If I asked you this big picture question: What do you believe the Constitution is fundamentally about? How would you answer it?
Think about that question and see if you can fundamentally answer it from your current understanding and perspective. What exactly is the Constitution really about and what does it attempt to accomplish?
The Constitution is about Rights? It is about free speech? It is about freedom? It is about guns? It is about what the government can do for the people? Do to the people? Never do to the people? It is about directing the military and protecting the country? It is designed to tell people what they need, should or must do? It is about money and the economy? It is about paying taxes? Is it about open borders? Closed borders? It is about law and order? All of the above?
What do you think? And as you cogitate also consider what it is you are seeing going on in politics, law and justice, the courts and government and in the many forms of media, news and journalism today.
As we together attempt to answer this question, what is the Constitution about, let's work backwards and tackle the last question first: What are you currently seeing going on in politics, law and justice and the courts and in the many forms of media, news and journalism today?
Let's see. I see in the news only one very specific, very curated and cherry-picked perspective being portrayed and promoted by the majority of the very partisan corporate entities that control them. In general, I see the law and justice system being used in support and promotion of one political perspective in order to destroy and make moot another political perspective. I see the courts and those who populate them and oversee the theoretically objective structure outlined by the Constitution being used as a subjective political kugel and weapon. I see political speech being criminalized by one political perspective currently in control of the law, justice and court system in the furtherance of their particular political perspective and their political self-interests. That is what I see.
And I fully understand why this is being done. I do it, you do it, every human being does it. Human beings as a rule act in their individual best self-interests. That is human nature. Why would you as a rule do anything else? But we are not talking about any one particular individual human being, we are talking about a structure of governance supposedly based in individual Rights, freedom and self-determination.
So, what do you see? And if you agree with me, what do you believe the reason is that it is being done? More importantly if you do not agree with me, what is it exactly that you see and why is it being done? You must be able to explain it.
And while you ponder what I observe and propose I will continue to reveal my interpretation of exactly what the Constitution of the United States is fundamentally about in my opinion.
Simply, The Constitution is the attempt to counterbalance the nature of man as it relates to the abuse of power in governance.
Now how can I boil down the Constitution to one simple sentence? The Constitution is a complex document!
No, the Constitution is conceptually a very simple document. And once you understand it from that simple perspective no one can move you from it and what it proposes. No one.
Let's begin with the Declaration of Independance which is the initial indication of what the Constitution is all about and attempts to accomplish. What is it? Simply, the Declaration of Independance is an objective formal statement of intent of disconnect to a supremely subjective tyrannical King. And what exactly is a King? A King is a supremely immersed in subjectivity individual where absolute power resides. A King's perspective is perfectly subjective and self-centered, and God help anyone who dares stand in his (or her) subjective self-interests way.
God help you, because that is the only entity that can do you any good when it comes to the Kings subjective interests, his power is absolute. As long as the King can maintain his (or her) power that is. The control of power is always about further acquiring or retaining power. ALWAYS.
And so, the Founders of America who wrote the Constitution being a product of the time in which they existed in history clearly understood just how detrimental a Kings absolute subjective power and self-interested perspective was to the concept of individuals being free. Free and able to through their own struggle, determination, ingenuity and organization have self-determination in forming a system of governance and control of power that serves their interests. And so, from the Founders point of view there must be some form of disconnect and reorganization of the power and control model regarding their and their fellow citizens governance.
The word we use for that attempt at reorganizing a form of governance and control of power is called WAR. And WAR can take a physical hot form. And WAR can also take the form of a more intellectual and nuanced attempt in reorganization in a cold form. We IMO are witness to the cold and more nuanced intellectual form of political warfare today in America.
Understanding these simplified concepts and theories of power and control for our purposes here we ask: What was the arrived at determination by the Founders solution to an absolute subjective perspective of power, rule and governance by a self-interested King?
The Founders being aware of their situation and the realities of history related to power borrowed the concepts set out in the Magna Carta which was a distinct paradigm shift moment in the relation of a King to his subjects and the concept of law and justice and an individual's freedoms and self-determination.
Britanica: "Magna Carta, English Great Charter, charter of English liberties granted by King John on June 15, 1215, under threat of civil war and reissued, with alterations, in 1216, 1217, and 1225. By declaring the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law and documenting the liberties held by “free men,” the Magna Carta provided the foundation for individual rights in Anglo-American jurisprudence."
Q: What made adjustments to King John's subjective interpretation of his Kingly power and control which he apparently was abusing?
A: The real threat of extreme personal violence, chaos, death and destruction.
The Founders based on their personal and historical perspective structured the American Constitution in a theory of Objective law, justice and governance. And that is key to understanding the Constitution. If you were not aware of or did not make that important distinction before, please note it today.
That is the exact 180 degree opposite of a self-interested supremely Subjective King (Or political party, or corporate entity, or politician, or religion, or court and justice system, you get the point). This one concept and distinction is the one concept and distinction that you must understand and fully appreciate given today's very contentious political atmosphere and struggle for control and power over governance, your life and the country.
So again, what is the Constitution about?: The Constitution is the attempt to counterbalance the nature of man as it relates to the abuse of power in governance.
And what is the nature of man related to governance and power? Power will without doubt no matter how good anyone's intentions are will be abused. And that being said I am not suggesting that good people in government or within any entity that wields some measure of power over others does not exist, not at all. There certainly are good people in the world.
So, if you now simply understand the fundamental concepts above then you understand the Constitution and what it intends. But now understanding that you also understand that those who seek power will ultimately do anything in order to acquire or retain it. And I mean anything, up to and including the elimination of all rival concepts and models and the people who stand in their way. And we all see that ongoing today. Nothing new here.
The example recent story below illustrates my point perfectly. Is this where you want your government and politics to go? Are we any better than this?
No, we are not any better than this as hopefully you can plainly see. Do not delude yourself. The ONLY thing that keeps us from becoming that is the Constitution and what it in theory Objectively structures.
We must be governed by the Objective perspective contained and very well thought out concepts and rules of operation and structure contained within the Constitution. Subjective governance always results in authoritarian rule. Always.
A real measure of freedom is the result of Objectively conceived and structured governance. And that is how simple all of this actually is. Be no longer confused by the minutia and chaos you see before you and in the media. And be moved away from that the Constitution structures by no one.
Are you paying attention yet America? JGL 8/17/23
