Thursday, September 17, 2020

Constitution Day on This Day in History

 

Today in History: Today is Constitution Day. The US Constitution has been considered one of the greatest documents ever written, alongside the Magna Carta and the Gutenberg Bible. The Constitution is supposed to put constraints on Government and assure limited Government. Sounds good. However, what started as the smallest government in the world ended becoming the largest. My frustration with the Constitution mirrors that of Lysander Spooner in the 1800's when he wrote: "But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it." 

Back in Spooner's day it was noted that even Abraham Lincoln committed numerous unconstitutional acts: 

"He started a war without the consent of Congress; illegally declared martial law; illegally blockaded Southern ports; illegally suspended habeas corpus and arrested tens of thousands of political opponents; illegally orchestrated the secession of West Virginia; shut down hundreds of opposition newspapers and imprisoned their editors and owners ... ." He also "ignored the Ninth and Tenth amendments; orchestrated the rigging of Northern elections; introduced the slavery of conscription and income taxation; waged war on Southern civilians and ... created an enormous political patronage system that survives today."~Thomas Dilorenzo

Many have recognized that the lockdowns this years are also unconstitutional (hence illegal), yet, here we are. The Constitution is a great document, but perhaps, too often, an ignored one.

Americans (And Their Politicians) Don’t Know Much About the Constitution


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