Rules for a Republic

  If anything good has come out of all the chaos lately it is that more people are reading the constitution. That isn't to say everyone is reading that document to understand what it says exactly but more to bolster their own belief in what they think it says. Of course the bill of rights draws the most attention. The reason for that is simple enough to understand, the bill of rights is what is guaranteed to each one of us; citizens that is. That part is often glossed over somewhat, the being a legal citizen part I mean. Today we have some working to remove that qualification altogether, a simple I stepped over the border being sufficient. The other main topic of discussion concerns the second amendment, the right to bear arms. That right is under attack, those in power wishing to be the only ones with the guns! The reason we secured that right for ourselves in the first place being to not allow that to happen. We had already seen what happens when government restricts the citizens from defending themselves. The second amendment is quite clear, quite succinct, it says: " a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. " Perhaps the word militia confuses some, a militia is a military force raised from the civilian population, that's you and I. Makes sense we should own a gun doesn't it? A militia would need to be raised in what circumstance? If the government forces were to try to impose martial law upon the people! You know, a military coup. That's what I'm talking about. 

 There is a great deal of this is what it says, but that isn't what it means, depending of your position. A lot of what we call reading between the lines. Personally I think that is wrong in this situation. It took that convention 116 days to write that document. It took about 90 days of debating the text after it had been written. I believe the words were carefully chosen and their meaning made perfectly clear. I don't believe we should be second guessing that. Yes some of the words are funny to us, the manner of expression a bit strange, but it is written in the English language. 

 In the case of impeachment Article One, section three states, " judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further then to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable, and subject to indictment, trial, judgement and punishment, according to law. " So what does that mean? Seems clear to me and I'm certainly no lawyer or constitutional scholar, impeachment can remove a person from office, additionally it can prevent that person from holding any office again. Now in the case of Trump he is no longer in office, don't see how you can remove him from an office he doesn't hold. So, if any Senate trail where to take place it has to center on whether he could hold office again. The rule does say the person convicted is still subject to civil penalties. Seems to me if you do not want Trump to run again you would have to pursue that penalty in a civil court. You can't impeach a man that doesn't hold the office. "impeachment shall not extend further than removal from office." Yes, it continues with, and, a word that means, in addition to. If you can not remove him from office, he's already gone, you can't, in addition, bar him from office. Hey, that's just what it says. 

 Today we are worried about pronouns. When that document was composed it was understood that all men meant all people, that man, humanity, was all the same thing. Today we see such nonsense as, gender identification being questioned, male, female or other? There are only two options! When asking for a statement of fact, there really are only two answers, opinions notwithstanding. He, she, him and her can now be offensive? It's offensive to state an obvious fact? Strange, if I go to a department store they have it clearly marked, men's, women's, boy's, and girl's sections. Should I be offended? Should the bra's be available in the men's section? Athletic supporters next to the thongs? My only point here being, pronouns are not offensive and make it clear about whom we are speaking. Yes, there are he's and she's. That isn't to say there aren't aberrations to that, but that aberration wouldn't be obvious. 

 I do think it is a good thing that more people are reading the constitution. Of course it is my hope that more people read and understand what that document is all about. Civics isn't a subject that gets much attention in my opinion. People seem to be more concerned with what that document guarantees them, than what obligation that same document places upon them. Yes, as citizens we do have an obligation to the government. We are the government! The obligation is to follow the precepts set forth. That is what the founding fathers were writing. Rules for a Republic! Yes today many are aware of a book, Rules for Radicals. and can tell you the authors of that. James Madison is often credited with writing our constitution. He did get help from Alexander Hamilton. They were the authors of the federalist papers. How many people today even know what the federalist papers were all about? If you are like me and not a lawyer or scholar you should read them for an explanation of what the Constitution is all about. That is what they were written for, to convince New Yorkers to ratify the constitution. Gives a great explanation. Public officials and members of the military take an oath to defend that constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. What is it that they are defending really?  They are defending a dream, an ideology as stated in that document. It is stated clearly in the preamble: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, etc, you know the rest. That's what we are defending. A militia, which is considered as a necessary to a free state, owes just as much loyalty to that document as any public official or military member. You are a member of that militia the moment you become a citizen. Will you promise to defend that constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic or will you choose surrender? I'd suggest you read and understand that document carefully. We is a subject pronoun, we the people means you and I, pronouns are important. let's not dismiss them. 

 If we are to maintain the Republic, for which we stand, not kneel or otherwise ignore. we should all do one simple thing, read the manual. Seek to understand the instructions as they were written. Don't skip over paragraphs or pages. Yes it takes time and I know we all anxious to get what we want but the thing is this; it takes time to understand the instructions. Sometimes we may not like those instructions but we shouldn't change them. Change the instructions and you will not get what it was designed to be, you will get something less. It was designed to be, a more perfect union.