Franklin should be included, Jim Willis. On Feb 25, 9:03 pm, Jim Willis <[email protected]> wrote: > It’s easy to be dragged into the muck and mire of political discourse. > After all; we each have our political leanings and predilections. Much > of our leanings are based upon upbringing, education and perspective. > Glaringly absent in our poly-sci extrapolations are the documents > attributable to our founding and the intentions of the men who penned > those documents. Even if such considerations are given we, “the > electorate” struggle with the intent of the founding words and look > for hidden meanings. Simple folly; when apprised of the reams of > historical writings that define their intent and the role of the > federal government as truly defined within the text of our > constitution. > > A simple reading of the first three articles of our constitution would > forever cease the chattering class and end all debate as to such straw > dogs as nationalized healthcare, stimulus plans, the Federal Reserve, > Medicare, Medicaid, and other such nonsense. > > Thomas Jefferson and James Madison being duly elected President and > both have the “distinct honor” of penning our constitution vetoed > spending bills that would have taken federal monies for the Erie > Canal. Jefferson said, “Enumerated powers require the federal > government to promote the general welfare; not to provide for it”. > These men knew the intent of our constitution; they authored it. They > abided within that text that the federal government had only three > separate and limited powers delegated to it; that being to provide for > a common defense, negotiate international treaties and settle disputes > between the “various” states within the realm of interstate commerce. > > I find it unseemly and disgraceful that men; elected to our federal > bureaucracy, would stand on that hallowed ground in Washington, a city > burned to the ground in 1812, and denigrate those men that pledged > their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to found a country; > A country born of divine providence and dedicated to personal > freedoms, love of country and love of God. > > And yet; we see these modern day Benedict Arnolds adulterate what so > many of our patriot forefathers fought and died for. That being; > limited government and personal responsibility. > Take pause; and humor me for just a bit… for I doubt this edification > has been visited upon you. And; bear with me, as we revisit those men; > those brave men… who borne a country. Let’s begin with our > constitution and go forth unencumbered by such modern day distortions > and biases. > Governor Morris of Pennsylvania was put in charge of the committee > to draft the final copy of the Constitution. Other men who had much to > do with writing the Constitution included John Dickinson, Edmund > Randolph, Roger Sherman, James Wilson, and George Wythe.” Why they > don’t matter? These men, “though competent” were scribes, merely 18th > century Dictaphones. The more apt question, in my mind is, “who > authored our constitution?” > > How many high school graduates could answer that question? How many of > you can? If you don’t know, you will soon, I’ll tell you. Before I do > there are other, equally important things you should know. > > Thomas Jefferson is widely credited with authoring the Declaration of > Independence. Jefferson was asked to write the declaration article in > early June, 1776 and finished it in less than three weeks. Jefferson, > along with 54 compatriots on a very hot day in July affixed their > signatures to the document. It is widely known that Jefferson had an > account at the tavern across the street from the Graff House, > “Declaration Hall” an account that grew to some size even with > Jefferson’s means. As Jefferson was a man endowed with a great moral > character this tidbit in insightful. Jefferson knew that by authoring > this document he was daring the British to hang him. Had they caught > him they surely would have. > > Thomas Jefferson finished his document and it was signed by the > delegates on July 3, 1776. Don’t send me mail you history buffs. The > signing was on the 3rd, it was printed on the 4th. > Jefferson and the signers declared that we should be a sovereign > country. George Washington made it happen. > Born in 1732 into a Virginia planter family, he learned the morals, > manners, and body of knowledge requisite for an 18th century Virginia > gentleman. He pursued two intertwined interests: military arts and > western expansion. At 16 he helped survey Shenandoah lands for Thomas, > Lord Fairfax. Commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754, he fought the > first skirmishes of what grew into the French and Indian War. The next > year, as an aide to Gen. Edward Braddock, he escaped injury although > four bullets ripped his coat and two horses were shot from under him. > > When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May > 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander > in Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, > Massachusetts, he took command of his ill-trained troops and embarked > upon a war that was to last six grueling years. > > Washington had not the best temperament as a commander. He routinely > ordered the whipping of troops in his command for insubordination and > other infractions of military decorum. He was a hard man. What isn’t > widely known is that Washington personally financed, “to the extent > possible” much of the expenses incurred by the continental army. > Washington suffered many a demoralizing defeat at the hands of the > British and caused Thomas Paine, “the Rush Limbaugh of his time” to > write, "These are the times that try men's souls." The deciding > battle came as Washington crossed the Delaware to surprise the > Hessians. It was a bold act and energized the continental army and our > country. The rest is history. > > George Washington secured our sovereignty yet not our freedom from > government. Our constitution did so, “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.” > > The Virginian version of our constitution was authored by James > Madison whom later became our fourth president and commander in chief > during the war of 1812. Madison worked most directly with Thomas > Jefferson; Thomas Paine and John Adams in the construction of our > constitution as we know it. > Our constitution was created with the declaration in mind, that we are > endowed by our creator. In literary form it is practically without > fault; an inspired document. > > All of this historical documentation leads me to ask a question, a > pertinent one. Were it possible to know, what would the framers and > those that fought for this countries sovereignty and freedoms think; > if they could witness the functioning state of the country they borne? > > Our framers envisioned a country whereupon rugged individualism and > personal freedoms made us distinctly dissimilar and exceptional. In > the Federalist paper # 39 James Madison describes the difference > between Federalism and nationalism. He noted, “That it will be a > federal and not a national act, as these terms are understood by the > objectors; the act of the people, as forming so many independent > States, not as forming one aggregate nation, is obvious from this > single consideration, that it is to result neither from the decision > of a MAJORITY of the people of the Union, nor from that of a MAJORITY > of the States. It must result from the UNANIMOUS assent of the several > States that are parties to it, differing no otherwise from their > ordinary assent than in its being expressed, not by the legislative > authority, but by that of the people themselves. Were the people > regarded in this transaction as forming one nation, the will of the > majority of the whole people of the United States would bind the > minority, in the same manner as the majority in each State must bind > the minority; and the will of the majority must be determined either > by a comparison of the individual votes, or by considering the will of > the majority of the States as evidence of the will of a majority of > the people of the United States. Neither of these rules has been > adopted. Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a > sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its > own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, > if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution.” > What Madison so eloquently put forth is that we can all rally around a > national flag yet; the power of our government must remain with the > states. > > My favorite amendment is the tenth. Wherein; “The powers not delegated > to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the > States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people.” > Sadly, the tenth amendment has been adulterated by the commerce clause > with attribution to the Supreme Court. > > I’ll admit conscribing a return address that reads, “Illinois” is a > hard sell wherein I conjoin with the 10th. Yet imagine this; our > federal government is restricted to abiding by the constitution and > the real legislative power belongs to the states as written by our > framers. The results are states that actually have to compete for > residents. If the tax burden in state X is too high you could move to > state Y. If the job opportunities are greater in state X then state Y > is apt to model its census in negative terms. As is; in a national > form of government, “never intended by our founders” there is no > escape. > > I ask you again; what would our framers say? > George Washington served two terms as President and the country wanted > to make him King. Though Mount Vernon lay in ruins ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
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