A world in which all people, institutions and fundamental principles are subjected and surrendered to the whims of “man”— the criminal (immoral, illicit, scandalous) caprice, all-round impunity of “man” (one or more individuals of whatever shape or form) — NO ONE IS SAFE, let alone free.
In a recent article, Eric London observes the collapse of “legal and constitutional foundations of the (United States of America) … under the weight of (an) oligarchy” whose “accumulation of wealth” takes preeminence over America’s founding, revolutionary, long fought for (small d) “democratic principles.”
As all substance comes undone, all history is upended, London asks, rhetorically (citing area of lawlessness or criminal caprice), “If the president (of the United States) can violate one provision of the Constitution, why not violate them all?
“If the president can appoint cabinet members without a vote in the Senate, why not appoint Supreme Court justices in the same way?Mr. London and I base our arguments on slightly different foundations, but the concern is mutual. I know, as does he, that US laws are well established, well documented, and rooted in founding documents created by men who, in my view, were far better men than the contemporary crop.
“Why allow the Senate to vote on ratifying treaties?
“Why allow Congress the power to declare war?
“Why not supplant constitutional power of the legislature with absolute power to the executive (the president), thus “eliminating the legislature’s power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority?” (Eric London, November 19, 2024, “The dictatorial threat of Trump’s recess appointment plan” https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/11/19/hbqh-n19.html)
A Nation, One Nation MUST be Bound by Law
Let's take a walk down US history lane
1776
Charges against the King of Great Britain, Declaring American Independence
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.…
“He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
“He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
“He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
“He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose, obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.“He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
“He has made judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat away their substance.
“He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies, without the Consent of our legislatures.
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
“He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments
For suspending our own Legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
“He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
“He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
“He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & (betrayal) scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation….”
Final Declaration
(excerpt)
“Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and … all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved….” Declaration of Independence: A Transcription. In Congress, July 4, 1776, https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and in effect from March 1, 1781, through 1789, served as the first constitution of the United States https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation
Under the Articles of Confederation, America’s first national government, the states acted together only for specific purposes. The 1787 American Constitution “united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the people.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
E pluribus unum - Thirteen letters (thirteen colonies)
An Act of Congress in 1782 adopted E pluribus unum (Out of many, One) as Motto for the Seal of the United States of America
The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
Article I - SECTION 8
The Congress shall have Power
“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America …
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect (lead to, bring about or result in) their Safety and Happiness.
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.…”
1777
Under the Articles of Confederation, America’s first national government, the states acted together only for specific purposes. The 1787 American Constitution “united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the people.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
1782
An Act of Congress in 1782 adopted E pluribus unum (Out of many, One) as Motto for the Seal of the United States of America
1787
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
Article I - Section 1
“All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”Article I - SECTION 8
(excerpt)
The Congress shall have Power
- To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States…
- To establish uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States…
- To establish Post Offices and post Roads…
- To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water
- To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years
- To provide and maintain a Navy
- To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces
- To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions
- To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; … And …
- To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Article II - SECTION 2
(excerpt minor edit for clarity)
The President of the United States “shall nominate—and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate—shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law…”
Regarding “inferior Officers,” … the Congress may by Law, (and) as they think proper, vest the appointment of such officers …, in the President alone (or) in the Courts of Law or in the Heads of Departments.” National Archives America’s Founding Documents “The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America
The rule of law does not rule if it is not abided uniformly and dispassionately by all FOR ALL no matter how high placed or lowly employed. There must be checks and balances, oversight; and, on the part of the citizenry, clear-sightedness, sound knowledge (not internet gossip), and the refusal
to accept the unacceptable
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Prolific Southern-Born American Writer Dr. Carolyn LaDelle Bennett focuses on People, Press, Politics USA; Domestic and Foreign Affairs (no copyright claimed in direct quotes and individual image)
Latest book: Are There No Champions? Yes and No
Links: https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett
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