Preamble to the United States Constitution – Wikipedia
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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 Preamble
“The phrase “to form a more perfect Union” has been construed as referring to the shift to the Constitution from the Articles of Confederation.[73] The contemporaneous meaning of the word “perfect” was complete, finished, fully informed, confident, or certain.” wiki
“To know what has come before is to be armed against despair. If the men and women of the past, with all their flaws and limitations and ambitions and appetites, could press on through ignorance and superstition, racism and sexism, selfishness and greed, to create a freer, stronger nation, then perhaps we, too, can right wrongs and take another step toward that most enchanting and elusive destinations: a more perfect Union.“— Jon Meacham, 2018
Comment: There is much to say about the issue of the function of government that is implied by the deliberate reinterpretation today of the words “a more perfect union” in the preamble to the US Constitution.
In the minds of the framers there was no doubt at all that what was meant was the “perfection” i.e., the completion of the organization of a government for the original states and any that might be formed later.
What was NOT intended was the expression of a desire or intention to seek the creation of an earthly paradise, a utopia, constructed by humans who held the belief that mankind is endlessly malleable and that it is the function of government to control and direct that malleability toward anyone’s idea of what a perfect society ought to be.
Today at the CPAC convention Senator Mike Lee of Utah reminded us all clearly of the essential difference between these two visions of the purpose of government. Lee told us that we should always be skeptical of people who believe that government exists to shape us, mold us and control us in pursuit of utopian goals. Such people may or may not be genuine believers in their stated goals. Some of them merely seek money and power and a good life for themselves in a US version of the Soviet nomenklatura. Others, like AOC are deluded but dangerous naifs. Some are the tools of disappointed and deeply cynical opportunists like HC. Some are anarchist street thugs reminiscent of the brawling Brown Shirts of the SA.
They all want the same thing. They want to own us. They want to tell us what we can say or write. They want to destroy our history, our shared memory of who we are, who we were and how much we struggled to make this country what it has been. They want to tell us who we are just as the Soviet Union and the CPUSSR wanted to create Soviet Man.
Those of the globalist elites who actually believe in their goals, think it only right that average Americans should live poorer so that people in other parts of the world can live better in a world-wide socialist state.
Well, to hell with that! pl
Good reminder of the initial and highly limited goals:
1. establish Justice,
2. insure domestic Tranquility,
3. provide for the common defence,
4. promote the general Welfare, and
5. secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
Perfection is limiting government to these five tasks. Then leaving us alone, to enjoy the Blessings of Liberty.
“our Posterity”
Not much about immigration, eh?
In what way are these goals limited…they seem pretty aspirational and open-ended to me. What kind of justice and for whom? Tranquility means what, exactly? Lack of conflict or a satisfied populace? Provide for the common defense? Easier to define perhaps…and for that reason more dangerous? The general Welfare…who defines that and who decides whose welfare is promoted? Blessing of Liberty is ???
None of these look easy or small.
These “vague” words are interpreted by legislative action which also passes SCOTUS muster. As planned. Government of the people, by the people and for the people with exquisite checks and balances built into the system.
Missing link however was the recent post-WWII growth of the unelected, unionized and increasingly impervious “deep state”. Entrenched Big Government has been able to transcend all previous constitutional protections.
We are witnessing this unexpected fall out right now, as we speak, which has led to a loss of faith in all government institutions. Serious stuff.
If according to your interpretation, the express terms of the USC are so vague as to be inoperable, they would also not pass SCOTUS muster since “void for vagueness” is primary grounds to overturn any written law including the entire US constitution and its general termed preamble.
Somehow no one found this to be the case over the past few centuries of legal precedence. But every day and very generation gets to re-set the clock, according to their bona fide collective needs and due process limitation.
We tried flexible activism for a while (Warren Courts forward) and renewal of strict construction was its expected backlash (Trump appointment courts forward). The pendulum keeps swinging. As the Constitution provides. No one, nor partisan, court interpretation has an absolute lock on all court outcomes.
Mike Lee is another swamp creature.
If he said it was raining, I’d look out the window.
Agreed.
Using both “form a perfect union” and “promote the general welfare” as justification the government has grown bigger, more intrusive and more powerful.
With the merger of Big Business with Big Government largely complete, I suppose they will work even harder to perfect the union and promote the general welfare, including silencing dissent as well as the direct transfer from the plebes to corporate overlords who can cancel anyone not sufficiently “obedient” including zeroing out their electronic “currency & bank” accounts.
https://youtu.be/Nyvxt1svxso
I sure would like to know “The State of the Union”. I would also like to know the state of the mind of our President. Does he have dementia? If so, how long has this been known? I imagine it is usually the spouse of the person who first notices the signs of dementia and then his/her doctor would look into that and make a determination. I would think, though I don’t know, that if you are diagnosed with dementia, it would be recommended that your sign power of attorney over to your spouse. If you did do that, how could it be legal and binding to sign something like Presidential executive orders?
What I found desirable during my 20 years of military life was that you could get ahead by being good at your job and it didn’t matter if you were a New Yorker amongst a largely southern group of people.
Billwade
Well, Bill. It did not work so well if you were identified as Southern, even if not a native Southerner. Both on active duty and as an SES I was regularly crapped on as “a Southern gentleman” This was sneeringly said, or as being someone who hated Northern people. This was untrue but the bigotry was clear. My record of accomplishment meant nothing to such people.
