March 2021

The Purpose of The Constitution

What is the purpose of the Constitution? 

The final version of the Constitution was completed on September 17, 1787. It gave a clean statement of purposes with a well-engineered plan to achieve and maintain freedom. 

When it was written it was an ingenious document with the solutions that humanity had been missing. It pointed humanity towards self-government as the best solution to preserve human rights. The Framers reasoned that if the law was basic and simple the people could keep track of the power they gave to their leaders and watch for abuses. The Promise of The Constitution requires two actions from the citizens it protects: First, honest obedience to its rules and framework; and second, reading it often so that Americans can educate themselves about the limits that are placed on their leaders. 

One cannot be ignorant of how freedom works. Thomas Jefferson, said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” In other words, he warned us that being ignorant of how freedom works will eventually lead to the loss of that freedom. James Madison said it another way: “I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” Thomas Jefferson encouraged all Americans to be good custodians of their hard-earned freedom: “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance,” he said. The word “vigilance” means to keep careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.

The Constitution created three branches of government in which to run our country. Each branch has specific assignments which the other branches are forbidden to touch. All their duties are spelled out in writing so that everyone knows what the branches must do, what they may do, and what they cannot do. If there is a job to be done and it is not on anyone’s official list, that job falls to the individual states or to the people themselves.

Government is defined in the dictionary as “a system of ruling or controlling.” Most people view their government as a political party such as Democrat, Republican, Socialist or Independent. However, those names do not tell us very much about their plans for “ruling or controlling.” That is why the American Framers measured the world’s political systems according to how much power and political force they exercised over their people. In other words, the measuring stick is not political parties but political power. Using that measuring stick, the Framers discovered that almost all political systems fall into one of two extremes: anarchy or tyranny.

Anarchy is chaos. It is a system where there is no law, no government, no control, and no central political power. Those systems allow mobs to form, to impose their will on others, and to take as they please. Stealing and fighting is normal, and there is no safety for anyone. Tyranny is at the opposite extreme with too much power, too much control, and too much government. Whatever the ruler commands, the people are forced to obey. This is called Ruler’s Law. The Framers’ goal was to find the right balance between too much political power and none at all. Their solution is found in the Constitution by establishing a Government for the people and by the people.

The Constitution’s most fundamental purpose is to guarantee the people’s right to make responsible choices. The word “responsible” means to respect the same rights in others as you claim for yourself. Those choices include the freedom to try, to buy, to sell, and to fail. It is a broad landscape of limitless possibilities, all within a framework that gives each person equal rights and protections. The Constitution cannot, however, guarantee the same opportunities, circumstances, skills, abilities, acceptance, or the same outcome for those choices. It cannot guarantee everyone to own a home or a car in every driveway, money in the bank, or a smart phone in every pocket. In answer to, “What does it do?” the Constitution puts the people in total control of their own government.

Currently we are seeing the Constitution being pushed to its’ limits and we the people are losing control. Citizens need to get back to basics and understand this truly astonishing document. We are witnessing Anarchy in major cities such as Portland and Seattle and numerous states as we see cities being burned down. We witness stealing, looting and murders at an unprecedented rate all in the name of “Social Justice” to demand equal outcome.  We also are witnessing Tyranny as the current administration has signed over 70 executive orders in less than 2 months, all the while ignoring the 3 branches that are supposed to have separate but equal powers. 

It is time to learn our Constitution and embrace our Freedom as Americans! We need to re-read our Constitution not re-write it!