21) Who’s responsibility are our children?
In Genesis 1:27-28, God created man in His own image, male and female He created them, He blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. Replenish the earth and subdue it, having dominion over all the earth, (paraphrased.)
In Genesis 6:5-8 We learn that, “..every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, [man’s heart,] was only to do evil continually…”
God then destroyed the inhabitants of the earth, man and beast, except those that He directed Noah to save by loading them into the ark.
The Bible does not tell us the nature of the people’s offenses, but we should note that it was terribly egregious, and unacceptable to the Lord, and that Noah was the lone exception. His wife and sons were included in the salvation, and allowed into the ark according to the righteousness of Noah.
In Genesis 9:1 God blessed Noah and his sons, commanding them to “be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth,” as He had first told Adam in the beginning.
In order to understand the greatness of why God repeated a similar commandment to Noah as he had to Adam, we must recognize that something had gone terribly wrong . What was it that produced this second need for replenishment?
Adam had not fulfilled the fullness of his responsibility to God’s command.
We might ask, “did he not multiply, did he not replenish the earth? If we read from Genesis chapter one to Chapter nine, we find that Adam and Eve had indeed multiplied, There were many born to them, and they had begotten multiple generations.
Why then was there a need for the creator to repeat this command to Noah?
It is important to notice that this command came after the whole earth was flooded by the first rain storm in history. This storm had been commanded by God, in answer to the depravity that had engulfed His creation. Adam had not faithfully taught his children about the goodness of God, and sin had fully captured the vast majority of his progeny.
Therefore God destroyed the inhabitance of the earth, save Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives. It was left to Noah, and his sons’ progeny to carry the torch of freedom throughout the coming generations.
History will teach us that not all of Noah’s offspring were faithful to honor God, rather, many reveled in unrighteousness, and “…knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Romans 1:32
I point these passages out to reveal that the responsibility, or duty of each generation to teach the truth to the next generation falls to individual parents. It is not the duty of professional teachers, civic leaders, neighbors, celebrities, or even pastors to equip our children for life. Surely, they will all have influence, but that influence should be filtered through the godly training of parents, as they work to raise their children in the “…nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4.
As was in the case with the generations between Adam and Noah, then following Noah, many today believe they are wiser than the God. There are debates over who has the proper authority over America’s children.
Hillary Clinton once published a book named, “It Takes A Village.” What does this title mean? Are parents ill-equipped to prepare their own children for adulthood? Should their parental rights be overseen by others with “greater wisdom and insight?” Is it possible that these others are better suited to make the important choices for our children?
This modern American culture challenges the rights, wisdom, and concerns of parents to prepare their own children, even our rising generations to cary on the American experiment. While I can only speculate on the true nature of Mrs. Clinton’s motivation, and there is some validity to the impression the title suggests, the ultimate authority and responsibility for children falls to their parents. This is confirmed by scripture.
Parents pay the greatest cost in the rearing of their own children, whether it be financial, emotional, or spiritual, yet their effectiveness will surely be effected by the actions of local communities, and the requirements of society in general. Society has the option to be supportive, or destructive to these endeavors.
I believe the greatest burden of government is to provide an environment supportive of effective parenting. The next generation of Americans will chart their own course, but what will be the resources available to them? What will be the foundation upon which they will build? Will they be encumbered with crippling regulations, or will they inspired by creative liberty? Will they be saddled with debt, or blessed with abundant resources? Will they be educated according to eternal truth, or the imaginations of evil men?
Americans are not in need of government handouts, but opportunities. Every human is different. We are all created by the Lord Almighty according to His will, and in His image. Each and every human is a single piece of Gods puzzle. Without every piece, the puzzle is incomplete, and no human can adequately compensate for the lack of another. A piece that is missing can on only be compensated for by God.
This nation was founded in order to provide a suitable environment for godly prosperity. Its founders envisioned the creation of a nation that affords political freedom to obey the commandments of God as individuals. There was meant to be the liberty for every American to choose as Joshua said;
“…choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.
This is an option that should be taught by believing parents to their own children. There are none that have a greater, or more important stake in the outcome of children than their own parents.
The role of communities is no more than a supporting role. Others may help to provide a suitable environment for this to occur, however, the choice to restrict this ability, or to be destructive to these ends, is deplorable. The objectives of Marxist masterminds like John Dewey, Antonio Gramsci, Herbert Marcuse, Saul Alinsky, Hillary Clinton, and so many others aim to do exactly that, hinder the preservation of a truly free society.
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22)Who has the greater authority over our children?
Marxism is an alternative belief system based on the hatred of God and all that God loves. It is not fundamentally a political system, but a godless religion. Jesse Kelly describes it as religion of the malcontent.
Adherents of Karl Marx were virtually nonexistent during his lifetime. He was seen as a degenerate who had little to no respect for others.
His greatest talent was in deceiving others and convincing them to fulfill his lusts. He was a con man, and others, notably Saul Alinsky, followed in his footsteps.
Gradually his writings were exploited in the furtherance of sinful lusts and propounded throughout academia, to the detriment of students.
Godless people have realized the vulnerability of youth to selfishness, and have developed strategies to bring them into the fold of those who despise the true, the good, and the beautiful.
For nearly 100 years tyrannical regimes have understood the importance of training the youth of societies in order to conquer those societies. Hitler did it, Lenin did it, as well as scores of other marxist totalitarians.
Barna Research Group studies have found that a person’s worldview is largely developed by the age of thirteen, leaving parents a very short period of time to instill trust in the Lord.
“Ongoing research by The Barna Group on these matters consistently demonstrates the powerful impact a person’s worldview has on their life. A worldview serves as a person’s decision-making filter, enabling them to make sense of the complex and huge amount of information, experiences, relationships, and opportunities they face in life. By helping to clarify what a person believes to be important, true, and desirable, a worldview has a dramatic influence on a person’s choices in any given situation.
Barna’s research has discovered that there are unusually large differences in behavior related to matters such as media use, profanity, gambling, alcohol use, honesty, civility, and sexual choices.
The firm’s studies have also pointed out that a person’s worldview is primarily shaped and is firmly in place by the time someone reaches the age of 13…”
It is the God-given responsibility to train our children in a godly lifestyle, Proverbs 22:6, (or biblical worldview.)