I experienced my own version of that, both on active duty, at college (The University of Florida, where the Princeton educated factulty members had their own standards), and in the corporate word. It was especially pronounced moving from Dallas to Dearborn.
Fred
Yes, Northern people have no idea how deeply prejudiced they are against the South. After all, “it was a love so strong it could not let us go.”
All
Someone asked what the final page visit count was on SST. 27 million.
On the internet, we were talking about Biden’s obvious senility a year ago. No telling when the establishment will choose to ‘notice’ it. (Probably once they’re ready to boot him out of office and install officially Queen Kamala.)
USC only advises the head of the Executive branch report to Congress from time to time – no set formality to this request.
Executive branch is supposed to advise Congress, using the SOTU address, about what its branch needs to carry out their legislative agenda. More money, more powers, more legislation etc, or any needs to carry out its own executive branch exclusive and express USC powers.
Any executive branch address was never intended to address over all independent national needs, which is still reserved to Congress – the primary legislative and budgeting branch, most closely linked to the electorate itself.
Turning the SOTU into a message from on high in recent years is a deviation from the original constitutional intent. The growing power and emphasis on the SOTU single persona coincides with the growing dysfunctional and petty nature of Congress itself.
A weak and disabled POTUS, as we have right now, may be a blessing in disguise, since it now falls on Congress to actually run and manage the people’s business. Are they up to the task? We will find out in 2022.
I always feel cheated when I click lurid headlines about Dementia Joe. Gaffes and stumbles but not as out of it as the headline wants me to believe…..yet. Clearly impaired. But that is what they thought about Trump too.
Knowing Kamala Harris is the back up team, I am still willing to takes our chances with Sleepy Joe and handler Dr Jill. We really, really, really do not want Kamala Harris ever to fall into the role of POTUS, by Joe’s default ….or demise.
Hope Joe hangs in there until 2022 midterms when we can breathe again by taking back House and/or Senate. Start working on your own local precincts, now.
“Those of the globalist elites who actually believe in their goals, think it only right that average Americans should live poorer so that people in other parts of the world can live better in a world-wide socialist state.”
Have you read Orlov’s (not really a globalist) recent article ?
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2021/02/why-trump-was-bound-to-fail.html
Tell me why I should care what he wrote.
Simply because, even if he’s russian, he might be right in his analysis…
In short, the “good old days” are gone for good and won’t ever return unless “Americans live poorer”, are able to reindustrialize the country and sell what they make to the rest of the world. Which was in the first place what made “America Great” after WWII.
Now the only thing America still exports are $ and since everyone is running away from them as fast as they can, it won’t be long before things get even worse.
Take 5 minutes and read it…
Sysati
Read what? If you think that i am prejudiced against Russians, you are wrong. OTOH I AM surprised at some un-reconstructed Cold Warriors like Joltin’ Jack Keane who occasionally slip and refer to the “Soviets” meaning todays Russians. People like that are still fighting the Cold War.
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2015/11/welcome-aliens.htmlhahaherman
um, you can only read the first 2 paragraphs. have to pay to read the whole article…
The French translation is free
https://lesakerfrancophone.fr/pourquoi-trump-devait-echouer
>Those of the globalist elites who actually believe in their goals, think it only right that average Americans should live poorer so that people in other parts of the world can live better in a world-wide socialist state.
Germane example of this Communist line of thinking that is infecting every echelon of American society, albeit on a micro scale, this hits way too close to home for me:
Citing Racial Inequities, Boston Public Schools Suspend New Advanced Learning Classes
Superintendent Brenda Cassellius recommended the one-year hiatus for the program, saying the district would not proceed with the program for new students next year.
“There’s a lot of work we have to do in the district to be antiracist and have policies where all of our students have a fair shot at an equitable and excellent education.” Cassellius told GBH News.
A district analysis of the program found that more than 70 percent of students enrolled in the program were white and Asian, even though nearly 80 percent of all Boston public school students are Hispanic and Black.
https://www.wgbh.org/news/education/2021/02/26/citing-racial-inequities-boston-public-schools-suspend-advanced-learning-classes
Biden, all the sudden, is concerned about the cost of keeping open and fair media access …..Covid-Covid-Covid strikes again: Advantage-Biden
“Starting Monday, the White House’s press office said it will start charging journalists for coronavirus tests, which are required for anyone entering the White House grounds. The proposed cost for each test: $170.”
This comes to over $1000 a day for an 8 person media crew. Which effectively closes out the smaller, independent media operations and leaves only the Big Boys who are not really media resources anyway.
Fascism – sliding down the slippery slope. Time to get off your Covid-Covid-Covid drip IV, Biden. Game’s over.
Most of the public today does not know the meaning of “to promote the general welfare,” thinking that it means “to promote the individual welfare of everyone in the general population.” Therein lies destruction of the general welfare.
“General welfare” means also taking into consideration those who are asked to pay for these demands for increasing welfare to benefit only the few.
Both providers and recipients need to be at the table, not just the angry demanding voices of the recipients who remarkably have endless demands for OPM.
“General welfare” means there is no such thing as OPM – it is all our money and it is our general or collective will that determines how we spend our own money.
This is a simplistic philosophical dividing line between Democrats and GOP. Democrats see tax dollars as their money to spend. GOP see tax dollars as their money to retain.
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