In the opinion of 19th century Constitutional Scholar Lysander Spooner the Constitution of the United States never had the authority that we have been led to believe. This document written by a small group of rich white highly educated men did not truly represent "We the People". These men represented less than one person in twenty. Women, slaves, the indigenous and poor were not even allowed to vote or hold office.
Of the over 700,000 people who were living in Virginia at the time George Washington was elected President, fewer than 40,000 people even got to participate in this election.
We have been told that our government received its authority from the consent of the governed. When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, only a small percentage of the people had the opportunity to give their consent. All of those who did give consent have been dead for over one hundred years and no American alive today has ever had the opportunity to give their consent.
How does a person give his or her consent anyway? Is the fact that we live in United States consent. Do we consent by voting and paying taxes or is our silence consent? If our government exists without the consent of the people is it legitimate?
If the Constitution was written to restrain the government and they refuse to follow the Constitution, do we have a right to withdraw our consent? Do we have the authority to alter or abolish our government?
If you read the words of Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence the answer is clearly stated.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights; Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. — The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.”
Replies
How about we form the "United States of America Citizens' All-Powerful, & Unquestionable Constitutional Compliance Board" (USACAPUCCB)? We get about 6 or so other people who can read and chew gum at the same time, and we review every bill, regulation, act, ordinance, rule, etc., coming out of any bureaucracy, for its Constitutional fidelity. Any item that fails our review, we announce it to the public through official proclamation; explain why it is deemed null, void, and invalid by us; advise the public they are under no obligation to abide by it; and call for the immediate arrest and cremation (followed by a fair trial, if convenient, of course) of all those who wrote, signed, passed, voted for, or otherwise supported it in any way. We need no authority other than citizenship and we answer to no one except our Original Framers. All decisions final.
There, problem solved.
Sounds like a dictatorship, Terry
A dictatorship of the free who wish to remain that way. "We need no authority other than Citizenship"? No, we already HAVE the authority. We refuse to ignore or relinquish it. That's the issue. As for all decisions being final who has the final word? Those 6 or 7 who can walk and chew gum? Who will that be? You, me and a few others? Very funny piece. I especially like your new alphabet soup creation. I'm sure there are a few more we could think of that would acronym out as a word.
Sorry, Morton. Just an attempt at humor, but it does have a point. Sometimes, it's the cheapest way I can assuage my anger and frustration--considering the price of ammo these days.
BTW: I am finally getting time this weekend to go over your previous missives. I'll be in touch.
Just so you know I saved your Acronym the USACAPUCCB. It was very enlightening as I have seen it before. Not that exact one but another similar one from a book inner cover cartoon. The book is titled - "The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America" by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt. And I quote from one of the cartoon character's T-shirts:
"Our Lady of The Benevolent Dictatorship One World Global Training Corps" or
The OLOTBDOWGTC
Enjoy your alpha-beta soup.
What you suggest at the end of this diatribe is absolute Tyranny by a band of 5 or 6 people who can read and chew gum at the same time. To me that is totally unacceptable. it is Government By the People For the People of the People as it is written in our Constitution. We need to remove from office those who's such actions words and voting records for unconstitutional laws as is provided for in our Constitution. Then replace them with Men and Women who are sworn to abide by support and Defend the Constitution. We cannot throw off the Restraints of Tyranny only to replace it with a far worse form of Tyranny
I agree with you, R. Myles. We can moan and groan all about what is wrong, but we have the capability to right the ship w/o another revolution. Why can't we use the voting booth to accomplish the corrections?
I like that!
The peoples of NY, NJ, and Connecticut need revolt over their respective states legislatures who are guilty in the nullification of the citizens rights in accordance with the second amendment to our US Constitution...Instead of turning in their high capacity magazines and AR-15's...They should take their guns to the streets namely their states capitols and make a citizens arrest of those legislators who are in violation of the laws of our US Constitution...Strip em naked, tar and feather em, and run em out of town on the back of a jack ass...The symbol of the Democratic Party!
You forgot California in that they too are suffering the pressures of Tyranny. I agree with your Revolt against the unconstitutionality of these laws, however I, as a New York Stater (not to be confused with N.Y.C.) do not see the use of violence and surely many people being killed, as the proper way to resolve this issue just yet. We have not yet exhausted the Court of both Public opinion and the suspect Justice System. I do 100% want to see dear little Andrew who grew up in the Mansion he now calls his be thrown out and Jailed
I read in today's email blast regarding the Constitution: that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
How can we do this? Is the possible answer in the re-constitution of the "Common Law Grand Jury"?
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