This calling includes the education of children, as well as their spiritual outlook. Every fact can either be addressed honestly, or with a false agenda. This gives parents only these few years to fortify their children’s self-esteem and overall knowledge base to support responsible adulthood.
Nefarious forces are trained to undermine these objectives and have spent the last hundred years infiltrating government institutions, academia, public and private schools, and even churches for the purpose of thwarting these parental responsibilities.
a.The local government.
Our local governments were established to aid us in the provision and support of the goal of producing God-fearing, patriotic American adults.
b. The state government.
Our state governments were created to support the local governments as they strive to support parents in the rearing of their own children.
c. The federal government.
The federal government was designed only to provide for the national defense of citizens and the states, and to promote national unity.
It was never considered by our founders that the federal government might be used to extract wealth from producers and transfer it to those “less fortunate.” Every federal social program is extra-constitutional.
It is not to say that these programs are unconstitutional. If they were created by an act of Congress and signed into law by a president, they are constitutional, even if they were never envisioned by the framers of our Constitution.
Children are the specific burden and blessing to their own parents. It is they who are responsible for the future and admonition that will be received, therefore it is the parents’ right and responsibility to guard and protect the innocence and safety of their own children.
If the reader is not yet a parent and does not perceive the likelihood of becoming a parent, they should be advised that it is a normal state for adults to become parents. Procreation is important for the propagation of the species.
The government’s role in the rearing of children is at best, supportive.
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23) Article V
What are constitutional amendments?
There are twenty-seven amendments to the US Constitution. They are each part of that Constitution and have equal authority over the American civil society.
They derive their authority according to the system of a constitutional republic, with democratic features.
America’s founders and the framers of our Constitution have studied the different forms of government throughout the world and history. They sought a method of protecting honest and respectful behavior, protecting private property, the fruit of each person’s labor, and encouraging free-market enterprise.
These were the basic foundational principles of the US Constitution, and its framers recognized that no system of government would be sufficient to restrain evil intent. The best they could do would be to provide protection for the legitimate, and punish the infringement upon violators equally, and with “bling justice.”
This is why “Lady Justice” is portrayed holding a scale and wearing a blindfold.
John Adams once said, (and I often quote this saying,” “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
These men were from many sectors of society, having differing outlooks and prospectives, but as had been stated in the Declaration of Independence;
“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”
This is not an insignificant proclamation. It was not made for light and transient purposes. Every word of it was well thought out and each signer of the Declaration of Independence recognized that they were guilty of treason against the Crown of England by affirming their belief in it.
In support of this claim, I offer the closing portion of the declaration itself;
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
There can be no doubt that the signers of this important document realized the gravity of their choice, and had weighed the costs and benefits. Not all would be able to enjoy the benefits of the free society, and the prosperity it produced, but they offered the sacrifice of their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to secure it for their families, and the whole of American society.
Let us take a closer look at the truths that our forefathers cherished enough to make such a valuable pledge to secure.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
These men did not base the government of their creation upon the whims of people, they intended to base it on what everyone could be assured would stand the test of time, self-evident truths. Principles that would work every time they were employed.
“they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”
They believed that among these self-evident truths is that they ALL apply to EVERY PERSON and that this application to all has been established by our creator, God.
“among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The “pursuit of happiness” phrase was used to replace, “pursuit of property,” in Jefferson’s first draft. This phrase was inspired by the “Virginia Declaration of Rights” established earlier in 1776, which said, in part; “That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”
“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men”
These men believed that the purpose of government was for the benefit of the people, not the governors.
“deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”
Because government was for the protection and benefit of the citizens, their power could only be derived by the citizen’s consent.
Because it was known and accepted that the needs of the nation would not remain constant, it was realized that there must be order in the amending of government powers. The power to amend, (or change,) the Constitution must remain to the people. Therefore, they must provide a peaceful mechanism for the amending of the federal constitution. This was established with the formation of
Article V.
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.”
On September 15, 1787, Colonel George Mason protested that if the amendment process were left to the US Congress, the nation’s well-being would rest solely in the hands of a select group of mere men. He asked the delegation about the damage that might arise if, (and when,) corrupt men were able to gain control of this body.
This immediately resonated with the delegates and resulted in unanimous support for an additional mechanism for conventions of the states to propose amendments the the Constitution.
This process has been attempted but has not yet yielded amendments to the Constitution. It is, however, a failsafe to protect against tyranny, if the American people have the courage and insight to use it.
I believe that it is likely the only path to controlling federal spending. While there are unlimited, “good causes,” wealth is not, nor can it ever be, unlimited. Fiscal soundness at the federal level takes the same degree of educated planning as our household finances.
Unfortunately, the fiat currency created by the Federal Reserve gives the illusion of unlimited funds. The convention of states function of Article V could give our state legislatures the ability to abolish the FED and return America to sound fiscal policy, if Americans have the the resolve to use it.
Convention of States Action is a grassroots organization devoted to calling for an Article V convention.
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24) 1st 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 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What five liberties does the 1st amendment to the Constitution protect?
A) Define the rights of religious establishment.
Our forefathers lived in a time when government’s leaders believed that they had the authority to dictate the intentions and actions of those they governed. These settlers had either migrated, (at great personal cost,) to escape such tyranny or had descended from those who had.
They had no desire to have a government of their own creation to return them and their progeny to such a fate.
B) Define the free exercise of religion.
They maintained that the foundation of liberty lay in religious freedom. They refused to allow their governors to decide their religious destiny.
C) Define freedom of speech.
Each person was created by God, in His image, and therefore was entitled to their own thoughts, beliefs, and the right to express them. They believed that no government had the right to curtail those beliefs or their expression.
a. Define freedom of the press.
Freedom of the press is an outgrowth of the freedom of speech, preserving the right of the people to publish beliefs contrary to government. The professional press was intended to hold the power of government in check by informing citizens of the workings of government.
Freedom from government coercion is essential in order to accomplish these objectives.
D) Define the right of the people peaceably to assemble.
Our founders had experienced the reality of having their associations monitored and curtailed.
E) Define the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The very acts of exercising these protected rights might offend a tyrannical government, and it may become necessary to publicly protest them.
The Declaration of Independence is an example of a “redress of grievances.”
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25) What has greater authority over our society, the
Bible, or the Constitution?
To answer this question, we must resist the urge to consult “experts.” We do not need to learn the opinions of others, the US Constitution was constructed so that the basest of citizens might know the wishes of the founders on all issues of national government.
