America Reconstitutionalized: Political Rambling
One of my core beliefs is that God makes the rules, not people. Only one implication of this reality is that when people do try to make the rules they aren't as good. They tend to be flawed. They tend to favor one group over another. They tend to get worse over time. I believe that is where we are today in America.
The Constitution was written in a convention designed to address issues with The Articles of Confederation, which was the first document to unite the various independent States, the 13 original colonies. When such effort seemed beyond reason to accomplish, a new document was proposed. It was ratified with the understanding that discussion of 12 Amendments would follow quickly on specified issues. 10 of these Amendments are now known as the Bill of Rights. The other 2 were not ratified.
As more Amendments have been added to the constitution, they have changed the shape and functioning of our government. Unfortunately, some of these changes were (in my opinion) directly contrary to the intent of the founders. These include changes to the electoral college (12th Amendment), the Federal Income Tax (16th Amendment), and the popular election of Senators (17th Amendment). These changes worked against the idea of a Republic of States as the Founders envisioned. Please note, the USA was never intended to be a "Democracy" but a "Republic". There is a difference.
Additionally, several practices have become entrenched in our system with no constitutional basis at all. These include such issues as government gun regulation, the Federal Reserve, a national welfare system, the two-party system, non-legislative issues such as "the separation of church and state", non-judicial issues like the "right" to an elective abortion, and mis-appropriated executive practices such as permanent Recess Appointments and Executive Privilege (one of Obama's favorite tools). In general, all three branches of the Federal government (against the specific warnings of our Founding Fathers) have grown and taken on powers they were not intended to wield, with the States and their citizens the losers.
Of course, the Constitution was never a perfect document. Being written by men, it never could be. Some of our Amendments were important corrections: The Bill of Rights, The Abolition of Slavery (13th Amendment), Voting Rights (15th Amendment), Women's Right to Vote (19th Amendment), and Protection from Poll Taxes (24th Amendment) are among the most important. Others might also be a good idea: Defining Marriage as One Man and One Woman, Mandating a Balanced Federal Budget, Outlawing Elective Abortions, Protecting Religious Liberty and Participation in Government, Term-limits for Congress, fetal Protections, Repealing the 16th and 17th Amendments,...
The US Constitution is about the rule of law, not the rule of politicians. It is about representation, not mob-led government. It is about checks and balances against too much power, not appeasement between the branches so they can all have more power. The Constitution will only work for a certain type of America. It will not work for a socialist state, an atheistic state, or an anti-Christian state. The Constitution is designed to govern a moral people, a people who understand that we are One Nation Under God ('Under God' was added later BTW, because we forgot who is really in charge). The Constitution is designed for a Nation of Christians (not a "Christian Nation").
Of course, this poses a problem for those who do not want that sort of a nation. Socialists, atheists, and anti-Christians are leading the charge step-by-step to rewrite the constitution in their own image. And, when they aren't dong that, they are simply working around and in spite of it to make their practice the law of the land. They do not want a Republic. They do not really even want a Democracy. They want power. They want control. And so, they are trying to rewrite the rules, to reconstitute (and re-constitutionalize) America in a foreign image.
These are the people putting forth Amendments constitutionalizing abortion (read child-sacrifice), socialized education, government regulation of personal finances, expanded government land seizure through eminent domain, Executive control over Congressional budgetary issues, punitive taxation for higher incomes (read anti-capitalism), socialized medicine, voting for 16-year olds, and Repealing the 2nd Amendment. These ideas may soudn crazy, but they were all actual, proposed Amendments!
So, America is being Reconstitutionalized. The question is: Into what? The America we live in now is not the one our parents grew up in, and it will not be what our grand-children know (assuming America is still here). What will it look like? Who will shape it? We will write the rules?
Now, remember what I said at the beginning about God making the rules? Ultimately, His Word is what will stand. So, I figure the closer our earthly laws are aligned with His Laws the better. If we want an America to be its best, then God's Law needs to be at the heart of our law. This would require some rewriting as well, but the rewriting is going to happen no matter what. It is part of the process. The question is, what standard are we using to guide our nation as it grows and changes?
We can return to our founding principles. We can re-establish the rule of law. We can reverse much of the damage already caused. We can Reconstitutionalize America in a way that keeps with Scripture and the principles our nation was founded upon. It will take work. It will not be easy. A lot of people aren't going to like it. But, it can be done. I don't know if we will, but we can.
