Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship! Several raw interactions I’ve had this past week call for a review of what it means to be truly American. Let’s dive right in!
It’s hard to believe, but many Americans have been deceived. We have fellow citizens believing that the government, once voted in, has a mandate to rule with unlimited power. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In the American view of government, We the people do the governing. According to the Declaration of Independence, our government gets its power from “the consent of the governed.”
Rule with unlimited power is the opposite of our Constitutional Republic and is called “totalitarianism.” You mighty recognize other synonyms like “authoritarianism, absolutism, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, fascism, communism, etc.” A favorite on-ramp to these forms of government is called “democratic socialism,” which is still socialism. Are you being deceived into thinking that the latter soft term is better than the American Constitutional Republic by the consent of the governed?
In the American view of government, law is based on “natural law,” not man-made laws. As a review, “natural law” means the laws of nature and nature’s God. Plainly speaking, the laws of nature are the laws written on our hearts. Even a 2 yr. old knows that when they grab a toy out of the hands of another child, they are wrong to do so. It’s called “stealing.” That’s an example of the laws of nature at work. We may know right from wrong, but we are born with the propensity to do the selfish thing, not the right thing. Our Founders knew that.
The laws of nature’s God are commonly referred to as the Ten Commandments. Even atheists would agree that certain failings, faults, and misdeeds violate the rights of other people.
Now, totalitarianism in its various forms bases law on what the supreme ruler wants. This is man-made law. The ruler could change his/her mind (one day it’s legal, the next day it’s not), unlike the laws of nature and nature’s God, which do not change. Theft, lying, and murder, for example, have always been wrong and always will be wrong.
Unless our society understands this difference, we will be sold a bill of goods for a “better government” that has been tried and failed time and time again. New versions of totalitarianism by modern elite rulers will never get it right because they are flawed human beings like you and me. These rulers desire to lead a nation by human will with rights they grant at will. We are a nation of laws based on ancient wisdom and rights that are endowed by our Creator.
There is more to understanding basic American law and government. Let’s continue this in my next article about individual rights vs collective rights, property rights vs government ownership, impartial justice vs partial justice, etc. We need to remind ourselves daily of the actual American view of government and law.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