So we must consult the Constitution.
The preamble to the Constitution reads;
“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.”
This set the purpose of the document. “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…”
This section shows us that the laws of nature and nature’s God are the standard to which our Constitution subjects itself.
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26) Where does the authority of the US Constitution originate?
The Declaration of Independence was the deliberate founding document of the new republic which it named in the first line, “The United States of America.”
We have previously read the Declaration, but here I believe we should summarize its purpose.
It begins by stating that its purpose is to separate the colonies, or the united states from the authority of the King of Great Britain.
It then declares the Lordship of God over these states and disavows any authority of Great Britain’s king over these territories.
It then lists offenses that this king has perpetrated against the citizens of these states.
Ending with the passage;
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
A. Consent of the governed.
Our founders rejected the rulership of governors who had not earned the consent of the governed, regardless of their titles.
They believed that rulers should earn the right to their authority.
The first governmental system established was according to the
The government established was according to the “Articles of Confederation.”
“The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.”
It was determined that these articles were too weak, and must be amended if the republic was to survive. The Constitutional Convention of 1776. The original intention of the convention was to fortify the Articles of Confederation, but it was soon realized that it was beyond repair and must be rewritten from the ground up. The result was the document that has survived these 247 years and counting, The Constitution of The United States of America.
Our Constitution contains seven Articles and twenty-seven amendments. The first ten amendments are known as the “Bill of Rights.” These amendments were added in the first Congress to satisfy promises made to those concerned that if they were not expressly stated in the Constitution, they would likely be violated by future tyrannical politicians.
History has proven how insightful these stipulations were.
Each of the first three articles addresses specific essential institutions of the government.
Article 1 describes the authorities, features, and privileges of the Congress. Congress is the law-making entity of the federal government.
Article 2 describes the authorities, features, and privileges of the President.
Article 3 describes the authorities, features, and privileges of the Supreme Court.
These three articles establish a separation of powers, for the suppression of tyranny. The framers of our Constitution believed that tyranny could be minimized by separating the powers to make laws from the powers to enforce laws, and the powers to adjudicate laws. These three separate branches were to act as checks on each other’s powers.
Besides separating these powers, the Constitution also created different eligibility standards, term sizes, and election procedures.
Congress is made up of two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House terms are for two years, and the district size is enumerated in the Constitution. The purpose of the House is to represent the populace.
The Senate is made up of two Senators per state, and the terms are for six years.
Article 1 sets the state legislators as the entity that chooses these Senators so that they might serve the wishes of the individual states.
The Seventeenth Amendment reassigned the selection process from the state legislatures to the popular vote. This undermined the states’ rights, but the Seventeenth Amendment was passed in answer to a popular Article V movement for a convention of states. Whether this is a good thing is debatable.
All of these many regulations and stipulations were purposed to certify the consent of the governed.
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27) What purpose does the Declaration play in the governance of our civil society?
As we have already seen, the Declaration of Independence served as a tipping point in the relationship between the colonists and their ruling “authority.”
As Great Britain progressed in global acquisitions, somewhat overextended its resources. The need for gold and silver to finance the kingdom steadily increased.
Where might the king find these resources, but from the colonies and outposts of the British kingdom? Surely these dependents of the king’s grace would understand their debt to the crown.
As it was stated in the Declaration itself, “… 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”
These men sought not to rebel against the empire “…for light and transient causes…” but because their God-given rights, as they were “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” were being trampled by an earthly king who they believed and been made equal by their creator.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
These truths served as the basis of their complaint, their motivation, the hope for their progeny, and the form of government they hoped to fashion.
This declaration was not fashioned lightly, it was intended as a message to the king and his forces, as well as a beacon to Americans everywhere, and for all times.
When the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called, it was based on these “self-evident” truths, and the US Constitution that resulted was the fruit of the liberty tree as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. It is perhaps the most powerful and important governing document ever constructed, behind the Bible.
Likewise, the Constitution puts a governing structure to this concept. It is the longest-lasting constitution in world history, and I believe that it is because it was divinely inspired. Whether or not its framers believed at the time that it was divinely inspired, it is clear by the phrasing that it was their intention to please God by its construction.
Our forefathers realized that ambiguity bred confusion, confusion is the enemy of order, and disorder is a tool of Satan for the destruction of the Kingdom of God.
The US Constitution is relatively short and to the point. It is crafted in a way that addresses specific objectives and sets the American citizen as an individual with God-given rights that must be protected by a righteous government. It sets standards and regulations designed to control government on behalf of citizens. Each person who accepts the responsibilities inherent in political leadership is required to vow an oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution. I don’t believe that this is a light and transient requirement. It is to guard against the nature of mankind to pervert the things they can control.
The signers of the Declaration of Independence, and those who participated in the construction of our Constitution were mere men, but I believe that their work on these matters was divinely inspired, and guided by the Holy Spirit himself.
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28) What purpose does the US Constitution play in the governance of our civil society?
We have already touched on several positive aspects of the US Constitution, but in this section, I would like to reiterate a few important points.
Every government has objectives, procedures, authorities, protections, services, and hierarchies.
These elements are always based on some belief system. Some governments are theocratic, some are monarchical, some are oligarchical, some are republics, and some are democracies.
These all have similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses. These aspects of American government are and were established in the US Constitution. It is the foundational basis for all ruling authority in the United States of America.
We will not spend much time on most of these systems, but we should realize that though our nation’s founders lived many decades ago, that doesn’t mean they were ignorant. The men who debated and signed the Declaration of Independence, and those that debated, constructed, and signed the US Constitution had studied all of these governing systems and they fashioned our government based on their studies. They sought to avoid dangers while capitalizing on strengths through the use of processes.
Today there is a movement to convince us that we live in a democracy. This is not true. It has been said that “Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote.”
Our founding documents stress that government aims to protect the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of property, and that these rights are God-given.
Our founders viewed democracy as mob rule and realized that democracies never last very long. They inevitably end up with factions fighting other factions for the majority, and ultimate power.
Our democratic republic was designed to use these principles within government, through separation of powers to protect the citizenry from tyranny.
Our forefathers developed a republic with democratic features.
Article 3, section 4 of our Constitution states, in part, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…”
In a mere seven articles, our framers constructed an intricate system of self-government for the edification and protection of the American individual, that as John Adams is known to have said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
The strengths and weaknesses of our Constitution lie in the people.
