My grandson returned from his junior national leadership conference this past week. Being the thoughtful young man that he is he brought everyone a gift. He got for me, a hard bound copy of the Constitution of the United States. He felt that I would enjoy reading it and having arguments with his father about that document. You see, occasionally I have rather heated debates with my son on political issues. Yes, the same son that is one of the commissioners of the town of Greensboro. Although we are aligned with the same political party, we don't always agree. But I digress. So I sat down to read this most important of documents.
We all know the preamble, We the People, but most of us would be challenged to go much farther than that. I know I am. I will admit that for the most part the read isn't all that interesting. The language is a little difficult to understand. Guess that is why we have Constitutional Scholars. The president claims to be one. The document isn't that long and could be memorized in an afternoon if you really tried. Making an entire career out of studying it, I'm not so sure about. As with any written words it is subject to interpretation. Can we really ever know the mind of the founding fathers ? Times and attitudes change. Acceptable behaviors. Still I admit it is the most astounding of documents. Well thought out and crafted. I can only imagine the argument that must have went into its' creation. And then we come to the Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments to the constitution. That took place in 1791. Most of us are familiar with them, even if we can't tell you what number is for what. Then I continued to read all the amendments. The ones about voting, alcohol, what to do in case of presidential death or disability, terms of congress and all that stuff. The last amendment being added in 1992.
As I closed that booklet I paused to think for just a moment. The thing that struck me the most was the amendments. Let me quote the first amendment and then the last.
The First amendment :
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Don't have to be a scholar to understand that. These are rights given to We The People ! Our government providing for our life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The Twenty Seventh Amendment:
No law, varying the compensation for the services of Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
Say what ? Senators and Representatives can't get a raise or a decrease in pay ( compensation) without those same representatives voting on it ? They do have to wait until their next term of office begins . So essentially they can't vote themselves a raise during the term they are currently serving.
Interesting to me is that the first amendment dealt with us, The People, and the last deals with the representatives. Speaks volumes to me about the evolution of our government. Why does it not state; no raises unless voted upon by, We the People ?
Bottom line to me is this, used to be the government was concerned for the citizens and their welfare. Now it seems the government is only concerned for themselves and putting, We the People, on welfare. Just sayin'.
We all know the preamble, We the People, but most of us would be challenged to go much farther than that. I know I am. I will admit that for the most part the read isn't all that interesting. The language is a little difficult to understand. Guess that is why we have Constitutional Scholars. The president claims to be one. The document isn't that long and could be memorized in an afternoon if you really tried. Making an entire career out of studying it, I'm not so sure about. As with any written words it is subject to interpretation. Can we really ever know the mind of the founding fathers ? Times and attitudes change. Acceptable behaviors. Still I admit it is the most astounding of documents. Well thought out and crafted. I can only imagine the argument that must have went into its' creation. And then we come to the Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments to the constitution. That took place in 1791. Most of us are familiar with them, even if we can't tell you what number is for what. Then I continued to read all the amendments. The ones about voting, alcohol, what to do in case of presidential death or disability, terms of congress and all that stuff. The last amendment being added in 1992.
As I closed that booklet I paused to think for just a moment. The thing that struck me the most was the amendments. Let me quote the first amendment and then the last.
The First amendment :
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Don't have to be a scholar to understand that. These are rights given to We The People ! Our government providing for our life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The Twenty Seventh Amendment:
No law, varying the compensation for the services of Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened.
Say what ? Senators and Representatives can't get a raise or a decrease in pay ( compensation) without those same representatives voting on it ? They do have to wait until their next term of office begins . So essentially they can't vote themselves a raise during the term they are currently serving.
Interesting to me is that the first amendment dealt with us, The People, and the last deals with the representatives. Speaks volumes to me about the evolution of our government. Why does it not state; no raises unless voted upon by, We the People ?
Bottom line to me is this, used to be the government was concerned for the citizens and their welfare. Now it seems the government is only concerned for themselves and putting, We the People, on welfare. Just sayin'.
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