Constitutional

"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws - the first growing out of the last, a sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government."

Alexander Hamilton

Today is Constitution Day and United States Citizenship Day, a single celebration commemorating the formation and signing of the United States Constitution, while also recognizing both naturalized citizens and those born in the United States.  It’s a day that many people become naturalized citizens in large group ceremonies.   It's a day that celebrates the strength of our government.

This year marks two hundred and thirty-two years since the signing of the United States Constitution.  Two hundred and thirty-two years, and it still represents the best foundational governing document that man has created.  It's not perfect; there are portions that were compromised the minute they were written.  But it proclaims ideals that we are still striving to achieve.

Equality for all - and all means all.  That the government belongs to the people.  That the power of the government should be split between branches, limited, and kept in check.  That we recognize that this document is not infallible and can and should be amended.

We have done a lot over the past two hundred and thirty-two years to damage this document.  Overreaching power in the executive.  Legislating from the court.  A broken legislature.  A disinterested and apathetic people.  Government for sale.

The principles, though, can survive.  The document is resilient enough, our government is resilient enough to withstand, if we work at correcting it.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate Constitution Day that to commit to working at repairing it.

For Citizenship Day, why not try your hand at a citizenship test?   We might be stronger as a nation, if we all needed to pass this at regular intervals.