Taking my own advise, I took the time and reread The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution, dwelling on every word, trying hard not to put a 21st century spin on our Founder's intent and purpose in drawing these masterpieces. Amazing they are, once you get beyond the vernacular and semantics of the time, they read loud and clear-, thought provokingly loud, and crystal clear! Again I urge you to find the time to read them or reread them, whatever the case might be and tell me they do not say it all. If ever their were instructions for advising and disciplining a governance protocol, assuring those to be governed the best opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness there never will be (in fact there never was and never will be, it's what makes our nation truly exceptional!). Once read, my intention was to attempt to extract cogent provisions in its governance protocol to measure against the alleged platforms of aspiring political office seekers for compliance. A quick check list if you will for determining a candidates qualifications to govern under this prescribed constitutional protocol. To discern, he or she's intuitive wear withal, mindset, their complying record, their demonstrated appreciation of the intent and purpose of these fundamental requirements to faithfully practice in the governing at any level in these United States of America? Specifically addressing those inalienable rights and liberties granted to its citizens, as well as those implied responsibilities of a nation so governed to other nations less disciplined-, seemingly ever being questioned and/or challenged by successively serving elected officials. At the risk of being blatantly redundant, all must at the offset understand these documents were drawn for one purpose and one purpose alone-, not for equality, not for diversity, not for promised government subsistence and/or entitlements, but for freedom from government oppression! Simply the adherence and maintenance of the inalienable right of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for its citizens and the preservation of the sovereignty of it's so governed nation.
James Madison to a large extent attempted this quest himself back in 1791! Prompted by the Anti- Federalist, that a bill of rights was necessary to safeguard individual rights and liberties. The results, the first 10 amendments of The Constitution,The Bill of Rights, delineating the limits of government power over the rights of the individual citizen. That said, my sought after qualifications for public office holders was near satisfied, however not the brevity and the 21st century emphasis I was looking for to construct a check list. In asking myself what would I want all politicians basically to adhere to, in faithfully practicing governance under the aegis of The Constitution-, these three postulates came to mind, certainly not Madisonian in their syntax but I'm sure you'll sense my objectives:
{All men are created equal and in that, to be judged on their intellect, morality; their record as such, beyond race, color, ethnicity, gender, religious preference or whatever-, devoid of diversity and suspected politically correct inequalities of any sort, save for the impoverished, mentally or physically challenged. Equal being the unabridged operative word! }
{Our constitution driven society is intended to be a free society in every sense of the word, when it's citizens and economic endeavors are in compliance with its laws and regulations, the government's primary function is left to that of preserving that freedom, to act decidedly when it is threatened-, not attempt to regulate every societal and/or economic nuance, overreach or ignore those threats to that society from within or from without?}
{Political preferences are not intended to infiltrate our governance to the point of negating the letter of our constitution, that It is essential the three branches of our government maintain their specified separation and mission as provided by The Constitution and perform accordingly. Any attempt to spin that mandate for political purposes must be swiftly corrected by an impartial Judiciary. Our current Presidential Oath of Office should be applicable to all elected public office holders....preserve, defend and protect the Constitution of the United States!}
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... in a perfect world one could just simply say: it is our Declaration of Independence, it is our Constitution, it's what we Americans are suppose to be all about. So, get with the drill you Politicians, would be Politicians and adhere to their mandates in your governing practices! But, of course that has not proven to make the case. Of interest I decided I would test for candidate affirmation of these postulates at the grass roots level. At a Town Meeting, Meet the Candidates Night, in so many words I posed these enquiring postulates to the first candidate presenter, and was immediately decried by the Moderator as out of order! Advised that only town issues pertaining to a candidates qualification for office was appropriate at this forum. That ones opinion of our constitution was irrelevant? How telling! Never the less here forward I will view all our national candidates for election, reelection, appointment through this prism and let you know what I think of them as worthy candidates for public office. For what it's worth......
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