The Constitution was written in a convention designed to address issues with The Articles of Confederation, which was the first document to unite the various independent States, the 13 original colonies. When such effort seemed beyond reason to accomplish, a new document was proposed. It was ratified with the understanding that discussion of 12 Amendments would follow quickly on specified issues. 10 of these Amendments are now known as the Bill of Rights. The other 2 were not ratified.
As more Amendments have been added to the constitution, they have changed the shape and functioning of our government. Unfortunately, some of these changes were (in my opinion) directly contrary to the intent of the founders. These include changes to the electoral college (12th Amendment), the Federal Income Tax (16th Amendment), and the popular election of Senators (17th Amendment). These changes worked against the idea of a Republic of States as the Founders envisioned. Please note, the USA was never intended to be a "Democracy" but a "Republic". There is a difference.
Additionally, several practices have become entrenched in our system with no constitutional basis at all. These include such issues as government gun regulation, the Federal Reserve, a national welfare system, the two-party system, non-legislative issues such as "the separation of church and state", non-judicial issues like the "right" to an elective abortion, and mis-appropriated executive practices such as permanent Recess Appointments and Executive Privilege (one of Obama's favorite tools). In general, all three branches of the Federal government (against the specific warnings of our Founding Fathers) have grown and taken on powers they were not intended to wield, with the States and their citizens the losers.
Of course, the Constitution was never a perfect document. Being written by men, it never could be. Some of our Amendments were important corrections: The Bill of Rights, The Abolition of Slavery (13th Amendment), Voting Rights (15th Amendment), Women's Right to Vote (19th Amendment), and Protection from Poll Taxes (24th Amendment) are among the most important. Others might also be a good idea: Defining Marriage as One Man and One Woman, Mandating a Balanced Federal Budget, Outlawing Elective Abortions, Protecting Religious Liberty and Participation in Government, Term-limits for Congress, fetal Protections, Repealing the 16th and 17th Amendments,...
The US Constitution is about the rule of law, not the rule of politicians. It is about representation, not mob-led government. It is about checks and balances against too much power, not appeasement between the branches so they can all have more power. The Constitution will only work for a certain type of America. It will not work for a socialist state, an atheistic state, or an anti-Christian state. The Constitution is designed to govern a moral people, a people who understand that we are One Nation Under God ('Under God' was added later BTW, because we forgot who is really in charge). The Constitution is designed for a Nation of Christians (not a "Christian Nation").
Of course, this poses a problem for those who do not want that sort of a nation. Socialists, atheists, and anti-Christians are leading the charge step-by-step to rewrite the constitution in their own image. And, when they aren't dong that, they are simply working around and in spite of it to make their practice the law of the land. They do not want a Republic. They do not really even want a Democracy. They want power. They want control. And so, they are trying to rewrite the rules, to reconstitute (and re-constitutionalize) America in a foreign image.
These are the people putting forth Amendments constitutionalizing abortion (read child-sacrifice), socialized education, government regulation of personal finances, expanded government land seizure through eminent domain, Executive control over Congressional budgetary issues, punitive taxation for higher incomes (read anti-capitalism), socialized medicine, voting for 16-year olds, and Repealing the 2nd Amendment. These ideas may soudn crazy, but they were all actual, proposed Amendments!
So, America is being Reconstitutionalized. The question is: Into what? The America we live in now is not the one our parents grew up in, and it will not be what our grand-children know (assuming America is still here). What will it look like? Who will shape it? We will write the rules?
Now, remember what I said at the beginning about God making the rules? Ultimately, His Word is what will stand. So, I figure the closer our earthly laws are aligned with His Laws the better. If we want an America to be its best, then God's Law needs to be at the heart of our law. This would require some rewriting as well, but the rewriting is going to happen no matter what. It is part of the process. The question is, what standard are we using to guide our nation as it grows and changes?
We can return to our founding principles. We can re-establish the rule of law. We can reverse much of the damage already caused. We can Reconstitutionalize America in a way that keeps with Scripture and the principles our nation was founded upon. It will take work. It will not be easy. A lot of people aren't going to like it. But, it can be done. I don't know if we will, but we can.
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