Power and Control
Power and control are magnets for human beings. Anyone who is tuned in to our world today can see the attraction at work in industry, education, media, and politics. Our Founders knew this, so they structured our government with horizontal separation of powers and vertical boundaries between local, state, and national government to keep power from consolidating.
Why Process Matters
They also understood something else: freedom requires a moral people.
What happens when we go off the rails? What happens when we give in to the pull of power and control instead of doing what is right for the citizenry? The answer is simple: lawlessness follows. It may take a long while, but remember, “the wheels of justice grind slowly, but grind fine.”
Constitutional Vigilance
Laws and amendments must follow the constitutional process. Article VII describes ratification of the original Constitution, and Article V lays out the amendment process. When that process is ignored, distorted, or treated casually, serious questions follow.
Count the Cost
We should count the cost. Weigh the evidence. Lean into what is morally and legally right. Our Founders never intended Americans to leave governance to officials’ discretion alone. Ultimately, we the people must uphold the Constitution, or face tyranny if we ignore it.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
Updated and republished from a 2022 article: https://civicsandcitizenship.org/power-and-control/
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