Constitution Day - Read the Constitution and Follow It

Yesterday, September 17, was Constitution Day.  In 1787 after four months of debate, thirty-nine delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution.  The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788 when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document.

I bring this up because I feel too many US citizens do not understand the Constitution; this includes the members in the Federal Government.  It is time for all US citizens to read and understand the Constitution.  It is time for the Federal Government to follow the blueprint of the government.  Unfortunately, I don't see this happening.

The election season has heated up as mid-term elections will occur in two months.  Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is running for re-election.  In one of her campaign ads, she claims she is working to bring jobs to California.  This is a typical campaign promise of those running for Federal office.  Even Mrs. Boxer's (I refuse to call her Senator because she is a presumptuous and pretentious [censored].  She's the ignoramus who dressed-down a member of the military for calling her "ma'am" vice the title she worked so hard to get, "Senator."  Anyone more concerned with his or her title vice performing the job deserves little to no respect.) opponent is making similar claims.  Both of them, and everyone else running for office, should read the Constitution.

There is not a single word in the Constitution saying the role of a Senator (or of a Representative) is to bring jobs to the State they represent.  This is a ridiculous concept.  We do not elect members of Congress on the basis of who will bring jobs to our State.  One, they don't have that power.  Two, the Constitution does not give them that power.  Three, to do so hurts the economy.  The unfortunate reality is this is how these people campaign to get elected.  Then while in office, they attach pork projects to bills to take money from the Federal Government to give to their State.  In essence, they take money from other States to fund projects in their States so they can go back at election time and brag about what they've done for the State so they can elected again.  And WE ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE!

Over the years we, as a Country, have eroded the foundation the Founding Fathers set forth in the Constitution.  For example, Senators originally were elected by the State legislatures.  There was a reason behind this.  The House of Representatives were the people's interests for their individual states while the Senate was the state government interests for their respective state.  This is why the President is not tried for impeachment by the House.  Recall my discussion on the Electoral College, the President represents the United States not the people of the United States.  Thus the Senate, which represents the collective interest of the States, decides the fate of the President and not the House, which represents the collective interest of the people.   

In the 1920's, we changed the Constitution so that Senators are elected by the people.  This erodes the concept of our government.  Every election if you vote for what you believe you will get in exchange for your vote vice voting for the person who will best represent the interests of the State or District in fulfillment of the duties defined in the Constitution, you get what you deserve - exactly what we have today.  Congress is more worried about getting re-elected than doing their job.  And they muddle too much in the economy.

Let's look at what the Constitution dictates.  Article 1states "all legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress."  Legislative means having the power to make or enact law.  Legislative does not mean the power to make jobs.  Legislative does not to take from one group and give to another group.  Legislative does not mean to fund pet projects to get re-elected.  Legislative means to make law.  Law being the substance of our society.  Law being the rules by which we interact to ensure justice and fairness.  Law means setting boundaries and consequences for exceeding those boundaries.  Law does not mean giving people jobs or funding to the state in exchange for re-election. 

Section 8 of Article 1 states the powers the Congress has.  For example, "to establish an uniform rule of naturalization" and "to constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme court."  Section 8 does not address funding for individual states nor job creation.  Paragraph 1 of Section 8 authorizes Congress the power to collect taxes to "pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the US."  Maybe Congress thinks pet projects and job creation are providing for the general welfare.  I doubt this is what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

The Constitution set the framework for which our great Nation operates.  Over the years, the simple building has grown such that what should be a mansion, instead, is a collection of rooms not connected to each other with stairs and hallways which have no purpose.  As a Nation, we need to refocus and remember the philosophy on which the Nation was founded.

The Constitution should be read and followed.......

Mike