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Constitutional Meltdown

By John Riley

Remember the famous words "Taxation without representation!" prior to the revolution?  Well, as it turns out, "TAXATION WITH REPRESENTATION!"  ain't so hot either.  The federal government has grown so far beyond the limits of the Constitution, and so must the taxation of the people continue to grow.  The founders of our nation took these things seriously and crafted a democratic "Representative Republic" governed by the limits of the all important Constitution. 

It was supposed to be a "government of the people, for the people and by the people"! 

That would remain true if and only if the government stayed within its Constitutional bounds.  It was and is up to the people (We The People) to remain vigilant from generation to generation in order to keep government from stepping outside of its Constitutional bounds.  Several generations now have allowed the government to freely meander around far outside of those Constitutional bounds.  As a result, the federal government has grown.  The federal government may in fact have grown to the point of no return.  In other words, the federal government has become so powerful that, absent a huge outcry from the people, it might not be able to be pushed back within the Constitution.

What that effectively means is that the Constitution is ignored, changed or effectively amended without the consent of the people!  How does that make you feel?  How do you believe the founders would feel?  What exactly does it mean for someone who has been elected to public office to stand and swear the following "Oath of Office"?

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God. 

What exactly does it mean when those who serve in our military operations putting their life and limbs on the line to swear the following "Oath"?

An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath: “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

You must be honest and ask "What does it mean to swear the oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...." when in fact the Constitution is in tatters and it appears from the most obscured view that the Constitution is meaningless? 

If our federal government does not abide by and readily ignores the Constitution, then what is it exactly that our military is fighting to protect and defend?  Is the oath of office simply a formality with no meaning whatever?  Do our sons, daughters, mothers and dads who serve in the military fight and die to protect and defend something that no longer exists in reality?

Are you taking the time to compare the actions of the federal government to the Constitution, or do you just assume that because someone swears an oath that they abide by it?  Do you believe that the Constitution is self enforcing or is it up to the people to see to it that the Constitution is in fact protected and defended?

I've got news for you, believe it or not, like it or not, our Constitution is being and has been violated for so long now there is serious questions about if it can be restored!  Without a federal government that is willing either voluntarily or by force to obey the Constitution, we have no Constitutional protections, and there is no limit to what the government can do. 

We no longer enjoy a government of the people, by the people and for the people unless the people are serious enough about protecting the Constitution that they demand government abide by it and uphold the oath to do so!  Government becomes ever larger and more powerful and the people become weaker and eventually unable to live free!  The people effectively become slaves to government!

Remember the words of Patrick Henry:

"They tell us, sir...that we are weak, unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power. Three millions of people armed in the holy cause of liberty and in such a country as that which we possess are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us."

So tell me, when will you begin to be concerned?  Will you leave it to your children or grandchildren to begin the struggle to return government to its cage (the Constitution) when they are in even a weaker position than you to begin the process? 

Do you believe that it is okay for the federal government to ignore the Constitution?  Are you naïve and so uninformed to believe that the federal government is in fact abiding by the Constitution?  I don't know who it was that said something to the effect that: "In order for the search for the truth to begin, one must first doubt the lie."  That, my friends, is so true!

Frankly, it is so sad to see so many people giving so much truth to the words: "Ignorance is bliss."  It certainly is more comfortable, at least for a while maybe.  Do you just feel powerless, or do you believe your children and grandchildren will be more powerful to do something than you are?  Or do you just not care at all?  What will you do when your grandson or granddaughter asks you why your generation didn't do something about keeping the federal government within its Constitutional bounds when so many people before died trying to get it and protect it?

Having said all that: here is a dose of some truth about taxation.  There are many people across the country that DO care and that do take time to do something.  Why not join in and why not let others know you care deeply enough to do something?  For those of you that already do more than your share, may your tribe increase abundantly enough to turn the tide and the direction of this, our United States!  There is no doubt your efforts are worth it!  Below is a fine example! 

http://www.givemeliberty.org/RTPLawsuit/Update2005-02-18.htm

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