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What Happened to the Constitution?
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
What Happened to the Constitution? By Colonel DanPublished 04. 5. 02 at 18:13 Sierra Time xxx"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws." ~ Alexander Hamilton, Essay in the American Daily Advertiser, August 28, 1794 ~ Last week's column "One Less Republican in Camp" caused more than the normal stir around the countryside. I pounded this drum of concern and disappointment with the GOP because that was my party for years so I was doubly troubled over it's apparent disregard for the Constitution. I love the divine ideals of our founders and to see how our country's political leadership continuously ignores them disturbs me more than you know. I now have one last point to make on this topic and I'll dismount that saddle. First and foremost, you should know that I have a sincere and deeply held belief that a country must be unwavering in its allegiance to a bedrock set of principles. When a country has no such bedrock, it has no foundation. Without a foundation the structure collapses under its own weight and there will be no country. It's just that simple. I also believe Americans must honestly consider a few basic questions in that regard: "Do you feel a country must be founded firmly upon a set of principles that the people recognize as their guiding philosophy and which ultimately defines them as a nation?" "Should those principles be clearly outlined in the country's Constitution?" "If the Constitution is the bedrock of principle that describes the very soul of the country and its people, should it not be the basis of all that country stands for and should it not be the foundational epicenter of how the country governs itself?" If the answers are yes, then I'd like to ask the Party Chairman and the leader of the Republican Party why the Constitution, America's most basic statement of principle, isn't mentioned in the Party's Oath or the Preamble to the party's platform? I think that's somewhat curious for an organization that promises leadership based on solid American principles. Although the Constitution forms the very foundation of American principle, their oath ignores mention of it. I looked on the Democrat site and saw no oath there at all but they did mention the word "Constitution" about 6 times in their platform. You can draw your own conclusions regarding that irony. In any case, these public statements are very carefully constructed, word-by-word, so this isn't just an administrative oversight-but it is revealing. Now please don't conclude that I'm saying this omission is intentionally subversive. My point is their formal oath sends a message that the Constitution apparently doesn't rate as a priority of their guiding philosophy. Is that the conclusion they really want me and millions of others to walk away with I wonder? Both parties dedicate an entire web page to a detailed explanation of the origin and significance of their Elephant and Jack * mascots but nowhere in their oath or platform preamble do they emphasize their dedication to, the importance of and the role America's Constitution and its principles play in the party and you have to dig deep within their underlying platform pages to find mention of it. Where in God's name are their priorities and secondly, what is the genesis and basis of their philosophy of governance if not founded solidly upon our Constitution? While the GOP Oath and platform preamble omits mention of an underpinning based on constitutional law, the very last paragraph in the lead platform page promises Principled American Leadership. Given that, I have one final question for the GOP. How can you promise to provide Principled American Leadership while neglecting to mention the very foundation of American principles in your party's oath? I must be built too low to the ground because this goes right over my head. Don't take my word for it, read it directly from the source. GOP Oath GOP Platform Preamble Democrat Party Platform Keep in mind as you read these web pages, that the words are their own and not a supposition of mine. Also be assured that I'm not trying to subvert the GOP with these questions, but as millions of others did, I swore an oath to uphold the principles of our Constitution not uphold the advertisements of a political party. If by asking these questions I help encourage the adoption of a political philosophy that's solidly focused on our Constitution, I'd be remiss in my duty to America if I didn't ask those questions. As Hamilton continued, "[A] sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government." Apparently America's two major parties have diverged markedly over the years from Hamilton's traditional view of government- I will not. On this topic then, that is. The final view from my saddle. The Colonel http://www.sierratimes.com/02/04/05/colonel.htm