Our Constitution is designed that the “government of the people is by the people and for the people.” Corruption is the only adequate obstacle to good government, and it is the nature of our citizens that will determine whether one generation will raise up the next generation to respect their neighbors, or will seek to exploit them. Whether they will cherish the lives and liberty of their children and neighbors or will seek domination over them.
Most forms of government are designed to protect the government, and/or the nation as a whole, setting some as rulers over others, posing that some are more important, and thereby worthy of preference over the “lesser.”.
The preamble to our Constitution begins with, “We the people of the United States…” These words are important, they set the sovereign authority of our nation as the American people, each and every person has equal authority over the governance of our nation.
Our republic was intended to support every individual that makes up the nation. Its officials are supposed to be servants to the nation, on behalf of these individual citizens. As these citizens make up the sovereign of our nation, the proper relationship between officers and their citizens can only be maintained if citizens demand, and maintain it.
If her citizens are not of a moral and religious nature, the self-correcting aspects, the checks and balances will be undermined.
Americans have for decades allowed the governing authority, and the morality of our citizenry to fall from the standards envisioned by our forefathers, resulting in the degradation of justice and liberty within our civil society.
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29) What is an, “unconstitutional law?”
At the risk of offending the reader, I think it is important to establish that it is possible to have “unconstitutional laws.” It is certainly not optimal, and such laws usually benefit only a small minority of people, (thus the reason they are unconstitutional,) but it is possible for laws, or government restrictions and mandates to be recognized as laws while being functionally in violation of the US Constitution.
Let us consider that the Constitution specifically regulates who is authorized to “make” laws, and how they are to be “made.”
Congress is the body authorized to create laws. There are two houses that make up the Congress, The House of Representatives, (the people’s house,) and the Senate, (intended to represent the states.)
Both bodies must agree in order to pass bills, then they must either be ratified by the President, or have a veto overridden by a two-thirds majority of both houses of Congress before they can become laws.
Any “law” created by some other entity, or some other means, would then be unconstitutional, (in violation of the Constitution.)
That would include Supreme Court rulings, Presidential executive orders, or Executive Branch bureaucratic regulations.
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30) What does the Constitution say about our money?
With the importance of the protections built into our Constitution in mind, we should take the time to find out why those things are protected. People rarely put great effort into protecting things that are of little importance.
In the 1st Article, we learn that the framers of our Constitution believed that our lawmaking process is the most important thing to be protected. They were familiar with how imperiled liberty is when one person can dictate the law. A similar danger exists when the ability to “make law” is delighted to a small group who are immured to its consequences.
Article II demonstrates that those who are authorized to enforce those laws are in a unique position to abuse them. Their activities must be directed by a higher authority through a constitutionally established system. This system and its regulations are delineated in this article.
Once righteous laws have been created, and executed according to the stipulations of Article II, offenders must be allowed to defend themselves against false accusations. This brings us to the need for a system of justice.
The framers of our Constitution had lived under rule where these three aspects of government existed under the authority of one person, with an army of subordinates to enforce and adjudicate offenses. They are keenly aware of the opportunities for abuse. Therefore, they set the justice system as a separate body, self-governing within the restrictions of the Constitution.
This is why they chose to divide these three powers were built into the authority of separate bodies, the legislative, executive, and judicial, or, the Congress, President, and the Supreme Court.
Another thing that they recognized as extremely important is the medium used for commercial exchange, or money.
Every transaction we make, from our wages to the purchase of necessities, to recreation is subject to the integrity of the medium of exchange we use.
Most Americans today seem to take the integrity of our money for granted. This is extremely dangerous, and the people who founded our nation, the ones so many of our esteemed experts tell us were simpletons, knew it. That’s why they built protections right into the Constitution, and right in the first article.
Article 1, section 8, “…The Congress shall have Power To …coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures…”
Article 1, section 10, “No State shall…make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts…”
Each of these sections provides a list. Section 1’s list is of things that Congress has the power to do, and section 10’s list is of things that states may not do. One of the things in each of these lists pertains to money.
It should be acknowledged that the only way to modify these requirements constitutionally, is to amend the Constitution, via Article V.
We should consider why our Constitution sets the standard for official American money as gold and silver, with the official weights and measures to be determined by Congress.
It is because gold and silver have been reliable commodities, worthy of trust for thousands of years, and they are not consumable commodities. These properties lend themselves to reliability as faithful mediums for wealth transactions.
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 was drafted in secret, for the very purpose of wresting control of our money away from Congress. I believe that the purpose was to allow conspirators to steal growing quantities of wealth from unsuspecting American wealth producers. I believe that any study of the increasing debt of our nation, and the relentless devaluation of our currency is proof.
In, “The Creature From Jekyll Island,” G. Edward Griffin wrote in Chapter 7, “The Barbaric Metal,” and in a section named, “Expanding the money supply by coin clipping,” he addressed inflation.
“From the very beginning, the desire for a larger money supply led to practices which were destructive to the economy. Unscrupulous merchants began to shave off a tiny portion of each coin they handled—a process known as coin clipping—and then having the shavings melted into new coins. (Counterfeit,) Before long, the king’s treasury began to do the same thing to coins it received in taxes. In this way, the money supply was increased, but the supply of gold was not. The result was exactly what we now know always happens when the money supply is artificially expanded. There was inflation. Whereas one coin previously would buy twelve sheep, now it would only be accepted for ten. The total amount of gold needed for twelve sheep never changed. It’s just that everyone knew that one coin no longer contained it.”
While every word on this assessment is correct, the way he describes what really happens when counterfeit money, even precious metals, is created allows for misunderstanding.
Our society has taught us that inflation is merely a nuisance. That it only confronts us with higher prices on the things upon which we choose to spend our wealth.
There is never a mention as to what happens to the extra currency created in the process. Even in this chapter, we tend to lose track of the FACT that there is counterfeit money created, and that SOMEONE is going to spend that money,
Who is it?
According to the example in this section, this is true even if the counterfeit is precious metals.
Obviously, it is the creator of the counterfeit, and/or those conspiring with them, (the FED, and/or the federal government.)
Okay, I have asked the question, who spends this enormous number of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes?
