(This is a re-post from my site, RuleOfLawRestoration.com. I include it here because it represents one of my most fundamental concerns about our aggregate political character in the US.)
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May 9, 2010
Should the government tax the citizens to pay for everyone’s health care?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Should the government be able to detain anybody for an indefinite period of time based solely on the suspicion that they might be involved in terrorist activities?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Should the government be allowed to intercept all our emails, web history, phone calls, bank accounts, and other personal information in the “war on terror”?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Should the government be allowed to establish permanent US Military bases all over the planet?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Should the Supreme Court of The United States be allowed to make judgments based upon foreign law or international law, rather than upon the US Constitution?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Should the government be allowed to subject the US to the rule of international authorities, such as the United Nations?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then let’s amend the Constitution to allow for that.
Do you get the point yet?
Amending the Constitution is the only fair way to increase the powers of government.
So why don’t we do it?
It’s because it’s the only fair way to increase the powers of government!
In case you missed that, the reason the Constitution isn’t amended to authorize government to do these things is that 3/4 of the states simply would not agree to these things! Therefore, the US Government simply disregards the states and does as it pleases. And the states, of course, let it happen quite often.
The example questions above will undoubtedly stir the blood of many as these topics are hotly debated across the nation. I submit, however—and let’s use health care reform as an example—that the question of whether government is going to be limited to its enumerated powers is more important than the question of whether we should have government-supported-and-run health care. But where is the debate about the excess of powers?
Oh, it’s mentioned here and there by various public speakers and now and then, even by an elected official! But it’s mentioned sparingly and carefully so as not to leave too many “soundbites” behind that could be used against the speakers later when they are in favor of violating the Constitution in some other fashion!
See, it was a lot of the same crowd that hollered about the unconstitutionality of the USA Patriot Act who are now supporting the unconstitutional health care reform. And the ones hollering about the unconstitutional health care reform are the ones who support our imperial (and unconstitutional) military occupation across the surface of the earth. Not surprisingly, they don’t do it in the name of “Unconstitutionality”. Rather, they do it in the name of [alternately] “a strong national defense” or of “making the world safe for Democracy” or of “the war on terror“. Regardless, it’s still unconstitutional.
So when are we going to wise up and insist on the rule of law, as opposed to the rule of men? That is, when are we going to take back control of the federal government and insist that the states be allowed their rightful role in the amending of the Constitution being necessary for the power of the federal government to be increased?
We act, as do many poor parents, as if our government is an unruly two-year-old who simply needs to “grow out of it”. The fact of the matter, however, is that government can be put in its place. (And don’t tell the parents next door, but so can two-year-olds!)
I close, therefore, with one more question:
Should government be allowed to operate above the law?
If that’s what America truly thinks, then no further action is necessary!
