"We the People of the United States---"

At a time when some of our states are threatened by a tropical storm and possibly a hurricane, we hope for the best for all those who are in its path.

The opening words of the Constitution, "We the People of the United States---",  remind us of who we are and what we have in common. In the current economic and political storm our country faces, we Americans would do well to remember those values we hold dear and are embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed--".  (Declaration of Independence)

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (Preamble to the Constitution)

No one should deny that our current problems need to be resolved; too many of our fellow Americans are hurting. In the coming weeks, we will hear many arguments on which road we should take. We may sometimes question the principles and even the motives of those with which we disagree. We hold however, that it is their right to speak their opinions as we have the right to speak our own.

In the end, each of us will decide on what we think is best for the country. It is of course important that we resolve the crises before us. But it is also important to resolve it in such a way that our most cherished values and freedoms are not impaired or threatened.

The President's Record is a Failure

Remember "hope and change" and the promise of an "open" administration? By President Obama's own standards he has not served the country well. His record is a failure.

On the Economy: The economy should have been the President's first priority. Instead he seemed fixated on other issues most notably health care. When he did address the economy, it was in terms of government solutions and expenditures such as the stimulus program. He seemed indifferent to the rapid growth of our national debt and the impact of increased government involvement in the private sector, an important economic driver. As of this date, 3.5 years into his presidency, the state of the economy and the unemployment rate continues to be unacceptable.

On Health Care: The President's program to remedy problems in the health care system again revealed his predisposition for government solutions. With his support, the Democrat leadership in Congress rammed through the "Affordable Care Act" in virtual secrecy. This 3000 page document was passed without the participation of many members of Congress and lacked public support. We to this day do not have a full understanding of what is authorized by the Act. The passage of this legislation left an unfavorable impression on the public not only for its perceived government interference in personal health care decisions but also for the manner in which it was passed.

On Religious Freedom: As part of the "Affordable Care Act", President Obama has sought to force religious institutions, contrary to their beliefs, to provide contraceptives and abortifacient drugs to their employees. This is a direct attack on freedom of religion as provided for in the very first amendment to the Constitution. The attempt was heavy handed and raises concern on the vulnerability of our most cherished freedoms. (For a related article, see "A Nation Adrift From the Rule of Law" by David Skeel in today's Wall Street Journal").

On Foreign Affairs: President Obama, by his words and deeds, apparently wants to see America less involved in world affairs. In trouble spots such as Syria, Libya and others, his leadership can best be categorized as not fully engaged. The result of a lack of clear leadership and policy is a power vacuum where countries such as Iran, China and Russia are exerting more power and influence.
After World War II, when the Soviet threat became manifest, President Truman took the lead in forging the NATO Alliance. That is the sort of responsible leadership that the president, as head of the world's preeminent democracy, should exercise. If we don't lead, who will?

In conclusion: President Obama's current campaign slogan is "Forward.". The slogan sends a message that we should stay on the same path, even if it's one we don't understand or accept and without a clear destination. We should change path to one that we recognize, know how to navigate and with a clearly identifiable goal. That is the choice we face this November.

No Matter Who Wins in November, Change is Inevitable

Whoever wins the presidential election, the path our country is currently on cannot be sustained. Whether we are heading towards a diminished or renewed America depends on the choice we make.

The Democrats would have us believe that the safe choice is to re-elect the President. Given his policies, that will mean continuing deterioration of the economy and ultimate crises. Unless we establish control of the federal government's spending and take steps to reduce our debt, the results will be comparable to those we see in Europe with one significant difference.  The magnitude of our problem is so large that no one entity could possibly bail us out. This is our problem to fix.

Neither can we depend on an increase in taxes. When taxes are uncompetitive with other nations (as they are already) some investment dollars will eventually move to those countries. The entrepreneurs who remain here will find less incentive to take risks. The ultimate result will be a lower gross national product, less jobs and a decrease in tax revenue, not more. It will also mean an increase in debt thereby compounding our problems. No one will benefit and the poor will suffer the most.

We must change direction to get out of our current spiral of debt. It requires bold action now, not later. We need to control spending and find ways to restructure entitlements so that they are sustainable into the future. That includes Medicare which is a significant part of the problem but not the only one. In the final analysis, the choice before us is deciding what the size and scope of the federal government should be, what role it should have in our daily lives and in the economy.

Republicans hold that these the answers to these questions can be determined by relying on our nation's fundamental principles established at the time of its beginnings. We have always cherished the principles of individual freedom and rights. Historically we have found that with initiative and hard work, individuals can improve their circumstances as well as contributing to the national welfare.

A rudimentary understanding of economics shows that no one can spend beyond their means indefinitely. That includes government. That inconvenient fact is more compelling when we already have large debt, anemic growth and high unemployment.

We have experienced the results of the Democrats' policies over their current tenure. Their continuation will mean more of the same results: more debt, slow growth and high unemployment. The President has it backwards. Government spending does not create wealth. Rather it is the private sector that produces the wealth that makes it possible for government to function.

The Republican plan offers a path to greater individual opportunity and economic growth. It is based on our core values as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. To insure this result, we must control spending, reform entitlements, keep taxes competitive in a global economy and reduce the size of government. The Republican plan is the alternative that should give us hope, not despair, about our future.

In Defense of the Constitution

As stated in the Constitution, the Federal Government was established with specific enumerated powers granted separately to the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches. The founding fathers were clear that these powers were limited. Alexander Hamilton, a strong advocate for the Constitution, argued against the inclusion of the "Bill of Rights" since "---why declare that things should not be done when there is no power to do so?". (The Federalist Papers, page 513 (No. 84) Edited by Clinton Rossiter).

To emphasize the point, Amendment X of the Constitution states: "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."

The Obama Administration has taken actions that may be expedient to attain its goals but are constitutionally suspect. To cite some examples, it has:

     *Advised companies that they need not comply with a law that requires notification to employees 60 days prior to an impending layoff,

     *Indicated that it would not enforce the Defense of Marriage Act,

     *Not effectively enforced the immigration laws and nullified certain provisions by executive edict,

     *Written regulations forcing religious organizations to provide their employees health care coverage for contraceptives and abortifacient drugs and

     *Has provided work requirement waivers for those on welfare contrary to the welfare reform legislation passed during the Clinton Administration.

No President can decide under the Constitution which laws he will enforce and those that he will not enforce. Nor can he issue executive orders contrary to the powers granted to him in the Constitution or by Congress under its constitutional authority to legislate.

If the President believes that the Federal Government requires more power in the national interest, he ought to make his case to the American people and seek a constitutional amendment to do so.

The Constitution is not a document that we should honor only when it suits our purposes. It is the basic law of the land, duly ratified and accepted by the people. Some of its provisions did not come easily. The country fought a Revolution that made it possible and a Civil War to insure its benefits to all citizens.

These are the ties that hold us together. We are a nation of laws, not of a discretionary and arbitrary authority. The Constitution needs to be "preserved, protected and defended" for us to remain a free and united country.