Where do you suppose deficit spending comes from? The Federal Reserve allows the free flow of our wealth from our currency to those that have “shaved off” greater and greater amounts of that wealth to be reformed into more “coins,” and spent against the wishes of the rightful earners of that money, (or wealth.)
Our government can afford to ignore the will of their sovereign, (the citizens of the USA,) because they have removed the constitutional instrument of their regulation.
Anyone familiar with the US Constitution should know beyond doubt that the FED is illegitimate, unconstitutional, and the very source of every one of America’s fiscal problems, yet even constitutional experts, like Mark Levin, Senator Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz completely ignore the need to return America to “lawful money,” gold and silver coins, minted by Congress.
Until 1964, every Federal Reserve Note contained the phrase, “…redeemable in lawful money.”
Today’s Americans are mostly unaware of this truth, and even more ignorant of why this was printed on our currency.
The reason is that money was created as a substitute for wealth as an instrument for wealth exchanges. The stated purpose for the use of paper currency was to stand in as a more convenient medium to facilitate wealth exchanges.
In order to convince Americans to accept the use of paper currency this phrase was included, and for decades it was indeed redeemable for silver and gold.
This fraud has taken over a hundred years to enjoy the degree of success that it currently enjoys. It has taken many generations of fraud to cultivate a nation of fools who are not only ignorant of the crime that their government has perpetrated against them, but even when they are confronted with the documented facts, will often choose to ignore it.
Article V contains the instrument that may be the only way to recapture the standard for money surrendered in 1913. We have already covered Article V in chapter 23.
Our Congress has resolved to submit to the dictates of the Federal Reserve and has succumbed to the tyranny of the “money changers.” They have become addicted to deficit spending, and as Colonel Mason once feared, our Congress has, if not created the problem, it has removed its ability to correct our largest problem, ballooning debt.
At this moment our national debt is nearing $33.78 trillion, and growing at about $2 billion per day. Our national interest liability has surpassed our GDP, or (gross domestic product.)
This means that the interest on our debt is larger than our income, and that doesn’t even come close to including the principal upon which this interest is based.
If you have any understanding of accounting principles, you understand that this is unsustainable.
Through an Article V, convention of the states, our Constitution could be amended to abolish the Federal Reserve, and reinstate the gold standard. This may well be the only hope of deliverance from the peril our nation now faces.
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Valuable resources for a better understanding of money matters can be found in my SubStack article on “inflation.”
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31) How should we react to an, “unconstitutional law?”
As Christians, unrighteous laws are enmity with our righteousness. Laws are given to direct righteous behavior and discourage unrighteous behavior.
Does this mean that all laws are righteous? I believe that a knowledge of scripture shows us that many unrighteous laws have existed. Bible records show us particular periods when corrupt men with influence over the making of laws used that influence to enact unrighteous laws.
often these records also show us how disciples of God’s will reacted to these unrighteous laws. We should make note of whether they had respect for these laws, or did they reject them as having been given by the earthly “authority” of the time.
The Bible is our ultimate source for instruction in righteousness, and if we intend to live righteously, we should strive to follow biblical examples.
One such record appears in Daniel chapter 3. God’s people were in captivity to Babylon as punishment for having rejected His commandments and direction. They had been instructed not to resist their capture and enslavement to King Nebuchadnezzar, and that through submission they would be cleansed of their unrighteousness.
This king made a law that everyone must worship the golden image he had created whenever they heard music. This decree was to be enforced by the death penalty, and executed in a furnace.
Three of the Israelites, chosen by the king’s decree to be among his court, recognized that to obey this law would be in direct contrast to God’s command not to have any other gods before Him. They refused to comply.
The king challenged the three, “Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”
They were not only demanded to comply with the law, but their reliance upon the true God was challenged.
When challenged to comply with this unrighteous law, the three boldly answered the king in verses 16-18,
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
There are many other biblical records showing us that when unrighteous laws defy godly righteousness, requiring service to the will of corrupt men over service to the laws of God, we are to reject them. We are only expected to obey righteous laws.
It is not the prestige of the lawgiver that determines the righteousness of the law, but the righteousness of the law that determines the righteousness of the lawgiver.
Righteous laws do not oppose the righteous commandments of God. Laws that defy the laws of the Bible are utterly unrighteous, and the godly are not bound to obey them.
It is not hard to understand that biblical examples like this, indicate that to disobey them would better serve the Christian’s spiritual standing.
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32) What is the purpose of the US President, or Article II, the Executive branch of the US government?
The framers of our Constitution recognized that the government’s first obligation to its citizens is to defend them against foreign assault, and its second obligation is to provide an environment conducive to a civil society.
While they recognized that the purposes of these two objectives are in harmony, the faithful execution of them requires a very different approach.
The fostering of the best environment for civility within a society takes careful deliberation, and faithful representation of both the individual, and the state. This requires a slow, and careful process.
National defense requires quick and forceful reactions to international threats, as well as deliberate statesmanship.
They realized that the time-consuming process of legislation, the deliberation of the concepts of civil governance would not suffice the needs of national defense. A much more nimble power would be necessary to rise in response to international challenges.
This realization led to the creation of a President, and Article II was written in response to this urgent need. There had never existed such a position in the government of any previous nation. The position Moses held in relationship to God, (the law-giver,) and Israel, (the nation of God,) may be the closest in comparison.
It was determined that the President should be subject to the same laws as every citizen, yet have the ability and authority to move quickly in assessment, and confrontation of international assaults on our nation’s interests.
These powers were never meant to apply to the governance of the citizens of America, they were meant to provide needed flexibility to effectively execute on their behalf. The power to govern the citizenry existed within Article 1.
The President’s immediate and ultimate superior is the US Constitution. That is why he is required to vow a very specific allegiance to the Constitution.
While every public office holder, including soldiers, vows to protect and defend our Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, only the President is given a script for this vow in the text of the Constitution itself.
“Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:– I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Our President is not a ruler, a dictator, or a king. He is given the specific power and responsibility to “faithfully execute the laws of our nation,” created by our legislative body.
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33) What is the purpose of the US Supreme Court, or Article III, the judicial branch of the US
Article III
Section 1
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section 2
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;—between a State and Citizens of another State,—between Citizens of different States,—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section 3
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
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The first three articles of our Constitution line out the duties and responsibilities of the three Branches of our government.
I believe that they appear in order of importance. Each is a separate civil need, working in concert.
