I know when we start to talk about our rights and the laws
in our Constitution we generally go to the Amendments. People don’t want to
lose their First Amendment rights or the Second Amendment rights etc. But what
else do you know and understand about our Constitution? Our Constitution sets
up our government which is responsible to uphold its laws.
The Preamble is just that. It explains the why our
forefathers felt it was necessary to have a Constitution, to ensure our
government would be there to protect its citizens from internal strife and from
attacks from the outside of the United States.
Back in those days the farmers were among the best and
brightest America had to offer and they were wise enough to know this new land,
this nation they were fighting so hard to pull together wasn’t a nation of the
rich and elite but a nation to be built by the common man. “We the People of
the United States,” speaks of the common man and bringing everyone together on
the same page in order to continue to grow and become better with each new
lesson learned.
In such a short paragraph they talked about the establishing
justice, ensuring domestic tranquility since no one wanted an uprising among
the people within since there is no better way to destroy a nation then from
within. They had an honest fear of being attacked from all sides. After all,
the land they settled on was a small portion of what land there was in America.
They still had Britain and Spain to be concerned about coming from them at all
sides plus they were worried about Native Americans attacking them. Each state
needed to stand together in order to survive.
Bringing it all together tranquility, justice, and defense
was all to promote the general welfare of all citizens in each state. They
wanted to insure every citizen would benefit from what they government could
provide and looked forward to expansions of land, industry, and investments,
not much different than people feel today. So they stressed the importance of a
strong national government.
Of course they had concerns they were giving the impression
they were creating a nation which would resemble somewhat of a paradise for
liberty. People were tired of the tyranny and monarchy and they wanted more,
they wanted to be free to do for themselves and not the interest of their king.
So when our forefathers set down to write this Constitution they wanted to
insure a future for American generations to come. Quite the task they had taken
on without even realizing what the future held. They couldn’t have imagined the
hurdles we would have had to overcome, the battles we would have to fight, and
the amount of people who struggled to be free and come here legally every year.
Article 1 of the Constitution has 10 sections to it. I know
sounds complicated but it’s not. It is where the United States Constitution
gives Congress its power and limits. We all know Congress is the legislative
branch of government making the laws for the United States. Congress is made up
of the Senate, consisting of two senators per state and the House of
Representatives, which has representatives of each state based on the state’s
population.
In this article it states as with the Senate the House of
Representatives must be voted in by the people, the citizens of each individual
state. A candidate for the House of Representatives must be at least 25 years
of age and an American citizen at least 7 years plus they must live in the
state in which they wish to represent. A candidate running for the Senate must
be at least 30 years of age and an American citizen at least 9 years as well as
living in the state they wish to represent. It is up to the state as to when,
where, and how these elections take place. When the Constitution was drafted it
was decided Congress must meet at least once a year and it must be on the first
Monday in December.
In Article 1 it talks about the rules and procedures for the
Congress including member’s qualifications, as I have said earlier, rules they
must adhere to, how to keep records for what happens during their meetings, and
how to adjourn. It is in Article 1 they look at the privileges, restrictions
and compensation of Congress. Senators and House of Representatives are paid by
the United States treasury, they cannot be arrested unless it is for felony,
treason, or a breach of peace. If they are still holding a seat in Congress they
cannot take office in the Executive Branch of the government. That is not to
say they cannot hold that seat while they run for the Executive Branch but must
give it up before they take the oath of office.
Bills are started and passed through Congress. It doesn’t
matter if the bill is introduced in the House or in the Senate because in order
for it to become law it must pass both houses. Once that is done it then goes
onto the President who can do one of two things, sign it into law or he can choose
to veto it.
Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution talks about the
Enumerated Powers of Congress which gives them the power to tax and spend money
raised through taxes, provide for the nation’s defense and general welfare,
allows them to borrow money through issuance bonds and other means, and more.
There are also limits set on Congress which prohibits them
from legislating in certain areas, they can’t name someone as King, they can’t
accept a title of nobility, office, or a gift from any foreign country or
monarch without congressional approval and there is more so check it out.
The last section of the Article 1 would be Section 10 which limits
the powers of the states, they don’t have the same power as the federal
government, and they can’t create money. Of course there is more for each
section of Article 1 but this is just scratching the surface of the intention
of our forefathers when they set out to draft the Constitution and ensure the
safety of American Citizens.
A very complicated document which they obviously gave a lot
of thought considering the form of government they were fighting to get away
from. They wanted a new and better chance for their citizens and knew they had
to leave room to make changes.
One of the most important things they knew then and we know
now is if the House of Representatives and the Senate do not work together for
the greater good of this country then the only ones who suffer are the common
people and that is what they did not want. Their goal was to improve on the
mistakes of other leaders and see to it the people had a say in their
government and the government listened to what they people wanted when they
went to the poles and voted for their representation.
A President is only as good as those who serve with him. He
may be of the Executive Branch of the government but if he does not have a
Congress willing to work together and with him or her then there is no chance
of any improvements and the only ones who will struggle are the people of this
great nation.
We need to take a page from the book of our forefathers and
work together not battle every chance we get. Congress shouldn’t be worrying
about what is best for their party but what is truly best for the people of
this great nation. They should not be fighting on the floor like a bunch of
children but uniting together to see to it that the laws of this great nation
are followed and the offices they hold are held in the highest regard and with
integrity. That is what they saw for these United States of America and I do
believe with all my heart that it is about time many members of our Congress
stop thinking about the few and worry about the many. You cannot fix what is
broken if you keep your blinders on. Our Constitution set the guidelines that
need to be followed from the very onset of its writing. Almost as if they
foresaw problems like we are facing today with Congressmen and women who feel
they know more than anyone else and it’s their way or no way.
To all American Citizens I ask you to take a look at your
Representatives and Senators records. See what they have shown up for to vote
on and how they have voted. Make an educated decision when you go to the polls
and if you honestly feel they are not doing their jobs then it is up to you to
vote them out of office. Sometimes it takes shaking things up a little to get
things to balance out once more.
May God Bless America and our forefathers who were way ahead
of their time.
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