Hello:

It appears that there's some disagreement on what governments' first priority is. Republicans, and I guess some Democrats, think the first job of government is to keep the people safe. I, on the other hand, think the first job of government is to obey the Constitution.

Whatever position you take, please cite the law or the passage in our founding documents that supports your conclusion...

Here's mine. In the oath of office each government employee recites, it says that they will "preserve, protect and defend (not the people or the country, but) the Constitution of the United States".

I think if we figure out WHAT our job is, it might make it easier to do it, doncha think?

excon

Sadly EC probably 90% of those people, if they can actually read have never read or understand the Constitution. So it is kind of a moot point don't you think?
Until people can actually read and understand what the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights for that matter say how can we expect our elected officials to uphold the guidelines,laws,rules, what ever you want to call them?

Hello 450:

What you say is probably true. So, consider this post my effort to educate the American populace. Somebody's got to do it.

excon

Politicians do not, repeat, do not, read the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. They haven't the faintest clue what their job is other than to put their grubby hands into our wallets and take all those little funny pieces of paper with pictures of dead presidents on and cram them into their pocketc.

Our job as the people, is to print MORE of these funny pieces of paper (whether fake or real) for these politicians to support their extravagant life styles and make laws they have no intentions of keeping themselves as they are above the laws that they make.

Always thought it was a percular construct that you guys swore to defend the constitution. I think that constitution presumes the people will defend themselves which is after all a seventeenth century idea wound around wilderness, savages and far away powers The job of government is to preserve order in the many forms it is required

You find it odd to protect the rules of the game? What's left if you don't, anarchy?

Excon, we've been over this before. It's all stated very clearly in the Constitution.

The government has 3 jobs, and ONLY 3 jobs. All three are equally imortant. These are:

1) To protect the nation from enemies, both foreign and domestic.

2) To create and maintain an infrastructure that includes roads, highways, tunnels, bridges, and a mail system.

3) To create and maintain an economic environment that is favorable to the production and distribution of goods and services and the creation and transfer of wealth.

Government has no other purpose, no other job and no other authority.

Protecting the country is neither more important nor less important than the other two jobs of government.

You, however, want the government to IGNORE these responsibilities the limitations on the power of government that are in the Constitution. You want them not to maintain a favorable economic environement, but rather to control the economy. You want them not to protect the country but rather to grant rights to foreign terrorists and make the country weaker by doing so. You want them not to build and maintain roads, but rather to use road maintenance as an excuse to spend Trillions of our money in wealth redistribution schemes. All of these are violations of the Constitution that you support.

So please, save your talk about protecting the Constitution for those who don't know you so well... because there's NOTHING in your political thinking that corresponds to protection of the Constitution.

Elliot

In the midst of all these challenges, however, my single most important responsibility as President is to keep the American people safe.

[President Obama's National Security Speech May 2009.]

This is one of the few parts of his tripe I agree with .
Nothing is more important for the President in his role as CIC than National Security. I do not say that for the entire government... only for the President . But it ranks high for the rest of the government also.

Hello Elliot:

Yes, we have - and you've been wrong every time...

I'll cop to number #2 above, but only insofar as the government can construct and maintain postal roads... The rest you made up.

Number's #1 and #3 are figments of your right wing mind. They just aren't in the Constitution. Unless, of course, you can show me... But, I read it. It isn't very long, and they use short words. I actually know it pretty good. You - not so much.

excon

There you go again... supporting a reading of the Constitution that violates the Constitution.

Please save your "protecting the constitution" rhetoric for someone who's buying what you're selling.

Yep, they should be obeying the constitution, but we probably didn't have Lobbyists back then. Maybe, even corruption, wasn't even a word. Don't know.

I do agree with the infrastructure, promoting a business climate and security.

In fact, it's almost likened to a "building" with respect to security and infrastructure.

But, laws in my opinion are necessary to make people play nice, otherwise greed gets in the way.

What I don't like is terms like "You will loose federal dollars if you don't do X"

Hello again, K:

I know you agree with it.. Just show me where it says it.

excon

Tough one. Don't think I can.