This realization prompted the framers to separate them into harmonizing, yet counteracting opposition. They relied on human nature’s jealous thirst for power to check each other, overseeing and regulating the powers of the several branches, to the protection of self-government and the individual.
We can see that the framers recognized that good laws are integral to good government, so the greatest care was given to Article One. It is composed of ten sections.
Article Two describes the powers and limits of the President, the enforcer of the laws created by Congress, (Article One.) The President is also made “Commander In Chief” of our nation's defense. It is composed of four sections.
Article Three created the Supreme Court for the adjudicating of disputes, and criminal actions against the public. It is composed of three sections.
We can see that the constitutional supervision of these branches is reduced with each duty. The greater specificity to the lawmakers, and the least complexity to the Court.
The responsibility to create additional federal courts was given to Congress in Article One.
The parameters of the Court were not seen as very complicated, they were easily established for anyone with common sense to understand, in a very concise manner.
I believe that it is the thirst for power, the rejection of the Constitution’s authority, and corruption that have complicated the function of the federal court system.
Judges have chosen not to comply with the intent of the Constitution, and The Senate has not been faithful to guard against the appointment of corrupt judges to its offices.
This is how we have come to a point where a President has nominated an obviously unqualified, anti-constitutional activist to the Supreme Court, and the US Senate has confirmed that appointment, even after that nominee has committed perjury during the confirmation hearing.
The fact that so few Americans are outraged at this complete dereliction of constitutional duty is evidence that America is in serious need of restoration.
Article V of the Constitution was created for the express purpose of keeping the pertinence of our Constitution up-to-date with the needs of our nation.
We have addressed Article V previously, and I must remind you that the inclusion of a mechanism for the updating of our nation’s governing document is crucial, but it is only effective for its purpose if it is used.
There are several issues that should be addressed through the Article V.
The unwillingness of Congress to address them indicates the need for the second feature of Article V, a convention of the states.
There is a national group of activists dedicated to using a convention of the states to amend our Constitution in ways that might reform, and restore the intended functions of our Constitution. Its name is Convention Of States Action, (COS Action.)
The proper function of Article III courts is simple. They are not meant to determine if certain laws are a good idea, that is a function of Congress, and the Article V process.
They are to determine if laws, as written, comply with the Constitution, and if they are violated, as they were written.
When they are determined to have been violated, the court may determine how the situation could be rectified.
Courts, and court officers are to be respected when and if they comport with the criteria established in Article III. When they violate them, they are to be despised, and the offenders should be impeached and removed from office.
The Impeachment process may be the single most neglected provision of our Constitution, and with devastating consequences.
Many Americans are afraid to impeach legitimate offenders, and others lust over the ability to use it as a weapon against their political opposition.
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34) Impeachment
“The Impeachment process may be the single most neglected provision of our Constitution, and with devastating consequences.
Many Americans are afraid to impeach legitimate offenders, and others lust over the ability to use it as a weapon against their political opposition.”
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Article I, Section 2, Clause 5:
“The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.”
Article I, Section 3, Clause 6:
“The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than 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, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.”
Article II, Section 4:
“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
http://constitution.congress.gov/search/impeachment
There are many commentaries on the function of “impeachment,” but I don’t believe that our nation’s founders and the framers of our Constitution intended for us to need “experts” to tell us what it means. I believe that they trusted in the intelligence of even the basest of Americans to understand right from wrong and the need for integrity in government.
It is often said that if Americans use this instrument of government to remove officials, we will have descended to the level of third-world governments who don’t value the free election process, or the “peaceful transfer of power.”
If we are referring to what the Democrat Party did to Vice-President Agnew, and President Nixon, or tried to do to President Reagan, President G.W. Bush, and President Trump, I agree.
The fact is that those who resist using the process are those who have legitimate reasons to use it. It is a crucial instrument to remove the corrupt, in order to protect the innocent. The failure to use the intended procedure to effect the constitutionally desired result ensures that corruption advances.
That so many refuse to recognize this truth is particularly concerning to me, and I believe contributes to the peril we face as a nation.
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35) How should officials within the US government be treated when they violate our constitution?
As the official governing document, our Constitution is officially, “the law of our land.” There is no law higher, except the “laws of nature and nature’s God.”
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
“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…”
Let’s explore this phrase, “the laws of nature and nature’s God.”
We can only speculate the reasoning of the Constitution’s framers’ if we don’t have the documentation of their reasoning, but there are those who have sought, gathered, and preserved many of our nation’s founding era documents. Among them are Glenn Beck’s “Mercury One Museum,” and the Barton family, of “Wallbuilders.”
“Patriot Academy” is another entity that seeks to promote a biblical world-view, restoring our national heritage through education, and training with offerings like their “Biblical Citizenship In Modern America” class.
Patriot Academy was founded by Rick Green, and collaborates with the Wallbuilders organization, founded by David Barton for the restoration of godly principles and righteous government.
Thought the efforts of groups like these, we can gain great insight on the meaning of phrases like, “the laws of nature and nature’s God,” and what it meant at the time of their use.
What is a law of nature? What was meant by the framers of Declaration of Independence when they used this phrase?
Surely we are all familiar with the law of gravity. It is what keeps us all on the planet. We may not understand it, but we know that it exists and that is unbreakable. Unless we apply a force strong enough to overcome gravity, the subject will remain touching the ground, and as soon as this force is removed, anything, or anybody overcoming gravity will be returned to the surface of Earth.
This is a simple example, but it is indeed a “law of nature,” and of “nature’s God.” It is not imposed by any earthly authority, and no-one can revoke it except God.
There are other laws of “nature’s God.” There are laws that were given to Moses to pass on to the nation of Israel for their protection and flourishing.
These laws are breakable. We may choose to violate them, and we may even get away with these violations, but they will have consequences. Someone will suffer from the violation of these laws.
Violations of righteous laws violate natural rights, and as our Declaration of Independence states is intended, “…to secure these rights, [therefore] Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”
The laws given to Moses came with penalties for violations. Laws are not suggestions, they are to be worthy of enforcement. The enforcement of righteous laws secure the citizens of a community.
The laws of the United States of America are established by democratic means in the House of Representatives.
Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution says, “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”
Our Congress was designed with two bodies, joined in function to ensure that our laws indeed represent the needs and desires of the citizenry.
The needs and desires of the individual are represented by US Representatives in the House of Representatives. The needs and desires of individual states were originally represented by the Senate, as Senators were to be selected by their states, each state having equal representation by two Senators.
