Monday, March 11, 2013

The Promises One Makes When Taking an Oath of Office

Honorable “Oath of Office” Responsibilities, Powerful and Important Reminders by We the People, for elected representatives and public officials, Concise, Direct, Unarguable, Urgent, Compelling:
3/5/13. BILLS OF RIGHTS ARE INVIOLATE, NOT STATUTE, NOT SUBJECT TO MISINTERPRETATION, MISCONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTION, BUT RIGHTS GRANTED TO THE PEOPLE BY "THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND";
NOT PRIVILEGES GRANTED BY THE STATE OR ELECTED OFFICIALS; NOT THEIRS TO TAKE FROM THE PEOPLE.

Colorado State Senators and Representatives: Keep foremost in your deliberations, America’s Organic Founding Documents -- the Declaration of Independence , Colorado and U.S. Constitutions and their incredibly important Bills of Rights; then especially, your sacred Oath of Office, taken to judiciously, tenaciously and continuously honor them. This is the only Oath taken — not to one's self, political party, business, family, friends, lobbyists, etc.,  only to “support and defend” (not ignore  or breach) “The Supreme Law of the Land” -- Colorado and U.S. Constitutions.


Oath of Office

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States (and Colorado) against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
US Constitution -- Bill of Rights,  Amendment II: “ . . . the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Amendment IV: “The right of the people to be secure in their person, houses, papers, and effects . . . shall not be violated . . ."

Colorado Constitution — Article II, Bill of Rights:
“In order to assert our rights, . . . and proclaim the principles upon which our government is founded, we declare: Section 1. ". . . All political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government, of right, originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.” Section 2. ". . . The people of this state have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves, as a free, sovereign and independent state; and to alter and abolish their constitution and form of government whenever they may deem it necessary to their safety and happiness . . .”

Section 3. ". . . All persons have certain natural, essential and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; of acquiring, possessing and protecting property; and of seeking

Section 13.  "Right to bear arms.  The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property . . . shall be called in question . . ."

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Law, and "the Supreme Law of the Land"

Law is where the government tells the people what to do. The Constitution is where We the People tell the government what to do! There is nothing in the Constitution that tells people what to do, with one exception: If you win an election you are required to swear an oath,“to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The Constitution is the "supreme Law of the Land" because it says so. The Declaration of Independence is the intent of law. Together -- the law and intent of law -- form The Law.

The other momentous part of the Constitution is its incredibly important Bill of Rights--the first ten amendments that tell the government what it can not do to the people! The First Amendment, starting with, "Congress shall make no law ..." delineates the precious five freedoms of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition. And oh, if only there were one that absolutely prohibited the federal government from doing anything not authorized by the Constitution.

There is--the tenth amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Federal powers not stated are not authorized.

Together, these two make the states and their citizens sovereign--superior to, chief or greatest, supreme in authority, rank or power over the federal government. Can the people keep it that way? Does this explain in any way why the Freedom Documents are so de-emphasized, marginalized, and just plain not taught, mentioned, celebrated , honored or otherwise revealed?

No piece of paper with writing on it protects rights or freedoms. No good idea enforces obligation. And no good intention compels responsibility. Ink on paper provides a record, and a means to communicate and preserve that record. The force behind it is the people who understand, resolve and "solemnly publish and declare" that certain things are so and will remain so. Freedoms are maintained solely by "We the People." Do your part.

-- from TOTAL Power of ONE in America, Ch 17, Discovering the Freedom Documents, by Fred Holden