more taxes for mandatory health care, than are the Citizens of Tennessee.
And the votes of each resident is far more important to a candidate for Mayor than Governor than President. So too are the votes of each resident more important to candidates for Councilman than State Representative than House Representative than Senator. Simply put, you have more power when you pull the lever for Councilman, than for Senator. Hence, that Councilman is going to listen more closely when you voice your opposition to municipal laws and policies than is a Senator, or the President. That is amplified by the fact that so few actually pay attention to the local levels.
The Founders had experienced the abuses of an unresponsive ruler. They understood the frustration of having no non-violent means to remove a tyrant. They wrote the Constitution to preserve the Rights of the People and limit the abuses of a ruler. They gave us a peaceful means to remove the abuser and to correct the course.
They had concerns over the abuses of a standing Army. America's military is unique in the world. Nearly every other country in the world uses their military in a law enforcement capacity, and the British Army of 1770 was one such example. It was used to enforce the dictates of the King on the American Colonists, with the power to arrest and to seize property of Colonists. When the Founders wrote the limitation of funding a Standing Army to two years at a time, it was not to prevent foreign wars, but to prevent incursions on the American People. The intent was closer to preventing a Standing Department of Homeland Security than to prevent Bagram Air Base.
The Founders did not desire a weak defense. Quite the contrary, they recognized the need for a strong defense. They required the provision of a Navy and considered every man to be a member of the Militia. How much stronger a defense can be mounted than one in which every man is ready to fend off invaders?
They recognized that all the limitations of the Constitution and their individual recognitions that Individuals had Rights given by God would not prevent a ruler of tyrannical desire to usurp those Rights. So immediately, upon ratification of the Constitution, and even contingent to ratifying it, they drafted the Bill of Rights. Ten of the twelve Amendments were ratified in less than 16 months, in a time where communication relied on horse borne messengers and ships.
When the Press is caught stealing information they have no authority to have or making accusations without presenting the accuser, they cry "First Amendment Rights," and when atheists decry a nativity scene or a cross, they claim the First Amendment requires a "separation of church and state," but the 1st Amendment clearly states the Citizen's Right to Free Speech, including in religion, the Press, and as a gathering, in Protest. It does not forbid a child from saying a prayer, nor even the teacher. On the contrary, it protects their Right to do so. It does not forbid a person, or group, from speaking out against the policies of the President. It protects that person or group from retaliation by the organs of government.
The 16th Amendment makes the Income Tax Constitutional, but it does not override the 4th Amendment, which preserves the Right of the People from unlawful/warrantless search and seizure of property, to include their persons, papers, and effects. It is necessary for a government to have funds, but the Constitution requires that the taxes be collected fairly. The Founders forbid seizures of property because a government can use that threat as a means to threaten a people into the will of a ruler, without the rule of law. The Founders recognized that the People had a God-Given Right to the fruits of their own labors, to include leaving those fruits in inheritance to whom they pleased.
The federal government still collects all of the taxes that funded it prior to 1913 when the 16th Amendment was passed, and yet the only time in American History that the federal government was not in debt was under Andrew Jackson, long before there was an income tax. It is true that there have been times when there was not a budget deficit, as recently as the late 90's when Gingrich compromised with Clinton to not spend as much on things the other didn't like, but only under President Jackson was there a surplus in the Treasury.
So, how did Jackson bring about a surplus while collecting taxes from fewer resources and expanding the Nation? He budgeted within the confines of what Congress allowed him and within the confines of what the Constitution allowed. The States ran domestic affairs. The federal government concerned itself with external threats (including the threat by the Indian Nations within the Nation).
Why is it important that you not curtail the Rights of your neighbor, and stand up for those Rights, even when you dislike him, or what he is doing on his property? Because if you support the curtailing of the Rights of other Citizens, you also curtail your own Rights. Because if you are successful in curtailing their Rights by force of majorities, other majorities will curtail the Rights you believe yourself entitled to have.
It does not matter how deep I hold my convictions in the importance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It does not matter how important those Rights are, if the majority of the Nation is willing to sacrifice their Rights in order to curtail mine. It does not matter how many times I attempt to convince the People of that importance of their Rights and mine, if they remain unconvinced. If we are to return this Nation to a course of Liberty and the Prosperity that Liberty brings, a convincing voice must be found.
Experience demonstrates that few find my voice convincing. This article demonstrates that still today I have not learned the means of messaging to a Nation lost by more than 140 characters. In 2000 words or more, I still haven't touched on the abuses of the Constitution in today's America, much less a convincing argument to change course. I can only hope that it plants the seeds to bring about such a voice. I can only pray that government will recognize my Rights in my part of my domain, and allow me to live in peace, but I fear that like David, they want my meager possessions, despite their possession of so much more, and my history in their service.
It is counterproductive for party leaders and hacks to step up to their bully pulpits and insult the people who follow the opposition. It is an insult for partisans to demand blind adherence to a party leader and platform. An intelligent and educated people can be led astray. It is long past time for a leader to demonstrate the evidence of why we must return to the governance of the Constitution.
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