The constitutional function of the Senate was undermined with the passing of the 17th amendment, which made the election of Senators by statewide popular elections.
The enforcement of federal laws fall to the Executive branch of the federal government. The rules and methods of enforcement must also be provided through the legislative process in the House of Representatives, and ratified by the Chief Executive, the President, (the only member of the Executive Branch mentioned in our Constitution. All other members were created either by Congress, or within the Executive Branch.)
A similar process exists in each of the fifty states for the provision of laws and enforcement mechanisms.
For the most heinous violations of law, many states opted for what is called, “the death penalty.”
Not all Americans agree with the use of this penalty. I will not enter into a discussion of why people might choose to oppose this penalty, but while I don’t wish the termination of another’s life for light reasons, I believe that we should leave the judgment of such weighty matters to our creator.
We should understand how the death penalty came into use, and whose idea it was.
Death penalty-Exodus 21:12,17
“He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.”
It is not a light thing that a citizen is deprived of life for their offenses, thus the use of the death penalty has been reserved in America for only the most heinous offenses.
Other offenses against our neighbors are to be judged according to their severity. Examples of these judgments are also found in scripture.
Theft-Exodus 22:2-3
“If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.”
These are the judgments of God. They were given by revelation to the nation of Israel for instructions in righteousness. Is it likely that any human will have more wisdom than their creator? Is it possible that any human can be more compassionate than the God who gave His only begotten son for the punishment of their offenses?
Our Constitution has not provided for special treatment of those who have abused their governing authority, but I believe that this has contributed to the rampant abuse of these authorities.
While scripture informs us of the great grace and mercy of our Lord, it also describes the severity of Godly judgment.
I wonder how much abuse of political power we would experience if the penalty for these abuses of the public trust were more severely enforced? At the very least, public officials should suffer equal punishments for their offenses against the public.
The American public has been trained to accept politicians and officials of our government as immune to the consequences of many offenses. Corruption in the enforcement of our laws, combined with corruption in the adjudication of those offenses, conspires to exempt many perpetrators from justice based on the prestige of their positions.
It may be advantageous that penalties for crimes committed by government officials were enhanced. This might create greater incentives for the faithful execution of government authorities, and disincentives the abuse of such authority.
The imposition of enhanced penalties as I have suggested would take congressional action, at the least, and perhaps even an amendment, by the process of an Article V Convention of States.
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36) What is an “Executive order?”
Most Americans believe Executive Orders are laws, that they bear similar authority to congressional statutes.
This is a gross misunderstanding of our Constitution and its directives.
We have previously touched on the “separation of powers” doctrine of our Constitution and its purpose, to disincentive tyranny.
If laws can be created by executive decree, it completely undermines the “separation of powers” doctrine.
Executive orders are fully contained within the purposes and authorities of Article II. There can be no constitutionally authorized powers that are not stipulated within this article.
The constitutional purpose of executive orders is to execute the authority of the Chief Executive, (the President,) over the execution of the constitutional duties of the Executive Branch. These duties are exclusively to execute the laws rightfully created by Article I, the Congress.
Merriam Webster defines an executive order as;
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executive%20order
“Executive Order: an order issued by a government's executive on the basis of authority specifically granted to the executive branch (as by the U.S. Constitution or a congressional act)”
https://www.history.com/topics/us-government-and-politics/executive-order
“The U.S. Constitution does not directly define or give the president authority to issue presidential actions, which include executive orders, presidential memoranda and proclamations.
Instead, this implied and accepted power derives from Article II of the Constitution, which states that as head of the executive branch and commander in chief of the armed forces, the president ‘shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.’
With an executive order, the president instructs the government how to work within the parameters already set by Congress and the Constitution. In effect, this allows the president to push through policy changes without going through Congress.
By issuing an executive order, the president does not create a new law or appropriate any funds from the U.S. Treasury; only Congress has the power to do both of these things.”
What we can see here is that executive orders serve as “laws” within the Executive Branch. They are not authorized to be enacted as laws over the American people. All laws that have authority over the nation’s populace are to be created through the Article I process.
ArticleI, Section 1;
“All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”
There is no constitutional authority given to the President to “make law” that is enforceable over the American people.
The US Supreme Court likewise has no constitutional authority to proclaim that such executive orders carry the force of law. Executive orders serve only to direct actions within the Executive Branch and its bureaucracies.
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37) Are federal employees, such as the President, Supreme Court Justices, and members of Congress, accountable to the law?
Where should we go to find the answer to this question? Are members of Congress entitled to give authoritative guidance? Is the President constitutionally enabled to decide this for all Americans? Is the Supreme Court, or its members able to decide the answer?
I believe we must refer to the Constitution. It alone is empowered to decide such matters, and we must apply meekness and humility to our Constitution if we want to enjoy its benefits.
What does our Constitution say about who is accountable to our laws?
Article I, Section 6;
“The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place….”
If members of Congress are not exempted from arrest in matters of treason, felonies, and breach of peace, then they are in these cases subject to all laws governing these circumstances, like as every American.
What does the Constitution say about our president’s accountability to America’s laws?
Article II, section 1;
“…Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:– I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States….”
It seems likely that if the President is obligated to faithfully execute, preserve, protect, and defend the US Constitution, that he is in all ways accountable to our laws.
Article I, Section 2;
“…The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.”
Article I, Section 2;
“….The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments….”
Article I, Section 4;
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Our Constitution does not specifically say that our President is liable for violations of America’s laws, other than treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors. It also does not define “high crimes,” or “misdemeanors.”
It seems likely to me that those empowered to make our laws, and those empowered enforce them must also be accountable to obey them.
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38) Is there any difference in the accountability of federal employees, and that of private citizens in relationship to the law?
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Ronald Reagan
Many of today’s Americans are reluctant to repeat the many words of wisdom once stated by President Ronald Reagan. They say we should move on from the past, that his principles are no longer pertinent to American life.
The truth is that true principles are timeless, and many of those declared by the only modern president to win a 49-state majority, are indeed timeless.
Let’s look at what is said in this quote.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction…” Is there any doubt that if parents fail to transfer the wisdom they’ve accumulated during their maturing process, the likelihood of their children benefitting from that wisdom is minimal?
“…We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream…” While it is evident that some traits are inherited, lessons can not be.
