When our Founding Fathers set out to write our U.S. Constitution, they may not have known what they wanted at the outset, but they sure knew what they didn’t want!
The writing of the Constitution takes us back into history when our European ancestors lived under a monarchy. A king’s word was the law of the land.
You didn’t want to upset the king, or he could literally have your head. Such was the case with King Henry VIII of England, who was known for beheading his subjects unless they were careful to stay on his good side.
A Better Plan
Under the reign of King George III, our Framers knew that freedom was fragile. So, they made sure to plan a government with three different branches of powers with what we refer to as a system of checks and balances.
The legislative branch writes the laws. It consists of a Congress with two bodies--the Senate and the House of Representatives. The executive branch is led by a president to enforce the laws.
Finally, the judiciary is overseen by a system of federal judges and a Supreme Court to ensure those laws meet the standards of the Constitution.
How is the Great American Experiment working?
Even after 244 years of our constitutional republic, we still refer to our government as “The Great American Experiment.” How is it working so far?
As long as each branch and its members know their function and keep each other accountable, we will endure. But we are in danger of failing.
Presidents have decreed executive orders outside their boundaries and have refused to uphold certain laws. Supreme Court justices have based their decisions on whether they agree with the legislation.
Rules are made by appointed officials, who were not elected by the people. Members of Congress have voted on laws without permitting debate on both sides of the aisle.
Are These the Shadows of Things that Might Be?
If we are not careful to keep everyone accountable, we are in danger of losing our Constitution. The Founding Fathers knew that even good leaders can abuse their authority.
A government can wield enormous power over the citizens it vows to protect.
It was this foresight that led to the second clause of Article V, ensuring a means to rein in a wayward government. The states can take the situation into their own hands by calling a Convention of States to impose amendments of restraint on a government out of control.
