Friday, April 30th, 2010

Howdy from Texas. I thank you for joining us today and I thank today’s guest scholar, William B. Allen, for his words of wisdom about Federalist Paper #3. Thanks William!

What I continue to find fascinating is how the Federalist Papers are consistently relevant today. John Jay’s Federalist Paper #3 is one that really motivates contemplation. Publius speaks about how the unity of the country, the states, is the best way to combat an enemy or foreign intrigues. Unity, a house united, is definitely more advantageous than a house divided. Objectivity trumps subjectivity.

Yet, if the states are to acquiesce their rights and inclinations to defend themselves, then it is the duty of the Federal government to adequately protect the states. The father must protect his children. The Federal government needs to pay heed.

John Jay provides examples of how domestic disputes amongst small countries in Europe often lead to major battles – battles that then enveloped several nations for many years. We have certainly seen this repeat itself subsequently and most recently in the 20th century yielding morbid and tragic devastation.

During our country’s infancy, unity amongst the states was paramount for a strong and unilateral defense.
However, ironically, the same principle applies today. With the current situation in Arizona, we should remain first and foremost unified in dealing with the crisis at hand. Brother against brother, state against state, breeds contempt and failure.

It is prophetically proposed by our founding fathers that a unified action yields the best result for the nation.
Let us remember that unity will reign victorious and gather wisdom to deal with all obstacles.

We are the United States of America.

God Bless,

Janine Turner
April 30, 2010

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our “We the People 9.17 Contest” for kids, my daily Video Podcasts and the archive of the daily essays written by Cathy and me and our daily guest scholar!

Responses to “April 302010 – Federalist Paper No3 – Janine Turner

  1. Maggie says:

    I have found it fascinating that the reading of Federalist #3 is so timely with what is happening in AZ today. This reading has, thus far for me, presented the greatest corellation to current events. What was true to life when the constitution and Federalist papers were written is true today and will continue to be so. That is why we must continue to learn and protect the great gifts that were given to us with the writing of these documents.

  2. Jessica D. Hicks says:

    .

  3. Marc W. Stauffer says:

    The wisdom of this Founding Father continually astounds me. His comments are as relevant today as when he first put pen to his thoughts. The old adage of; “a house united stands strong, but a house divided falls”, rings true in Jay’s dissertation of the need for unity. I must admit that it makes me nervous to hear states give thought to succession as this tears at the fabric of our unity. We need to continually use the strong material of historical knowledge to weave the cloth of unity, repair its holes of strife, and keep it fresh and new!

  4. Nancy Wujcik says:

    I am enjoying this project and want to thank you all. I especially enjoyed your comments today about how the Arizona law and things that divide us make us more vulnerable to outside forces just as was written in this FederalistPaper. I think relating these to present day events make them mean more to the reader. Thanks!

  5. Bob Greenslade says:

    You wrote:

    “Yet, if the states are to acquiesce their rights and inclinations to defend themselves, then it is the duty of the Federal government to adequately protect the states. The father must protect his children.”

    Are you asserting that the States surrendered their “rights” to the federal government?

    “The father must protect his children.” Are you asserting that the States spring from the federal government?

    Thanks.

  6. Hi Bob – Thank you for your question! Ours is a federal system. Often people are confused about it, and this is one of the reasons we initiated this project – to try to address concerns just as you mentioned. If you look at the preamble, our Constitution makes clear that the beginning and the end of the government’s authority comes from the consent of the people. We the people desire to form “a more perfect Union; establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense…. ordain and establish this Constitution.”

    By ratifying the U.S. Constitution the people caused the State to cede certain powers to the federal government. Both the Constitution itself and the founders who drafted and confirmed it imply only that states ceded the powers enumerated and listed in the U.S. Constitution as powers belonging to a federal government. All other authority continues to rest with the people and the states respectively. When the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution, both the 9th and 10 amendments reaffirmed this principle.

 

 

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