“… It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same…” We all know that there are forces that don’t care about the benefit of others, they are consumed with concern for their own profit, and if they are not guarded against, they will prevent the ability of others to enjoy their rights, and the fruit of their own labor.
“… or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” It is self-evident that if good is not protected from evil forces, evil will prevail, and we will suffer loss.
“All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” __Edmund Burke
Therefore, it is important that Americans who believe in liberty and safety must not allow anyone to be exempted from the laws that keep them free. That must include lawmakers and law enforcers.
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39) How can America reverse the trend toward tyranny?
I believe this is a very important question, and the answer is my purpose for writing this book.
The youth and children of today will inherit the nation we leave them. If we allow the liberties that were preserved through the instruments of our Constitution to be eroded, our progeny will suffer the loss. If we fight the battles of today faithfully, firming up the protections built into our Constitution, we can preserve them for the next generation.
One thing that we must know is that these liberties will not preserve themselves. The exercise of freedom does nothing to preserve and defend it.
Parents of every generation are obligated to provide for the needs of their own children, safety, sustenance, protection, knowledge, and wisdom. These are not obligations that are assigned to us by someone’s decree, but by the natural order, and fortified in the Bible.
If we fail to inform our youth of what our forefathers built for their progeny, leading by example, we will not have prepared them to do the same for their next generation.
While there is no guarantee that children will be faithful to follow in the patriotic, or Christian footsteps of their parents, it is much less likely that they will follow without faithful instruction and examples.
We have already looked at the validity of a Reagan quote, but let us now look at a couple of biblical representations of this principle.
“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.” __Deuteronomy 4:9 NLT
American history, like biblical history, is not meant to be left to “professional historians.” While it is true that some Christians and some Americans are born with a calling to study and teach foundational principles, each Christian, and each American inherit a duty to preserve them for their offspring.
“If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” __Deuteronomy 4:40 NLT
If we neglect this duty, we will not share in the joy of witnessing the spiritual and possibly the success of our children.
Most of the youth of today will mature into the adults of tomorrow. Their outlook on life and their spiritual and natural obligations are dependent upon the faithfulness of the adults of today.
We cannot expect them to realize their duties without help. While it is not impossible for individuals to rise above the circumstances of their life situations, it is less than compassionate to leave them without the proper nurturing.
My hope is that these writings will find their way to youth, and parents of youth who are critically concerned for the circumstances of future generations. That it will inspire a hunger for the Will of God, and the goals of the founders of our nation. Respect for the men and women who have sacrificed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to advance a society that values the individual, that seeks to provide an environment that nurtures the heart’s desire for liberty, and passion for the welfare of others.
That is the basic foundation upon which our government was established. Those who braved the elements to travel thousands of miles across the sea in wooden crafts, without many of the luxuries that modern travel includes, searching for a land where they could establish a society that honors the wishes of individuals, and offers an environment where each citizen is able to worship as they see fit.
They recognized that to secure the freedom to worship freely, the right to reject the God of the Bible would be necessary, thus the framing of the First Amendment to our Constitution. Many Americans believe that this amendment secures the protection of government against the influence of religion, but the reality is that it was intended to secure the protection of the Church from the influence of government. It forbids the federal government from ANY power over religious practice.
“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 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
These features of our Constitution forbid Congress from establishing a religion, or prohibiting the free religious exercise by the citizens of our nation, yet God-haters have arisen to attack this constitutional protection and pervert it to the precise opposite effects.
Is it compassionate to allow wolves access to sheep, or is it the duty of shepherds to protect the sheep from wolves?
Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman wrote in his book On Combat, published in 2004, and was later quoted in the popular movie, AMERICAN SNIPER, “there are three kinds of people in the world: ‘wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs.’”
We all get to decide which of these we will aspire to. The sheep will wander along, consuming the resources and enjoying the benefits of the environments we access.
Wolves will search out the sheep for exploitation and destruction. True sheepdogs will answer the call to protect the sheep from wolves, with or without the support and appreciation of the sheep.
We should all ask ourselves to which of these groups does our pastor belong? If they are sheep, how can they effectively guide and protect a flock of like vulnerability?
If they are wolves, are their sheep not in mortal spiritual danger?
Our pastors should be sheepdogs, both spiritually and naturally. The congregations of God’s Church are in need of, and worthy of the leadership of those who will not be subjugated by God-hating forces, whether they be business tycoons, politicians, bureaucrats, or law enforcement.
In Eric Matases’s recent book, LETTER TO THE AMERICAN CHURCH, he points out how many of today’s American religious leaders are following disastrous practices similar to those of Germany’s pastors while Hitler accumulated power.
I’m sure that these pastors meant well, that they thought they were teaching the “Word of God” accurately, but they did not equip their followers to resist what is widely thought of as the most vicious political leader of modern history. They led their sheep to the slaughter.
How does your spiritual leader compare? Are they equipping you to resist the enemies of God? Are they helping you to use the talents unique to you in service to the Living God? Are they helping you to resist the devil, that he might flee from your presence?
These are traits of a sheepdog in the service of our risen Lord and Savior. They are similar traits to the founders of the USA, and the framers of the US Constitution.
We are taught that our Constitution is obsolete, that it is antiquated, and does not address the concerns of a modern society, that our Presidents and courts must address and correct for its limitations, ignoring that Article V was created for just this purpose.
Article V
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress…”
These are the doctrines of devils, the motivations of wolves, and the manifestos of predators who follow their lord, Satan.
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” __ I Peter 5:8
We can choose to be sheep, and trust in the protection of spiritual sheepdogs, at the mercy of wolves, and the alertness of sheepdogs. Many Americans will fall into this group, and rightfully so. Sheepdogs never equal the number of their sheep.
If we find ourselves among the sheep, we must consider the faithfulness of our shepherd. If that shepherd is not a spiritual sheepdog, we must have the moral clarity to seek out a Pastor worthy of the calling. One that is willing to lay down his life for the sheep. He must be willing to fight the spiritual battles in the natural realm. If not, we are following another sheep. The blind leading the blind, and we are in danger of accompanying him in the ditch.
My hope is that the reader of this book is motivated to renew their commitment to our Lord, to their family, their nation, state, and community. To play their part in the restoration of this great nation.
God bless you, Dave
“Duty is ours, results are God’s.” __John Quincy Adams