Dear Editor --
The events of 2009 are a chapter in our history. What is of greater importance is what the chapter we write in 2010 will contain. The pending elections might be the most important in the history of this republic. This is how I see it. If the people of this country, through our election process, do not elect people who honor the Constitution and are committed to govern by it our days are numbered.
The current administration is openly opposed to the form of government our Founders' intended. The founders believed government should be limited, balanced, and with carefully delegated powers. On the other side you have a mass of people (read Tea Party folks) who are fed up and are not going to " take it" any more. Millions of people across this country fear that if POTUS and his bunch are not checked we could loose the very liberties and freedoms our Founders" fought and died for, not to mention all those that gave there all to defend us through the years.
As citizens it is our obligation to inform ourselves about these elections and the candidates before us. Our goal must be to elect people with a philosophy of government based on the founding principles contained in the Constitution. As an electorate we must insist that those elected govern in adherence to these principles.
Asking the candidate the right questions will aid us in assessing what kind of public servant they will become. How about these questions for starters.
1. What is the concept of unalienable rights as mentioned by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence? The answer to this will tell us allot.
2. Does the Constitution give the President the power to regulate or bailout industries, to commit troops to war, to give
foreign aid, to make laws by executive orders, to decide who gets Federal aid and who does not, to chisel away at
American sovereignty by making executive agreements with foreign entities, or to lock up natural resources of the
nation from being enjoyed by the people?
3. If elected, how will you use your office to help restore true constitutional government to our land once again?
Thomas Jefferson said: "The only true corrective of constitutional abuses education. Every public official should
encourage the real study of our Constitution but also pledge to make sure every official act he or she performs
is within the bounds of the Constitution.
Oh, and speaking of education, before you ask your candidate these or other questions you should know the answers.
OK, I'll stop writing and let you get on with your homework.
From Al Watts -- trebla@pvilleca.com from Porterville Area
