Howdy from mighty hot Texas! I want to thank Mr. Best for joining us today and for his insightful essay!

Federalist Paper No. 60 once again reiterates the importance of checks and balances and the separation of power. If only all Americans were required to read the United States Constitution and the Federalist Papers. How timely they are to our current trials and tribulations and how full of wisdom are their pages.

How can anyone state that the United States Constitution is irrelevant? It is my summation that one can only make such a statement if they lack the education on its principles, power and profundity. Have they read it? The United States Constitution and the corresponding Federalist Papers offer the wake up call that we American citizens need.

Perhaps there should be a prerequisite that all members of Congress, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, etc. take a “People’s Representative” test on the principles of the Constitution. Some representatives have a clear, concise understanding of the Constitution; some do not. Thus, before our representatives  are allowed to take the oath that they are to, “Preserve, Protect and Defend the Constitution of the United States” should they not understand it?  Isn’t this common sense?

This would be similar to a drivers test. One must take a driver’s test, written and literal, before one gets a driver’s license. Should not our elected officials, who are going to represent Americans and uphold the basis, the foundation of our country understand, truly understand, the “handbook?” Should we not ask this of them? Would we put our children in a car with a driver who did not know how to drive? We are talking about the future of our country. We are talking about our children’s future. An oath to protect the Constitution rings hollow if the oath is based on ignorance.

The 17th Amendment is a serious flaw in the balance of power. Why would the American people allow such a thing to happen? Interestingly, the only state that did NOT ratify the 17th Amendment was Utah.

Alexander Hamilton states in Federalist Paper No. 60:

“The collective sense of the state legislatures, can never be influenced by extraneous circumstances of that sort: a consideration which alone ought to satisfy us, that the discrimination apprehended would never be attempted. For what inducement could the senate have to concur in a preference in which itself would not be included?”

He also states:

“As long as this interest prevails in most of that state legislatures, so long it must maintain a correspondent superiority in the national senate, which will generally be a faithful copy of the majorities of those assemblies.”

The states lost their power with the 17th Amendment. The people lost the balance of power necessary to maintain a republic as our founding fathers intended it.

Yet, the genius of the people will still prevail if they base their genius on the founding principles of our country. A learned people will rise to resuscitate their country with a breadth of spirit and passion that wisdom warrants.

Alexander Hamilton in Federalist Paper No. 60, states the call to action,

“Would they not fear that citizens not less tenacious than conscious of their rights, would flock from the remotest extremes of their respective states to the places of election, to overthrow their tyrants, and to substitute men who would be disposed to avenge the violated majesty of the people.”

The majesty of the people. The genius of the people.

Our founding fathers believed in us.

We the people.

Spread the word. Teach your children. Tell your family. Call your friends.

We are the roots of the Live Oak tree. The government represents the branches. The government need not feed us. We nourish the government.

God Bless,

Janine Turner

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

 

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