The Constitution (of the United States of America)
As we come into the twelve months preceding the next Presidential election, we find two things are true. First, few are acting “presidential” at all, and second, that we – as a country – are far from the original vision. I thought it a good idea to write on the document that formalized this great experiment – a little bit each few days – so that we are each reminded of what the Founding Fathers had to say about how this country should be organized and run. I hope that their wisdom can guide us as we vote and as we are active in local politics.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
In this newly organized country everyone was intended to have a voice, and though it would be some time before ‘everyone’ had a voice, the vision provided for that. I am unsure that lobbyists were foreseen, but ‘even and fair’ representation was intended. The union that the States had was a good one, and formal, but it was not strong enough to guarantee a common defense and to build a country. While having peace on earth is a wonderful goal, this organization was intended to protect our interests and borders so that we could reap tranquility here at home and such that we could pass that peace on to our children. A final note on this opening and that is the term ‘welfare’. Here it is used directly after the word ‘general’ indicating that the condition of the entire region is to be improved, not that people should support others who desire not to labor.
So, the document says, “Let us formally organize into something stronger than we are alone. Let us come together in even a more perfect way have already, and let us do so to accomplish these things; first, so that we can guarantee justice to our citizens, second, so that we can create peace and calm here at home, third, so that we can defend ourselves against invaders from outside the U.S., fourth, so that we can improve the general condition of all citizens, and fifth, so that we gather and preserve these blessings and hand them to our children”.
Much more important than what this beautiful beginning says, is what it does not say. This document clearly outlines a country that will defend itself but was incorporated to guarantee its blessings to its own citizens and to their descendants. How far are we from that view today?
